JP2011116219A - In-vehicle monitoring system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technique for confirming a rear in-cabin condition, without interfering with driving. <P>SOLUTION: In the in-vehicle monitoring system 100, an infrared lamp 26 can irradiate infrared rays from a driver's seat 12 of the vehicle toward the rear side in the cabin. A camera 28 has a sensitivity in the infrared range, and includes inside the cabin in rear of the driver's seat 12 in the photographing area. A navigation device 22 displays the image photographed by the camera 28 at a driver's visible position. The infrared lamp 26 and an interior lamp 24 can be unitized and equipped on the ceiling in the vehicle cabin. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an in-vehicle monitoring system, for example, an apparatus for monitoring a room behind a driver's seat.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, it is known that a scene behind a vehicle is recognized as an image and this image information is displayed on a display in the vehicle (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP-A-6-227318

  By the way, there are cases where the driver of the vehicle wants to check the state of an occupant, an animal, a baggage, or the like who gets on the rear seat. For example, when a parent drives an infant with an infant on the rear seat, it is safe if the state of the infant can be confirmed without hindering driving. Also, when checking the rear seat at night, infants and passengers often sleep, so you should avoid checking under bright lighting.

  This invention is made | formed in view of such a condition, The place made into the objective is to provide the technique which can confirm the condition of the room of the back, without interfering with a driving | operation.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, an in-vehicle monitoring system according to an aspect of the present invention has a sensitivity in an infrared region and an imaging device including a room behind the driver's seat in an imaging range and driving an image captured by the imaging device. And a display device for displaying at a position where the hand can visually recognize.

  According to this aspect, it is possible to check the interior of the rear room at night without stimulating passengers such as infants in the rear seats and pets. Further, since the video imaged by the imaging device is displayed at a position where the driver can visually recognize, the driver can check the interior of the room behind the driver's seat without looking back, thereby improving safety. As the imaging device, for example, a high-sensitivity camera capable of sensing a slight infrared ray that exists naturally, an infrared camera, or the like is suitable.

  A navigation device provided in the vehicle may be used as the display device. This eliminates the need to provide a display device separately from the navigation device, thereby saving space.

  You may further provide the infrared light source which can irradiate infrared rays toward the room | chamber interior behind the driver's seat of a vehicle. Thereby, the state of the back room can be more clearly confirmed even at night.

  A visible light source capable of irradiating the room with visible light may be further provided. The infrared light source and the visible light source may be unitized and provided on the ceiling in the vehicle compartment. Thereby, the attachment work to a vehicle becomes easy.

  A visible light source capable of irradiating the room with visible light may be further provided. The infrared light source, the visible light source, and the imaging device may be unitized and provided on the ceiling in the vehicle compartment. Thereby, the attachment work to a vehicle becomes easy.

  You may further provide the control apparatus which controls lighting of an infrared light source based on the lighting condition of the lamp used at the time of driving | running | working. As a result, the infrared light source can be turned on without excessively burdening the driver at night when the lamp is turned on.

  It should be noted that any combination of the above-described constituent elements and a representation obtained by converting the expression of the present invention between a method, an apparatus, a system, and the like are also effective as an aspect of the present invention.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to check the condition of the rear room without hindering driving.

It is the figure which showed typically the whole structure of the vehicle carrying the in-vehicle monitoring system which concerns on this Embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the vehicle interior monitoring system which concerns on this Embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and repeated descriptions are omitted as appropriate.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing an overall configuration of a vehicle equipped with an in-vehicle monitoring system according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the in-vehicle monitoring system according to the present embodiment. The vehicle 10 shown in FIG. 1 is provided with a rear seat 14 behind the driver seat 12. An interior lighting unit 18 is provided on the vehicle roof 16 above the rear seat 14. The vehicle 10 is provided with a headlamp 20 at the front of the vehicle and a navigation device 22 in the room. The navigation device 22 is provided on the dashboard as a position that the driver can visually recognize while driving.

  The indoor lighting unit 18 includes an indoor lamp 24, an infrared lamp 26, and a camera 28. The indoor lamp 24 is illumination that emits visible light, and is provided for use to brighten the room. The infrared lamp 26 can irradiate infrared rays toward at least a room behind the driver's seat 12 of the vehicle 10. The camera 28 has sensitivity in the visible light region and the infrared region, and includes at least a room behind the driver's seat in the imaging range. The camera 28 is not limited to a so-called infrared camera, but may be a high-sensitivity camera that can detect a small amount of naturally occurring infrared rays. The camera 28 outputs the captured video data to the display device. In the present embodiment, the video captured by the camera 28 is displayed on the navigation device 22. Note that the number and positions of the infrared lamps 26 and the cameras 28 are appropriately determined according to the arrangement of the rear seats and the shape of the room.

  The in-vehicle monitoring system 100 according to the present embodiment includes an infrared lamp 26, a camera 28, and a navigation device 22. The in-vehicle monitoring system 100 irradiates the passengers such as infants and the like in the rear seat 14 and the pets in the rear seat state by irradiating the range including the rear seat 14 with infrared rays by the infrared lamp 26 at night. It can be confirmed without.

  In addition, since the image captured by the camera 28 is displayed at a position where the driver can visually recognize, the driver can check the interior of the room behind the driver's seat 12 without looking back, thereby improving safety. In addition, by using the navigation device 22 included in the vehicle 10 as a display device, it is not necessary to provide a display device separately from the navigation device 22, thereby saving space. Note that the display device does not necessarily have to be used as the navigation device 22; for example, a device for projecting an image on a windshield or a confirmation device provided at a position easily visible to the driver separately from the navigation device. A monitor may be used as a display device.

  The indoor lighting unit 18 includes an indoor lamp 24, an infrared lamp 26, and a camera 28, and is unitized, and is provided on the vehicle roof 16. Therefore, the attachment work to the vehicle 10 becomes easy.

  The vehicle 10 further includes a control device 30 that controls lighting of the infrared lamp 26 based on the lighting status of the headlamp 20 used during traveling. Thus, the infrared light source can be turned on as needed at night when the driver operates the switch 32 and the headlamp 20 is turned on. Moreover, you may control the lighting / extinguishing of the infrared lamp 26 based on the detection result of the control apparatus 30 and an illuminance meter (not shown). As a result, it is possible to perform control such that the infrared light source is automatically turned off during the day and the infrared light source is automatically turned on at night, thereby reducing the operation burden on the driver.

  Note that the infrared lamp 26 according to the present embodiment is also used as a light source for nighttime, but its output is set within a range that does not significantly affect the eyes of humans and animals. Further, when an image captured by the camera 28 is displayed on the screen of the navigation device 22, only a designated area can be displayed in an enlarged manner. The displayed image is recorded in the navigation device 22 or the control device 30. In addition, the navigation device 22 or the control device 30 includes an arithmetic unit that variably controls the distortion caused by the lens of the camera 28, the rotation direction, and the enlargement ratio so that the zoom image of the infant's face can be displayed easily.

  In addition, the navigation device 22 and the control device 30 automatically detect by image processing that the infant has woken up or the facial expression has changed while the rear seat is illuminated by the infrared lamp 26, and notify the driver. It may have a function.

  With such a function of the in-vehicle monitoring system 100, in addition to the above-mentioned confirmation of infant awakening, it is possible to check the patient's facial expression, check the state of the pet, check the state of passengers in taxis, etc. It becomes.

  Further, the irradiation light source may be operated in conjunction with ON / OFF of the display device in the navigation device 22. For example, when the display monitor of the navigation device 22 is turned on, the indoor lamp 24 and the infrared lamp 26 of the indoor lighting unit 18 are turned on, so that the driver does not place much operational burden on the rear seat. Can be confirmed.

  The present invention has been described based on the embodiments. This embodiment is an exemplification, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made to combinations of the respective constituent elements and processing processes, and such modifications are also within the scope of the present invention. is there.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Vehicle, 12 Driver's seat, 14 Rear seat, 16 Vehicle roof, 18 Indoor lighting unit, 20 Headlamp, 22 Navigation device, 24 Indoor lamp, 26 Infrared lamp, 28 Camera, 30 Control device, 32 Switch, 100 Car interior monitoring system .

Claims (6)

An imaging device having sensitivity in the infrared region and including an indoor area behind the driver's seat in the imaging range;
A display device for displaying a video imaged by the imaging device at a position where a driver can visually recognize the image;
An in-vehicle monitoring system characterized by comprising:   The in-vehicle monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein a navigation device provided in a vehicle is used as the display device.   The in-vehicle monitoring system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an infrared light source capable of irradiating infrared light toward a room behind the driver's seat of the vehicle. Further equipped with a visible light source capable of irradiating the room with visible light,
The in-vehicle monitoring system according to claim 3, wherein the infrared light source and the visible light source are unitized and provided on a ceiling in a vehicle interior. Further equipped with a visible light source capable of irradiating the room with visible light,
The in-vehicle monitoring system according to claim 3, wherein the infrared light source, the visible light source, and the imaging device are unitized and provided on a ceiling in a vehicle interior.   The in-vehicle monitoring system according to claim 3, further comprising a control device that controls lighting of the infrared light source based on a lighting condition of a lamp used during traveling.

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