JP2004017905A - Stop lamp device of vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a stop lamp device of a vehicle capable of correctly reflecting an actual state on a lighting mode of a high-mount stop lamp or the like. <P>SOLUTION: The stop lamp device of the vehicle is equipped with a high-mount stop lamp 2 capable of changing a lighting width according to a braking pressure, and can correct the lighting width with an ECU 12. The device detects traveling safety degree of the vehicle with a front obstacle sensor 4, and corrects the lighting width of the high-mount stop lamp 2 so as to realize the lighting width in accordance with the traveling safety degree detected at that time. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a stop lamp device for a vehicle that displays information on a following vehicle by lighting up in response to an occupant's brake operation.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Regarding this type of stop lamp device, there has been known a technology in which a high-mount stop lamp is turned on in conjunction with an occupant's brake operation, and the lighting width of the high-mount stop lamp is varied according to the brake pressure at that time. Have been. According to this technique, when the brake pressure is increased, for example, during sudden braking, the lighting width of the high-mount stop lamp is increased, so that the following vehicle can be strongly alerted.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Although the above-described technology is effective in that the greater the lighting width, the more attention can be drawn, the lighting width is simply made variable depending on the magnitude of the brake pressure. If the braking force of the occupant is weak despite the short distance between the vehicle and the vehicle, the lighting width of the high-mount stop lamp is not so large, and accurate information cannot be given to the following vehicle. is there.
[0004]
For this reason, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-42991 discloses a collision warning device that accurately informs a following vehicle of a decrease in the safety of the host vehicle. This known alarm device determines the free running distance of the host vehicle and the relative speed between the host vehicle and the front target by detecting the reflection of the electromagnetic wave emitted toward the front target, and calculates the free running distance and the relative speed. , The safety of the own vehicle is determined to be lowered, and when it is determined that the safety is lowered, the brake lamp is turned on to issue an alarm to the following vehicle.
[0005]
However, the known warning device has a problem in that the driver's intention cannot be appropriately reflected because the stop lamp is turned on even though the driver does not perform the brake operation.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a stop lamp device for a vehicle that can accurately reflect an actual situation in a lighting mode of a high-mount stop lamp or the like.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The vehicle stop lamp device according to the present invention (claim 1) includes a safety level detection unit and a lighting mode correction unit, and corrects the actual lighting mode so that the lighting mode corresponds to the driving safety level of the vehicle. Has solved the problem.
More specifically, the stop lamp device of the present invention is provided with lighting mode changing means, and usually, the lighting mode changing means can change the lighting mode of the lighting means based on the magnitude of the brake operation force. However, there is a case where the lighting mode corresponding to the actual traveling safety degree cannot be realized only by the lighting mode changing unit. For this reason, according to the present invention, when the braking operation by the occupant is detected, and when the detected traveling safety level falls below a predetermined value, the lighting mode correction means is implemented to realize a lighting mode corresponding to the detected safety level. Is used to correct the lighting mode.
[0007]
With such a configuration, according to the stop lamp device of the present invention, the lighting mode of the lighting means is appropriately corrected according to the degree of driving safety of the vehicle, while reflecting the driver's intention of the brake operation.
With respect to the correction of the lighting mode described above, the element required for the correction may be obtained based on the detected driving safety level each time. However, if the relationship between the driving safety level and the lighting mode is clear, the stop lamp device may be used. May further include storage means for storing in advance information on the lighting mode corresponding to the degree of driving safety (claim 2). In this case, since the lighting mode correction unit performs the correction based on the information stored by the storage unit, the correction can be performed more easily and accurately.
[0008]
The detection of the degree of driving safety may be performed by detecting the distance from the vehicle to the object ahead. In this case, the traveling safety degree can be detected with a relatively simple configuration.
Alternatively, the detection of the degree of traveling safety may be performed by detecting the distance from the vehicle to the front object and the relative speed between the vehicle and the front object. This makes it possible to more accurately detect the degree of driving safety of the own vehicle.
[0009]
The above-mentioned lighting means has a configuration in which the lighting area can be changed to be large or small as a lighting mode, and the change of the lighting mode is preferably such that the lighting area becomes larger as the brake operation force increases. . In this case, accurate information can be presented to the following vehicle.
[0010]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 schematically shows a configuration of a stop lamp device according to an embodiment. The stop lamp device has a high-mount stop lamp 2 attached to a rear portion of the vehicle body of the vehicle 1, and the high-mount stop lamp 2 is integrated with, for example, a rear roof spoiler 4. The high-mount stop lamp 2 extends in the vehicle width direction, and, for example, a number of light emitting diodes are arranged in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, the lighting mode (for example, lighting width) of the high-mount stop lamp 2 can be changed by changing the number and position of the light emitting diodes to be turned on. Note that the high-mount stop lamp 2 may be incorporated in a vehicle body.
[0011]
The stop lamp device also has various sensors mounted on each part of the vehicle 1. Specifically, the vehicle 1 is provided with a front obstacle sensor 4 and a vehicle speed sensor 6. As the forward obstacle sensor 4, for example, a laser radar, a millimeter wave radar, a CCD camera, or the like can be used. As is well known, a laser radar or a millimeter-wave radar emits a detection signal toward a forward obstacle and receives the reflected signal to measure the presence or absence of a forward obstacle, a distance to the forward obstacle, and the like. Can be used. The CCD camera can be used for electronically recognizing a captured image of a front obstacle and analyzing the captured image to measure the presence or absence of a front obstacle, the distance to the front obstacle, and the like.
[0012]
On the other hand, a brake switch 8 that is connected and disconnected (ON / OFF) in conjunction with the depression operation is attached to a brake pedal (not shown) of the vehicle 1. A brake pressure sensor 10 for detecting a brake pressure is attached to a brake booster (not shown).
The stop lamp device includes an electronic control unit (hereinafter, referred to as “ECU”) 12 for performing various arithmetic processing and signal processing, and signals from the various sensors described above are input to the ECU 12. It has become something.
[0013]
The ECU 12 can perform arithmetic processing on input signals from various sensors and generate parameters necessary for lighting of the high-mount stop lamp 2. Specifically, the ECU 12 detects a brake operation by an occupant of the vehicle 1, that is, whether or not a brake pedal is depressed, based on an input signal from the brake switch 8 (brake operation detection means). The ECU 12 detects the magnitude of the brake operation force based on the brake operation based on the input signal from the brake pressure sensor 10 (brake operation force detection means). In this case, the magnitude of the brake operation force can be obtained from the detected brake pressure.
[0014]
When the brake operation by the occupant is detected, the ECU 12 can light the high-mount stop lamp 2 in response to this (lighting means). At this time, the ECU 12 has a function of changing the lighting mode of the high-mount stop lamp 2 based on the magnitude of the brake operation force (lighting mode changing means).
Specifically, when the brake operation force is relatively small, the ECU 12 turns on only a part of the center of the high mount stop lamp 2 in the width direction, and expands the lighted portion on both sides as the brake operation force increases. . As a result, the lighting width of the high-mount stop lamp 2 increases as the braking operation force increases, so that when the occupant performs a strong braking operation, this can be strongly appealed to the following vehicle.
[0015]
The above is the basic function of the ECU 12, but in the present embodiment, the ECU 12 has a function of correcting the lighting mode of the high-mount stop lamp 2. Hereinafter, the details of the correction by the ECU 12 will be described.
FIG. 2 shows an example of a control procedure executed by the ECU 12 for correcting the lighting mode of the high-mount stop lamp 2.
[0016]
First, the ECU 12 determines whether there is an obstacle ahead of the vehicle 1 (step S1). This determination can be made, for example, using the above-described front obstacle sensor 4. In this case, any of a laser radar, a millimeter wave radar, and a CCD camera may be used as the front obstacle sensor 4. When the ECU 12 determines that there is an obstacle such as a preceding vehicle based on the input signal from the front obstacle sensor 4 (step S1 = Yes), the ECU 12 corrects the lighting width of the high-mount stop lamp 2 (step S1). S2).
[0017]
At this time, the ECU 12 detects the traveling safety degree of the vehicle 1 when correcting the lighting width (safety degree detecting means). Specifically, the ECU 12 detects a distance to a forward object based on an input signal from the forward obstacle sensor 4 (distance detecting means). When the preceding object is, for example, the preceding vehicle, the ECU 12 can detect the degree of traveling safety based on the inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle 1 and the preceding vehicle. In this case, the traveling safety degree increases as the inter-vehicle distance increases, and decreases as the inter-vehicle distance decreases.
[0018]
The ECU 12 corrects the lighting mode of the high-mount stop lamp 2 so that the lighting width corresponding to the running safety level at that time decreases when the running safety level falls below a predetermined value in a state where the brake operation is detected. (Lighting mode correction means). More specifically, the lighting width of the high-mount stop lamp 2 is changed according to the magnitude of the brake operation force (brake pressure) of the occupant as described above. As described above, it may not always correspond to the degree. For this reason, the ECU 12 obtains the correction value of the lighting width in the process of step S2 based on the following arithmetic expression.
(Correction value A of lighting width) = (Lighting width Ws corresponding to brake operating force corresponding to deceleration necessary for safely preventing collision)-(Lighting width Wr corresponding to actual brake operating force)
As shown in the above equation, when the actual brake operation force is less than the brake operation force for obtaining the required deceleration, the lighting width Wr is smaller than the lighting width Ws (Ws > Wr), the correction value A is obtained as a positive value from these differences (A = Ws−Wr).
[0019]
In this case, the ECU 12 corrects the lighting width of the high-mount stop lamp 2 by adding the correction value A to the lighting width Wr corresponding to the brake operating force. As a result, the high-mount stop lamp 2 is lit with the corrected lighting width (= Ws).
In the above equation, when the lighting width Wr is larger than the lighting width Ws, that is, when the actual brake operation force is larger than necessary, the correction value A becomes a negative value. Is not corrected. With this configuration, although it is determined that the degree of driving safety is high in the relationship between the obstacle in front and the host vehicle 1, if the occupant performs a sudden braking operation due to falling asleep or the like, the high-mount stop lamp 2 The lighting width of the vehicle can be expanded, and the following vehicle can be appropriately alerted. Therefore, when the correction value A is obtained as a negative value, the ECU 12 cancels the value.
[0020]
Thereafter, if the distance between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle is sufficiently increased by appropriate deceleration, and it is determined that there is no obstacle ahead (step S1 = No), the ECU 12 cancels the correction of the lighting width. Yes (step S3).
Regarding the above-described correction of the lighting width, the ECU 12 may store an appropriate lighting width Ws in advance. FIG. 3 shows an example of a correction map that can be used in the process of step S2. This correction map has a map characteristic in which the lighting width Ws is appropriately set according to the inter-vehicle distance to the preceding vehicle, and in this case, the value of the lighting width Ws is set to be relatively small as the inter-vehicle distance increases. .
[0021]
If the lighting width is corrected using such a correction map, the correction value A can be easily obtained only by detecting the inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle, so that the calculation process of the ECU 12 in step S2 is further simplified.
Further, in this correction map, the map area is divided into a plurality of areas according to the relative speed with respect to the preceding vehicle (areas a to d). The value of Ws is set to be relatively small. At this time, the ECU 12 can easily detect the following distance using the detection result of the following distance (relative speed detecting means). In the correction map of FIG. 3, the relative speed is the smallest in the area a, and the relative speed is increased in the order of the area b, the area c, and the area d (relative velocity: a <b <c <d).
[0022]
By setting such a correction map, an appropriate lighting width Ws corresponding to the degree of traveling safety (inter-vehicle distance, relative speed, etc.) can be stored in the ECU 12 in advance (storage means). Thereby, the calculation process of the ECU 12 in step S2 is further simplified, and easy and accurate correction of the lighting width is realized. It should be noted that the correction map in FIG. 3 does not have to be divided into regions corresponding to the relative speeds. In this case, the lighting width Ws is set according to the inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle, so that the lighting width can be corrected with a relatively simple configuration.
[0023]
Although the above-described lighting width correction routine is a preferable example, other correction methods can be employed in the present invention. In the above-described step S2, the correction value A is added to the lighting width Wr corresponding to the brake operation force to realize the correction width Ws. Here, the relationship of the lighting width to the brake operation force (brake pressure) is shown. The correction may be made. In this case, since the brake operation force and the lighting width are basically in a proportional relationship, the lighting width according to the degree of traveling safety can be realized by changing the proportional gradient.
[0024]
In the process of step S1, the preceding object is the preceding vehicle, but the preceding object includes a person, a building, and the like in addition to the vehicle. Further, in the process of step S3, if it can be determined that the vehicle speed has sufficiently decreased based on the input signal from the vehicle speed sensor 6, the ECU 12 may cancel the correction of the lighting width.
In the present embodiment, the lighting width is given as an example of the lighting mode, but the lighting mode includes a lighting area, a lighting color, a lighting brightness, a blinking speed, and the like. Specifically, it is possible to increase the lighting area of the high mount stop lamp according to the degree of driving safety, change the lighting color to a color tone with more attention, or increase the lighting brightness. it can. Alternatively, the high mount stop lamp may be caused to blink, and at that time, the blinking speed may be increased (the blinking interval may be shortened) as the traveling safety degree decreases by correcting the blinking speed.
[0025]
In addition, the magnitude of the brake operation force may be detected from not only the brake pressure but also the brake oil pressure or the amount of depression of the brake pedal, and other various means of the present invention are particularly limited to those described in the present embodiment. Not something.
[0026]
【The invention's effect】
The stop lamp device for a vehicle according to the present invention (claim 1) can sufficiently exhibit its original information display function by appropriately correcting the lighting mode of the lighting means, and can not only perform the own vehicle but also other vehicles. Can greatly contribute to safety.
In addition, the stop lamp device (claim 2) can easily correct the lighting mode by storing in advance the lighting mode according to the traveling safety degree.
[0027]
In particular, if the degree of safety is detected by detecting the distance from the vehicle to the front object or the relative speed between the vehicle and the front object (claims 3 and 4), the stop lamp device Has a simple configuration and is excellent in practicality.
Further, if the lighting area of the lighting means is increased in accordance with the brake operation force (claim 5), it is very suitable as information presenting means to a following vehicle or the like.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a stop lamp device according to an embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a lighting width correction routine.
FIG. 3 is an example of a correction map used for correcting a lighting width.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vehicle 2 High mount stop lamp 4 Forward obstacle sensor 6 Vehicle speed sensor 8 Brake switch 10 Brake pressure sensor 12 ECU

Claims (5)

Brake operation detecting means for detecting a brake operation by an occupant;
Brake operation force detection means for detecting the magnitude of the brake operation force based on the brake operation,
Lighting means provided at the rear of the vehicle, which lights when a brake operation is detected by the brake operation detection means,
Lighting mode changing means for changing the lighting mode by the lighting means based on the magnitude of the brake operating force detected by the brake operating force detecting means,
Safety degree detection means for detecting the degree of traveling safety of the vehicle,
When the brake operation is detected by the brake operation detecting means and the driving safety degree detected by the safety degree detecting means is reduced to a predetermined value or less, a lighting mode corresponding to the detected driving safety degree is realized. And a lighting mode correcting means for correcting the lighting mode of the lighting means. Further comprising a storage means in which information of the lighting mode corresponding to the driving safety degree is stored in advance,
The stop lamp device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the lighting mode correction unit corrects the lighting mode based on information stored in the storage unit. The stop lamp device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the safety degree detection unit includes a distance detection unit that detects a distance from the vehicle to a forward object. 3. The safety degree detecting means includes a distance detecting means for detecting a distance from the vehicle to a front object, and a relative speed detecting means for detecting a relative speed between the vehicle and the front object. A stop lamp device for a vehicle according to claim 1. The lighting means can change a lighting area to be large or small,
The vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the lighting mode correction unit increases the lighting area of the lighting unit as the brake operation force detected by the brake operation force detection unit increases. Stop lamp device.

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