JP4131790B2 - Light distribution control system for vehicular lamp - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To change light distribution for a light distribution control system of a lighting fixture for a vehicle without giving a driver a sense of incongruity even when the vehicle is accelerating and decelerating. SOLUTION: A main control circuit of the light distribution control system of the lighting fixture for the vehicle calculates acceleration of a vehicle at a step 112 while the vehicle is running and controls light distribution by selecting either mode based on the calculated acceleration. When the vehicle is running at a constant speed, light distribution control by a normal mode is practiced at a step 116. When the vehicle is accelerating, light distribution control by an acceleration road mode is practiced at a step 118 and light distribution of a group of lamps is switched at timing which is earlier than that of practice of light distribution control by a normal mode. When the vehicle is decelerating, light distribution control by a deceleration mode is practiced at a step 120 and light distribution of a group of lamps is switched at timing which is later than that of practice of light distribution control by a normal mode.

Description

[0001]
[Industrial application fields]
The present invention is, for example, relates to a light distribution control system for a vehicle lamp for controlling the headlights of any light distribution of the vehicle.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, as this type of system, for example, as shown in Japanese Patent Publication No. 7-71908, a map database storing a road map and the current position of the vehicle are specified on the road stored in the map database. Controlling the light distribution of the vehicle lamp attached to the front part of the vehicle according to the current position of the vehicle on the road stored in the map database specified by the vehicle position specifying means And a light distribution control means for controlling the illumination area of the lamp according to the traveling direction of the vehicle or the traveling environment during the traveling of the vehicle, so that the driver's visual field is always favorably secured. Are known.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above conventional system, the light distribution control means changes the light distribution in accordance with the acceleration of the vehicle when changing the light distribution of the vehicle lamp according to the current position of the vehicle specified by the vehicle position specifying means. It was always done at a uniform timing. Therefore, if the light distribution is changed while the vehicle is accelerating or decelerating, the driver feels that the switching of the light distribution is too slow during the acceleration of the vehicle, and the switching of the light distribution is not possible during the deceleration of the vehicle. I felt it was too early and I felt uncomfortable about each.
[0004]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a light distribution system for a vehicular lamp that can change the light distribution without causing the driver to feel uncomfortable even when the vehicle is accelerating or decelerating.
[0005]
The structural features of the present invention include vehicle position specifying means for specifying the current position of a vehicle on a road stored in a map database, speed detection means for detecting the speed of the vehicle, and the speed of the vehicle. A position for determining a predicted position where the vehicle is predicted to arrive after a predetermined time based on the current position, and a position for determining whether the predicted position has reached a point where light distribution control is required; A vehicle comprising: determination means; and light distribution control means for controlling light distribution of a lamp attached to the front of the vehicle when it is determined that the predicted position has reached a point where light distribution control is required In the light distribution control system for lighting equipment,
Acceleration detection means for detecting an acceleration of said vehicle, further comprising a deceleration state determining means for determining the deceleration state of the vehicle based on the acceleration of the vehicle, the predicted position specifying means specifies the predicted position The predetermined time for performing is increased when the acceleration / deceleration state determination means determines that the vehicle is in an acceleration state, and is shortened when the acceleration / deceleration state determination means determines that the vehicle is in a deceleration state. It is to have done. As a result, the timing for switching the light distribution of the lamp during acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle can be controlled without causing the driver to feel uncomfortable.
[0007]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The vehicle lamp light distribution control system shown in FIG. 1 controls the light distribution of the lamp group 10 by the light distribution control circuit 20, and partially uses a navigation (route guidance) system 30 mounted on the vehicle. Configured.
[0008]
The lamp group 10 includes a plurality of lamps such as a head lamp, a fog lamp, and a corner lamp attached to the front portion of the vehicle, and irradiates the side from the front of the vehicle. Alternatively, the entire light distribution can be changed by changing the amount of light. The light distribution control circuit 20 controls the light distribution of the lamp group 10 according to the instruction signal output from the navigation control circuit 31 of the navigation system 30.
[0009]
The navigation system 30 includes an input / output unit 32, a map database 33, a GPS receiver 34, a direction sensor 35, a vehicle speed sensor 36, and a VICS receiver 37 that are connected to the main control circuit 31. The input / output unit 32 is operated by a driver at the time of instructing a destination, and outputs necessary guidance information to the driver by screen display or voice. The map database 33 stores road positions and shapes as a plurality of nodes (nodes) and a plurality of links (line segments) connecting the nodes.
[0010]
A GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver 34 receives a GPS signal representing the current position of a vehicle transmitted from a GPS satellite. The direction sensor 35 detects a direction in which the vehicle is facing. The vehicle speed sensor 36 detects the speed of the vehicle. A VICS (Vehicle Information & Communication System) receiver 37 receives a VICS signal representing road traffic information such as a traffic amount of a traveling road of the vehicle by road-to-vehicle communication using FM multiplexing, radio wave beacons, optical beacons, and the like. .
[0011]
The main control circuit 31 includes an instruction operation by the driver in the input / output unit 32, map data stored in the map database 33, GPS and VICS signals received by the GPS and VICS receivers 34 and 37, and sensors 35, A program corresponding to the flowchart shown in FIG. 2 is executed on the basis of the detection by 36 to perform processing as a navigation system, determine the light distribution of the lamp group 10 and output an instruction signal to the light distribution control circuit 20. Is. The main control circuit 31 is also connected with a lighting switch 41 for instructing lighting of the lamp group 10.
[0012]
Next, the operation of the light distribution control system configured as described above will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Initially, when an ignition switch of a vehicle (not shown) is turned on, the main control circuit 31 starts executing the program in step 100, and thereafter continues to repeatedly execute the circulation process including steps 102 to 120.
[0013]
First, in step 102, the main control circuit 31 inputs a signal indicating the driver's instruction operation, map data, GPS and VICS signals, and detection signals. In step 104, map matching processing is executed. Map matching processing refers to any road represented by map data by calculating the current position of the vehicle based on the input GPS signal and each detection signal and matching the calculated current position with the map data. This is a process for identifying the current position of the vehicle. This process is repeatedly executed during the circulation process without stopping the progress of the program, and the calculated current position of the vehicle is not consistent with the map data, and the vehicle is placed on the road represented by the map data. Even when the current position cannot be specified, the program can proceed to the next step 106 and subsequent steps without completing the process.
[0014]
In step 106, a route to the destination of the vehicle is calculated based on the current position of the vehicle specified by the map matching process, the signal indicating the driver's input operation, the map data, and the VICS signal. Then, processing as a navigation system (navigation processing) such as guidance to the driver is executed.
[0015]
In step 108, it is determined whether the map matching process is completed. At this time, if the map matching process is incomplete, that is, if the calculated current position of the vehicle does not match the map data and the current position of the vehicle cannot be specified on the road represented by the map data, the main control The circuit 31 returns the program to step 102 under the determination of “NO”. On the other hand, if the map matching process is completed at this time, the main control circuit 31 advances the program to step 110 and subsequent steps based on the determination of “YES”.
[0016]
In step 110, it is determined whether or not the lighting switch 41 is on. At this time, if the driver is not instructed to turn on the lamp group 10 and the lighting switch 41 is in the OFF state, the main control circuit 31 determines “NO” and returns the program to step 102. On the other hand, if lighting of the lamp group 10 is instructed by the driver at this time and the lighting switch 41 is in the ON state, the main control circuit 31 determines “YES” and advances the program to step 112 and the subsequent steps to distribute the light. Start the process for control.
[0017]
In step 112, the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor 36 is differentiated to calculate the vehicle acceleration. In step 114, based on the calculated acceleration, it is determined whether the vehicle is traveling at a substantially constant speed without acceleration / deceleration, whether the vehicle is accelerating, or decelerating, Branch the program.
[0018]
If it is determined that the vehicle is traveling at a constant speed, the main control circuit 31 executes light distribution control in the normal mode in step 116. Specifically, this process is executed as follows.
[0019]
First, as shown in FIG. 3 (a), the road stored in the map database 33 based on the current position of the vehicle specified by the map matching process in step 104 and the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor 36. The predicted position of the vehicle after a predetermined time (for example, 2.5 seconds) is specified. And while updating the predicted position at any time as the vehicle advances, it continues to determine whether or not the predicted position has reached a point that requires light distribution change control. Here, the point requiring the light distribution change control is, for example, a point where the road shape changes such as a point approaching the curve from the straight road or a point exiting from the curve to the straight road, an intersection, or the map database 33 in advance. This is a point where a travel area of a vehicle (for example, an urban area, a suburb, a highway, etc.) defined on the map data is switched.
[0020]
However, this process is repeatedly executed during the cyclic process consisting of the steps 102 to 120 without stopping the progress of the program. If the newly specified predicted position has not reached the light distribution change control point, the program is temporarily returned to step 102 without executing the light distribution change control, and the next execution of step 116 is performed. Sometimes the predicted position is updated and the same determination is made again. By repeating this, the main control circuit 31 waits for the predicted position of the vehicle to reach the light distribution change control point.
[0021]
If the predicted position reaches the light distribution change control point during the circulation process, the main control circuit 31 determines an appropriate light distribution for the same point, and performs a light distribution control on a signal indicating the determined light distribution. Output to the circuit 20. In response to this, the light distribution control circuit 20 controls the lamp group 10 to switch the light distribution.
[0022]
On the other hand, when it is determined in step 114 that the vehicle is accelerating, the main control circuit 31 executes light distribution control in the accelerating mode in step 118. Even in the same mode, the main control circuit 31 specifies the predicted position, determines the light distribution when the predicted position reaches the required light distribution change control point, and outputs the light distribution instruction signal. In this case, as shown in FIG. 3B, the predicted position is compared with the light distribution control in the normal mode in step 116, a position far from the current position of the vehicle, that is, the vehicle is slow (for example, 3 .5 seconds later) Specify the position to be reached. Accordingly, when the light distribution control in the acceleration mode is executed, the light distribution of the lamp group 10 is switched at an earlier timing than in the execution of the light distribution control in the normal mode.
[0023]
On the other hand, if it is determined in step 114 that the vehicle is decelerating, the main control circuit 31 executes light distribution control in the deceleration mode in step 120. Even in the same mode, the main control circuit 31 specifies the predicted position, determines the light distribution when the predicted position reaches the required light distribution change control point, and outputs the light distribution instruction signal. In this case, as shown in FIG. 3C, the predicted position is compared with the light distribution control in the normal mode in step 116, the position closer to the current position of the vehicle, that is, the vehicle is earlier (for example, 1 .5 seconds later) Specify the position to be reached. Therefore, when the light distribution control in the decelerating mode is executed, the light distribution of the lamp group 10 is switched at a later timing than in the execution of the light distribution control in the normal mode.
[0024]
In each of the above cases, the light distribution is switched gradually and continuously. For example, when the optical axis α of the lamp group 10 is swung to the left and right, the light distribution is switched by gradually increasing the swing angle α of the optical axis after the light distribution switching start timing (see FIG. 3). ).
[0025]
As described above, in the above-described embodiment, the light distribution control process in each mode in steps 116 to 120 is selected and the light distribution switching timing is adjusted according to the vehicle acceleration calculated in step 112. It has become. Therefore, even when the light distribution is changed while the vehicle is accelerating or decelerating, it is avoided that the driver feels uncomfortable.
[0026]
In the above embodiment, the acceleration of the vehicle is calculated by differentiating the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor 36. Instead, as indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. An acceleration sensor 42 that directly detects the acceleration of the vehicle may be provided separately, and the detection value by the acceleration sensor 42 may be used for the determination in step 112.
[0027]
In the above embodiment, the three types of light distribution control of the normal mode, the accelerating mode, and the decelerating mode are selectively executed based on the acceleration of the vehicle. May be further subdivided according to the magnitude of acceleration. Alternatively, the predicted position may be directly determined from the magnitude of acceleration, and the light distribution switching timing may be arbitrarily adjusted according to the magnitude of acceleration. Further, one of the acceleration mode and the deceleration mode may be omitted, and only one of the acceleration control and the deceleration control may be employed. This also makes it possible to expect the effects of the present invention accordingly.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an overall schematic diagram of a light distribution control system for a vehicular lamp according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a program executed by the main control circuit of FIG.
3A shows the light distribution switching start timing while the vehicle is traveling at a constant speed, FIG. 3B shows the light distribution switching start timing while the vehicle is accelerating, and FIG. 3C shows that the vehicle is decelerating. It is explanatory drawing showing the switching start timing of light distribution in.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Lamp group, 20 ... Light distribution control circuit, 30 ... Navigation system, 31 ... Main control circuit, 33 ... Map database, 42 ... Acceleration sensor.

Claims (3)

A vehicle position specifying means for specifying at on a road which is stored the current position of the vehicle in the MAP database,
Speed detecting means for detecting the speed of the vehicle;
Predicted position specifying means for specifying a predicted position where the vehicle is predicted to arrive after a predetermined time based on the speed of the vehicle and the current position;
Position determining means for determining whether or not the predicted position has reached a point where light distribution control is required;
A distribution of a vehicular lamp comprising light distribution control means for controlling the light distribution of a lamp attached to the front of the vehicle when it is determined that the predicted position has reached a point where light distribution control is required. In the light control system,
Acceleration detection means for detecting the acceleration of said vehicle, further comprising a deceleration state determining means for determining the deceleration state of the vehicle based on the acceleration of the vehicle,
The predicted position specifying means lengthens the predetermined time for specifying the predicted position when the acceleration / deceleration state determining means determines that the vehicle is in an acceleration state, and the acceleration / deceleration state determining means A light distribution control system for a vehicular lamp characterized in that it is shortened when it is determined that the vehicle is in a decelerating state . A vehicle position specifying means for specifying at on a road which is stored the current position of the vehicle in the MAP database,
Speed detecting means for detecting the speed of the vehicle;
Predicted position specifying means for specifying a predicted position where the vehicle is predicted to arrive after a predetermined time based on the speed of the vehicle and the current position;
Position determining means for determining whether or not the predicted position has reached a point where light distribution control is required;
A distribution of a vehicular lamp comprising light distribution control means for controlling the light distribution of a lamp attached to the front of the vehicle when it is determined that the predicted position has reached a point where light distribution control is required. In the light control system,
Acceleration detection means for detecting the acceleration of said vehicle, further comprising a determining deceleration state determination means for decelerating state of the vehicle based on the acceleration of the vehicle,
The predicted position specifying means shortens the predetermined time for specifying the predicted position when compared with when driving at a constant speed when the deceleration state determining means determines that the vehicle is in a decelerating state. A light distribution control system for a vehicular lamp. A vehicle position specifying means for specifying at on a road which is stored the current position of the vehicle in the MAP database,
Speed detecting means for detecting the speed of the vehicle;
Predicted position specifying means for specifying a predicted position where the vehicle is predicted to arrive after a predetermined time based on the speed of the vehicle and the current position;
Position determining means for determining whether or not the predicted position has reached a point where light distribution control is required;
A distribution of a vehicular lamp comprising light distribution control means for controlling the light distribution of a lamp attached to the front of the vehicle when it is determined that the predicted position has reached a point where light distribution control is required. In the light control system,
Acceleration detection means for detecting the acceleration of the vehicle; and acceleration / deceleration state determination means for determining an acceleration / deceleration state of the vehicle based on the acceleration of the vehicle;
The predicted position specifying means determines the predetermined time for specifying the predicted position when the acceleration / deceleration state determining means determines that the vehicle is in an accelerated state.
The vehicle lamp is characterized in that it is made longer and is shortened when the acceleration / deceleration state determining means determines that the vehicle is in a decelerating state to control the timing of switching the light distribution of the lamp. Light distribution control method.

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