JP2015006859A - Controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a controller capable of notifying a subsequent vehicle of presence of a vehicle including the controller at appropriate timing.SOLUTION: A controller comprises:distance detection means detecting a vehicle distance between a vehicle including the controller and a subsequent vehicle; speed detection means detecting relative speeds of the vehicle and the subsequent vehicle; and contact determination means determining a risk of contact between the vehicle and the subsequent vehicle on the basis of the vehicle distance between the vehicle and the subsequent vehicle and the relative speeds of the vehicle and the subsequent vehicle. The controller sets notifying timing based on the relative speeds if it is determined that the risk of contact is high, and controls notifying means to operate so as to notify the subsequent vehicle of the presence of the vehicle including the controller at the set timing.

Description

  The present invention relates to a control device.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a collision prevention device, a device that detects a relative speed between vehicles and a distance between vehicles at the time of a brake operation and determines the risk of a collision from the detected relative speed and the distance between vehicles is known (for example, Patent Documents). 1). In this collision prevention device, for example, a hazard lamp or the like is turned on to alert the driver of the following vehicle to give attention, thereby preventing a rear-end collision by the following vehicle.

JP-A-3-296200

  However, in order to prevent a rear-end collision by the following vehicle, it is conceivable that it is not sufficient even if a warning is given and a warning is given based on the relative distance from the following vehicle or the distance between the vehicles.

  For example, there may be a case where the driver of the succeeding vehicle does not notice even if the driver of the succeeding vehicle is alerted when the distance between the succeeding vehicles is large. Further, even when the warning is given at a distance close to the own vehicle when the speed of the succeeding vehicle is significantly higher than that of the own vehicle, it is considered that the driver of the following vehicle is not in time to respond.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems of the prior art, and provide a control device capable of notifying the subsequent vehicle of the presence of the host vehicle at an appropriate timing regardless of whether or not a brake operation is performed. It is something to try.

  The control device according to the present invention includes a distance detection unit that detects an inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle and the following vehicle, a speed detection unit that detects a relative speed between the host vehicle and the following vehicle, and an inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle and the following vehicle. And a contact determination means for determining the possibility of contact between the two vehicles from the relative speed, and a timing for notification based on the relative speed when it is determined that the possibility of contact is high, and at the set timing An operation control means for controlling the operation of the notification means is provided so as to notify the following vehicle of the presence of the host vehicle.

  When determining that the contact risk is high, the control device of the present invention sets a timing for notification based on the relative speed, and notifies the subsequent vehicle of the presence of the host vehicle at the set timing. Thus, the presence of the host vehicle can be notified to the following vehicle at an appropriate timing.

  It is preferable that the operation control means increases the number of times of the notification as the relative vehicle speed increases when the relative vehicle speed is equal to or lower than a first predetermined relative vehicle speed. As described above, when the relative vehicle speed is high, the number of notifications is increased, so that the subsequent vehicle can be more appropriately alerted.

  Preferably, the operation control means decreases the number of times of the notification when the relative vehicle speed is higher when the relative vehicle speed is faster than a second predetermined relative vehicle speed that is faster than the first predetermined relative vehicle speed. If the relative vehicle speed is higher than the predetermined relative vehicle speed, if the notification is made many times, even if the inter-vehicle distance is long, the notification is made many times in a short time, and the driver of the following vehicle may feel annoying Because it can be considered, it decreases as the relative vehicle speed increases.

  It is preferable that the said operation control means lengthens the inter-vehicle distance with the said following vehicle which alert | reports at each said timing, so that the said relative vehicle speed is quick. By increasing the inter-vehicle distance from the succeeding vehicle that performs the notification at each timing as the relative vehicle speed increases, the notification can be performed at a more appropriate timing.

  It is preferable that the operation control means sets a notification time for performing notification at each timing based on the relative speed.

  Furthermore, it is preferable that a road surface state detection unit that detects a road surface state is provided, and the operation control unit changes the timing according to the road surface state. By changing the timing according to the condition of the road surface, notification can be performed at a more preferable timing.

  As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the notification means is a lamp provided at the rear of the vehicle, and the operation control means causes the lamp to blink at the timing.

  According to the control device of the present invention, it is possible to achieve an excellent effect that the presence of the host vehicle can be notified to the following vehicle at an appropriate timing regardless of whether or not the brake operation is performed.

It is a block diagram for demonstrating the lamp | ramp control apparatus of this embodiment. It is a map for setting the timing at which the lamp operation control means blinks the brake lamp. It is a map for a lamp operation control means to set the blinking time of a brake lamp. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the action | operation of a lamp control apparatus. It is a block diagram for demonstrating the lamp control apparatus of another embodiment.

  The control device of the present invention will be described below.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining a control device of the present invention. The vehicle is provided with an ECU (Electric Control Unit) 10 that is a control unit that performs integrated control of the vehicle.

  The host vehicle also includes a rear view camera 11. The rear view camera 11 images the rear of the vehicle. The host vehicle also includes a ranging radar 12. The ranging radar 12 detects the distance between the host vehicle and another vehicle, that is, the inter-vehicle distance. The ranging radar 12 of the present embodiment measures the inter-vehicle distance between the other vehicle and the other vehicle existing behind the own vehicle among the other vehicles. Detection results from the rear view camera 11 and the ranging radar 12 are input to the ECU 10.

  Further, a brake lamp 13 is provided in the own vehicle. The brake lamp 13 is configured to light up when a brake instruction is input from an occupant when the brake pedal is depressed. In the present embodiment, the brake lamp 13 will be described in detail below. Thus, the lighting control is also performed by the lamp control device 20 (vehicle notification device) provided in the ECU 10.

  The ECU 10 includes a lamp control device 20. The lamp control device 20 includes a following vehicle detection means 21, a lane detection means 22, a relative speed calculation means 23, a contact determination means 24, and a lamp operation control means 25.

  The subsequent vehicle detection means 21 analyzes the imaging result input from the rear view camera 11 and determines whether there is a subsequent vehicle for the host vehicle. If the following vehicle detection means 21 determines that there is a following vehicle, the lane detection means 22 is activated.

  The lane detection unit 22 determines whether the vehicle detected by the subsequent vehicle detection unit 21 is in the same lane as the host vehicle from the imaging result from the rear view camera 11. When the lane detection unit 22 determines that there is a following vehicle (hereinafter referred to as a following vehicle in the lane) in the same lane, the contact determination unit 24 starts determining whether there is a contact as described later.

  As described above, the lamp control device 20 according to the present embodiment determines whether there is a following vehicle (hereinafter referred to as a following vehicle in the lane) in the same lane based on the imaging result of the rear view camera 11.

  The relative speed calculation means 23 calculates and calculates the relative speed between the following vehicle and the host vehicle in the same lane from the detection result of the ranging radar 12. Here, the relative speed means a speed difference between the following vehicles in the lane with respect to the own vehicle, and those having a slower speed of the following vehicle in the lane than the own vehicle are not included in the relative speed, that is, not detected. The detected relative speed is input to the contact determination unit 24.

  When the lane detection means 22 determines that there is a following vehicle in the same lane as the host vehicle, it determines whether there is a possibility of contact between the host vehicle and the following vehicle in the lane.

  The contact determination unit 24 receives the relative speed calculated by the relative speed calculation unit 23 and the inter-vehicle distance detected by the ranging radar 12. The contact determination unit 24 determines whether there is a possibility of contact based on the relative distance and the inter-vehicle distance. Specifically, it is shown below.

In the present embodiment, for example, X = (relative speed / 10) ² × α is calculated as the contact determination unit 24. This calculation result means a distance that can be contacted with the following vehicle, and this calculation result is referred to as a contactable distance X. The contact determination unit 24 first determines whether or not the contactable distance X is longer than the inter-vehicle distance. Here, α is an arbitrary numerical value, and may be any value as long as it is a value larger than 1.

  When the inter-vehicle distance is equal to or less than the contactable distance X, the contact determination unit 24 determines whether the relative vehicle speed is higher than a predetermined vehicle speed and whether the inter-vehicle distance is longer than the predetermined inter-vehicle distance. When the inter-vehicle distance is equal to or less than the contactable distance X, the contact determining unit 24 determines that the vehicle and the rear vehicle in the lane are in the case where the relative vehicle speed is higher than the predetermined vehicle speed and the inter-vehicle distance is longer than the predetermined inter-vehicle distance. Judge that there is a high risk of contact with

  When the contact determination unit 24 determines that there is a high possibility of contact, the lamp operation control unit 25 is activated. The lamp operation control means 25 controls the blinking timing of the brake lamp for notifying the following vehicle of the presence of the host vehicle. In this embodiment, the lamp operation control means 25 determines the blinking timing of the brake lamp based on the map.

  FIG. 2 is a map (table) for setting the timing at which the lamp operation control means 25 blinks the brake lamp 13. As shown in FIG. 2, the lamp operation control means 25 determines the blinking timing of the brake lamp based on the relative speed detected by the relative speed calculation means 23. That is, FIG. 2 shows how the brake lamp blinks when the inter-vehicle distance is at a certain relative speed. In the map, the alphabet indicates the inter-vehicle distance, and the longer the alphabet, the longer the inter-vehicle distance.

  For example, according to the map, when the relative vehicle speed is 50 km / h, the brake lamp blinks three times. The timing of each flashing of the brake lamp is as follows. When the distance between the host vehicle and the following vehicle in the lane reaches ((C × 2) × 2) m, the following vehicle in the lane approaches and the distance between the vehicles increases. When (C × 2) m is reached, the last is when the following vehicle in the lane further approaches and the inter-vehicle distance becomes Cm. For example, according to the map, when the relative vehicle speed is 30 km / h, the brake lamp is blinked twice. The timing of each flashing of the brake lamp is as follows. When the inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle and the following vehicle in the lane first becomes (B × 2) m, the following vehicle in the lane further approaches and the inter-vehicle distance becomes Bm. It is time.

  That is, FIG. 2 shows how many times the lamp operation control means 25 blinks the brake lamp and at what position according to the relative speed. Interpolation is always performed between the relative speeds defined in the map. For example, the inter-vehicle distances with a relative speed of 15 km / h are A (m) + B (m) / 2 and [A (m) + B (m) / 2] × 2, respectively.

  In this case, as shown in FIG. 2, the flash lamp blinking timing increases as the speed increases until the relative speed reaches a first predetermined relative speed (in this embodiment, 50 km / h as an example). However, when the relative speed becomes faster than the second predetermined relative speed (higher than the first predetermined relative speed, 110 km / h in this embodiment as an example), the timing of the blinking of the brake lamp is the speed. Is configured to decrease as the value rises. When the relative speed becomes faster than the first predetermined relative speed, the number of notifications decreases, but the inter-vehicle distance indicating the notification timing is increased.

  The lamp operation control means 25 sets the blinking time of the brake lamp at each notification timing using a map. The map will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 3 is a map for setting a blinking time (indicated by the second in this embodiment) when the lamp operation control means 25 blinks the brake lamp. The lamp operation control means 25 sets the blinking time of the brake lamp at each notification timing based on this map from the relative speed. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the lamp operation control means 25 determines the blinking time of the brake lamp based on the relative speed detected by the relative speed calculation means 23. The blinking time of the brake lamp in FIG. 3 is represented by alphabets, but the blinking time is shorter as the alphabets are advanced.

  For example, when the relative vehicle speed is 50 km / h, the brake lamp blinks three times as described above, but the timing of each blinking of the brake lamp is such that the initial inter-vehicle distance is ((C × 2) × 2) m. It is U seconds, the next (C × 2) m is V seconds, and the last Cm is W seconds. When the relative vehicle speed is 30 km / h, the timing of each blinking of the brake lamp is U seconds when the first inter-vehicle distance becomes (B × 2) m, and when the next inter-vehicle distance becomes Bm. V seconds.

  The lamp operation control means 25 sets the blinking timing and the blinking time of the brake lamp based on the two maps as described above. Then, the lamp operation control means 25 controls the brake lamp 13 so that the set flashing timing and flashing time of the brake lamp are reached. Thereby, since the brake lamp 13 blinks at a predetermined appropriate timing, it is possible to appropriately notify the following vehicle in the lane to call attention.

  The control of the lamp control device 20 will be specifically described with reference to FIG.

  First, when the key is turned on in step S1, the lamp control device 20 starts operating. In step S2, it is determined whether the ignition (IG) is ON or not, and the process is repeated until the IG is turned ON. In step S <b> 3, the subsequent vehicle detection unit 21 determines whether there is a subsequent vehicle from the imaging result from the rear view camera 11. The lamp control device 20 determines whether there is a following vehicle in the lane.

  Further, the lane detection unit 22 determines whether the vehicle detected by the subsequent vehicle detection unit 21 is in the same lane as the own vehicle from the imaging result from the rear view camera 11. That is, the lane is detected in step S4. In step S5, the relative speed calculation means 23 detects the relative speed between the following vehicle in the lane and the host vehicle by calculation.

In step S6, the contact determination means 24 starts determining whether there is a possibility of contact. The contact determination unit 24 calculates X = (relative speed / 10) ² × α. When the inter-vehicle distance is equal to or less than the calculation result X, the contact determining unit 24 makes contact between the host vehicle and the rear vehicle in the lane when the relative vehicle speed is higher than the predetermined vehicle speed and the inter-vehicle distance is shorter than the predetermined inter-vehicle distance. Judgment is high. If it is determined that there is a high risk of contact, the process proceeds to step S7. In other cases, that is, when the contact determination means 24 determines that the risk of contact is not high, the process proceeds to step S3 to detect the following vehicle.

  In step S <b> 7, the lamp operation control means 25 sets the flashing timing and flashing time of the brake lamp 13 and controls the brake lamp 13. That is, the lamp operation control means 25 sets the flashing timing and flashing time of the brake lamp 13 based on the relative speed detected by the relative speed calculation means 23, and the flashing timing and flashing time of the set brake lamp 13 are set. The operation of the brake lamp 13 is controlled so that Proceed to step S8.

  In step S8, the lamp operation control means 25 determines whether or not the key is turned off. If the key is off (YES), the lamp control device 20 stops its operation and becomes END. On the other hand, if the key-on state continues (NO), the process proceeds to step S3 to detect the following vehicle.

  In the above-described own vehicle according to the present embodiment, when it is determined that there is a high possibility of contact with the following vehicle in the lane due to the operation of the lamp control device 20, the brake lamp blinks to make the following vehicle in the lane On the other hand, the presence of the vehicle can be notified, that is, a warning can be given.

  In this case, since the warning is given to the following vehicle in the lane corresponding to the relative speed, the warning can be given at an appropriate timing. For example, if the relative speed is low and the distance between the following vehicles in the lane is long, the driver of the following vehicles in the lane may not notice even if the driver of the following vehicle in the lane is alerted. In the embodiment, since the notification is performed at an appropriate inter-vehicle distance timing according to the relative speed, it is possible to appropriately warn the subsequent vehicle in the lane. In addition, if the speed of the following vehicle in the lane is significantly higher than that of the host vehicle, even if a warning is issued at a close distance from the host vehicle, the driver of the following vehicle in the lane may not be in time to respond. However, in this embodiment, since the notification is made at the timing of the appropriate inter-vehicle distance according to the relative speed, the driver of the following vehicle in the lane can sufficiently cope.

  Further, since the warning is given to the following vehicle in the lane corresponding to the relative speed, the contact between the vehicles can be suppressed without bothering the passenger of the own vehicle and the passenger of the following vehicle in the lane. . For example, if the notification can be performed many times when the relative speed is relatively slow, it may be considered that the passenger in the vehicle behind the vehicle feels troublesome. Therefore, when the relative speed is relatively slow, the number of notifications is suppressed. On the other hand, when the relative speed is high, it is preferable to make the presence of the host vehicle surely known in advance to the following vehicle in the lane, so in this embodiment, the distance from the other vehicle is long. Even when the distance from the other vehicle approaches for confirmation, the notification is performed a plurality of times.

  On the other hand, if the notification is performed a plurality of times when the relative speed is even faster, the notification will be performed almost continuously, and the driver of the following vehicle in the lane may feel annoying the notification. In some cases, the number of notifications is suppressed.

  In the present embodiment, since the notification is performed based on the relative speed, the notification is performed even when the host vehicle is stopped or the host vehicle is traveling. As a result, even when the stop vehicle is not informed of the stop, that is, when the vehicle is stopped or running and the brake lamp is not lit, the subsequent vehicle in the lane is automatically notified. Can do. In addition, the brake lamp in the present embodiment is configured to forcibly flash even if the driver steps on the brake. Can be notified.

  With this configuration, in the present embodiment, notification is performed to ensure the safety of the vehicle, and the driver of both vehicles is prevented from feeling bothered by the notification.

  Another embodiment of the present invention will be described. As shown in FIG. 5, in the present embodiment, the host vehicle has a rain sensor 14. The rain sensor 14 detects a rainfall situation. In the host vehicle, the inter-vehicle distance is set according to the rain condition from the rain sensor 14. In the present embodiment, the lamp operation control means 25 extracts the inter-vehicle distance at each notification timing from the map shown in FIG. 2 according to each relative speed, and corrects the extracted inter-vehicle distance according to the rainfall situation. For example, when the lamp operation control means 25 determines that it is raining from the rain condition from the rain sensor 14, it is corrected to make the inter-vehicle distance longer than the map, and when it is determined that it is a heavy rain condition. Is to correct the inter-vehicle distance to be longer. In the present embodiment, it is possible to increase the inter-vehicle distance for performing notification according to the road surface condition.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above.

  The means for detecting the road surface condition is not limited to the rain sensor. For example, it has an outside air temperature sensor, detects the outside air temperature from the outside air temperature sensor, determines that the road surface is frozen if the outside air temperature is low, and corrects the inter-vehicle distance in the map shown in FIG. May be. When the road surface condition is detected, a map different from the map shown in FIG. 2, that is, a map that already reflects the road surface condition may be used. In this case as well, the inter-vehicle distance may be increased according to the road surface condition.

  In the present embodiment, the inter-vehicle distance with the rear vehicle is measured by the ranging radar, but is not limited to this. What is necessary is just to be able to measure the inter-vehicle distance with the rear vehicle, and it may be measured based on the imaging result by the rear view camera.

  In the present embodiment, the notification timing is limited to three times, but is not limited to this, and can be set as appropriate. Moreover, although the inter-vehicle distance for performing the notification is set to be doubled and quadrupled, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it may be 1.3 times or 2 times.

  In the present embodiment, the contact determination unit 24 determines that there is a high risk of contact when a predetermined requirement is satisfied, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, when the inter-vehicle distance is longer than the calculation result X, the contact determination unit 24 further determines whether the relative vehicle speed is equal to or less than a predetermined vehicle speed and whether the inter-vehicle distance is equal to or less than the predetermined inter-vehicle distance. You may comprise. When the inter-vehicle distance is longer than the calculation result X, the contact determining unit 24 has a low possibility of contact when the relative vehicle speed is not more than a predetermined vehicle speed and the inter-vehicle distance is not less than the predetermined inter-vehicle distance. In other cases, it may be determined that the risk of contact is high.

  Further, when the inter-vehicle distance is longer than the calculation result X, the contact determination means 24 has a low possibility of contact when the relative vehicle speed is not more than a predetermined vehicle speed and the inter-vehicle distance is not less than the predetermined inter-vehicle distance. If the inter-vehicle distance is shorter than the calculation result X, the relative vehicle speed may be higher than the predetermined vehicle speed, and if the inter-vehicle distance is shorter than the predetermined inter-vehicle distance, it may be determined that the possibility of contact is great. .

  In the present embodiment, the brake lamp 13 is blinked, but the present invention is not limited to this. As a notification means, what is possible is just what can be notified to a back vehicle, for example, a hazard lamp may be sufficient. Moreover, you may provide the lighting means for alerting | reporting separately. Moreover, you may provide the audio | voice alerting | reporting means which can alert | report a subsequent vehicle with an audio | voice as an alerting | reporting means.

  In the present embodiment, the number of notifications is increased as the relative vehicle speed increases when the relative vehicle speed is equal to or lower than the first predetermined relative vehicle speed, and when the relative vehicle speed is higher than the second predetermined relative vehicle speed, the relative vehicle speed increases. The first predetermined relative vehicle speed and the second predetermined relative vehicle speed are set to different values. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the first predetermined relative vehicle speed and the second predetermined relative vehicle speed may be the same value.

11 Rear view camera (relative speed detection means)
12 Ranging radar (distance detection means)
13 Brake lamp (notification means)
14 Rain Sensor 20 Lamp Control Device (Vehicle Notification Device)
21 Subsequent vehicle detection means 22 Lane detection means 23 Relative speed calculation means 24 Contact determination means 25 Lamp operation control means (operation control means)

Claims (7)

A distance detecting means for detecting a distance between the host vehicle and the following vehicle;
Speed detecting means for detecting the relative speed between the host vehicle and the following vehicle;
Contact judging means for judging the possibility of contact between both vehicles from the inter-vehicle distance and relative speed between the host vehicle and the following vehicle;
When it is determined that the risk of contact is high, a notification timing is set based on the relative speed, and the notification means is operated so as to notify the subsequent vehicle of the presence of the host vehicle at the set timing. An operation control means for controlling the control device. The operation control means determines the number of times to perform the notification,
2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein when the relative vehicle speed is equal to or lower than a first predetermined relative vehicle speed, the relative vehicle speed is increased as the relative vehicle speed is increased. The operation control means determines the number of times to perform the notification,
3. The control device according to claim 1, wherein when the relative vehicle speed is faster than a second predetermined relative vehicle speed that is higher than the first predetermined relative vehicle speed, the control device decreases the relative vehicle speed as the relative vehicle speed increases.   The control according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the operation control unit increases the inter-vehicle distance from the succeeding vehicle that performs notification at each timing as the relative vehicle speed increases. apparatus.   The control device according to claim 1, wherein the operation control unit sets a notification time for performing notification at each timing based on the relative speed. Furthermore, a road surface state detecting means for detecting the road surface state is provided,
The said operation control means changes the said timing according to the state of the said road surface, The control apparatus as described in any one of Claims 1-5 characterized by the above-mentioned. The notification means is a lamp provided at the rear of the vehicle;
The control device according to claim 1, wherein the operation control unit blinks the lamp at the timing.

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