JP2023062197A - System and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system in which, when the presence of an alarm object is notified, a user can know the presence without overlooking it.

SOLUTION: As means for performing alarm notification, a light emitting part using a color LED 22 as a light source is provided in addition to a display part 5. When the condition is satisfied, a control part 18 controls a light emission state of the light emitting part using the LED as the light source to perform the alarm notification. At this time, the control of the light emission state is performed with the emission color corresponding to an alarm object which has satisfied the alarm condition.

SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

COPYRIGHT: (C)2023,JPO&INPIT

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a system and program for notifying when an alarm condition is satisfied.

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a large number of speed measuring devices for measuring the speed of automobiles have been installed around roads and the like. An example of a speed measuring device is to emit microwaves in a predetermined frequency band toward a vehicle, receive the reflected waves, and measure the running speed of the vehicle.

On the other hand, in order to detect the presence of such a speed measuring device, a microwave detector is conventionally known which is configured to detect microwaves emitted from the speed measuring device and output an alarm. However, depending on the installation position of the speed measuring device, road conditions and other surrounding environments, some conventional microwave detectors can be detected from a relatively long distance, while others are difficult to detect until relatively close. .

Also, some velocity measuring devices cannot be detected by conventional microwave detectors.
As an example, there is a so-called loop type, in which a loop-shaped coil is embedded in the ground, and when a vehicle passes over the coil, it is detected and the vehicle speed is also determined. There are also those that detect vehicle speed using light other than microwaves.

Therefore, recently, the installation position information of the speed measuring device is stored in advance, and GPS (Global
Positioning System) An in-vehicle electronic device that issues a warning regardless of the presence or absence of microwave detection when the current position approaches a memorized installation position (when a predetermined relationship is established) using information. There is (Patent Document 1).

For example, if the current position is within 1000m from the installation position of the speed measurement device, the first warning is issued, and if it is within 500m from the installation position of the speed measurement device, , doing a second warning, etc.

As a specific form of notification, for example, relative positional relationships such as "1 km to the left, highway H system", "right ahead general road N system", etc., and content specifying the target content as voice information The information is output from a speaker, or characters or images that directly represent the alarm target are displayed on the display unit. An image that directly represents a warning target includes a real photograph of the warning target such as a speed measuring device, and an image simulating it.

Furthermore, as the screen size of the display unit increases and the screen becomes a color screen, the types and amounts of information output using the display unit are also increasing. An example of the information to be output is a map of the vehicle's surroundings. By superimposing a mark indicating the vehicle's position and a mark (2D, 3D) indicating the alarm target on the map, it is possible to obtain specific information. Positional relationship can be recognized. Furthermore, the background color is changed according to the type of alarm object being notified, and the background color is changed to red when the distance to the alarm object is closer than the reference value.

JP-A-2008-64588

In conventional devices, the amount of information provided using the display increases as the screen size of the display increases, but the driver needs to see the front and other surroundings of the vehicle while driving, so he/she pays attention to the display. is difficult and it can be difficult to quickly understand the content of the information provided. For example, if a large amount of information is output to the display unit at once, the user cannot see all of the displayed information and may overlook important information. Also, when a map is displayed on the display unit, if the distance between the current position and the alarm target becomes less than the reference distance and the background color is changed to red, the map becomes difficult to see. In particular, in the case of a map, roads and the like are displayed in different colors, and if the color of the road and the changed background color are the same color system, there are various problems such as being more difficult to see.

In order to solve the above problems, the system according to the present invention has (0) a function to display information on the display screen, and a warning notification by controlling the light emitting state of the light emitting unit when the warning condition is satisfied. wherein, as control of the light emission state, a function of emitting light in a light emission color corresponding to an alarm target that satisfies the alarm condition; A function of displaying a color similar to that of the light-emitting portion is provided, and the light-emitting portion is configured such that the logo emits light in the light-emitting color. A system comprising a function of displaying information on a display screen and a function of controlling the light emitting state of a light emitting unit to issue an alarm when an alarm condition is satisfied, wherein the control of the light emitting state includes: a function of emitting light in a color corresponding to an alarm target that satisfies an alarm condition; and a function of displaying a color similar to that of the light emitting unit on the display screen when the alarm condition is met; The part is configured such that the peripheral area including the logo emits light in the above-described luminescent color.
(1) A system comprising control means for controlling the light emission state of a light emitting unit having an LED as a light source to issue an alarm when an alarm condition is satisfied, wherein the control of the light emission state is performed by satisfying the alarm condition. It was made to emit light in the emission color corresponding to the fulfilled alarm target.

A light-emitting part provided with an LED means that the light source of the light-emitting part is an LED. When the LED is exposed, the LED itself becomes the light-emitting part, and when the LED is built into the case body (housing) of the device, the area where it can be seen that the light is emitted from the outside of the case body is the light-emitting part. becomes. In the latter case, for example, a predetermined area on the surface of the case main body serves as the light emitting portion. For example, the predetermined area is formed by thinning the wall surface of the case main body so that the light from the LED can pass through, or by opening a window hole in the wall surface of the case main body and making the window hole a semi-transparent member that allows light to pass through the window hole. It is preferable to configure by attaching a cover.

The light emitting unit emits light in a light emission color corresponding to an alarm target that satisfies the alarm condition. For example, relationship information that associates an alarm target with luminescent color information is stored in a predetermined storage means. The luminescent color information is information specifying the luminescent color. When the alarm condition is satisfied, the control means accesses the storage means, acquires the luminescent color information corresponding to the alarm object that satisfies the alarm condition from the stored relational information, and identifies the luminescent color information. The light emission of the LED is controlled so that the light emission color is The alarm conditions are based on position information, such as the positional relationship between the alarm target and the current position being in a predetermined proximity relationship, or are not based on position information, such as the reception of predetermined radio waves/radio signals, vehicle status/driving status, etc. There is Those not based on location information include those based on information from the outside of the vehicle, such as the reception of predetermined radio waves, and those based on information from the outside of the vehicle, such as the reception of predetermined radio waves, and those based on sudden starts and sudden turns (when the sensor value of the acceleration sensor is greater than or equal to the reference value). ), such as dangerous driving, driving with poor fuel consumption, etc., based on information in the vehicle (vehicle itself / driver).

The emission color corresponds to an alarm target. In the case of an alarm target based on position information, for example, the emission color may be set (associated) for each alarm target whose position information is registered, or the type of alarm target may be set (associated). The emission color may be set for each. In the case of each type of warning target, as partly exemplified in the embodiment, it is set for each detailed type such as a fixedly installed speed measuring device (radar), N system, traffic monitoring point, inspection area, roadside station, etc. Alternatively, they may be divided into a plurality of groups according to the degree of importance (degree of danger), and a luminescent color may be set for each group so that alarm targets belonging to the same group have the same luminescent color. Emission colors are associated based on importance, for example, high importance such as speed measurement equipment is red, medium importance (causing attention) such as the N system is blue, and demand for roadside stations, etc. Those with a low level (about information provision) should be colored green.

Drivers should be aware of the road ahead and other vehicle surroundings while driving. In the present invention, when the warning conditions are satisfied, the light emitting unit emits light in a color corresponding to the target of the warning. You can see the light emitting part in your field of vision and check the color of the light by simply shifting your line of sight. As a result, it is possible to know that an alarm target that satisfies the alarm conditions exists in the surrounding area, what the alarm target is, and the like. Since it is a simple warning that emits light in a predetermined color instead of notifying a large number of warning information, the driver can understand the content of the warning without paying attention to the light emitting part for a long time. You can concentrate on collecting information necessary for driving.

(2) The LEDs are color LEDs, and the control means preferably changes the color of the emitted light in stages according to the alarm level. By using color LEDs, it is possible to express many kinds of colors with one LED. For example, if RGB three primary color LEDs are used and PWM is used for color intensity control, 5 bits for R, 5 bits for G, and 5 bits for B, for a total of 15 bits, 32,768 colors can be controlled. If R is 8 bits, G is 8 bits, and B is 8 bits, 24 bits in total, 16,777,216 colors can be controlled. Therefore, it is possible to issue an alarm such that the emission color gradually changes by smoothly performing gradation control from a low alarm level to a high alarm level. In the case of notifying information about the alarm level on the conventional display screen, for example, in order to notify the signal level of the received radio wave, the alarm level is divided into, for example, five levels, and the area where the light is emitted each time the level rises by one. incremented (extended) by one, but by controlling the emission color to gradually change according to the alarm level, the alarm level can be expressed in an analog manner. Feels more luxurious. It is preferable that the color of the emitted light changes from blue to red as the alarm level increases, for example.

(3) The control means may change the emission intensity of the LED according to the alarm level. The change in emission intensity is realized by changing the lightness or luminance of the emission color, for example. Such a change can change the brightness by using, for example, PWM for brightness, and can set the color and brightness of the LEDs by other known methods (methods specified by LED manufacturers). Alternatively, the voltage applied to the LED may be adjusted to change the amount of light emitted. The same effect as described above can be expected by changing the emission intensity instead of changing the emission color as in the invention (2). Alternatively, the change in emission color and the change in emission intensity may be performed together. It is preferable that the light emission intensity is changed from a dark color to a bright color or the light emission intensity is increased (increased) as the alarm level increases, for example.

(4) The alarm condition may be reception of radio waves, and the alarm level may be the signal level of the received radio waves. For example, when receiving a radio wave with a predetermined frequency, such as a microwave emitted from a speed measuring device, the signal level of the received radio wave can be changed to change the color and intensity of the emitted light, thereby reducing inorganic substances. It is good because the received signal level can be expressed in analog instead of the digital radar level meter.

(5) The alarm condition may be that the current position and the alarm target are in a close relationship, and the alarm level may be the extent of the close relationship. The degree of proximity is controlled such that, for example, the closer the distance, the higher the warning level. This is preferable because the approximate remaining distance to the alert target can be understood.

In addition to the above-mentioned (4) reception of radio waves and (5) proximity relationship, the warning level may be, for example, the degree of dangerous driving (the higher the sensor value of the acceleration sensor, the higher the degree of dangerous driving), fuel consumption ( There are various things such as high fuel consumption per unit time, sudden acceleration, etc.).

(6) It is preferable to change the luminescent color by changing the frequency of the luminescent color in steps corresponding to the alarm level. By changing the frequency, the emission color can be changed continuously. In this case, smooth gradation control should be performed by setting the alarm level to 1 for the lower frequency and the maximum alarm level for the higher frequency.

(7) Preferably, the control means has a function of giving an alarm by voice when the warning condition is satisfied, and the control means changes the emission intensity of the LED according to the intensity of the voice. When the warning conditions are met, for example, if information about the target of the warning is announced by voice, such as "1km ahead, loop coil, speed limit is 60km" or "immediate ahead, N system", etc., the driver will face forward. It is preferable because the content can be known in the state. In this case, by changing the light emission intensity (brightness, brightness, etc.) according to the strength of the pronunciation of the voice (for example, volume), the device itself feels like it is speaking with intention, which increases the sense of quality and makes it more interesting. also increases. It is preferable that the stronger (louder) the sound, the stronger (larger) the emission intensity.

(8) The control means has a function of notifying information on a display screen, and the control means controls the light emitting state of the light emitting unit without changing the background color of the display screen when the alarm condition is satisfied. should be controlled. If an alarm condition is met while various information is being output to the display screen, for example, if the background color of the display screen is changed to red, the entire display screen will turn red, so it is possible to notify that an alarm has been issued. , the originally provided information becomes difficult to see, which is not desirable. On the other hand, in the present invention, by changing the light emitting state of the light emitting unit without changing the background color of the display screen, the driver is notified of the existence of the object to be warned, and the display screen is used to originally display the information. This is preferable because it does not make it difficult to see the information that was previously displayed.

(9) On the premise of the invention of (8) above, the information may be map information. In the map information, for example, the roads are displayed in different colors, and if the background color is similar to the color of the road when the warning condition is satisfied, the road becomes difficult to see. In particular, in the case of warning notifications, the background color is often set to red, and the main roads such as national roads are often displayed in red. If it is changed, there will be a problem that it will be difficult to confirm the main road. On the other hand, in the present invention, the background color of the display screen is not changed, so that the content of the map of roads and the like can be easily and accurately understood even during an alarm (while the light emitting unit is emitting light), which is preferable.

(10) Based on the above invention (8) or (9), the control means preferably displays alarm information on the display screen when the alarm condition is satisfied. By displaying the alarm information on the display screen, it is possible to notify the user of more specific and detailed contents. In this case, the user can be notified of the presence of the object to be alerted by the light emission of the light emitting unit provided separately from the display screen. In other words, the existence of the alarm target is not mixed on the same screen, but the existence of the alarm target is indicated by a display unit provided outside the display screen, and the detailed contents are displayed on the display screen. can achieve the purpose without looking at the display screen, and the user who wants to know the details can achieve the purpose by looking at the alarm information displayed on the display screen.

(11) On the premise of the invention of (10) above, the alarm information is character information, and the color of the character information and the light emission color of the light emitting unit are preferably the same color. Textual information makes the content easier to understand. At this time, by making the light emission color of the light emitting unit and the color of the character information similar, the association between the display unit and the alarm information (character information) is strengthened, and the user can understand the alarm information displayed on the display screen. It is preferable because it becomes easy to find the existing position of the character information.

(12) The alarm conditions are composed of a plurality of conditions, and the control means makes the light emission state different when all of the plurality of conditions are satisfied and the light emission state when a part of the plurality of conditions is satisfied. good. If some conditions are met, then all conditions may be met later. Therefore, it is preferable to warn the user by issuing an early warning when some of the conditions are satisfied. The light emission state when some of the conditions are satisfied should be less conspicuous and quieter than the light emission state when all the conditions are satisfied.

For example, two conditions are satisfied when "reception of microwaves (radio waves) of a predetermined frequency" (condition 1) and "received signal level is equal to or higher than a reference value" (condition 2) are used as multiple conditions. Then, assuming that the radio wave emitted from the alarm target is received, an alarm is given by a predetermined light emission state (for example, red light emission), and if only condition 1 is satisfied (the signal level is less than the reference value), a different light emission state (for example, alarm by emitting blue light). Even if the distance to the alert target is long and the received signal level is below the reference value, the signal level often rises to the reference value or higher as the vehicle approaches the alert target by traveling further. In such a case, it is preferable to provide the user with a precursor warning in advance so that the user can mentally prepare himself and drive safely without panicking even if the warning that satisfies all the conditions is issued.

(13) The light-emitting unit may be configured to emit light of one color when viewed from the outside. When one color is emitted when viewed from the outside, it is sufficient that the emission color of the light emitting part that can be seen from the outside is one color. In some cases, one color is obtained by emitting light of the same color. Also, for example, LEDs of different colors are arranged close to each other, and the surface is covered with a white (translucent) cover or the like. Then, one or a predetermined number of LEDs may be caused to emit light, and the light transmitted through the cover and emitted to the outside may be one of the combined colors of the emitting LEDs. By using one luminescent color, it is possible to easily understand what the alarm is for.

(14) A program of the present invention is a program for causing a computer to realize the function as the control means in the system according to any one of (1) to (13) above.

According to the present invention, when an alarm condition is satisfied, the light emitting unit using an LED as a light source emits light in a predetermined emission color corresponding to the target of the alarm to issue an alarm. , the presence or absence of such light emission and the light emission state (light emission color) can be recognized, and the presence of an alarm target can be known.

1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a radar detector that is a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. Fig. 2 shows a block diagram of a radar detector; FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a warning screen displayed on a display unit; FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a warning screen displayed on a display unit; 4 is a flowchart showing functions of a control unit; It is a figure which shows a modification. It is a figure which shows an example of the display color related to the kind of alarm target. It is a figure which shows an example of the display color related to the kind of alarm object.

"Basic configuration of electronic equipment"
1 and 2 show the configuration of a radar detector, which is a preferred embodiment of the electronic equipment that constitutes the system of the present invention. The radar detector 1 is provided with a thin rectangular case body 2, and is attached and fixed to a vehicle dashboard or the like using a bracket 3 attached to the lower rear side of the case body 2. As shown in FIG.

A display unit 5 is provided on the front surface of the case body 2 (the surface facing the rear of the vehicle (driver's side)). The display unit 5 is composed of a 3.2-inch color TFT liquid crystal display. A touch panel 6 for detecting which part of the display section 5 is touched is provided on the display section 5 . A volume adjustment button 7 is arranged on the right side of the front surface of the case body 2, and various operation buttons 8 are arranged on the left side thereof.

A right side surface of the case body 2 is provided with a card insertion slot 9 for inserting a memory card as a detachable recording medium, and a memory card reader 10 is built inside the card insertion slot 9 in the case body 2. . The memory card 11 is attached to the memory card reader 10 by inserting the memory card 11 through the card insertion slot 9 . The memory card reader 10 passes data stored in the attached memory card 11 to the control unit 18 . More specifically, if the data stored in the memory card 11 includes update information such as information on a new alarm target (location information such as longitude and latitude, type information, etc.), the control unit 18 updates the information. Data is updated by storing (downloading) the information in the database 19 .

The database 19 can be realized by a non-volatile memory (for example, EEPROM) inside the microcomputer of the control unit 18 or externally attached to the microcomputer. The database 19 has map data and information about certain warning targets registered at the time of shipment, and data about additional warning targets and the like are updated as described above.

A GPS receiver 13 is arranged inside the upper central part of the back side of the case body 2, and a microwave receiver 14 and a radio receiver 15 are arranged next to it. The GPS receiver 13 receives GPS signals from GPS satellites and outputs current position (longitude/latitude) information. A microwave receiver 14 receives microwaves of a predetermined frequency emitted from the speed measuring device. The radio receiver 15 receives incoming radio waves of a predetermined frequency. A speaker 16 is also built in the lower part of the case body 2 . A speaker port is provided on the bottom surface of the case body 2 .

A DC jack 17 is arranged below the back side of the case body 2 . This DC jack 17 is for connecting a cigar plug cord (not shown), and is connected to a cigar socket of the vehicle via the cigar plug cord so that power can be supplied.

The control unit 18 is a microcomputer including a CPU, ROM, RAM, non-volatile memory, I/O, etc., and is connected to the above-described units as shown in FIG. GPS receiver 13, microwave receiver 14, radio receiver 15, etc.), executes a predetermined process based on the information input from, output device (display unit 5, speaker 16, etc.) to issue a predetermined alarm Print a message. These basic configurations can be basically the same as the conventional ones.

The functions of the radar detector 1 of this embodiment are stored in the EEPROM of the control unit 18 as programs executed by the computer of the control unit 18, and are realized by the computer of the control unit 18 executing the programs. Functions realized by the computer by means of the program of the control unit 18 include a GPS log function, a standby screen display function, a radar scope display function, a GPS alarm function, a radar wave alarm function, a wireless alarm function, and the like.

The GPS log function is a function in which the control unit 18 associates the current position detected by the GPS receiver 8 with the detected time and speed (vehicle speed) every second and stores it in the non-volatile memory as a position history. This position history is recorded, for example, in NMEA format.

The standby screen display function is a function of displaying a predetermined standby screen on the display unit 5 . FIG. 3(a) shows an example of a standby screen, and shows the speed, latitude, longitude and altitude of the own vehicle detected by the GPS receiver 13 here.

As shown in FIG. 3B, the MAP display function is a function of accessing the database 19 based on the current position detected by the GPS receiver 13, and reading and displaying the map data stored therein. Also, the MAP display function searches for alarm targets around the current position based on the position information stored in the database 19, and if there are alarm targets in the vicinity, the alert target is displayed at the corresponding position on the map. It also has a function of superimposing and displaying information (target icon 112, etc.). A specific display mode is as follows.

The control unit 18 displays a map in the main display area R1 covering almost the entire surface of the display unit 5 so that the traveling direction of the vehicle always faces upward. The control unit 18 displays the map such that the center of the lower side of the main display area R1 is the current position of the vehicle, and displays the vehicle icon 111 at that position.

The control unit 18 displays status information in a status area R2 set above the main display area R1. The status information displayed in the status area R2 is, from left to right, the current time 121 ("15:10" in the figure) and the GPS signal reception level display icon 122 (in the figure, three straight lines of different lengths are arranged in parallel). maximum reception level when standing up), no-parking area icon 123 (displayed when parking is in the most important parking area or in the parking important area), reception sensitivity mode display icon 124 indicating the reception sensitivity of the radar (in the figure, the highest sensitivity "SE") ), vehicle speed 125 (“30 km/h” in the figure), and compass needle 126 . The status area R2 is a transparent area and is arranged using a layer above the layer of the main display area R1. As a result, even within the status area R2, the map positioned below can be visually recognized in a place where the status information is not displayed.

The control unit 18 displays the current scale information (scale) in a scale display area R3 set on the left side of the main display area R1. The scale indicates the distance from the vehicle position to the middle position in the vertical direction of the main area R1 ("500" in the figure) and the distance to the upper position ("1000" in the figure). do. The unit is "m". When the control unit 18 detects that the main display region R1 has been touched twice in succession, the control unit 18 displays a map scale change button at a predetermined position within the main display region R1 (a position along the scale display region R3) (see omitted), and the map scale is changed according to the touch on the map scale change button. That is, the control unit 18 changes the scale of the map displayed in the main display area R1 according to the changed scale of the map scale, and also changes the scale information displayed in the scale display area R3.

During execution of the standby screen display function as shown in FIG. 3A, the control unit 18 detects one touch on the display unit 5 and displays a predetermined menu screen. The control unit 18 detects that the screen switching button provided in the menu screen is touched, and switches to the MAP display function as shown in FIG. 3(b). Similarly, the control unit 18 that detects one touch on the display unit 5 during execution of the MAP display function displays a predetermined menu screen. The control unit 18 detects that the screen switching button provided in the menu screen has been touched, and performs processing for switching to the standby screen display function.

The control unit 18 controls the GPS alarm function, the radar wave alarm function, the wireless It executes processing for realizing each function such as an alarm function, and returns to the processing of the original standby function when the processing of the function is completed. The priority of each function is set in order of radar wave warning function, radio warning function, and GPS warning function from the highest one.

The GPS alarm function is a process that is executed at predetermined time intervals (one second intervals) by an event from a timer in the control unit 18, and the latitude and longitude of the alarm target stored in the database 19 and detected by the GPS receiver 13. The distance between the two is obtained from the latitude and longitude of the current position, and when the obtained distance reaches a predetermined proximity distance, a GPS alarm display 130 (schematic diagram of the alarm target) is displayed on the display unit 5 as shown in FIG. remaining distance, etc.), and outputting an approach warning sound from the speaker 16 to that effect.

Such warning targets include drowsy driving accident points, radar, speed limit switching points, control areas, inspection areas, parking monitoring areas, N systems, traffic monitoring systems, intersection monitoring points, traffic signal ignoring control systems, police stations, and frequent accidents. area, frequent car-targeting area, sharp/continuous curve (highway), branch/merge point (highway), ETC lane advance guidance (highway), service area (highway), parking area (highway), highway Oasis (highway), smart interchange (highway), PA/SA gas station (highway), tunnel (highway), highway radio reception area (highway), prefectural border announcement, roadside station, view point parking, etc. The database 19 stores the type information of the alarm object, the latitude and longitude information indicating the position thereof, the data of the schematic diagram or the photograph displayed on the display unit 5, and the audio data in association with each other.

FIG. 4(b) shows a display example of the radar wave warning function. This radar wave warning function is activated when the microwave receiver 14 detects a signal corresponding to microwaves in the frequency band emitted from a speed measuring device (such as a mobile radar (hereinafter simply referred to as "radar")). , an alarm function for displaying an alarm screen 131 on the display unit 5 and outputting an alarm sound from the speaker 20 . For example, when microwaves in the microwave frequency band emitted by radar are detected by the microwave receiver 4, a schematic diagram or photograph of the radar stored in the database 19 is displayed as shown in FIG. 4(b). A warning screen is displayed on the unit 5, and voice data stored in the database 19 is read out and a voice saying "It's radar. Be careful of speed" is output from the speaker 16. - 特許庁

The radio alarm function is a function of issuing an alarm so as not to hinder the movement of the emergency vehicle or the like when the radio receiver 15 receives the radio wave emitted by the emergency vehicle or the like. In the radio alarm function, control radio, car location radio, digital radio, special radio, station active radio, police phone, police activity radio, tow radio, helicopter radio, fire helicopter radio, firefighting radio, emergency radio, expressway radio , scanning the frequencies of radio signals used in security radios, etc., and when a radio signal is received at the scanned frequency, the fact that the radio signal corresponding to that frequency stored for each radio type in the database 19 has been received. is displayed on the display unit 5 as an alarm screen, the voice data stored in the database 19 for each wireless type is read out, and an alarm sound indicating the wireless type is output from the speaker 16 . For example, when receiving a crackdown radio, it outputs a voice such as "This is crackdown radio. Be careful of speed."

[Alarm function using color LED]
The warning function using color LEDs, which is a feature of the present invention, will be described below. A light-emitting portion 21 is provided at a predetermined position on the front surface of the case body 2 . The installation position of the light emitting unit 21 is the central portion above the display screen of the display unit 5 . A color LED 22 is arranged inside the case body 2 facing the light emitting portion 21 . The color LEDs 22 are RGB three primary color LEDs, that is, LEDs containing three primary color chips. Assuming that R is 5 bits, G is 5 bits, and B is 5 bits for a total of 15 bits, color control of 32,768 colors is performed. For the light emitting part 21, for example, the corresponding area of the front wall surface constituting the case body 2 is thinned or a translucent member is fitted so that the color of light emitted by the built-in color LED 22 can be seen from the outside. Further, the light emitting unit 21 is made to emit light of one color when viewed from the outside.

The control unit 18 controls the light emission state of the color LEDs 22 . That is, the database 19 stores and holds relational information that associates an alarm target with luminescent color information. This related information is registered at the time of shipment as one of the information regarding the alarm target. In this embodiment, the luminescent color information is not associated with each individual alarm target, but is associated with each type of alarm target. That is, the luminescence color to be displayed is specified for each type of fixedly installed speed measuring device (radar), N system, traffic monitoring point, inspection area, roadside station, etc. listed above as the warning target in the GPS warning function. related emission color information. In addition, luminous color information that specifies the luminous color corresponding to the speed measuring device (warning condition is signal detection corresponding to microwaves in a predetermined frequency band), which is the target of warning in the radar wave warning function, and the detection target in the wireless warning function Emission color information specifying the emission color corresponding to each wireless type is associated.

FIG. 5 shows the functions of the control section 18 that controls the light emitting state of the light emitting section 21 (color LED 22). Control of the light emitting state of the light emitting unit 21 (color LED 22) in the control unit 18 is such that when there is an alarm target that satisfies the alarm condition, the color LED 22 is caused to emit light in a light emission color corresponding to the alarm target, and the alarm target satisfying the alarm condition is detected. , one of them is set as an alarm target (target) to be notified, and the color LED 22 is caused to emit light in an emission color corresponding to the target alarm target. Specifically, the control unit 18 executes the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, the controller 18 determines whether or not the microwave receiver 14 has received a predetermined microwave (S1). When the control unit 18 receives microwaves (S1 is Yes), the control unit 18 accesses the database 19 and detects the speed measurement device associated with the microwave reception recorded in the relationship information that associates the alarm target with the luminescent color information. The corresponding emission color information is acquired, and the color LED 22 is controlled to emit light in the emission color A specified by the emission color information. The luminescent color A may be, for example, a color such as red that indicates a high degree of urgency.

On the other hand, if the predetermined microwave has not been received (S1 is No), the controller 18 determines whether or not the wireless receiver 15 has received a predetermined radio signal (S3). When a predetermined radio signal is received (Yes in S3), the control unit 18 accesses the database 19, and determines the radio type of the received radio signal recorded in the relationship information that associates the alarm target with the luminescent color information. is acquired, and the color LED 22 is controlled to emit light in the emission color B specified by the emission color information. This emission color B actually differs depending on the radio type, and is set to an appropriate color according to, for example, the level of urgency of the radio type.

In addition, depending on the type of radio, a color such as red that indicates a high degree of urgency is associated. It is better to use a color that makes it easy to understand. A color that indicates a low degree of urgency may be, for example, less reddish or less bright and/or less bright.

On the other hand, if the predetermined radio signal has not been received (S3 is No), the control unit 18 acquires the current position information detected by the GPS receiver 13, and determines whether there is an alarm target in a predetermined proximity relationship in the surrounding area. It is determined whether or not (S5). That is, the control unit 18 accesses the database 19 based on the acquired current position, and determines whether or not there is a target alarm target around the current position. The target alarm object is the surroundings of the own vehicle (for example, within a predetermined angle range with respect to the direction of travel (for example, the angle is preferably 90 degrees or less to the left and right with respect to the direction of travel, and particularly preferably 45 degrees or less). If there is one alarm target in a fan-shaped area with a radius of Xm (X is the reference distance), that alarm target becomes the target. become a target. Such a condition is assumed to be within a predetermined angular range with respect to the direction of travel and to be the closest.

If there is an alarm target as a target based on the position information (Yes in S5), the control unit 18 accesses the database 19 and checks the target recorded in the relationship information that associates the alarm target with the luminescent color information. Then, the color LED 22 is controlled to emit light in the emission color C specified by the emission color information. This luminescent color C actually differs depending on the type of alarm target. Items with a high degree of importance such as speed measurement devices are colored in red, items with a medium degree of importance (giving attention) such as the N system are colored in blue, and items with low demand such as roadside stations (providing information only) are marked in blue. ) should be green.

Drivers should be aware of the road ahead and other vehicle surroundings while driving. In this embodiment, when the warning condition is satisfied, the light emitting unit 21 emits light in a predetermined color corresponding to the target of the warning. The user can see that the light has been emitted, and can catch the light-emitting portion 21 within the field of view and confirm the color of the emitted light by slightly shifting the line of sight. As a result, it is possible to know that an alarm target that satisfies the alarm conditions exists in the surrounding area, what the alarm target is, and the like. Such an alarm by a predetermined emission color uses the light emitting unit 21 with the color LED 22 as a light source, so it is a simple alarm that emits light in a predetermined emission color instead of notifying a large amount of alarm information. Therefore, the driver can understand the content of the warning without looking at the light-emitting part for a long time, and can concentrate on collecting information necessary for driving inside and outside the vehicle.

[Dual use of alarm using display part]
As described above, when the color LED 22 (light emitting unit 21) is used for warning, the display unit 5 may not be used for warning, or may be used together. When used together, the target icon 112 displayed on the display unit 5, the GPS alarm display 130, and the alarm screen 131 are displayed to notify an alarm target, and an alarm using a predetermined emission color from the color LED 22 (light emitting unit 21) is displayed. The same alarm target (target) should be used.

Then, the control unit 18 controls the display unit 5 to be in a predetermined light emission state without changing the background color of the display unit 5 when the alarm condition is satisfied. Since the background color is not changed in this way, the map information or the like displayed on the display unit 5 does not become difficult to see, and the information originally displayed on the display unit 5 and provided to the user can be notified as it is.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the control unit 18 displays various types of alarm information on the display unit 5 when the alarm conditions are satisfied, so that the user can be notified of more specific and detailed contents. In this case, the user can be notified of the presence of the alarm target by light emission from the light emitting unit 21 provided separately from the display screen. In other words, the existence of the alarm target is not mixed on the same screen, but the existence of the alarm target is indicated by a display unit provided outside the display screen, and the detailed contents are displayed on the display screen. , the purpose can be achieved from the light emitting state of the light emitting unit 21 without looking at the display screen, and the user who wants to know the details can achieve the purpose by looking at the alarm information displayed on the display screen. .

Furthermore, it is preferable that the control unit uses character information when issuing an alarm using the display unit 5 . In this case, the color of the character information and the light emission color of the light emitting unit 21 should be similar colors. Textual information makes the content easier to understand. At this time, by making the light emission color of the light emitting unit 21 and the color of the character information similar, the association between the light emitting unit 21 and the alarm information (character information) is strengthened. Therefore, it is possible for the user to easily find the location of the character information as the alarm information displayed in the display unit 5, which is preferable.

[Another example of changing the emission color depending on the alarm target]
In the above-described embodiment, the emission color is changed according to the type of alarm target, but the present invention is not limited to this. You can set (associate) the light emission color for each, or divide it into multiple groups according to the degree of importance (risk) and set the light emission color for each group, and the alarm targets belonging to the same group will have the same light emission color. Also good.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, when red is used as the emission color B by the wireless warning function, the color is set so that the degree of urgency is lower than the red of the emission color B by the radar wave warning function, but the same color may be used. .

[Changing light emission state by alarm level]
In the above-described embodiment, the light emission state is controlled by changing the light emission color according to the alarm target, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the light emission state may be changed according to the alarm level. By using color LEDs, it is possible to express many kinds of colors with one LED. Therefore, it is possible to issue an alarm such that the emission color gradually changes by smoothly performing gradation control from a low alarm level to a high alarm level. Then, the change of the light emission state according to the alarm level may be replaced by the change of the light emission color as described above, or the light emission intensity of the color LED 22 may be changed along with the change. The emission intensity is changed, for example, by the control unit 18 changing the lightness or brightness of the emission color (for example, using PWM for brightness) or by adjusting the voltage applied to the LED to change the emission amount itself. When changing the light emission intensity, for example, it is preferable to change from a darker color to a brighter color or to increase (increase) the light emission amount as the alarm level increases.

Regarding the alarm level, for example, if the alarm condition is reception of radio waves, the signal level of the received radio waves may be used. When receiving radio waves of a predetermined frequency that are subject to alarm, such as microwaves emitted from a speed measuring device, the color and intensity of the light emission are changed according to the signal level of the received radio waves, creating an inorganic digital radar. Received signal levels can be expressed in analog instead of level meters.

Also, if the alarm condition is that the current position and the alarm target are in a close relationship, the alarm level may be the extent of the close relationship. The control based on the degree of closeness is, for example, a control in which the warning level increases as the distance approaches. In this way, the approximate remaining distance to the alert target can be understood. That is, when emitting light of color C in FIG. 5, the control unit 18 performs control to change the color of light based on the remaining distance to the target of warning, based on the color of light based on the target of warning.

In addition to the above-described predetermined radio wave reception and approaching relationship, there are various other alarm levels such as the degree of dangerous driving and fuel consumption. The degree of dangerous driving is set such that, for example, an acceleration sensor is provided, and the greater the sensor value of the acceleration sensor, the higher the degree of dangerous driving, that is, the higher the warning level. Further, since the fuel consumption worsens as the acceleration is accelerated, it is determined that the fuel consumption is worse as the sensor value increases based on the sensor value of the acceleration sensor. Also, the fuel consumption may be obtained from vehicle information provided by the vehicle. An OBD-II (II is Roman numeral "2", hereinafter "OBD-II" is referred to as "OBD2") connector mounted on a vehicle is also called a failure diagnosis connector and is connected to the ECU of the vehicle. , various vehicle information is output. Therefore, a connection cable that connects to the OBD2 connector is attached to the case body, and MAF value (mass air flow: air volume), injection opening time, throttle opening, fuel flow, instantaneous fuel consumption, remaining fuel amount, accelerator opening, etc. Get vehicle information. For example, the control unit 18 obtains the fuel consumption from the MAF value, or obtains the current fuel consumption based on the instantaneous fuel consumption output as vehicle information.

On the other hand, as for changing the light emission state corresponding to the alarm level, it is preferable to change the light emission color by, for example, changing the frequency of the light emission color step by step. By changing the frequency, the emission color can be changed continuously. In this case, smooth gradation control should be performed by setting the alarm level to 1 for the lower frequency and the maximum alarm level for the higher frequency.

[Combined use with voice warning]
The control unit has a function of giving an audible warning from the speaker 16 when the warning conditions are satisfied. It is preferable that the control unit changes the emission intensity of the LED according to the strength of the sound. When the warning conditions are met, for example, if information about the target of the warning is announced by voice, such as "1km ahead, loop coil, speed limit is 60km" or "immediate ahead, N system", etc., the driver will face forward. It is preferable because the content can be known in the state. In this case, by changing the luminescence intensity (brightness, brightness, etc.) according to the strength of the pronunciation of the voice (for example, volume), the device itself feels like it is speaking with intention, which increases the sense of quality and makes it more interesting. also increases. It is preferable that the stronger (louder) the sound, the stronger (larger) the emission intensity.

[Alarm by multiple conditions]
It is preferable to set multiple conditions (composite conditions) as the alarm condition. In this case, the control unit 18 preferably differentiates the light emission state when all of the multiple conditions are satisfied and the light emission state when some of the multiple conditions are satisfied. If some conditions are met, then all conditions may be met later. Therefore, it is preferable to warn the user by issuing an early warning when some of the conditions are satisfied. The light emission state when some of the conditions are satisfied should be less conspicuous and quieter than the light emission state when all the conditions are satisfied.

For example, two conditions are satisfied when "reception of microwaves (radio waves) of a predetermined frequency" (condition 1) and "received signal level is equal to or higher than a reference value" (condition 2) are used as multiple conditions. Then, assuming that the radio wave emitted from the alarm target is received, an alarm is given by a predetermined light emission state (for example, red light emission), and if only condition 1 is satisfied (the signal level is less than the reference value), a different light emission state (for example, alarm by emitting blue light). Even if the distance to the alert target is long and the received signal level is below the reference value, the signal level often rises to the reference value or higher as the vehicle approaches the alert target by traveling further. In such a case, it is preferable to provide the user with a precursor warning in advance so that the user can mentally prepare himself and drive safely without panicking even if the warning that satisfies all the conditions is issued.

<Others>
In the above-described embodiment, the LED is color-controlled with a total of 15 bits, 5 bits for R, 5 bits for G, and 5 bits for B, but the number of bits is not limited to this, and may be is good or less is good. As the number of bits increases, the number of colors to be color-controlled increases. color control is possible.

In the above-described embodiment, the display unit 5 is provided and the map is displayed on the display unit 5. However, the map may not be displayed, or the display unit may not be provided.

Moreover, although the color LED 22 is built in the case main body 11, the present invention is not limited to this, and the color LED 22 may be exposed to the outside. Also, the number of color LEDs to be installed is arbitrary. The point is that the light emitting section 21 should appear to emit light of one color when viewed from the outside.

Furthermore, in the embodiment, the position of the light emitting unit 21 is set to the central portion above the display screen of the display unit 5. However, the position is not limited to this, and the light emitting unit 21 is positioned above the outer side of the display screen and biased to either the left or the right. It may be a position, or it may be outside the display screen and beside or below it.

In addition, although the light-emitting portion 21 is a rectangular area in FIG. 1, its shape is arbitrary and can be oval, circular, or various other shapes. Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the light-emitting portion 21 may be a predetermined character (character string), symbol, mark, or the like. FIG. 6 shows an example in which the light-emitting portion 21 is provided on the left side of the display screen 5, and further shows an example in which the light-emitting portion 21 is configured with a trademark, a manufacturer's name, or other logos. Then, the color LED 22 is arranged on the back side of the light-emitting portion 21 (inside the case body 2) composed of this logo. In this example, only the logo portion lights up in different colors depending on the situation. For example, the case main body 2 is made of a material such as black plastic that does not transmit light, and slits or holes penetrating inside and outside are provided in the logo portion. Then, a closing member made of a light-transmitting material (such as transparent or translucent plastic) is fitted into the hole to close the hole. As a result, the light from the color LED 22 passes through the blocking member and reaches the outside while preventing dust, dirt, etc. from entering the case body 2 through the hole. Therefore, when viewed from the outside, the user sees that the closing member, ie, the logo portion, is illuminated.

Here, only the portion such as the logo is made to emit light, but the entire peripheral area including the logo may be made to emit light. For example, a logo or the like is printed on the rectangular light-emitting portion 21 shown in FIG. As a result, the entire rectangular region, which is the light emitting portion 21, emits light in various colors depending on the situation, and the light makes the logo stand out.

FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 show an example of the correspondence relationship between the types of alarm targets and the colors associated therewith (light emission colors of LEDs). As shown in the figure, the alarm target associated with the emitted light color of the LED is broadly classified into two categories: radar (corresponding to the "radar wave alarm function" of the embodiment), wireless (corresponding to the "wireless alarm function" of the embodiment) ), GPS (corresponding to the "GPS alarm function" of the embodiment), and system. The system is all other than radar, radio, and GPS, and the emission color is white. Therefore, when light is emitted in conjunction with sound, the control unit 18 controls the color LED to emit white light while outputting all other sounds that do not fall under the three genres.

Specific warning targets belonging to the radar genre include normal warnings when a predetermined microwave is received, and stealth warnings when a stealth wave is detected, which is characterized by the fact that a strong radio wave is emitted instantaneously. Then, the normal alarm is given by color-coding into 5 stages according to the reception level (signal strength of the received signal). The lowest received level is "Normal alarm level 1" and the emission color is "yellow green". As the reception level increases in order, the emission color of "normal alarm level 2" is "yellow", the emission color of "normal alarm level 3" is "pale orange", and the emission color of "normal alarm level 4" is "orange". , and the emission color of "normal alarm level 5" is associated with "red". In this way, when the reception level is low level 1, a color with a relatively safe image such as green (yellow green) is used, and when the level rises a little (level 2), "yellow" is used to call attention. and When level 3 or later is reached, the user is warned using a reddish color with an image representing danger/warning. Furthermore, the stealth alarm is controlled so that the emission color is gradually changed from blue to red and then gradually changed to blue.

The specific type of alarm target (alarm item) and the color of the emitted light in the radio genre are related to "police radio: pink", "car location proximity: pink", "car location distant: yellow", and "digital radio: yellow". , "Outside car location area: light blue", "Small radio: light blue", "Activated station radio: light blue", "Police radio: light blue", "Tow truck radio: light blue", "Helicopter radio: yellow green", "Firefighting helicopter radio : yellow-green", "Firefighting radio: yellow-green", "Emergency radio: yellow-green", "Highway radio: yellow-green", and "Security radio: yellow-green".

In the GPS genre, the specific types of warning targets (alarm items) and the luminous colors are related to "Orbis: Red", "Excess Speed: Red", "Speed Limit Switching: Yellow", and "Control Area: Yellow". , "Checkpoint area: Yellow", "Priority prohibited parking area: Yellow", "Priority prohibited parking area: Yellow", "High-speed traffic police unit: Yellow", "Intersection monitoring point: Yellow", "Signal ignorance suppression system: Yellow" , "my area: yellow", "N system: blue", "traffic monitoring system: blue", "police station: blue", "accident-prone area: blue", "vehicle target-prone area: blue", "highway Expressway/continuous curve: blue”, “Expressway junction/branch point: blue”, “ETC lane: green”, “Service area: green”, “Parking area: green”, “Highway oasis: green”, “Highway Road long/continuous tunnel: green”, “Highway radio reception area: green”, “Prefectural border: green”, “Road station: green”, and “Viewpoint parking: green”.

In the above embodiment, an Eve radar detector has been described as an example of a device to which the system of the present invention is applied because it is fixedly installed by pasting or the like using a bracket 3 to a dashboard or other predetermined position in the vehicle. It can also be applied to a mirror type radar detector attached to the room mirror. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to radar detectors, and can be implemented as functions of various types of electronic equipment for vehicles. For example, it may be incorporated as a function of a navigation device or the like.

In the above-described embodiment and modifications, the apparatus is provided with the database 19 storing various information, and the control unit 18 accesses the database 19 to read necessary information and perform various processes. It is not limited to this. That is, part or all of the information to be registered in the database 19 is registered in the server. The radar detector and other electronic devices/apparatuses may have a function of communicating with the server, and the control unit 18 may access the server as appropriate, acquire necessary information, and execute processing. A part or all of the control unit may be implemented in the server, the server may execute part of the processing, and the vehicle-mounted device may acquire the results and display them in a predetermined manner. Furthermore, the display device may be that of another in-vehicle device or a device mounted on the vehicle.

In the embodiments and the like, a GPS receiver for detecting current position information is built in. However, in the present invention, the configuration including the GPS receiver is not essential. It is also possible to determine whether or not there is a close relationship with the alarm target based on the above.

5 indicator 6 touch panel 7 volume and adjustment button 8 work button 10 memory card reader 11 memory card 13 GPS receiver 14 microwave receiver 15 wireless receiver 16 speaker 18 control section 19 database 21 light emitting section 22 color LED

Claims (12)

a display unit;
a light-emitting portion arranged to the side of the screen of the display unit, the light-emitting portion having a longitudinal direction substantially parallel to a side of the screen on the side of the light-emitting portion;
a function of displaying a map on the screen and issuing an alarm when a predetermined alarm condition is met;
has
Said function is
A system for displaying on the screen alarm information having characters arranged in the horizontal direction without changing the background color of the map and causing the light emitting unit to emit light when the alarm condition is satisfied. A region having a light source and having a member through which the light from the light source is transmitted is mounted in a window hole opened in the case main body, and the longitudinal direction substantially parallel to the side of the mounted region side of the screen of the display unit a region having
a function of displaying a map on the screen and issuing an alarm when a predetermined alarm condition is met;
has
Said function is
A system for displaying alarm information having characters arranged in the horizontal direction on the screen without changing the background color of the map and causing the light source to emit light when the alarm condition is satisfied. a display unit;
a light-emitting unit arranged laterally of the screen of the display unit, the light-emitting unit having a vertical direction as a longitudinal direction;
a function of displaying a map on the screen and issuing an alarm when a predetermined alarm condition is met;
has
Said function is
A system for displaying on the screen alarm information having characters arranged in the horizontal direction without changing the background color of the map and causing the light emitting unit to emit light when the alarm condition is satisfied. having a case body,
4. The system according to claim 1 or 3, wherein the light-emitting portion is an area where it can be seen that light is emitted from the outside of the case body. Said function is
5. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein when the alarm condition is satisfied, an area having a predetermined width extending upward from the lower end of the screen with the horizontal direction as the longitudinal direction is displayed. 6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the area having the predetermined width is an area extending to a lateral edge of the screen. Said function is
A first alarm is issued when the distance from the current position to the alarm target is far, and when the alarm target is approached, the light is emitted and the alarm information is displayed on the screen without changing the background color of the map. 7. The system of any one of claims 1-6, further comprising providing a second alert to cause 7. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the system is capable of providing early warning. 9. The system of any one of claims 1-8, wherein the function causes a speed limit sign to be displayed on the screen displaying the map. 10. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the function causes the screen displaying the map to display a distance to an alarm target. 11. The system of any one of claims 1-10, wherein the function causes the screen displaying the map to display a scale of the map. A program for causing a computer to implement the functions of the system according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

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