JP2009096249A - Vehicular lighting system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform light distribution control by suppressing control delay. <P>SOLUTION: A road shape is recognized from the photographing result of a camera (102, 104), and a division area where an on-coming vehicle exists is presumed from the recognized road shape (106). Further, when a distance with a vehicle at the front is detected by a millimeter wave radar and it becomes a predetermined distance, light distribution of a head light is controlled such that a light from the head light to the presumed division area is turned off (108, 110). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicular illumination device, and more particularly to a vehicular illumination device that controls light distribution of a headlamp or the like.

  As a vehicular illumination device that controls light distribution of a headlamp or the like, for example, techniques described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 have been proposed.

  In the technique described in Patent Document 1, it is proposed to control the fixed headlamp and the movable headlamp according to the brightness of the front area so as to make the brightness distribution of the traveling road constant. Specifically, it has been proposed to turn off the corresponding fixed headlight or movable headlamp when the brightness is sufficiently bright with respect to the shoulder region, the far region, and the short region.

In the technique described in Patent Document 2, it has been proposed to change the light amount of the headlamp according to the approaching state of the oncoming vehicle and the ambient brightness.
JP 2005-41293 A JP 7-69125 A

  However, in the techniques described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, when controlling the light distribution, the light distribution target is recognized by performing image processing on a captured image of a camera or the like to control the light distribution. However, when instantaneous light distribution control is performed, a processing delay is caused due to a high processing load, and there is room for improvement.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-described facts, and an object thereof is to perform light distribution control while suppressing a control delay.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is directed to a vehicle illumination means capable of changing the light distribution for each divided area obtained by dividing the light distribution area into a plurality of areas, and a recognition means for recognizing the road shape. Based on the recognition result of the recognition means, the estimation means for estimating the position of the divided area where the oncoming vehicle may exist, the detection means for detecting the oncoming vehicle, and the oncoming vehicle are detected by the detection means. Control means for controlling the light distribution of the vehicle illumination means so that the light irradiated to the divided area estimated by the estimation means is not irradiated or dimmed. It is a feature.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the vehicle illumination means includes a plurality of light sources, and the light distribution can be changed for each divided region obtained by dividing the light distribution region into a plurality of regions. As the vehicle illumination means, for example, a vehicle headlamp can be applied. The vehicle illumination means includes, for example, a plurality of light sources such as LED light sources that can be divided into divided regions by each light source, and light modulation from a light source such as a DMD (Digital Micromirror Device) or a liquid crystal element. A device that can be divided using an element or a device that can be divided using a shutter or the like can be used.

  The recognition means recognizes the road shape. For example, the recognition unit may recognize the road shape from a captured image such as a camera, or may recognize the road shape from map information such as a navigation device.

  The estimation means estimates the position of the divided area where the oncoming vehicle may exist based on the recognition result of the recognition means.

  The detection means detects an oncoming vehicle. The detection of the oncoming vehicle by the detection means can be detected using, for example, a millimeter wave radar. In addition, as the detecting means, other distance measuring means or the like may be applied, or a means using laser light or the like may be applied.

  Then, in the control means, when the oncoming vehicle is detected by the detection means, the light distribution of the vehicle illumination means so that the light irradiated to the divided area estimated by the estimation means is not irradiated or dimmed Is controlled.

  That is, glare light for other vehicles can be suppressed by controlling the light distribution so that the light irradiated to the divided area estimated by the estimating means is not irradiated or dimmed.

  In addition, since the estimation unit preliminarily estimates the divided area corresponding to the oncoming vehicle and performs the light distribution control when the detecting unit detects the oncoming vehicle, the processing load is larger than when the oncoming vehicle is always searched for by a camera or the like. The light distribution control can be performed by reducing the control delay during the light distribution control.

  The detecting means detects an oncoming vehicle approaching the predetermined distance range as in the invention described in claim 2, and the control means detects the oncoming vehicle approaching the predetermined distance range by the detecting means. You may make it perform light distribution control.

  As described above, according to the present invention, when the divided area of the vehicular lighting device corresponding to the oncoming vehicle is estimated and the oncoming vehicle is detected, the light to the corresponding divided area is not irradiated or dimmed. By controlling so as to reduce the processing load compared to the case of constantly searching for an oncoming vehicle by a camera or the like, it is possible to perform light distribution control while suppressing a control delay during light distribution control. There is.

  Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a vehicular illumination apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  In the vehicular lighting device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention, a headlamp 12 provided in a vehicle is connected to a light distribution control ECU 14 via a headlamp driver 20 as shown in FIG. The light distribution control ECU 14 controls turning on and off of the headlamp 12.

  In the present embodiment, the light distribution control ECU 14 performs light distribution control so that the area corresponding to other vehicles such as the oncoming vehicle in the front of the light distribution area of the headlamp 12 is turned off.

  The light distribution control ECU 14 includes a microcomputer including a CPU 14A, a RAM 14B, a ROM 14C, and an I / O 14D.

  The ROM 14C of the light distribution control ECU 14 stores a table for performing light distribution control of the headlamp 12, a program for executing a light distribution control routine described later, and the RAM 14B performs various calculations performed by the CPU 14A. It is used as a memory for performing

  The switch 16, the camera 18, the headlight driver 20, and the millimeter wave radar 40 are connected to the I / O 14 </ b> D, and an operation state of the switch 16 and a result of photographing in front of the vehicle by the camera 18 are transmitted to the light distribution control ECU 14. Entered.

  The switch 16 instructs the headlamp 12 to be turned on / off, instructs the low beam and the high beam, and outputs the instruction result to the light distribution control ECU 14. The camera 18 captures the front of the vehicle and outputs the captured result to the light distribution control ECU 14.

  Then, the light distribution control ECU 14 controls the headlamp driver 20 in accordance with the state of the switch 16 to turn on the headlamp 12 and to emit light from the headlamp to the area corresponding to the oncoming vehicle. The light distribution of the headlamp 12 is controlled so that it is not irradiated.

  Two headlamps 12 are provided at the front end of the vehicle. As shown in FIG. 2, the light distribution area of the headlamp 12 is divided into a plurality of parts in the vehicle width direction. Thus, the light distribution and non-irradiation can be changed, so that the light distribution can be changed for each divided region, and the light distribution control ECU 14 controls the light irradiation or non-irradiation to each divided region.

  FIGS. 3A and 3B are views showing an example of a headlamp applicable to the vehicular illumination device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 3A, the headlamp 12 can be applied with a plurality of LED light sources 24, and the headlamp driver 20 controls turning on and off of the plurality of LED light sources 24. Thus, it is possible to perform irradiation or non-irradiation of light on each divided region 22 shown in FIG. FIG. 3A shows an example of a headlamp that includes two LED lamps 26 each having a plurality of LED light sources 24. For example, one LED lamp 26 is used for a low beam and the other LED lamp 26 is used for a high beam. You may make it use properly as.

  As shown in FIG. 3 (B), the headlamp 12 reflects light from one light source 28 by a DMD (Digital Micromirror Device) 30 and irradiates the front of the vehicle through a lens 31. You may make it apply. The DMD 30 includes a plurality of micromirrors 32 as shown in FIG. 3C, and is a device that can control the rotation of each micromirror 32. That is, a light source driver 34 for turning on the light source 28 as a headlamp driver 20 and a DMD driver 36 for driving the rotation of each micromirror 32 of the DMD 30 are provided. By controlling the rotation of each micro mirror 32 of the DMD 30 by 36, it is possible to control the irradiation or non-irradiation of light to each divided region shown in FIG.

  In the present embodiment, the following description is given assuming that a plurality of LED light sources 24 are provided. Further, the configuration of the headlamp 12 is not limited to the above. For example, a plurality of shutters that block light that illuminates the front of the vehicle from a single light source are provided, and the size of each shutter is made to correspond to the divided area. 2 may be turned on or off, or a light modulation element such as a liquid crystal element other than the DMD 30 may be used instead of the DMD 30.

  FIG. 4A is a view for explaining a divided region of the headlamp 12 of the vehicle lighting device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 4A, the divided pattern of the divided areas of the headlamp 12 according to the present embodiment is such that the divided width of the divided area at the substantially central portion in the vehicle width direction is wider than the end in the vehicle width direction. It is set to be short in the direction, and gradually becomes a divided region that is long in the vehicle width direction toward the outside in the vehicle width direction. Note that the division pattern is not limited to this.

  Moreover, the LED light source 24 corresponding to each divided area is set in advance in the headlamp 12, and the plurality of LED light sources 24 are selectively turned on to turn on / off each divided area.

  For example, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 corresponds to the LED light source No. 1. 1 to 8 correspond to each other, and the divided region No. LED light source 24 corresponding to 2 is LED light source No. 2. 9 to 12 correspond to each other, and the divided region No. 3 corresponds to the LED light source No. 3. 13 to 15 are associated with each other, and the divided region No. 4 corresponds to LED light source No. 4. 16 and the divided region No. LED light source 24 corresponding to LED No. 5 17 to correspond to the divided area No. 6 corresponds to the LED light source No. 18 and 19 are associated with each other, and the divided region No. 7 corresponds to the LED light source No. 20 to 22 correspond to each other, and the divided area No. 8 corresponds to the LED light source No. 23-27 are made to correspond. Then, by controlling the turning on and off of the LED light source 24 corresponding to each divided region, light irradiation or non-irradiation can be performed for each divided region. Therefore, the correspondence shown in FIG. The area correspondence table 38 is stored in the ROM 14C or the like, and the light distribution control ECU 14 performs lighting control using the light source divided area correspondence table 38, so that the headlamp 12 can be turned on and off for each area. It becomes.

  In the present embodiment, the divided area is determined based on the number of lighting of the LED light source 24. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the size of the divided area is determined based on the size or characteristics of the lens or the light source. You may do it.

  Here, the light distribution control performed by the light distribution control ECU 14 in the present embodiment will be described. In the present embodiment, the road shape is recognized from the photographing result of the camera 18, and the divided area where the oncoming vehicle may exist is estimated from the recognized road shape.

  Then, the distance from the vehicle ahead is detected by the millimeter wave radar 40, and when it falls within the predetermined distance range, the headlamp 12 is set so as not to irradiate the light from the headlamp to the estimated divided area. Control the light distribution.

  That is, an area where an oncoming vehicle is present is estimated in advance from the photographing result of the camera 18, and when the oncoming vehicle is detected, the light from the headlamp to the divided area corresponding to the estimated area is set to a non-irradiated state. In addition, the light distribution of the headlamp 12 is controlled. As a result, the control delay due to the processing load of the captured image is reduced as compared with the case where the camera 18 detects the oncoming vehicle and the light from the headlamps to the divided areas corresponding to the oncoming vehicle region is not irradiated. Can be suppressed.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a light distribution control routine performed by the light distribution control ECU 14 of the vehicle lighting device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention. The light distribution control routine shown in FIG. 5 is started when the lighting of the headlamp 12 is instructed by the operation of the occupant's switch 16. Further, when the switch 16 is provided with the automatic lighting mode, the automatic lighting may be instructed by the occupant, and may be started when a predetermined condition for lighting the headlamp 12 is satisfied.

  When the lighting of the headlamp 12 is instructed by the operation of the occupant switch 16, the headlamp 12 is turned on in step 100. That is, the CPU 14 </ b> A controls the headlamp driver 20 via the I / O 14 </ b> D to drive the LED light sources 24 of the two headlamps 12, thereby turning on the headlamp 12.

  In step 102, the photographing result obtained by photographing the front of the vehicle with the camera 18 is acquired by the light distribution control ECU 14 via the I / O 14D, and the process proceeds to step 104.

  In step 104, the forward road shape is recognized by the CPU 14A based on the photographing result of the camera 18, and the process proceeds to step 106. The road shape is recognized by, for example, extracting a road region using image processing.

  In step 106, the oncoming vehicle extinction area setting is performed, and the routine proceeds to step 108. The oncoming vehicle extinction area setting is based on the recognized road shape, in which an area where an oncoming vehicle may be present is estimated, and the headlamp 12 is divided into areas where the oncoming vehicle is considered to be present in the estimated road shape. Set the area.

  Subsequently, in step 108, it is determined by the CPU 14A whether an oncoming vehicle is detected. The determination determines whether or not an oncoming vehicle has been detected by the millimeter wave radar 40 within a predetermined distance range. If the determination is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 110; 112.

  In step 110, the divided areas corresponding to the unlit areas set in step 106 are turned off and the other divided areas are turned on, and the process proceeds to step 114. That is, the light distribution control ECU 14 controls the headlamp driver 20 so that the divided area corresponding to the set extinguishing area is extinguished, so that glare light to the oncoming vehicle is suppressed even when traveling with a high beam. Can do.

  On the other hand, in step 112, the light distribution is reset, that is, the light distribution control is performed and the divided areas may be turned off. Therefore, by resetting the light distribution control, all the divided areas are turned on. 114.

  In step 114, the CPU 14A determines whether or not the switch 16 has been turned off. If the determination is negative, the process returns to step 102 and the above processing is repeated, and the determination in step 114 is affirmed. Proceeding to step 118, the headlamp 12 is turned off, and the series of processing ends.

  In the present embodiment, for example, as shown in FIG. 6A, when the road shape ahead of the host vehicle is a straight line, an area that is estimated to be within a predetermined distance range on the road (FIG. 6 ( The hatched portion A) is estimated from the captured image as an oncoming vehicle area where the headlamp 12 is not irradiated. Then, the distance to the oncoming vehicle is detected by the millimeter wave radar 40, the divided area corresponding to the area immediately estimated when the oncoming vehicle approaches within the predetermined distance range is turned off, and the light to the divided area is turned off. Non-irradiated state. In the present embodiment, the region in which the headlamp 12 is turned off to be in the non-irradiated state is, for example, the center position among the three positions where the oncoming vehicle shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B is present. The position where the oncoming vehicle is considered to be dazzling is estimated from the photographed image, and before and after that (a position far from and close to the predetermined distance range), it is assumed that there is no dazzling, and light is applied to the divided area of the corresponding headlamp 12 It shall be irradiated. That is, when the oncoming vehicle approaches and enters the predetermined distance range, the corresponding divided area is turned off, and the light from the headlamp 12 is irradiated outside the predetermined distance range.

  In this way, by performing light distribution control by the light distribution control ECU 14 of the vehicle lighting device 10 according to the present embodiment, the road shape is recognized, and an area where an oncoming vehicle may exist is estimated in advance. When the oncoming vehicle approaches the area, the control is performed so that the light to the divided area of the corresponding headlamp 12 is not irradiated. Therefore, the oncoming vehicle is always searched by a camera or the like. Compared to the case, the processing load is reduced, and the control delay due to the image processing load when the headlamp 12 is controlled can be prevented.

  In the above embodiment, the light distribution is controlled so that the light to the divided area corresponding to the oncoming vehicle in the divided area of the headlamp 12 is in a non-irradiated state, but the present invention is not limited to this. The light distribution may be controlled so that the light is dimmed instead of the non-irradiated state.

  In the above embodiment, the oncoming vehicle approaching the predetermined distance range is detected using the millimeter wave radar 40. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a sensor using a laser beam or various distances is used. Measurement means or the like may be applied. Further, when the oncoming vehicle is detected by the millimeter wave radar 40, it is possible to accurately detect the oncoming vehicle by determining whether there is a bright spot in the photographing result of the camera 18 and detecting the oncoming vehicle. It becomes possible.

  In the above embodiment, as a method for recognizing the road shape, the road shape is recognized from the photographing result of the camera 18. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the vehicle position obtained from the navigation device The road shape may be recognized from the map information.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the vehicle illuminating device concerning embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the division area of the light distribution range of the headlamp of the illuminating device for vehicles concerning embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the headlamp applicable to the illuminating device for vehicles concerning embodiment of this invention. (A) is a figure for demonstrating the division area of the headlamp of the illuminating device for vehicles concerning embodiment of this invention, (B) is a figure which shows a light source division area correspondence table. It is a flowchart which shows the light distribution control routine performed by light distribution control ECU of the illuminating device for vehicles concerning embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the light distribution control of the headlamp of the illuminating device for vehicles concerning embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Vehicle lighting device 12 Headlamp 14 Light distribution control ECU
18 Camera 20 Headlight Driver 22 Divided Area 24 LED Light Source 28 Light Source 30 DMD
32 Micromirror 40 Millimeter wave radar

Claims (2)

A vehicle illumination means capable of changing the light distribution for each divided area obtained by dividing the light distribution area into a plurality of areas;
Recognition means for recognizing the road shape;
Estimation means for estimating the position of the divided area where an oncoming vehicle may exist based on the recognition result of the recognition means;
Detecting means for detecting an oncoming vehicle;
When the oncoming vehicle is detected by the detection means, the light distribution of the vehicle illumination means is controlled so that the light irradiated to the divided area estimated by the estimation means is not irradiated or dimmed Control means to
A vehicle lighting device comprising:   The detecting means detects an oncoming vehicle approaching within a predetermined distance range, and the control means controls the light distribution when the detecting means detects an oncoming vehicle approaching within a predetermined distance range. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 1.

Images