JP2008195330A - Side mirror and warning device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To instantly and visually transmit information to a driver seeing the outside of a vehicle. <P>SOLUTION: A light emitting member is installed in a space formed by both the rear surface of a mirror surface and the inner wall of a hood and a side mirror itself is utilized as one warning display device by light emitted from the light emitting member leaked out of a clearance between the periphery of the mirror surface and the inner wall of the hood. When warning means installed at the vehicle having each of the side mirrors mounted at the right and left sides of the vehicle, the light emitting member installed at the right side mirror is activated to emit light, when the warning means produces a warning signal against an object present at the left side of the vehicle, the light emitting member mounted at the left side mirror is activated to emit light and finally when the warning device generates a warning signal against an object placed in front of the vehicle, the light emitting members mounted at both right and left side mirrors are activated to emit light. In addition, the light emitting members installed at the side mirrors are activated in cooperation with a hazard lamp to emit light. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention is used for large vehicles such as trucks and buses. In particular, it relates to a warning notification technique for a driver.

  In order to avoid situations where it is difficult to check pedestrians, leading vehicles, or following vehicles at night or due to bad weather, etc. while driving the vehicle, pedestrians, leading vehicles, or following vehicles using radar or infrared camera devices Alarm devices that detect a vehicle and notify the driver of the detection are becoming widespread (see, for example, Patent Document 1 or 2).

  In such an alarm device, information notified to the driver is displayed on a screen provided in the cab. Nowadays, this screen can be used because car navigation systems are widely used.

JP 2003-220911 A JP 2004-345495 A

  In the conventional alarm device, as described above, information to notify the driver is displayed on a screen provided in the cab. However, the driver's line of sight while driving is naturally directed outside the vehicle. Therefore, it is impossible to turn the line of sight on the screen in the cab during driving. Therefore, conventionally, information is notified to the driver by voice or alarm sound so that the driver does not need to look at the screen in the driver's cab.

  However, since the notification by voice is transmitted to the driver using a plurality of words, the information is instantaneously transmitted, and the information transmission method by visual display is not sufficient. In addition, it is difficult to transmit detailed information by an alarm sound. For example, it is difficult to transmit detailed information such as whether the alarm target is in the front, rear, left, or right direction of the vehicle using only the alarm sound.

  In particular, in large vehicles such as trucks and buses, the display screen is generally below the driver's cab and is more difficult to see while driving compared to passenger cars.

  The present invention has been performed under such a background, and includes a side mirror and a warning device that can visually convey information instantaneously to a driver whose line of sight is directed outside the vehicle. The purpose is to provide.

  A first aspect of the present invention is a side mirror including a mirror surface, and a hood having a certain gap between the periphery of the mirror surface and an inner wall, and holding the mirror surface, and a back surface of the mirror surface, A light emitter is provided in a space formed by the inner wall of the hood.

  According to this, it looks as if the periphery of the mirror surface is shining due to the light of the illuminant leaking from the gap between the periphery of the mirror surface and the inner wall. Thereby, the side mirror itself has a function as one alarm display device.

  The second aspect of the present invention is that when the side mirror of the present invention and the alarm means mounted on the vehicle on which the side mirror is mounted on the left and right respectively warn the object on the right side of the vehicle, Means for causing the light emitter provided in the side mirror to emit light, and when the alarm means issues an alarm to an object on the left side of the vehicle, means for causing the light emitter provided in the left side mirror to emit light. It is a warning device equipped with.

  In addition, when the warning means issues a warning to an object in front of the vehicle, it is possible to provide means for causing the light emitters provided on both the left and right side mirrors to emit light.

  According to this, the driving driver can know the direction of the target object of the warning performed by the warning means with the line of sight facing outside the vehicle.

  In addition, it is possible to provide means for causing the light emitters provided in the side mirrors to emit light in conjunction with a hazard lamp of a vehicle equipped with the side mirrors of the present invention on the left and right respectively. According to this, an effective warning can be given also to the following vehicle.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, information can be visually transmitted instantly with respect to the driver | operator who has looked at the exterior of a vehicle. Furthermore, an effective warning can be given to the following vehicle.

  A side mirror and a warning device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a side view of a side mirror 4 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the side mirror 4 according to the present embodiment includes a mirror surface 1 and a hood 2 that has a certain gap between the periphery of the mirror surface 1 and the inner wall and holds the mirror surface 1. Here, the feature is that the light emitter 3 is provided in a space formed by the back surface of the mirror surface 1 and the inner wall of the hood 2. FIG. 2 is a view of the side mirror 4 of this embodiment as viewed from above.

  The gap between the periphery of the mirror surface 1 and the inner wall of the hood 2 is inevitably provided in order to adjust the position of the mirror surface 1 while the hood 2 is fixed, thus realizing the present invention. It is not necessary to provide it specially. Moreover, although explanation about the power supply to the light emitter 3 and the remote control technology is omitted, since a technology including a motor in the hood 2 is widely used to remotely adjust the position of the mirror surface 1 from the driver's seat. It can be easily realized by applying this technique.

  The light emitted from the light emitter 3 is radiated to the outside of the side mirror 4 from the gap between the mirror surface 1 and the hood 2 while being reflected on the back surface of the mirror surface 1 or the inner wall of the hood 2. FIG. 3 is a view of the side mirror 4 of this embodiment as viewed from the outside (for example, in the driver's cabin). As shown in FIG. 3, it is as if the periphery of the mirror surface 1 is shining when the light emitter 3 emits light. appear.

  The light emission color of the light emitter 3 is preferably red or yellow because it is intended to call attention, but various light emission colors such as green and blue can be used depending on the application. The light emitter 3 can be realized by a light bulb or a high-brightness LED. Further, the back surface of the mirror surface 1 and the inner wall of the hood 2 are painted white or silver or plated with silver in order to increase the light reflectivity. Alternatively, the luminescent color of the illuminant 3 itself is white, and a desired luminescent color can be realized even if the inner wall of the hood 2 is painted red or yellow.

  Next, a warning device using the side mirror 4 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a vehicle equipped with the alerting device of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, the alerting device of the present embodiment includes a right side mirror 4-R and a left side mirror 4-L, an infrared camera device 5, an alarm control unit 6, a display unit 7, and a right radar 8. -R and left-side radar 8-L.

  Each of the side mirrors 4-R and 4-L has the configuration shown in FIGS. The infrared camera device 5 has a function of capturing infrared rays emitted by pedestrians as image information. The right radar 8 -R detects a following vehicle approaching from the right lane of the vehicle 9, and the left radar 8 -L detects a following vehicle approaching from the left lane of the vehicle 9.

  The alarm control unit 6 analyzes the image taken by the infrared camera device 5, detects a pedestrian, monitors the outputs of the radars 8-R and 8-L, detects the following vehicle, and a side mirror. It has a function of controlling the light emission of the 4-R and 4-L light emitters 3 and a function of displaying image information on the display unit 7 provided in the cab.

  In the present embodiment, the image information displayed on the display unit 7 is auxiliary, and the driver can fully understand the meaning of the alarm by the display by the side mirrors 4-R and 4-L. .

  Next, the operation of the alerting device will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example in which a pedestrian is detected in the right front. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example in which a pedestrian is detected in the left front. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example in which a pedestrian is detected forward. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the alarm control unit 6.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the alarm control unit 6 monitors vehicle speed information (S1), and determines whether or not the vehicle is traveling (S2). The following steps are valid only while driving. As a result, it is possible to avoid unnecessary alarm output while parking or stopping or waiting for a signal.

  The alarm control unit 6 analyzes the image information captured by the infrared camera device 5 (S3). In the present embodiment, the image information captured by the infrared camera device 5 is a thermography that represents the temperature difference of the subject, thereby detecting a pedestrian having a temperature higher than the road surface (S4).

  When a pedestrian is detected right front (S5), as shown in FIG. 5, the light emitter 3 of the right side mirror 4-R is caused to emit light (S15). When a pedestrian is detected to the left front (S6), as shown in FIG. 6, the light emitter 3 of the left side mirror 4-L is caused to emit light (S13). When a pedestrian is detected forward (S6), as shown in FIG. 7, the light emitters 3 of both side mirrors 4-R and 4-L are caused to emit light (S14).

  Thereby, the driver can call attention to the presence of the pedestrian by gazing the direction on the side where the side mirror 4-R or 4-L emits light.

  Here, an example in which a pedestrian is detected using the infrared camera device 5 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to a pedestrian, and an example in which various obstacles are detected using a radar or the like will be described similarly. Can do.

  In parallel with the above steps S3 to S6, the following steps S7 to S12 are also performed. The alarm control unit 6 monitors the outputs of the radars 8-R and 8-L (S7), the following vehicle is detected on the right rear side (S8, S9), and the right direction instruction operation of the host vehicle 9 is performed. In this case (S10), it can be determined that the host vehicle 9 is about to change the lane to the right lane, so the light emitter 3 of the right side mirror 4-R is used to alert the driver to the right lane. Light is emitted (S15). Further, when the following vehicle is detected at the left rear (S8, S9, S11) and the left direction instruction operation of the own vehicle 9 is performed (S12), the own vehicle 9 tries to change the lane to the left lane. In order to alert the driver to the left lane, the light emitter 3 of the left side mirror 4-L is caused to emit light (S13).

  Thereby, the driver can call attention to the presence of the following vehicle projected on the side mirror 4-R or 4-L on the side where the light is emitted.

  Further, whether the alarm by the side mirrors 4-R and 4-L is an alarm for a pedestrian ahead detected by steps S3 to S6 or an alarm for a subsequent vehicle detected by steps S7 to S12. An embodiment in which the blinking pattern of the side mirrors 4-R and 4-L is changed between the former case and the latter case so that the driver can be identified.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a blinking pattern of the side mirrors 4-R and 4-L. As shown in FIG. 9, by changing the blinking pattern between pedestrian detection and subsequent vehicle detection, the driver can determine whether the alarm is an alarm for a pedestrian ahead or an alarm for a subsequent vehicle. It can be identified. The blinking pattern may be other than the example of FIG. 9, but it is desirable that the blinking pattern is clearly different from the blinking pattern of the direction indicator. This is the same in the other embodiments described above. In other embodiments, the flashing pattern is clearly different from the flashing pattern of the direction indicator. It is desirable.

  Or you may alert | report a driver | operator using the luminescent color (red and yellow etc.) which is different by pedestrian detection and subsequent vehicle detection. This embodiment can be realized by arranging two light emitters 3 having different emission colors in the hood 2 or using a two-color LED as the light emitter 3.

  The above-described alarm may be performed only at night or in bad weather. This can be realized by using a sunshine sensor or a rain sensor.

  Furthermore, as another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10, the side mirrors 4-R and 4-L can be turned on in conjunction with the lighting of the hazard lamp. Thereby, an effective warning can be given to the following vehicle.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, information can be visually transmitted instantly with respect to the driver | operator who has looked at the exterior of a vehicle. Furthermore, an effective warning can be given to the following vehicle. Thereby, it can utilize for assistance of safe driving.

The figure which looked at the side mirror of a present Example from the side. The figure which looked at the side mirror of a present Example from the upper surface. The figure which looked at the side mirror of a present Example from the exterior (operating room). The figure which shows the vehicle carrying the alerting apparatus of a present Example. The figure which shows the example which detected the pedestrian in the right front. The figure which shows the example which detected the pedestrian in the left front. The figure which shows the example which detected the pedestrian ahead. The flowchart which shows operation | movement of an alarm control part. The figure which shows the blinking period of a side mirror. The figure for demonstrating the Example which makes a side mirror light in synchronization with hazard lamp lighting.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Mirror surface 2 Hood 3 Light-emitting body 4, 4-R, 4-L Side mirror 5 Infrared camera device 6 Alarm control part 7 Display part 8-R, 8-L Radar 9 Vehicle

Claims (4)

In a side mirror having a mirror surface and a hood having a certain gap between the periphery of the mirror surface and the inner wall, and holding the mirror surface,
A side mirror comprising a light emitter in a space formed by a back surface of the mirror surface and an inner wall of the hood. A side mirror according to claim 1;
When the alarm means mounted on the vehicle equipped with the side mirrors on the left and right respectively gives an alarm to the object on the right side of the vehicle, the light emitter provided on the right side mirror is caused to emit light, and the alarm A warning device comprising: means for causing the light emitter provided in the left side mirror to emit light when the means issues a warning to the object on the left side of the vehicle.   The alerting device according to claim 2, further comprising means for causing the light emitters provided on both the left and right side mirrors to emit light when the warning means issues a warning to an object in front of the vehicle.   The alerting device according to claim 2, further comprising means for causing the light emitters provided in the side mirrors to emit light in conjunction with a hazard lamp of a vehicle on which the side mirrors are respectively mounted on the left and right.

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