JP2014051286A - Vehicular audio alam device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicular audio alarm device capable of generating a quasi-travel sound without requiring travel sound generation means such as an amplifier and loudspeaker, and achieving power saving.SOLUTION: When a push-button switch 6a is manipulated, an output voltage of a battery 3 is detected, and the detected voltage value is compared with a predetermined voltage value. If a determination is made that the detected voltage value is larger, a duty ratio, that is, 100×(predetermined value/detected voltage value)% is calculated. A voltage obtained by implementing PWM control in the output voltage of the battery 3 according to the calculated duty ratio is applied to an audio alarm 1. Further, a velocity value of a vehicle is acquired, and whether the acquired velocity value is equal to or smaller than a predetermined velocity value is determined. If a determination is made that the acquired velocity value is equal to or smaller than the predetermined velocity value, the voltage obtained by implementing PWM control in the output voltage of the battery 3 is applied to the audio alarm 1 to thereby generate a travel sound, which is smaller than an alarm sound, on a quasi-basis.

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle warning device including a warning device that generates a warning sound by applying an output voltage of an on-vehicle generator or a battery while a pushbutton switch is being operated.

  Vehicles that use a motor as a driving force source, such as a hybrid vehicle (HV) and an electric vehicle (EV), are quieter than a conventional vehicle that uses only an internal combustion engine as a driving force source, and no noise is generated during travel.

  Patent Document 1 includes a rotation speed detection unit that detects the motor rotation speed of an electric vehicle, and a sound having a frequency corresponding to the motor rotation speed detected by the rotation speed detection unit is a sound corresponding to the accelerator opening. A simulated running sound generator for an electric vehicle that is generated by a speaker with pressure is disclosed.

  Patent Document 2 discloses an electric vehicle that includes an alarm sound control device and a loudspeaker device that generate an alarm sound according to a running state, and that uses a battery as a power source to drive wheels by a motor. During normal driving, pedestrians are surely informed of the approach of the electric vehicle, and because the drive sound is quiet, there is a risk of traffic accidents compared to gasoline vehicles equipped with a noisy internal combustion engine. Prevent it from growing.

JP-A-7-32948 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-201001 JP 2006-321305 A JP 2003-216157 A JP 2007-38937 A JP 2004-136831 A JP 2001-307249 A

As described above, in a hybrid vehicle (HV) and an electric vehicle (EV), since the sound during running is quiet, the presence of pedestrians in front and pedestrians such as intersections is difficult to recognize. However, there is a problem that the risk of occurrence of an accident is higher than that of a vehicle equipped with a conventional internal combustion engine.
With respect to such a problem, in Patent Documents 1 and 2 described above, it is easy for a pedestrian to recognize the presence of a vehicle by generating a pseudo traveling sound according to the traveling state. However, in order to generate a pseudo traveling sound, it is necessary to mount traveling sound generating means such as an amplifier and a speaker, which causes an increase in wire harnesses and an increase in component costs.

  The present invention has been made in view of the circumstances as described above, and does not require running sound generation means such as an amplifier and a speaker, while suppressing an increase in wire harnesses and an increase in component costs, It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle warning device that can generate a running sound and can save power.

The vehicle audible alarm device according to the present invention is a vehicle audible alarm device provided with an audible alarm that generates an audible alarm by applying an output voltage of an on-vehicle generator or a battery during a period when the pushbutton switch is operated. When the pushbutton switch is operated, voltage detection means for detecting the output voltage, comparison means for comparing the voltage value detected by the voltage detection means and a predetermined voltage value, and voltage detected by the comparison means When it is determined that the value is higher, the output voltage is calculated by calculating means for calculating duty ratio = 100 × (predetermined voltage value / detected voltage value) ² % and the duty ratio calculated by the calculating means. PWM control means for applying the controlled voltage to the audible alarm, speed value acquisition means for acquiring the vehicle speed value, and whether or not the speed value acquired by the speed value acquisition means is equal to or less than a predetermined speed value Judge And a second PWM control means for applying, to the audible alarm, a voltage obtained by PWM-controlling the output voltage when it is determined that the means is equal to or lower than a predetermined speed value. By applying a controlled voltage to the audible alarm, a running sound smaller than the audible alarm is generated in a simulated manner.

In this vehicular audible alarm device, the audible alarm generates an audible alarm by applying the output voltage of the on-vehicle generator or the battery during the period when the pushbutton switch is operated. When the pushbutton switch is operated, the voltage detection means detects the output voltage of the on-vehicle generator or battery, and the comparison means compares the detected voltage value with a predetermined voltage value. When the comparison means determines that the detected voltage value is higher, the calculation means calculates duty ratio = 100 × (predetermined voltage value / detected voltage value) ² %, and the PWM control means calculates the calculation result. A voltage obtained by PWM-controlling the output voltage of the on-vehicle generator or the battery is applied to the alarm device according to the duty ratio. The speed value acquisition means acquires the speed value of the vehicle, and the determination means determines whether or not the acquired speed value is equal to or less than a predetermined speed value. When it is determined that the determining means is equal to or lower than the predetermined speed value, the second PWM control means applies a voltage obtained by PWM-controlling the output voltage of the on-vehicle generator or battery to the alarm. By applying the voltage PWM-controlled by the second PWM control means to the alarm, a running sound smaller than the alarm is generated in a simulated manner.

  According to the vehicle warning device according to the present invention, it is possible to generate a pseudo traveling sound while suppressing an increase in the wire harness and an increase in the component cost without requiring a traveling sound generating means such as an amplifier and a speaker. In addition, it is possible to realize a vehicle warning device that can save power.

It is a block diagram which shows the principal part structure of the traveling sound generator for demonstrating the warning device for vehicles which concerns on this invention. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the example of operation | movement of the traveling sound generator shown in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the example of operation | movement of the traveling sound generator shown in FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the principal part structure of embodiment of the warning device for vehicles which concerns on this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the example of operation | movement of the vehicle warning device which concerns on this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the example of operation | movement of the vehicle warning device which concerns on this invention.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings illustrating embodiments thereof.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of a traveling sound generating device for explaining a vehicle warning device according to the present invention.
In this traveling sound generator, one terminal of a horn switch (push button switch) 6 provided on a vehicle handle (not shown) is connected to a positive terminal of a battery 3 or an alternator (on-vehicle generator) 2. The other terminal is connected to one terminal of a horn (alarm) 1. The other terminals of the horn 1, the battery 3 and the alternator 2 are grounded.

One terminal of the switching circuit 7 is connected to the positive terminal of the battery 3 or the alternator 2, and the other terminal of the switching circuit 7 is connected to one terminal of the horn 1.
The switching circuit (second PWM control means) 7 is driven and controlled by the control unit (second PWM control means) 4, and the output voltage of the battery 3 or the alternator 2 is PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) controlled and applied to the horn 1 for simulated driving. Generate sound.
The horn 1 is energized to generate a warning sound when the horn switch 6 is on.

  The control unit 4 includes a microcomputer and acquires a speed value (vehicle speed information) from a vehicle speed sensor (not shown). For example, as shown in FIG. 2A, the speed value is up to 40 km / h. The switching circuit 7 is PWM-controlled so as to generate a simulated running sound having a higher frequency as the value increases. The controller 4 turns off the switching circuit 7 when the speed value exceeds 40 km / h.

The controller (speed value acquisition means) 4 also acquires on / off information (lamp information) of a headlamp switch (not shown). If the acquired headlamp switch on / off information is on, the control unit (determination means) 4 determines that it is now night, and if the headlamp switch on / off information is off, It is determined that it is currently daytime.
When the control unit 4 determines that it is currently nighttime, for example, as shown in FIG. 2B, the controller 4 has a smaller duty ratio (nighttime mode) than when it is currently determined that it is daytime (daytime mode). The switching circuit 7 is PWM-controlled.
For example, as shown in FIG. 2B, the control unit 4 performs PWM control of the switching circuit 7 with a larger duty ratio as the frequency becomes higher.

The speed value from the vehicle speed sensor is also acquired by the traveling environment determination unit 5. The traveling environment determination unit 5 calculates, for example, the start / stop frequency based on the acquired speed value, determines whether the environment during traveling is an urban area based on the calculated frequency, and the determination result Is given to the control unit 4.
The control unit 4 performs PWM control on the switching circuit 7 with a smaller duty ratio when the given determination result indicates that the traveling (medium) environment is an urban area than when it is not an urban area.
Note that the control unit 4 may be configured to acquire urban area information indicating whether or not the environment at the time of traveling is an urban area from a navigation device (not shown) having positional information indicating whether or not the area is an urban area. good.

Hereinafter, the operation of the traveling sound generator having such a configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
First, the control unit 4 reads the speed value v (vehicle speed information) from the vehicle speed sensor (S1), and determines whether or not the read speed value v is 0 <v ≦ 40 km / h (S3).
If the read speed value v is not 0 <v ≦ 40 km / h (S3), the control unit 4 turns off the switching circuit 7 and stops energization of the horn 1 (S17). The speed value v is read from the sensor (S1). If the power supply to the horn 1 is stopped, the power supply is stopped (S17).

If the read speed value v is 0 <v ≦ 40 km / h (S3), the controller 4 reads on / off information (lamp information) of a headlamp switch (not shown) (S5). Next, a determination result (traveling environment information) as to whether or not the traveling environment is an urban area is read from the traveling environment determination unit 5 (S7).
Next, the control unit 4 sets the frequency of the simulated running sound based on the read speed value v (S1) (S9), and then reads the ramp information (S5) and the running environment information (S7). Based on this, it is determined whether or not the traveling environment is nighttime in an urban area (S11).

  If the driving environment is urban and night (S11), the controller 4 sets the duty ratio for PWM control of the switching circuit 7 in the night mode (S13). Next, PWM control to the switching circuit 7 is started, and energization to the horn 1 is started (S15). If the horn 1 is energized, the switching circuit 7 is continuously PWM controlled to energize the horn 1. Next, the speed value v is read from the vehicle speed sensor (S1).

  If the driving environment is not urban or night (S11), that is, if it is neither urban nor night, or if it is not urban or night, the switching circuit 7 is PWMed. The duty ratio to be controlled is set in the daytime mode (S19). Next, PWM control to the switching circuit 7 is started, and energization to the horn 1 is started (S15). If the horn 1 is energized, the switching circuit 7 is continuously PWM controlled to energize the horn 1. Next, the speed value v is read from the vehicle speed sensor (S1).

(Embodiment)
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of an embodiment of the vehicle warning device according to the present invention.
In this vehicle warning device, a horn switch (push button switch) 6 a provided on a vehicle handle (not shown) is not connected to any of the battery 3, the alternator 2 and the horn 1. The horn switch 6a is connected to the control unit 4a, and on / off information of the horn switch 6a is given to the control unit 4a. When the given on / off information is on, the control unit 4a controls the switching circuit 7 to apply the output voltage of the battery 3 or the alternator 2 to the horn 1 to generate a warning sound.

The voltage detector (voltage detection means) 8 detects the output voltage of the battery 3 or the alternator 2, and the detected voltage value is given to the control unit 4a.
When the given on / off information is off, the control unit (PWM control unit) 4a controls the switching circuit (PWM control unit) 7 so that the output voltage of the battery 3 or the alternator 2 is PWM (Pulse Width). Modulation) is applied to the horn 1 to generate a simulated running sound.

  The control unit 4a includes a microcomputer and acquires a speed value (vehicle speed information) from a vehicle speed sensor (not shown). For example, as shown in FIG. 2A, the speed value is up to 40 km / h. The switching circuit 7 is PWM-controlled so as to generate a simulated running sound having a higher frequency as the value increases. The controller 4a turns off the switching circuit 7 when the given on / off information is off and the speed value exceeds 40 km / h.

When the on / off information of the given horn switch 6a is on, the control unit 4a reads the voltage value detected by the voltage detector 8, and compares the detected voltage value with, for example, 12V (predetermined voltage value). To do. As a result, if the detected voltage value is higher than 12V, the duty ratio = 100 × (12 / detected voltage value) ² % is calculated, and the switching circuit 7 is PWM controlled by the calculated duty ratio. Thereby, the horn 1 is applied with a voltage of 12 V and generates a warning sound.

  If the detected voltage value is 12V or less, the control unit 4a performs PWM control of the switching circuit 7 with a duty ratio = 100%. Thereby, the voltage of 12V or less is applied to the horn 1 to generate a warning sound. Other configurations of the control unit 4a and the configuration of the traveling environment determination unit 5 are the same as the configuration of the control unit 4 and the configuration of the traveling environment determination unit 5 of the traveling sound generator described in FIG. .

Below, operation | movement of the vehicle warning device of such a structure is demonstrated, referring the flowchart of FIG.5, 6 which shows it.
The controller 4a first reads on / off information from the horn switch 6a (S21), and determines whether or not the horn switch 6a is on (S23).
If the horn switch 6a is on (S23), the control unit 4a reads the output voltage value (power supply voltage value) Vs of the battery 3 or the alternator 2 detected by the voltage detector 8 (S25).

Next, the control unit 4a determines whether or not the read power supply voltage value Vs is higher than, for example, 12V (predetermined voltage value) (S27). If the power supply voltage value Vs is higher than 12V, the duty ratio = 100. X (12 / Vs) ² % is calculated, and the calculated duty ratio is set (S29). Next, PWM control to the switching circuit 7 with the set duty ratio is started, energization to the horn 1 is started (S31), and a warning sound is generated. If the horn 1 is being energized, energization is continued (S31).

  If the power supply voltage value Vs is not higher than 12V (S27), the controller 4a sets the duty ratio to 100% (S33). Next, PWM control (continuous ON) to the switching circuit 7 with the set duty ratio is started, energization to the horn 1 is started (S31), and a warning sound is generated. If the horn 1 is being energized, the energization is continued (S31).

If the horn switch 6a is not on (S23), the controller 4a reads the speed value v (vehicle speed information) from the vehicle speed sensor (S35), and the read speed value v is 0 <v ≦ 40 km / h. It is determined whether or not (S37).
If the read speed value v is not 0 <v ≦ 40 km / h (S37), the controller 4a turns off the switching circuit 7 and stops energization of the horn 1 (S49). If the power supply to the horn 1 is stopped, the power supply is stopped (S49). Next, the control unit 4a reads on / off information from the horn switch 6a (S21).

If the read speed value v is 0 <v ≦ 40 km / h (S37), the controller 4a reads on / off information (lamp information) of a headlamp switch (not shown) (S39). Next, a determination result (traveling environment information) as to whether or not the traveling environment is an urban area is read from the traveling environment determination unit 5 (S41).
Next, the control unit 4a sets the frequency of the simulated running sound based on the read speed value v (S35) (S43), and then reads the ramp information (S39) and the running environment information (S41). Based on this, it is determined whether or not the driving environment is night in an urban area (S45).

  If the driving environment is an urban area and at night (S45), the controller 4a sets the duty ratio for PWM control of the switching circuit 7 in the night mode (S47). Next, PWM control to the switching circuit 7 is started, energization to the horn 1 is started (S31), and a simulated running sound is generated. If the horn 1 is energized, the switching circuit 7 is continuously PWM controlled to energize the horn 1. Next, the control unit 4a reads on / off information from the horn switch 6a (S21).

  If the driving environment is not urban or night (S45), that is, if it is neither urban nor night, or if it is not urban or night, the control circuit 4a turns the switching circuit 7 on. The duty ratio to be controlled is set in the daytime mode (S51). Next, PWM control to the switching circuit 7 is started, energization to the horn 1 is started (S31), and a simulated running sound is generated. If the horn 1 is being energized, the switching circuit 7 is PWM controlled to energize the horn 1 (S31). Next, the control unit 4a reads on / off information from the horn switch 6a (S21).

1 Horn (alarm)
2 Alternator (on-vehicle generator)
3 battery 4 control unit (second PWM control means, determination means, speed value acquisition means)
4a Control unit (PWM control means, comparison means, calculation means, second PWM control means, determination means, speed value acquisition means)
5 Driving environment judgment unit 6, 6a Horn switch (push button switch)
7 Switching circuit (PWM control means, second PWM control means)
8 Voltage detector (voltage detection means)

Claims (1)

In the vehicle warning device provided with a warning device that generates a warning sound by applying the output voltage of the on-vehicle generator or the battery during the period when the pushbutton switch is operated,
When the pushbutton switch is operated, voltage detection means for detecting the output voltage, comparison means for comparing the voltage value detected by the voltage detection means and a predetermined voltage value, and voltage detected by the comparison means When it is determined that the value is higher, the output voltage is calculated by calculating means for calculating duty ratio = 100 × (predetermined voltage value / detected voltage value) ² % and the duty ratio calculated by the calculating means. PWM control means for applying the controlled voltage to the audible alarm, speed value acquisition means for acquiring the vehicle speed value, and whether or not the speed value acquired by the speed value acquisition means is equal to or less than a predetermined speed value And a second PWM control means for applying, to the audible alarm, a voltage obtained by PWM-controlling the output voltage when the means determines that the speed is equal to or lower than a predetermined speed value. Means PW By applying a control voltage to the horn, a vehicle horn apparatus characterized by are configured to generate a smaller running noise from the horn simulatively.

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