JP2009190462A - Glare-proof device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a glare-proof device for a vehicle capable of properly achieving a glare-proof effect by controlling the lighting mode of a rear lamp. <P>SOLUTION: This glare-proof device for a vehicle for reducing the glare given to the driver by the light from the rear of the vehicle includes a rear illumination detection means for detecting the illuminating at the rear of the vehicle, the rear lamp installed at the rear of the vehicle and illuminating light toward the rear of the vehicle, and a control means for controlling the lighting mode of the rear lamp according to the rear illumination detected by the rear illumination detection means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an anti-glare device for a vehicle for reducing glare felt by a driver by light from behind the vehicle.

Conventionally, it has been equipped with a light control glass that can control the light transmittance in a piecewise manner, and a light sensor is placed in the vicinity of the eyes of the passenger, and the light transmittance of the light control glass is controlled based on the output value of the light sensor. A vehicular anti-glare device is known that reduces the light from an external light source to the occupant's eyes.
JP 2000-108660 A Japanese Patent No. 3720653

  By the way, as an approach to reduce the glare felt by the driver, there is an approach to change the transmission characteristics of the inner mirror and the outer mirror in addition to the approach to change the light transmittance of the glass as described in Patent Document 1 described above. (For example, refer to Patent Document 2). However, both approaches require expensive parts and are problematic from a cost standpoint.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle anti-glare device that obtains an anti-glare effect by a novel approach using a low-cost configuration.

In order to achieve the above object, a first invention provides a vehicle antiglare device for reducing glare felt by a driver by light from the rear of the vehicle.
Back brightness detection means for detecting the brightness behind the vehicle;
A rear lamp that is provided at the rear of the vehicle and emits light toward the rear of the vehicle;
Control means for controlling a lighting mode of the rear lamp based on the rear brightness detected by the rear brightness detection means.

2nd invention is the anti-glare device for vehicles which concerns on 1st invention,
The control of the lighting mode of the rear lamp includes switching of lighting / extinguishing of the rear lamp,
The control means turns on the rear lamp when the rear brightness exceeds a predetermined threshold value in a situation where the rear lamp is turned off.

3rd invention is the anti-glare apparatus for vehicles which concerns on 2nd invention,
It further comprises ambient brightness detection means for detecting brightness around the vehicle except for the rear of the vehicle,
The predetermined threshold value is a variable value set according to the ambient brightness detected by the ambient brightness detection means.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the vehicle antiglare device according to any one of the first to third aspects,
It further comprises ambient brightness detection means for detecting brightness around the vehicle except for the rear of the vehicle,
Control of the lighting mode of the rear lamp includes adjustment of the brightness of the rear lamp,
The control means controls the brightness of the rear lamp so that the difference between the rear brightness detected by the rear brightness detection means and the peripheral brightness detected by the peripheral brightness detection means converges to a predetermined value. It is characterized by doing.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the vehicle anti-glare device for reducing glare felt by the driver by light from the rear of the vehicle
Determining means for determining whether the headlight of the following vehicle is a high beam;
A rear lamp that is provided at the rear of the vehicle and emits light toward the rear of the vehicle;
The vehicle antiglare device is characterized in that the rear lamp is turned on when the determination means determines that the headlight of the following vehicle is a high beam. In the vehicle anti-glare device according to any of the inventions,
The rear lamp is a rear fog lamp.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the glare-proof apparatus for vehicles which controls the lighting aspect of a back lamp and implement | achieves an appropriate glare-proof effect is obtained.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a main configuration of an embodiment of a vehicle antiglare device 1 according to the present invention. FIG. 1 shows a main configuration of the vehicle anti-glare device 1 in a vehicle-mounted state.

  The vehicle anti-glare device 1 is mainly configured of an electronic control unit 10 (hereinafter referred to as “control ECU 10”). The control ECU 10 is composed of a microcomputer and includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, an I / O, and the like. The control ECU 10 may be embodied as a body ECU that controls all body parts such as a door lock actuator, or may be embodied as another new ECU, or may be implemented in cooperation with two or more ECUs. May be realized.

  A rear fog lamp 20 that illuminates the rear area of the vehicle is connected to the control ECU 10 via a communication line (not shown). For example, as schematically shown in FIG. 1, the rear fog lamp 20 is attached in the vicinity of a bumper at the rear of the vehicle, and illuminates a rear region of the vehicle when lit. One rear fog lamp 20 may be provided on each of the left and right sides. The rear fog lamp 20 is preferably a lamp whose output (brightness) can be variably controlled. The lighting mode of the rear fog lamp 20 is controlled by the control ECU 10 as described later.

  A forward light sensor 30 that detects brightness in front of the vehicle is connected to the control ECU 10 via a communication line (not shown). For example, as schematically shown in FIG. 1, the front light sensor 30 is attached to the front side of a vehicle rearview mirror (inner mirror), and determines the brightness (illuminance) of light incident from the front of the vehicle via the front windshield. To detect. The front light sensor 30 supplies the control ECU 10 with information regarding the detected brightness (light detection amount or light intensity) of the light ahead of the vehicle.

  The control ECU 10 is connected to a rear light sensor 32 that detects the brightness behind the vehicle via a communication line (not shown). For example, as schematically shown in FIG. 1, the rear light sensor 32 is attached to the rear side (reflection surface side) of the vehicle rearview mirror (inner mirror), and is incident on the rearview mirror through the rear glass from the rear of the vehicle. Detect the brightness (illuminance). The rear light sensor 32 supplies information related to the detected brightness (light detection amount or light intensity) behind the vehicle to the control ECU 10. Note that the brightness of the light behind the vehicle detected by the rear light sensor 32 typically depends greatly on the brightness of the light emitted from the headlight of the following vehicle.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a flow of an example of main processing executed by the control ECU 10 of the present embodiment. The processing routine shown in FIG. 2 may be started, for example, when a vehicle engine (ignition switch) is turned on, and thereafter repeatedly executed at predetermined intervals until the engine is turned off. Alternatively, the processing routine shown in FIG. 2 may be repeatedly executed at predetermined intervals only during a period in which the headlight is turned on or during a time zone in which the headlight or the like needs to be turned on (typically at night).

In step 100, the control ECU10 either exceeds a predetermined level Q ₀ which is determined based on the latest information received from the forward light sensor 30 and the backward light sensor 32, a difference in brightness of the vehicle front and rear dazzling whether Determine whether. For example, the difference value Qs (= Qr−Qf) obtained by subtracting the light detection amount Qf (front light amount) of the front light sensor 30 from the light detection amount Qr (back light amount) of the rear light sensor 32 is higher than a predetermined level Q _0. Determine whether it is larger. The predetermined level Q ₀ substantially corresponds to the amount of light that a person feels dazzling, and may be appropriately determined based on, for example, the results of a sensory test.

In this step 100, if the difference in brightness of the vehicle front and rear exceeds a predetermined level Q _0, the process proceeds to step 102, otherwise, processing routine of the current cycle is immediately terminated.

  In step 102, the control ECU 10 turns on the rear fog lamp 20. When the process of step 102 is completed, the control ECU 10 continuously executes the process of step 104 (brightness adjustment of the rear fog lamp 20) until the rear fog lamp 20 is turned off (affirmative determination is made in step 106). To do.

In step 104, the control ECU 10 based on the latest information input from the front light sensor 30 and the rear light sensor 32, the rear fog lamp 20 so that the difference in brightness between the front and rear of the vehicle becomes a predetermined target value. Control the output (brightness). Predetermined target value is arbitrary as long as a predetermined level Q significantly smaller than ₀ (the value that people do not feel dazzling), may be zero.

  FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of brightness adjustment executed in step 104 of FIG. 2, and FIG. 3A illustrates an example of a time series of the light detection amount Qf of the front light sensor 30. 3B shows an example of the time series of the light detection amount Qr of the rear light sensor 32 when the output of the rear fog lamp 20 is assumed to be zero, and FIG. 3C shows the rear fog lamp 20 3D is shown, and FIG. 3D shows a difference value Qs (= Qr−Qf) between the light detection amount Qr of the rear light sensor 32 and the light detection amount Qf of the front light sensor 30. An example of a time series is shown. Here, it should be noted that FIG. 3 (B) conceptually shows the brightness of light from the headlamp of the following vehicle for the convenience of explanation, and the actual amount of light detected by the rear light sensor 32. The time series of Qr is not shown. The actual time series of the light detection amount Qr of the rear light sensor 32 is affected when the output of the rear fog lamp 20 is not zero as shown in FIG. 3C, and the waveform and diagram of FIG. It becomes a waveform obtained by adding the waveform of 3 (A).

In the example shown in FIG. 3, at time t0, for example, high beams following vehicle is emerged, the difference value Qs exceeds the predetermined level Q ₀ (an affirmative decision in step 100 of FIG. 2), the rear fog lamp 20 is lit The When the rear fog lamp 20 is turned on, the light emitted from the following vehicle by adjusting the brightness around the vehicle rear area by the rear illumination of the rear fog lamp 20 (typically, the light emitted from the headlight of the subsequent vehicle). ) Is relatively reduced, that is, irradiation from the back is offset. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3D, the difference value Qs gradually decreases. As described above, in step 104 in FIG. 2, the output of the rear fog lamp 20 is controlled so that the difference in brightness between the front and the rear of the vehicle becomes a predetermined target value. Therefore, as shown in FIG. Eventually, the difference in brightness between the front and the rear of the vehicle (= Qr−Qf) is converged to a predetermined target value.

  Thus, according to the present embodiment, as described above, when the light from the rear exceeds the level at which the user feels dazzling, the rear fog lamp 20 is turned on, so that the light from the rear is canceled and passed through the inner mirror. The glare felt by the driver can be reduced. Further, as described above, the output (brightness) of the rear fog lamp 20 is adjusted so that the difference in brightness between the front and rear of the vehicle converges to a predetermined target value that does not cause glare. Can be reduced to an appropriate level, and it is also possible to prevent the driver of the following vehicle from being dazzled.

  FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing another example of the brightness adjustment executed in step 104 of FIG. 2. FIG. 4A shows an example of a time series of the light detection amount Qf of the front light sensor 30. FIG. 4B shows an example of a time series of the light detection amount Qr of the rear light sensor 32 when the output of the rear fog lamp 20 is assumed to be zero, as in FIG. 3B. 4C shows an example of the time series of the output of the rear fog lamp 20, and FIG. 4D shows the light detection amount Qr of the rear light sensor 32 and the light detection amount Qf of the front light sensor 30. An example of a time series of difference values (= Qr−Qf) is shown.

In the example shown in FIG. 4, for example, a high beam following vehicle appears at time t <b> ₀ , the difference value Qs exceeds the predetermined level Q <b> ₀ (positive determination is made in step 100 in FIG. 2), and the rear fog lamp 20 is turned on. The When the rear fog lamp 20 is turned on, the light from the rear (typically, the light from the headlight of the following vehicle) is canceled by the light from the rear fog lamp 20. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4D, the difference value Qs gradually decreases. By the way, lighting the rear fog lamp 20 as described above also functions as a tool for notifying the driver of the following vehicle that the headlamp is dazzling. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the driver of the following vehicle knows that the driver of the preceding vehicle feels dazzled by turning on the rear fog lamp 20 of the preceding vehicle as described above, and at time t1. As shown in FIG. 4B, the headlight is switched from the high beam to the low beam. As a result, the amount of light from the headlight of the following vehicle is reduced, so that the output of the rear fog lamp 20 is controlled to be reduced, and the rear fog lamp 20 is eventually turned off.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, there is an effect that the lighting of the rear fog lamp 20 can appeal that the headlamp is dazzling with respect to the following vehicle. It is possible to prompt the user to switch from low beam to low beam.

  FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a situation where the brightness adjustment in step 104 of FIG. 2 is not executed. FIG. 5A shows an example of a time series of the light detection amount Qf of the front light sensor 30. FIG. 5B shows an example of the time series of the light detection amount Qr of the rear light sensor 32, and FIG. 5C shows an example of the time series of the output of the rear fog lamp 20, FIG. 5D shows an example of a time series of a difference value (= Qr−Qf) between the light detection amount Qr of the rear light sensor 32 and the light detection amount Qf of the front light sensor 30.

In the example shown in FIG. 5, at time t0, for example, a low beam following vehicle appears and the difference value Qs increases. However, in the example illustrated in FIG 5, the headlight of the following vehicle is never differential value because it is a low beam is above a predetermined level Q ₀ (negative determination in step 100 of FIG. 2), the rear fog lamp 20 is lit Never happen. From this point of view, the predetermined level Q ₀ may be determined by a test or the like so as to detect the approach of a high beam following vehicle.

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and substitutions can be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Can be added.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, if the difference value obtained by subtracting the light detection amount Qf of forward light sensor 30 from the light detection amount Qr of the rear light sensor 32 exceeds a predetermined level Q _0, to turn on the rear fog lamp 20 However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as a simpler configuration, the rear fog lamp 20 may be turned on when the light detection amount Qr of the rear light sensor 32 exceeds a predetermined level. In this case, the predetermined level is a fixed value, but the predetermined level may be a variable value corresponding to the light detection amount Qf of the front light sensor 30, for example, the predetermined level is the light detection amount Qf of the front light sensor 30. If it increases linearly with the increase, it is equivalent to the above-described embodiment. Further, in this simple configuration, instead of the difference value obtained by subtracting the light detection amount Qf of the front light sensor 30 from the light detection amount Qr of the rear light sensor 32, the light detection amount Qr of the rear light sensor 32 is a predetermined target. The output of the rear fog lamp 20 may be controlled to be a value (which may be different from the target value described above).

  Further, for example, as a simpler configuration, the control ECU 10 determines whether or not the headlight of the following vehicle is a high beam, and if the headlight of the following vehicle is determined to be a high beam, It is good also as making it light. Whether the headlight of the following vehicle is a high beam may be determined using information on the headlight of the following vehicle (information indicating whether it is a high beam) obtained through inter-vehicle communication. It may be determined using the light detection amount Qr of the rear light sensor 32, or may be determined using an image captured by the rear camera in a vehicle equipped with a rear camera that captures a rear landscape of the vehicle. Alternatively, if a driver's face or eyes that are likely to be dazzled are recognized from the captured image of the in-vehicle camera, or a keyword such as “high beam” or “dazzling” is recognized by voice, the headlight of the following vehicle is a high beam. May be determined. Even with such a simple configuration, the same effect as the above-described embodiment can be obtained. That is, when the headlight of the following vehicle is a high beam, the rear fog lamp 20 is turned on, so that the light from the back is offset and the glare felt by the driver via the inner mirror can be reduced. Further, the lighting of the rear fog lamp 20 can prompt the driver of the following vehicle to switch from the high beam to the low beam.

  In the above-described embodiment, as a preferred embodiment, the front light sensor 30 is used so that the brightness around the vehicle having low dependency on the brightness behind the vehicle can be detected. Instead, other optical sensors that detect the brightness of the surroundings of the vehicle except for the rear (for example, an optical sensor that detects the brightness of the side of the vehicle) may be used. In addition, in a vehicle equipped with a camera that captures a landscape in front or side of the vehicle, the brightness around the vehicle may be detected based on the brightness of an image captured by the camera. The front light sensor 30 may be realized by a sunshine sensor or a conlight sensor used for controlling an air conditioner or the like.

  In the above-described embodiment, the rear fog lamp 20 is used. However, instead of or in addition to the rear fog lamp 20, other rear lamps (except for the brake lamp) having different light emission principles and illumination purposes may be used. .

  In the above-described embodiment, the brightness (luminance) of the rear fog lamp 20 is controlled to obtain an anti-glare effect. However, instead of or in addition to the brightness of the rear fog lamp 20, the light color ( It is also possible to obtain an antiglare effect by controlling the wavelength or frequency), the optical axis direction (illumination range), and the like.

  In the above-described embodiment, as a preferred embodiment, the rear light sensor 32 detects the brightness of light incident on the room mirror so as to detect the brightness directly related to the glare felt by the driver. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the rear light sensor 32 may be attached to a rear glass in a light path from the rear that is incident on the rearview mirror, and the brightness of the light from the rear that is at least partially related to the glare felt by the driver. As long as it can be detected, it may be provided at a position outside the path of the light incident on the room mirror. Similarly, in a vehicle equipped with a rear camera, the brightness behind the vehicle may be detected based on the brightness of a captured image of the rear camera.

  In addition, as a reference example, a signal notifying that the headlamp is dazzling through vehicle-to-vehicle communication may be transmitted to the following vehicle, and if it is a high beam, it may be prompted to change to a low beam. At this time, the succeeding vehicle may automatically change from the high beam to the low beam when receiving such a signal.

It is a figure which shows the main structures of one Example of the anti-glare apparatus 1 for vehicles by this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of an example of the main processes performed by control ECU10 of a present Example. It is a conceptual diagram which shows an example of the brightness adjustment performed by step 104 of FIG. It is a conceptual diagram which shows another example of the brightness adjustment performed by step 104 of FIG. It is a conceptual diagram which shows an example of the condition where the brightness adjustment of step 104 of FIG. 2 is not performed.

Explanation of symbols

1 Anti-glare device for vehicle 10 Control ECU
20 Rear fog lamp 30 Front light sensor 32 Back light sensor

Claims (6)

In the vehicle anti-glare device for reducing glare that the driver feels due to light from behind the vehicle,
Back brightness detection means for detecting the brightness behind the vehicle;
A rear lamp that is provided at the rear of the vehicle and emits light toward the rear of the vehicle;
An anti-glare device for a vehicle, comprising: a control unit that controls a lighting mode of the rear lamp based on the rear brightness detected by the rear brightness detection unit. The control of the lighting mode of the rear lamp includes switching of lighting / extinguishing of the rear lamp,
2. The vehicle antiglare device according to claim 1, wherein the control means turns on the rear lamp when the rear brightness exceeds a predetermined threshold value in a situation where the rear lamp is turned off. . It further comprises ambient brightness detection means for detecting brightness around the vehicle except for the rear of the vehicle,
The vehicle antiglare device according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined threshold value is a variable value set according to the ambient brightness detected by the ambient brightness detection means. It further comprises ambient brightness detection means for detecting brightness around the vehicle except for the rear of the vehicle,
Control of the lighting mode of the rear lamp includes adjustment of the brightness of the rear lamp,
The control means controls the brightness of the rear lamp so that the difference between the rear brightness detected by the rear brightness detection means and the peripheral brightness detected by the peripheral brightness detection means converges to a predetermined value. The anti-glare device for a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3. In the vehicle anti-glare device for reducing glare that the driver feels due to light from behind the vehicle,
Determining means for determining whether the headlight of the following vehicle is a high beam;
A rear lamp that is provided at the rear of the vehicle and emits light toward the rear of the vehicle;
An anti-glare device for a vehicle, wherein the rear lamp is turned on when the determination means determines that the headlight of the following vehicle is a high beam.   The vehicular antiglare device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the rear lamp is a rear fog lamp.

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