CN118043230A - Vehicle lamp, control device and control method for vehicle lamp, vehicle lamp system, setting device and setting method for vehicle lamp - Google Patents

Abstract

A vehicle lamp (100) is provided with: a lamp unit (110); a lamp ECU (Electronic Control Unit, an electronic control unit) (200) that controls the lamp unit (110) based on vehicle information received from the vehicle; and an acceleration sensor (202) that provides information representing the acceleration of the vehicle to the light ECU (200). The light ECU (200) detects whether or not the reception of the vehicle information is interrupted, and controls the light unit (110) based on the vehicle acceleration when the interruption of the reception of the vehicle information is detected.

Description

Vehicle lamp, control device and control method for vehicle lamp, vehicle lamp system, setting device and setting method for vehicle lamp

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a vehicle lamp, a control device for the vehicle lamp, and a control method. The present invention also relates to a vehicle lamp system, a setting device and a setting method for a vehicle lamp.

Background

Conventionally, it is known that a lamp ECU (Electronic Control Unit: electronic control unit) that controls a rear combination lamp is connected to a vehicle ECU that controls the entire vehicle, and controls the lamp based on information input from the vehicle ECU. Various sensors such as a vehicle speed sensor are connected to the vehicle ECU, and information detected by the sensors such as the vehicle speed is input from the vehicle ECU to the lamp ECU (for example, refer to patent document 1).

Patent document 1 discloses a vehicle panel module including a rear combination lamp and an image display device adjacent thereto. The rear combination lamp includes 3 light sources each composed of full-color LEDs, and these light sources function as a tail lamp, a stop lamp, a backup lamp, and a turn signal lamp, respectively. In this device, the lamps are turned on originally during running, and at the time of stopping, the lamps can be turned on decoratively in various colors, brightnesses, and timings (timings), or various images can be displayed on an image display device.

[ Prior Art literature ]

[ Patent literature ]

Patent document 1 Japanese patent laid-open publication 2016-40159

Disclosure of Invention

[ Problem to be solved by the invention ]

In general, a vehicle ECU and a lamp ECU are connected by a communication line such as a wire harness, and information is transmitted between these ECUs via the communication line. When communication between the vehicle ECU and the lamp ECU is interrupted by disconnection of a communication line or some communication error, the lamp ECU cannot acquire information from the vehicle ECU. In this way, the vehicle lamp such as the rear combination lamp controlled by the lamp ECU cannot obtain information necessary for executing the control, and does not operate.

One of the exemplary objects of one aspect of the present invention is to provide a fail-safe function to a vehicle light fixture.

In some cases, a vehicle lamp having a plurality of indicator lamps is realized by determining an area that operates as an indicator lamp such as a tail lamp or a turn signal lamp on an array of a plurality of light emitting elements, for example, on a display. These areas on the display should meet regulatory requirements when operated as indicator lights. Thus, the zone setting is typically performed by the manufacturer of the vehicle lamp at the manufacturing stage. If the user is allowed to customize the setting, the user can change the appearance of the vehicle lamp according to his/her own preference, and thus the satisfaction of the user can be improved. However, even in the case of a vehicle lamp customized by a user, it is needless to say that the requirement of regulation should be satisfied, but it is not practically easy for a user who does not know such a requirement to customize settings to satisfy the requirement.

One of the exemplary purposes of one embodiment of the present invention is to assist a user in meeting regulatory requirements and to customize a vehicle light.

[ Solution for solving the technical problem ]

A vehicle lamp according to an aspect of the present invention includes: a lamp unit; a control device that controls the lamp unit based on vehicle information received from the vehicle; and an acceleration sensor that supplies information indicating acceleration of the vehicle to the control device. The control device detects whether or not the reception of the vehicle information is interrupted, and controls the lamp unit based on the vehicle acceleration when the interruption of the reception of the vehicle information is detected.

According to this aspect, even when the vehicle information for controlling the lamp unit cannot be acquired, the lamp unit can be operated based on the information of the vehicle acceleration supplied from the acceleration sensor. Therefore, the fail-safe function can be provided to the vehicle lamp.

The acceleration sensor may be built in the control device. In this way, compared with a case where the acceleration sensor is provided outside the control device, it is possible to reduce the risk that the control device cannot acquire the information of the vehicle acceleration, such as a communication failure between the acceleration sensor and the control device. The fail-safe function using the acceleration sensor can be provided more reliably.

The lamp unit may include a plurality of indicator lamps that provide different lamp functions from each other. The control device may select any one of the plurality of marker lamps based on the vehicle acceleration, and control the selected marker lamp. In this way, even when the vehicle information cannot be acquired, the running state of the vehicle such as deceleration, reverse, right-left turn, etc. can be grasped from the vehicle acceleration, and the appropriate marker lamp corresponding to the grasped state can be turned on.

The lamp unit may be provided with a tail lamp. The control device may turn on the tail lamp when it detects that the reception of the vehicle information is interrupted. In so doing, even when the vehicle information cannot be acquired, the tail lamp can be automatically lighted. This contributes to an improvement in safety at night in particular.

Another aspect of the present invention is a control device for a vehicle lamp. The device comprises: an ECU (Electronic Control Unit: an electronic control unit) that controls the lamp unit based on vehicle information received from the vehicle; and an acceleration sensor that provides information indicative of acceleration of the vehicle to the ECU. The ECU detects whether or not the reception of the vehicle information is interrupted, and controls the lamp unit based on the vehicle acceleration when the interruption of the reception of the vehicle information is detected.

Another aspect of the present invention is a control method of a vehicle lamp. The method includes a step of detecting whether or not reception of vehicle information for controlling the lamp unit is interrupted, a step of acquiring information indicating vehicle acceleration from an acceleration sensor, and a step of controlling the lamp unit based on the vehicle acceleration in the case where reception of the vehicle information is detected to be interrupted.

A vehicle lamp system according to claim 2 of the present invention includes: a lamp unit having a plurality of marker light regions each functioning as a different marker light, and capable of customizing the arrangement of the plurality of marker light regions; a setting device which accepts the customization of the configuration of the plurality of identification light areas and generates a customization setting representing the customized configuration of the plurality of identification light areas; and a control device which determines a plurality of marker light regions according to a user-defined setting in the lamp unit, and controls the lamp unit so that the plurality of marker light regions operate as marker lights different from each other. When the setting device accepts the customization, a settable region that can be used as a marker light region is displayed for each marker light.

According to this aspect, the user can customize the arrangement of the marker light regions while grasping the settable region. The settable region can be predefined according to regulatory requirements. Therefore, the user can be assisted, and the vehicle lamp can be customized while satisfying the requirements in the regulations.

When the setting device receives the customization, the setting device may display the non-settable region which cannot be used as the marker light region and the settable region together for each marker light. When doing so, the user can grasp the settable region and the non-settable region. Therefore, it is easier for the user to customize the vehicle lamp to meet the regulatory requirements.

The setting means may receive a customization of the arrangement and lighting scheme of the plurality of marker light regions, and the customization may be configured to indicate the customized arrangement and lighting scheme of the plurality of marker light regions. When doing so, the user is able to change not only the configuration of the identification light area, but also its lighting scheme. The vehicle lamp can be customized to further satisfy the preference of the user, and thus the satisfaction of the user can be further improved.

Another aspect of the present invention is a setting device for a vehicle lamp. The vehicle lamp includes a lamp unit having a plurality of marker light regions each operating as a different marker light, and is capable of customizing the arrangement of the plurality of marker light regions. The setting device includes: an input interface accepting a customization of a configuration of a plurality of identification light regions; a display that displays a settable region that can be used as a marker light region for each marker light when the display is customized; and a processor that generates a custom setting that represents a custom configuration of the plurality of identification light regions.

Another aspect of the present invention is a method for setting a vehicle lamp. The vehicle lamp includes a lamp unit having a plurality of marker light regions each operating as a different marker light, and is capable of customizing the arrangement of the plurality of marker light regions. The method includes a step of accepting, at a setting device, a customization of a configuration of a plurality of marker light regions, a step of displaying, for each marker light, a settable region that is usable as a marker light region, on the setting device, and a step of generating, by the setting device, a customization setting representing the configuration defining the plurality of marker light regions.

The results obtained by arbitrarily combining the above components or the results obtained by converting the expression system of the present disclosure between methods, apparatuses, systems, computer programs, and the like are also effective as aspects of the present invention.

Effects of the invention

According to the present invention, a fail-safe function can be provided to the vehicle lamp. According to the invention, the user can be assisted, so that the requirements of regulations can be met, and the vehicle lamp can be customized.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a vehicle lamp according to embodiment 1.

Fig. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling the vehicle lamp according to embodiment 1.

Fig. 3 (a) and 3 (b) are block diagrams of a vehicle lamp according to a modification.

Fig. 4 is a block diagram of a vehicle lamp according to embodiment 2.

Fig. 5 (a) and 5 (b) are schematic views showing exemplary vehicle lamps.

Fig. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method for setting the vehicle lamp according to embodiment 2.

Fig. 7 (a) and 7 (b) are schematic diagrams showing examples of settable regions and non-settable regions according to embodiment 2.

Detailed Description

The present invention will be described below based on preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments are not intended to limit the invention, but are merely examples, and all the features and combinations thereof described in the embodiments are not intended to limit the essential content of the invention. The same or equivalent components, members, and processes shown in the drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals, and repetitive description thereof will be omitted as appropriate. In addition, the scale or shape of the parts shown in the drawings are set cheaply for ease of illustration and are not to be construed restrictively unless specifically mentioned. The terms "1 st", "2 nd", and the like used in the present specification and claims do not denote any order or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another. In the drawings, a part of members not important in the description of the embodiment will be omitted.

(Embodiment 1)

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a vehicle lamp 100 according to embodiment 1. The vehicle lamp 100 is suitable for an identification lamp of a vehicle such as an automobile. In this embodiment, a case where the vehicle lamp 100 is a rear combination lamp provided in the rear of the vehicle will be described as an example.

The vehicle lamp 100 includes a1 st lamp unit 110R and a2 nd lamp unit 110L in pairs, and a lamp ECU (Electronic Control Unit: electronic control unit) 200 that controls the lamp units 110. Further, vehicle ECU300 is provided as a controller for comprehensively controlling the entire vehicle or a part thereof in the vehicle. The vehicle ECU300 may be a controller also referred to as BCM (Body Control Module: vehicle body control module). The ECU can be implemented as a combination of a processor (hardware) such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit: central processing unit) or a microcomputer and a software program executed by the processor (hardware).

In fig. 1, for convenience, the communication lines are represented by broken-line arrows connecting functional blocks. Light ECU200 CAN communicate with vehicle ECU300, for example, via an in-vehicle network conforming to a network protocol such as CAN (Controller Area Network: controller area network) or LIN (Local Interconnect Network: local area network), or other suitable communication network. Further, the lamp ECU200 can communicate with the lamp unit 110 through a suitable communication network. The communication between lamp ECU200 and vehicle ECU300, and the communication between lamp ECU200 and lamp unit 110 may be in accordance with different protocols from each other, or may be in accordance with the same protocol.

In fig. 1, the power supply line is shown by a solid line connecting functional blocks for convenience. Lamp ECU200 and vehicle ECU300 receive power from power supply 310 such as an in-vehicle battery. Lamp ECU200 supplies power to lamp unit 110. Lamp ECU200 can also be regarded as a power source of lamp unit 110.

For example, a communication line between lamp ECU200 and vehicle ECU300 is shown with reference numeral 302. The communication line 302 and other communication lines are, for example, wire harnesses. The ECUs are communicably connected to each other, or to the lamp unit 110 by a wire harness. The harness may also contain power supply wiring.

The 1 st lamp unit 110R includes a plurality of 1 st lamps providing lamp functions different from each other, and in this example, includes a tail lamp 120a, a brake lamp 120b, a turn signal lamp 120c, and a backup lamp 120d. Also, the 2 nd lamp unit 110L includes a plurality of 2 nd lamps 120a to 120d providing lamp functions different from each other. The vehicle lamp 100 has a1 st lamp and a 2 nd lamp that provide the same lamp function and are paired with each other, the 1 st lamp is arranged centrally with each other, and the 2 nd lamp is arranged centrally with each other in a configuration corresponding to the 1 st lamp. The 1 st lamp unit 110R may be a right rear combination lamp, and the 2 nd lamp unit 110L may be a left rear combination lamp.

The 1 st lamp unit 110R and the 2 nd lamp unit 110L each include a lighting circuit 130, and the lighting circuit 130 individually lights the own lamps 120a to 120d under the control of the lamp ECU 200. The lighting circuit 130 includes a lighting control IC (INTEGRATED CIRCUIT: integrated circuit) (LED driver) capable of individually controlling the luminance and on/off of the light emitting elements (e.g., LEDs) of the respective lamps 120a to 120 d.

In this embodiment, the lighting circuit 130 is a lighting circuit common to a plurality of types of lamps 120a to 120d belonging to the lamp unit 110. Among these are the following advantages: by using common communication lines and power supply lines that connect lighting circuit 130 to lamp ECU200, the number of communication lines and power supply lines for a plurality of types of lamps can be reduced. In addition, there are also the following advantages: it is easy to light a plurality of kinds of lamps cooperatively, and it is easy to realize various lighting schemes such as lighting of colorful effects.

The lighting circuits 130 are not necessarily common lighting circuits. In one embodiment, the lamp unit 110 may have a typical configuration as follows: each individual lamp has an individual lighting circuit, and each lighting circuit is connected to lamp ECU200 via an individual communication line and a power supply line, so that the corresponding lamp operates individually under the control of lamp ECU 200.

Light fixture ECU200 includes an acceleration sensor 202, a processor 210, a memory 220, and a communication circuit 230.

The acceleration sensor 202 generates information (hereinafter, also referred to as acceleration sensor information) indicating the acceleration (including deceleration) of the vehicle, and supplies the acceleration sensor information to the lamp ECU200. The acceleration sensor 202 is built in the lamp ECU200. The acceleration sensor 202 is, for example, a capacitive MEMS acceleration sensor, or may be another type of acceleration sensor.

The acceleration sensor 202 is configured to measure acceleration of at least one axis (for example, the vehicle longitudinal direction). The acceleration sensor 202 may be configured to measure acceleration in at least two axes (for example, the vehicle longitudinal direction and the vehicle width direction), or may be configured to measure acceleration in three axes.

The acceleration sensor 202 and other components in the lamp ECU200 such as the processor 210 are communicably connected to each other by the internal wiring 204. The acceleration sensor 202 outputs the generated acceleration sensor information to the processor 210 or the constituent elements of the lamp ECU200 through the internal wiring 204.

For example, the acceleration sensor 202 and the processor 210 may be separate components mounted together on the same printed board, and the internal wiring 204 may be a wiring pattern formed on the board so as to connect the acceleration sensor 202 and the processor 210 to each other so as to enable communication therebetween. Alternatively, the acceleration sensor 202 and other components in the lamp ECU200 such as the processor 210 may be integrated as a microcontroller, or may be a System on Chip (SoC), or the internal wiring 204 may be an internal wiring of the microcontroller or SoC.

The processor 210 includes: a detection unit 212 that detects an abnormality in communication between lamp ECU200 and vehicle ECU 300; and a control unit 214 that controls the lamp unit 110. The detection unit 212 and the control unit 214 are mounted on the processor 210 by: processor 210 executes software programs stored in memory 220. Memory 220 may include non-volatile memory and/or volatile memory. In addition to the software program, the memory 220 stores data necessary for the operation of the lighting ECU200 or the execution of the software program, and data generated by the execution of the software program. Alternatively, lamp ECU200 may be configured to update The software program and/or data necessary for execution thereof by OTA (Over The Air), or by wired communication, for example.

Detection unit 212 is configured to detect whether or not reception of vehicle information from vehicle ECU300 is interrupted. The detection unit 212 may monitor a communication state of the communication line 302 connecting the lamp ECU200 and the vehicle ECU300, and may detect interruption of reception of the vehicle information based on the communication state. For example, if the state in which no vehicle information is received from vehicle ECU300 continues for a predetermined time, detecting unit 212 may detect that the reception of the vehicle information is interrupted. The detection unit 212 may be configured to: a conventional method of detecting abnormality in communication between lamp ECU200 and vehicle ECU300 is performed.

Communication circuit 230 is an interface for communication with vehicle ECU 300. In the illustrated example, the detection unit 212 is configured in the processor 210, but the communication circuit 230 may function as the detection unit 212.

Light fixture ECU200 is configured to receive vehicle information from vehicle ECU300 and control each light fixture 120a to 120d of light fixture unit 110 based on the received vehicle information. More specifically, the control unit 214 selects any one of the plurality of lamps 120a to 120d based on the lighting instruction included in the received vehicle information, generates a control signal for controlling the selected lamp, and supplies the control signal to the lighting circuit 130 of the lamp unit 110.

The vehicle information includes, for example, an instruction to turn on the tail lamp 120a generated by a lamp switch operation by the driver, an instruction to turn on the brake lamp 120b generated by a brake operation by the driver, an instruction to turn on the turn signal lamp 120c generated by a direction instruction switch operation by the driver, and shift information indicating a shift position (for example, whether or not the shift position is a reverse (R)) and the like.

The control unit 214 performs the following functions: the lighting unit 110 determines whether or not the lighting units 120a to 120d are to be lighted, selects a lighting unit to be lighted, performs a dimming control (for example, a duty cycle operation of PWM (Pulse Width Modulation: pulse width modulation) dimming, a current value operation supplied to a light emitting element, or the like) on the lighting unit to which the lighting unit is to be lighted, and sends a command value (for example, a command value of a duty cycle or a current value) for performing the dimming control to the lighting circuit 130.

Therefore, when the vehicle information includes an instruction to turn on the tail lamp 120a, the control unit 214 causes the tail lamp 120a to be turned on at a predetermined brightness. When the vehicle information includes an instruction to turn on the brake lamp 120b, the control unit 214 turns on the brake lamp 120b brighter than the tail lamp 120 a. When the vehicle information includes an instruction to turn on the turn signal lamp 120c, the control unit 214 blinks the turn signal lamp 120 c. When the vehicle information includes shift information indicating that the shift position is reverse (R), the control unit 214 turns on the backup lamp 120 d.

The lamp ECU200 is configured to control the lamps 120a to 120d of the lamp unit 110 based on the acceleration sensor information output from the acceleration sensor 202. More specifically, the control unit 214 grasps the current vehicle running state such as running, cornering, stopping, or predicts the vehicle running state immediately after that, based on the acceleration sensor information. Further, the control unit 214 selects any one of the plurality of lamps 120a to 120d according to the determined traveling state, generates a control signal for controlling the selected lamp, and supplies the control signal to the lighting circuit 130 of the lamp unit 110.

Fig. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a control method of the vehicle lamp 100 according to embodiment 1. This method is repeatedly executed by lamp ECU200 at a predetermined cycle (for example, a cycle of several milliseconds to several tens milliseconds).

The method includes a step of detecting whether or not reception of vehicle information for controlling the lamp unit 110 is interrupted (S10), a step of acquiring information indicating vehicle acceleration from the acceleration sensor 202 (S20), and a step of controlling the lamp unit 110 based on the vehicle acceleration in the case where reception of the vehicle information is detected to be interrupted (S30).

When the present method is started, as shown in fig. 2, a detection unit 212 detects whether or not the reception of vehicle information from vehicle ECU300 is interrupted (S10). When the interruption of the reception of the vehicle information is not detected, that is, when lamp ECU200 receives the vehicle information from vehicle ECU300 (no in S10), control unit 214 selects a lamp corresponding to the lighting instruction included in the received vehicle information from among the plurality of lamps 120a to 120d, and controls the selected lamp (S12). Or the control unit 214 turns off the plurality of lamps 120a to 120d when the received vehicle information does not include any lighting instruction of the lamps. That is, this is a normal operation of the vehicle lamp 100.

On the other hand, when the detection unit 212 detects that the reception of the vehicle information is interrupted (yes in S10), the control unit 214 turns on the tail lamp 120a (S14). In this way, even when lamp ECU200 cannot acquire vehicle information from vehicle ECU300, vehicle lamp 100 can automatically light up taillight 120a without waiting for a lighting instruction from taillight 120a of vehicle ECU 300. Even if the reception of the vehicle information is interrupted at night, the tail lamp 120a can be reliably lighted. Therefore, it contributes to an improvement in safety at night in particular.

The lighting ECU200 acquires acceleration sensor information from the acceleration sensor 202 (S20). Next, the lighting ECU200 controls the lighting unit 110 based on the acceleration sensor information (S30). The control unit 214 grasps the current vehicle running state from the acquired acceleration sensor information, selects a lamp corresponding to the grasped running state from the plurality of lamps 120a to 120d, and controls the lamp.

For example, when the acceleration sensor 202 can measure acceleration in the vehicle longitudinal direction, the acceleration sensor information can indicate the measured acceleration in the vehicle longitudinal direction. In this way, the control unit 214 can grasp whether the vehicle is decelerating or not from the acceleration in the vehicle front-rear direction using the acceleration sensor information. When the vehicle is decelerating, the control unit 214 turns on the brake lamp 120b as a braking operation is performed.

The control unit 214 can determine whether or not the deceleration of the vehicle is caused by the emergency braking or by the normal braking operation, based on the magnitude of the acceleration (deceleration) in the vehicle longitudinal direction that is measured. For example, the control unit 214 may determine that the emergency braking is performed when the magnitude of the deceleration in the vehicle longitudinal direction to be measured exceeds a1 st deceleration threshold value indicating the emergency braking. When the measured deceleration in the vehicle longitudinal direction is lower than the 1 st deceleration threshold value, the control unit 214 may determine that the braking operation is a normal braking operation. By doing so, when emergency braking is detected, the control unit 214 may perform lighting of the lamp unit 110 indicating emergency braking, for example, HIGH FLASHER (high-speed blinking) of the brake lamp 120 b.

Further, a2 nd deceleration threshold value larger than the 1 st deceleration threshold value may be preset. In the case where a large deceleration exceeding the 2 nd deceleration threshold is measured, this may be derived from a collision of the host vehicle with another vehicle or a surrounding structure. Therefore, if the measured deceleration in the vehicle longitudinal direction exceeds the 2 nd deceleration threshold, the control unit 214 may turn on the lamp unit 110 indicating the occurrence of a collision or the possibility of the collision, for example, the hazard lamps, that is, the HIGH FLASHER of the turn signal lamps 120c on the left and right sides.

The control unit 214 may determine whether the vehicle is backing up, based on the direction (forward or backward) of the acceleration (vector) in the vehicle longitudinal direction that is measured. The control unit 214 may determine that the vehicle is traveling when the measured acceleration in the vehicle longitudinal direction is directed toward the vehicle front. When the measured acceleration in the vehicle longitudinal direction is directed rearward of the vehicle, the control unit 214 may determine that the vehicle is backing up. When the vehicle is backing up, the control unit 214 turns on the backup lamp 120 d.

When the acceleration sensor 202 can measure the acceleration in the vehicle width direction, the acceleration sensor information can indicate the measured acceleration in the vehicle width direction. The control unit 214 can grasp the left and right turns of the vehicle or the lane change from the measured acceleration in the vehicle width direction. In this case, the control unit 214 may turn on/off the turn signal lamp 120 c.

In addition, in the control of the vehicle lamp 100 based on the acceleration sensor information, the detection unit 212 may monitor whether or not the reception of the vehicle information from the vehicle ECU300 is performed, and thereby may detect whether or not the reception of the vehicle information is resumed. In the case where the vehicle information is not recovered and the reception interruption of the vehicle information continues, the control based on the acceleration sensor information is continued. When the reception of the vehicle information is resumed, the control unit 214 may resume the normal control based on the vehicle information.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the running state of the vehicle, such as deceleration, reverse, left and right turns, can be grasped based on the acceleration sensor information, and the appropriate marker lamp corresponding to the grasped state can be turned on. Even when the lamp ECU200 cannot acquire vehicle information from the vehicle ECU300 due to interruption of communication between the lamp ECU200 and the vehicle ECU300, the vehicle lamp 100 can be operated. By doing so, a fail-safe function can be provided to the vehicle lamp 100.

In the above embodiment, the acceleration sensor 202 is built in the lamp ECU200. In so doing, compared to the case where the acceleration sensor 202 is provided outside the lamp ECU200, and the wires are connected to each other by the harness or the like, the following risk can be reduced: the light ECU200 cannot acquire acceleration sensor information from the acceleration sensor 202. The fail-safe function using the acceleration sensor 202 can be provided more reliably. However, the configuration of the acceleration sensor 202 is not limited thereto, and may be provided outside the lamp ECU200. The following describes such a modification.

Fig. 3 (a) and 3 (b) are block diagrams of a vehicle lamp 100 according to a modification. As shown in fig. 3 (a), the acceleration sensor 202 may be disposed outside the lamp ECU200, and provide the acceleration sensor information to the lamp ECU200. For example, acceleration sensor 202 may be connected to lamp ECU by a communication line 304 (e.g., a wire harness) different from communication line 302 connecting lamp ECU200 and vehicle ECU 300. The acceleration sensor 202 may transmit the acceleration sensor information to the lamp ECU200 via the communication line 304. In this way, even when the lamp ECU200 cannot acquire the vehicle information from the vehicle ECU300, the vehicle lamp 100 can be operated based on the acceleration sensor information, as in the above-described embodiment.

As shown in fig. 3b, an ECU (for example, meter ECU) 400 different from vehicle ECU300 may be communicably connected to lamp ECU200, and the other ECU400 may have acceleration sensor information (for example, built-in acceleration sensor 202) and may supply the acceleration sensor information to lamp ECU 200. Alternatively, the acceleration sensor 202 may be provided outside the ECU400 and connected to the ECU400, and the acceleration sensor information may be supplied from the acceleration sensor 202 to the ECU400 and further supplied from the ECU400 to the lamp ECU 200. Alternatively, acceleration sensor 202 (or another acceleration sensor) may be connected to vehicle ECU300, and ECU400 may acquire acceleration sensor information from vehicle ECU 300. In so doing, it is also possible to realize fail-safe against interruption of communication between lamp ECU200 and vehicle ECU 300.

(Embodiment 2)

Fig. 4 is a block diagram of a vehicle lamp 100 according to embodiment 2. The vehicle lamp 100 is suitable for an identification lamp of a vehicle such as an automobile. In this embodiment, a case where the vehicle lamp 100 is a rear combination lamp provided in the rear of the vehicle will be described as an example.

The vehicle light 100 includes an arrangement of a number of light emitting elements (e.g., high definition LEDs or other LEDs), in this example, a display 140, and a light ECU (Electronic Control Unit: electronic control unit) 200 that controls the display 140. At least a part of the area of the display 140 functions as a1 st lamp unit 110R and a2 nd lamp unit 110L (hereinafter, may be collectively referred to as a lamp unit 110) in pairs. Here, the 1 st lamp unit 110R corresponds to a rear combination lamp on the right side, and the 2 nd lamp unit 110L corresponds to a rear combination lamp on the left side.

As shown in fig. 4, the setting device 250 is used for customizing the vehicle lamp 100 by a user (e.g., a driver or other occupant). The setting device 250 constitutes the vehicle lamp system of the embodiment together with the vehicle lamp 100.

In this embodiment, the lamp unit 110 (i.e., the display 140) has a plurality of indicator light regions each operating as a different indicator light, and the arrangement of the plurality of indicator light regions can be customized, as will be described in detail later. The setting device 250 accepts customization of the configuration of the plurality of identification light regions, and generates a customization setting S1 indicating the customized configuration of the plurality of identification light regions. The lamp ECU200 determines a plurality of marker light regions in the lamp unit 110 according to the custom setting S1, and controls the lamp unit 110 so that the plurality of marker light regions operate as marker lights different from each other. The ECU can be installed as a combination of a processor (hardware) such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit: central processing unit) or a microcomputer and a software program executed by the processor (hardware).

Further, vehicle ECU300 is provided as a controller for comprehensively controlling the entire vehicle or a part thereof in the vehicle. The vehicle ECU300 may be a controller also referred to as BCM (Body Control Module: vehicle body control module). Vehicle ECU300 may be regarded as a control device for controlling lamp unit 110 together with lamp ECU 200. Further, vehicle ECU300 may be regarded as a vehicle lamp system constituting the embodiment together with vehicle lamp 100.

In fig. 4, for convenience, the communication lines are represented by broken-line arrows connecting functional blocks. Light ECU200 CAN communicate with vehicle ECU300, for example, via an in-vehicle network conforming to a network protocol such as CAN (Controller Area Network: controller area network) or LIN (Local Interconnect Network: local area network), or other suitable communication network. Further, vehicle ECU300 is capable of communicating with setting device 250 via an appropriate communication network. The communication between lamp ECU200 and vehicle ECU300 and the communication between setting device 250 and vehicle ECU300 may be in accordance with different protocols from each other or in accordance with the same protocol. Also, light fixture ECU200 is capable of communicating with light fixture unit 110 via a suitable communication network.

In fig. 4, the power supply line is shown by a solid line connecting functional blocks for convenience. Lamp ECU200 and vehicle ECU300 receive power from power supply 310 such as an in-vehicle battery. Lamp ECU200 supplies power to lamp unit 110. Lamp ECU200 can also be regarded as a power source of lamp unit 110. The setting device 250 may be powered from the power source 310 or may have a battery built into it for powering itself.

The display 140 includes a display drive circuit (display driver IC) 142 and a display panel 144. On the display panel 144, the indicator light regions corresponding to the plurality of indicator lights (in this example, the tail lamp 120a, the brake lamp 120b, the turn signal lamp 120c, and the backup lamp 120 d) constituting the 1 st lamp unit 110R are arranged in accordance with an initial setting (for example, a setting at a manufacturing stage by a manufacturer of the vehicle lamp 100) or in accordance with a custom setting S1. Similarly, the indicator light regions corresponding to the plurality of indicator lights 120a to 120d constituting the 2 nd lamp unit 110L are arranged on the display panel 144.

Fig. 5 (a) and 5 (b) are schematic views showing an exemplary vehicle lamp 100. In both figures, the appearance of the rear portion of the vehicle on which the vehicle lamp 100 is mounted is shown as viewed from the rear of the vehicle.

As an example, as shown in fig. 5 (a), the vehicle lamp 100 may have a single large display 140, and the display 140 may cover the entire surface of the rear portion of the vehicle. In the display 140, the 1 st lamp unit 110R may be disposed at the right end portion, and the 2 nd lamp unit 110L may be disposed at the left end portion. The 1 st lamp unit 110R and the 2 nd lamp unit 110L have the identification lamp regions corresponding to the tail lamp 120a, the brake lamp 120b, the turn signal lamp 120c, and the backup lamp 120d, respectively, as described above. The plurality of marker light regions that are distinguished from each other are determined on the display 140 according to the initial setting or the custom setting S1, and are allocated to the marker light regions corresponding to the respective marker lights 120a to 120 d. Tail light 120a and brake light 120b take the same configuration on display 140.

In some cases, the display 140 may be composed of a plurality of parts, and for example, the display 140 may include a movable-side display 140a and a fixed-side display 140b, wherein the movable-side display 140a is provided on a movable part such as a door that is movable (openable/closable) with respect to the vehicle body, and the high-fixed-side display 140b is provided on a fixed part fixed to the vehicle body, adjacent to the movable-side display 140 a. The marker light regions may be provided over both the movable-side display 140a and the fixed-side display 140 b.

The region of the display 140 other than the lamp unit 110, that is, the other region not used as the marker lamps 120a to 120d may be used as the free region 112 for various purposes such as displaying various characters and graphics, or performing various decorative lighting.

As another example, as shown in fig. 5 (b), the vehicle lamp 100 may have a long display 140 extending in the vehicle width direction along a lower edge portion of the vehicle rear portion. The display 140 extends in the vehicle width direction in a laterally elongated manner throughout the vehicle. On display 140, 1 st lamp unit 110R may be disposed at the right end portion, 2 nd lamp unit 110L may be disposed at the left end portion, and each lamp unit 110 may have a sign light region corresponding to tail light 120a, brake light 120b, turn signal light 120c, and backup light 120 d. A central portion between the 1 st lamp unit 110R and the 2 nd lamp unit 110L may be used as the free region 112 on the display 140.

In addition, the display 140 may be a single large-sized display including both the 1 st lamp unit 110R and the 2 nd lamp unit 110L, but this is not required. The vehicle lamp 100 may include: a1 st display that operates as a1 st lamp unit 110R; and a2 nd display that operates as the 2 nd lamp unit 110L.

The vehicle lamp 100 may include a3 rd lamp unit, and the 3 rd lamp unit may be different from the 1 st lamp unit 110R and the 2 nd lamp unit 110L. Accordingly, the display 140 may operate not only as the 1 st lamp unit 110R and the 2 nd lamp unit 110L but also as the 3 rd lamp unit. The 3 rd lamp unit may be, for example, a high-mounted stop lamp, or another lamp unit provided in the rear of the vehicle. A part of the free area 112 may be operated as the 3 rd lamp unit.

Referring again to fig. 4, light fixture ECU200 is operable as a controller for controlling light fixture unit 110. Light fixture ECU200 is configured to receive vehicle information from vehicle ECU300 and to provide each of identification lamps 120a to 120d of light fixture unit 110 to display 140 based on the received vehicle information. More specifically, lamp ECU200 selects a marker lamp to be operated from among the plurality of marker lamps 120a to 120d based on the lighting instruction included in the received vehicle information, generates a control signal for displaying the selected marker lamp on display 140, and supplies the control signal to display driving circuit 142. Under the control of the light fixture ECU200, the display driving circuit 142 controls the display panel 144 to display images representing the respective marker lamps in accordance with the above-described initial setting or custom setting S1.

The vehicle information includes, for example, an instruction to turn on the tail lamp 120a generated by a lamp switch operation by the driver, an instruction to turn on the brake lamp 120b generated by a brake operation by the driver, an instruction to turn on the turn signal lamp 120c generated by a direction instruction switch operation by the driver, and shift information indicating a shift position (for example, whether or not the shift position is a reverse (R)) and the like.

Therefore, when the vehicle information includes an instruction to turn on the tail lamp 120a, the lamp ECU200 controls the display 140 so that the tail lamp 120a is turned on at a predetermined brightness. When the vehicle information includes an instruction to turn on the brake lamp 120b, the lamp ECU200 controls the display 140 so that the brake lamp 120b is turned on brighter than the tail lamp 120 a. When the vehicle information includes an instruction to turn on the turn signal lamp 120c, the lamp ECU200 controls the display 140 to blink the turn signal lamp 120 c. When the vehicle information includes shift information indicating that the shift position is reverse (R), lamp ECU200 controls display 140 to turn on backup lamp 120 d.

The setting means 250 is configured to accept customization of the configuration of the plurality of identification light regions and to generate a customization setting S1 representing the customized configuration of the plurality of identification light regions. The setting device 250 is configured to display a settable region (for example, settable regions 50a and 52a shown in fig. 7) that can be used as a marker light region for each marker light upon receiving a customization.

The setting device 250 includes: an input interface 252 accepting a customization of the configuration of a plurality of identification light regions; a display 254 for displaying a settable region that can be used as a marker light region for each marker light when the user is given a definition; a processor 256 that generates a custom setting S1, the custom setting S1 representing a custom configuration of a plurality of identification light regions; and a memory 258.

The input interface 252 may be, for example, a touch panel display, an interactive display, or the like, and a display for receiving an input from a user, in which case the display 254 may also constitute a part of the input interface 252. Alternatively, the input interface 252 may be another suitable input means operable by the user to input the configuration of the identification light region desired by the user to the setting device 250.

The settable region is displayed on the display 254 or the like, and the custom auxiliary function of the setting device 250 can be mounted on the processor 256 by: the processor 256 executes software programs stored in the memory 258. Memory 258 may include non-volatile memory and/or volatile memory. The memory 258 can store data necessary for the operation of the setting device 250 or the execution of the software program, and data generated by the execution of the software program, in addition to the software program.

When the processor 256 receives the customization, an unset area (for example, unset areas 50b and 52b shown in fig. 7) which cannot be used as a marker light area may be displayed together with the settable area for each marker light. When doing so, the user can grasp the settable region and the non-settable region. Therefore, it is easier for the user to customize the vehicle lamp to meet the regulatory requirements.

The processor 256 accepts the customization of the configuration and lighting schemes for the plurality of identification light regions, and the customization settings represent the customized configuration and lighting schemes for the plurality of identification light regions. The configuration of the marker light region can include, for example, the position, area, or shape of the marker light region, or a combination thereof. The lighting scheme of the marker light region may include, for example, brightness, lighting timing, color, or animation (for example, gradation of brightness, sequential lighting, etc.) of the marker light region, or a combination thereof. When doing so, the user is able to change not only the configuration of the identification light area, but also its lighting scheme. The vehicle lamp can be customized to further satisfy the preference of the user, and thus the satisfaction of the user can be further improved.

As an example, the setting device 250 may be an operation panel mounted in the vehicle cabin. Alternatively, the setting device 250 may be a mobile terminal (for example, a smart phone or the like) held by the user.

Setting device 250 may be connected to vehicle ECU300 by wire. Setting device 250 may be connected to vehicle ECU300 when a user performs customization of vehicle lamp 100, and may be removed from vehicle ECU300 after the end of customization. As described above, setting device 250 is not temporarily connected to vehicle ECU300, but setting device 250 may be permanently connected to vehicle ECU300 or may be integrated with vehicle ECU 300. Alternatively, setting device 250 may be connected to vehicle ECU300 wirelessly, in which case setting device 250 establishes connection to vehicle ECU300 when the user performs customization of vehicle lamp 100, and releases connection to vehicle ECU300 after the end of the customization.

In addition, setting device 250 may be connected to lamp ECU200 by wire or wirelessly, instead of vehicle ECU300. In this case, lamp ECU200 can directly acquire the custom setting generated by setting device 250 from setting device 25.

Fig. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method for setting the vehicle lamp 100 according to embodiment 2. The method includes a step (S60) of accepting customization of the configuration of the plurality of marker light regions at the setting device 250, a step (S61) of displaying a settable region usable as a marker light region on the setting device 250 for each marker light upon accepting customization, and a step (S62) of generating customization setting S1 representing the customized configuration of the plurality of marker light regions by the setting device 250. As shown in fig. 4, the generated custom setting S1 is transmitted from setting device 250 to lamp ECU200 via vehicle ECU300, and is stored in lamp ECU200. In this way, lamp ECU200 can acquire custom setting S1 from vehicle ECU300, and execute control of vehicle lamp 100 to be performed later in accordance with custom setting S1.

Fig. 7 (a) and 7 (b) are schematic diagrams showing examples of settable regions and non-settable regions according to embodiment 2. In fig. 7 (a), a settable region 50a and a non-settable region 50b for the tail lamp 120a are illustrated, and in fig. 7 (b), a settable region 52a and a non-settable region 52b for the backup lamp 120d are illustrated. The settable region 50a and the unsettable region 50b shown in fig. 7 (a) are applicable to the brake light 120b and the turn signal light 120 c.

As shown in fig. 7 (a), the settable region 50a and the non-settable region 50b of the tail lamp 120a set on the display 140 of the vehicle lamp 100 are displayed on the display 254 of the setting device 250. Settable region 50a represents a range on display 140 that is legislatively allowed to configure taillight 120a. As an example, the settable region 50a has a height H1 and a width W1 specified by regulations. Corresponding to the left and right tail lamps, settable regions 50a are defined at the left and right ends of the display 140, respectively. In the settable region 50a, the user is allowed to configure the tail lamp 120a. Therefore, as shown in fig. 7 (a) by a broken line, the user can set at least a part of the settable region 50a as the tail lamp 120a.

On the other hand, the non-settable region 50b shown by the hatched portion corresponds to the remaining region on the display 140 excluding the settable region 50 a. In the non-settable region 50b, the arrangement of the tail lamp 120a is not allowed in terms of regulations. Therefore, in the non-settable region 50b, the user is prohibited from configuring the tail lamp 120a.

Similarly, as shown in fig. 7 (b), the settable region 52a and the non-settable region 52b for the backup lamp 120d can be displayed on the display 254 of the setting device 250. The settable region 52a has a height H2 and a width W2 defined by regulations, in a range where the backup lamp 120d is allowed to be disposed under regulations. The settable region 52a for the backup lamp 120d can be determined as a different place from the settable region 52a for the tail lamp 120 a. Since the user is allowed to configure the backup lamp 120d in the settable region 52a, as shown by a broken line in (b) of fig. 7, the user can set at least a part of the settable region 52a as the backup lamp 120d. On the other hand, in the non-settable region 52b shown by the hatched portion, the arrangement of the backup lamp 120d is not allowed in the regulation, and therefore, in the non-settable region 52b, the user is prohibited from arranging the backup lamp 120d.

The setting method shown in fig. 6 may further include the steps of: after the custom setting S1 is generated, the custom setting S1 is verified. That is, the setting device 250 may verify whether or not the configuration (and/or lighting scheme) of the custom identification lamp area indicated by the custom setting S1 satisfies the regulatory requirement.

When the custom setting S1 is verified as being acceptable, the custom setting S1 is transmitted from the setting device 250 to the vehicle ECU300, and is used for control of the vehicle lamp 100 in the lamp ECU 200.

On the other hand, when the custom setting S1 verifies that the user is not acceptable, the setting device 250 may notify the user of the rejection and accept the resetting. When the custom setting S1 is input again, the setting device 250 may perform the verification step again. In the case where the resetting is not performed, the setting device 250 may maintain the principle setting without using the custom setting S1 input this time. When doing so, for example, the following events can be avoided: the area set by the user is too small, the brightness is insufficient, and the requirements are not satisfied.

According to this embodiment, as described above, the setting device 250 displays the settable region and the non-settable region for each marker lamp when receiving the user-defined vehicle lamp 100. Therefore, the user can customize the arrangement of the marker light regions while grasping the settable region and the non-settable region. These areas can be predefined according to regulatory requirements. Therefore, the user can be assisted by the setting device 250, so that the requirements of the regulations can be satisfied, and the vehicle lamp 100 can be customized.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications, and the embodiments and modifications may be combined, or further modifications such as various design changes may be made based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art, and the embodiments and modifications that are combined as described above, or further modified are also included in the scope of the present invention. The above-described embodiment or modification, and a new embodiment produced by a combination of the above-described embodiment or modification and the following modification, have the effects of the respective embodiments, modifications, and further modifications combined.

For example, the vehicle lamp 100 may include a3 rd lamp unit, and the 3 rd lamp unit may be different from the 1 st lamp unit 110R and the 2 nd lamp unit 110L. The lamp ECU200 may control the 3 rd lamp unit in the same manner as in the above embodiment. That is, lamp ECU200 may control the 3 rd lamp unit based on the vehicle information from vehicle ECU300 in normal times and based on the acceleration sensor information from acceleration sensor 202 when communication between lamp ECU200 and vehicle ECU300 is interrupted. The 3 rd lamp unit may be, for example, a high-mounted stop lamp or another lamp unit provided in the rear of the vehicle.

In the above-described embodiment, the description has been given taking the case where the vehicle lamp 100 is a rear lamp as an example, but the installation place of the vehicle lamp 100 of the embodiment is not examined. Therefore, the vehicle lamp 100 may be a vehicle lamp provided at the front of the vehicle or at another location. The vehicle lamp 100 is not limited to the lamps 120a to 120d illustrated in the above embodiments, and may be, for example, a gap lamp, a daytime running lamp, a cornering lamp, a front fog lamp, or other vehicle lamps.

In the above-described embodiment, the lamp unit 110 takes the form of a plurality of individual lamps (e.g., a plurality of identification lamps) each providing a lamp function different from each other, but is not limited thereto. For example, the lamp unit 10 may include a display that provides a plurality of lamp functions different from each other, or a plurality of areas that are distinguished from each other may be defined on the display and allocated to areas corresponding to the respective lamp functions. For example, 4 areas may be specified on the display, and the taillight 120a, the brake light 120b, the turn signal light 120c, and the backup light 120d may be assigned to each of these areas. Alternatively, the lamp unit 110 may be a composite type in which at least 1 individual lamp is combined with a display to which at least 1 lamp function is assigned.

In the above embodiment, when the configuration is within the settable region, the user-defined configuration (position, area, shape, etc.) of the marker light region is left to the user's discretion. In contrast, in one embodiment, when a user-defined operation is performed for a certain marker lamp, the setting device 250 may display a plurality of selectable candidates determined in advance as settable regions on the display 254. Each candidate has predetermined configuration (position, area, shape, etc.). The user may select any one of these candidates, and the selected candidate may be set as the identification light region.

In the above embodiment, the case where the lamp ECU200 is used as the control device for controlling the vehicle lamp 100 has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. The control device may be configured to control not only the lamps 120a to 120d but also other electric elements mounted on the vehicle. The control device may be a control device, which is also called a zone ECU, and which comprehensively controls all or a part of various electric elements disposed in a specific zone when dividing the vehicle into a plurality of zones. In addition to the lamp, the electric component can include a wiper, a rear door opener, a seat heater, a glass hatch, a rear window defogger, a rear camera, a sensor cleaner for a rear camera, a snow melting heater, a fuel tank cap motor, a rear door lock motor, an electric window, a millimeter wave radar, and the like.

Although the present invention has been described using specific terms based on the embodiments, the embodiments show only one side of the principle and application of the present invention, and many modifications and arrangements are possible in the embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention as defined in the claims.

[ Industrial availability ]

The present invention can be used in the field of vehicle lamps, control devices for vehicle lamps, and control methods. The present invention can be used in the fields of a vehicle lamp system, a setting device for a vehicle lamp, and a setting method.

[ Description of reference numerals ]

100 Vehicle lamp, 110R 1 st lamp unit, 110L 2 nd lamp unit, 120a tail lamp, 120b brake lamp, 120c turn signal lamp, 120d backup lamp, 200 lamp ECU, 202 acceleration sensor, 250 setting device, 300 vehicle ECU.

Claims (11)

1. A vehicle lamp, comprising:

A lamp unit, wherein the lamp unit comprises a lamp body,

A control device that controls the lamp unit based on vehicle information received from the vehicle, and

An acceleration sensor that supplies information indicating acceleration of the vehicle to the control device;

the control device detects whether or not the reception of the vehicle information is interrupted, and controls the lamp unit based on the vehicle acceleration when the interruption of the reception of the vehicle information is detected.

2. A vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein,

The acceleration sensor is built in the control device.

3. A vehicle lamp according to claim 1 or 2, wherein,

The lamp unit includes a plurality of identification lamps providing lamp functions different from each other;

the control device selects any one of the plurality of marker lamps based on the vehicle acceleration, and controls the selected marker lamp.

4. A vehicle lamp according to any one of claim 1 to 3, wherein,

The lamp unit comprises a tail lamp;

the control device causes the tail lamp to light up when detecting that the reception of the vehicle information is interrupted.

5. A control device for a vehicle lamp, comprising:

an ECU (Electronic Control Unit: an electronic control unit) that controls the lamp unit based on vehicle information received from the vehicle, and

An acceleration sensor that supplies information representing acceleration of the vehicle to the ECU;

The ECU detects whether or not the reception of the vehicle information is interrupted, and controls the lamp unit based on the vehicle acceleration in the case where the interruption of the reception of the vehicle information is detected.

6. A control method of a vehicle lamp, comprising:

A step of detecting whether or not the reception of the vehicle information for controlling the lamp unit is interrupted,

A step of acquiring information representing acceleration of the vehicle from an acceleration sensor, and

And a step of controlling the lamp unit based on the vehicle acceleration when the interruption of the reception of the vehicle information is detected.

7. A lamp system for a vehicle, comprising:

A lamp unit having a plurality of marker light regions each functioning as a different marker light, the lamp unit being capable of customizing the arrangement of the plurality of marker light regions,

Setting means for accepting the customization of the configuration of the plurality of identification light regions and generating a customization setting indicating the customization of the configuration of the plurality of identification light regions, and

A control device that determines the plurality of marker light regions in the lamp unit according to the custom setting, and controls the lamp unit so that the plurality of marker light regions operate as marker lights different from each other;

When the setting device accepts the customization, a settable region which can be used as a marker light region is displayed for each marker light.

8. The vehicular lamp system according to claim 7, wherein,

When the setting device accepts the customization, an unset area which cannot be used as a marker light area is displayed together with the settable area for each marker light.

9. A vehicular lamp system according to claim 7 or 8, wherein,

The setting device receives the configuration of the plurality of identification light areas and the customization of the lighting scheme, and the customization setting represents the customized configuration of the plurality of identification light areas and the lighting scheme.

10. A setting device for a vehicle lamp includes a lamp unit having a plurality of marker light regions each operating as a different marker light, and capable of customizing the arrangement of the plurality of marker light regions;

The setting device is characterized by comprising:

An input interface accepting a customization of the configuration of the plurality of identification light regions,

A display for displaying, for each of the marker lamps, a settable region usable as a marker lamp region when the customization is accepted, and

A processor that generates a custom setting that represents a custom configuration of the plurality of identification light regions.

11. A method for setting a vehicle lamp includes a lamp unit having a plurality of marker light regions each operating as a different marker light, and capable of customizing the arrangement of the plurality of marker light regions;

The method is characterized by comprising the following steps:

A step of accepting the configuration customization of the plurality of identification light regions at the setting means,

A step of displaying a settable region, which can be used as a marker light region, on the setting means for each marker light when the customization is accepted, and

Generating, by the setting means, a custom setting representing a custom configuration of the plurality of identification light regions.