JP2016068793A - Vehicle headlamp device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicle headlamp device that reduces dazzling caused by reflected light in bad weather.SOLUTION: A headlamp device 1 includes: variable light distribution mechanisms 11, 12, 21, and 22 capable of varying irradiation ranges of light emitted from light sources 10 and 20 to irradiate areas ahead of an own vehicle; weather discrimination means 250 and 260 capable of discriminating a predetermined bad weather state; and light distribution control means 100 for narrowing irradiation ranges 340 and 350 of the variable light distribution mechanisms as compared with normal times when the weather discrimination means discriminates the bad weather state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle headlamp device provided in a vehicle, and more particularly to a device that suppresses dazzling due to reflected light in bad weather.

A headlamp device provided in a vehicle such as an automobile has a plurality of lighting devices having different light distribution characteristics such as an irradiation range such as a high beam (traveling beam) and a low beam (passing beam). In general, the light source of each lighting device is switched on and off according to the traveling state.
In recent years, there has been proposed an adaptive front lighting system (AFS) that automatically changes an irradiation range in accordance with a traveling state of a vehicle.
For example, Patent Literature 1 describes that glare to an oncoming vehicle, a pedestrian, or the like is suppressed by changing the illuminance and the irradiation angle according to the traveling speed of the vehicle.

JP 2014-008913 A

In the conventional headlamp device, it is general to irradiate the traveling lane of the host vehicle and the irradiation range set in the peripheral portion with as uniform illuminance (brightness) as possible.
However, for example, during bad weather such as raining or snowing, if the irradiation range is widened, the driver will be dazzled by the reflected light from the surroundings of the field of view that the driver should be gazing at, and the visibility will be deteriorated and burden the driver was there.
In view of the above-described problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle headlamp device that suppresses glare caused by reflected light in bad weather.

The present invention solves the above-described problems by the following means.
The invention according to claim 1 is a variable light distribution mechanism capable of changing an irradiation range of light emitted from a light source to the front of the host vehicle, a weather determination unit capable of determining a predetermined bad weather state, and the weather determination unit A vehicle headlamp device comprising: a light distribution control unit that narrows the irradiation range of the variable light distribution mechanism with respect to a normal time when a bad weather state is determined.
According to this, by narrowing the irradiation range with respect to the normal time in bad weather, it is possible to prevent dazzling due to the reflected light from around the area where the driver gazes, and to reduce the burden on the driver.

The invention according to claim 2 includes lane shape detection means for detecting a lane shape in front of the host vehicle, and the light distribution control means is configured to detect the lane shape of the host vehicle when the weather determination means determines the bad weather condition. The vehicle headlamp device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is controlled so that a road surface and the vicinity thereof are within the irradiation range.
According to this, even when the irradiation range is narrowed during bad weather, it is possible to ensure the ease of driving by appropriately irradiating the road surface that is on the path of the vehicle and is assumed to pass.
Further, even when a curved road exists in front of the host vehicle, the road surface can be appropriately irradiated.

The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that the light distribution control means shifts the irradiation range so as to be displaced forward and narrow according to an increase in vehicle speed. This is a vehicle headlamp device.
According to this, when driving at high speed, the driver's line of sight is guided to a narrower range on the front side, thereby preventing the driver from knowing where to place the viewpoint and suppressing the driver's tension and reducing fatigue. Can do.
On the other hand, when the vehicle is traveling at a low speed such as in an urban area, by setting the irradiation range relatively closer to the host vehicle and wider than when traveling at a high speed, it is possible to secure a peripheral visual field and prepare for jumping out.

The invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that the bad weather discrimination means discriminates a bad weather condition when detecting at least one of the time of rain, the time of snowfall, and the time of snowfall. It is a headlamp device for vehicles given in any 1 paragraph.
According to this, visibility deterioration due to reflection of rainwater or ice / snow can be appropriately suppressed.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicular headlamp device that suppresses glare caused by reflected light in bad weather.

It is a block diagram which shows typically the structure of the Example of the vehicle headlamp apparatus to which this invention is applied. It is a flowchart which shows control of the vehicle headlamp apparatus of an Example. It is a figure which shows typically an example of the irradiation range at the time of low speed driving | running | working in the vehicle headlamp apparatus of an Example. It is a figure which shows typically an example of the irradiation range at the time of high speed driving | running | working in the vehicle headlamp apparatus of an Example.

  The present invention aims to provide a vehicle headlamp device that suppresses dazzling due to reflected light in bad weather, narrows the irradiation range compared to normal times during bad weather such as rain, snow, etc. It was solved by suppressing the reflected light.

Hereinafter, embodiments of a vehicle headlamp device (hereinafter referred to as a headlamp device) to which the present invention is applied will be described.
The headlamp device according to the embodiment is provided in an automobile such as a passenger car, for example, and secures the driver's field of view by irradiating the front of the vehicle when traveling in a dark place such as at night or in a tunnel.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of the headlamp apparatus according to the first embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 1, the headlamp device 1 includes a high beam light source 10, a high beam optical system 11, an irradiation range variable mechanism 12, a low beam light source 20, a low beam optical system 21, an irradiation range variable mechanism 22, and a headlamp control unit 100. Etc. are configured.
The high beam light source 10, the high beam optical system 11, the irradiation range variable mechanism 12, the low beam light source 20, the low beam optical system 21, and the irradiation range variable mechanism 22 are spaced apart in the vehicle width direction at the front end of the vehicle body, for example, a pair is provided. .

The high beam light source 10 and the low beam light source 20 include, for example, a light source such as a high-intensity discharge bulb and a power supply device that supplies power to the light source.
The high beam light source 10 and the low beam light source 20 can be switched on and off independently of each other.
The high beam optical system 11 and the low beam optical system 21 irradiate the front of the vehicle with light emitted from the high beam light source 10 and the low beam light source 20, respectively, in a predetermined light distribution pattern.
For example, the high beam optical system 11 and the low beam optical system 21 may include a projection optical system (projector) having a shade variable mechanism that can arbitrarily change the width and shape of the light distribution pattern.

The shade variable mechanism projects a shade (image) of the shade in front of the host vehicle by changing a light distribution characteristic by blocking a part of the optical path with a movable shade.
In addition, as such a shade variable mechanism, by providing an iris diaphragm having a plurality of diaphragm blades arranged in an annular shape and continuously changing the inner diameter, the irradiation angle can be made variable, and the width of the irradiation range can be made continuous. It is also possible to change it.

The high beam optical system 11 and the low beam optical system 21 are attached to the vehicle body via a biaxial gimbal mechanism, for example, so that the optical axis can be swung in the vertical direction and the vehicle width direction with respect to the vehicle body.
The irradiation range variable mechanisms 12 and 22 are provided in the gimbal mechanism of the high beam optical system 11 and the low beam optical system 21, and the optical axes of the high beam optical system 11 and the low beam optical system 12 are set according to an instruction from the headlamp control unit 100. Actuator to be changed.

The headlamp control unit 100 controls the above-described light sources, optical system, and irradiation range variable mechanism in an integrated manner.
The headlamp control unit 100 includes, for example, information processing means such as a CPU, storage means such as RAM and ROM, an input / output interface, a bus connecting these, and the like.
The headlamp control unit 100 functions as a light distribution control means according to the present invention.
The control in the headlamp control unit 100 will be described in detail later.

  The headlamp control unit 100 includes an environment recognition device 210, a behavior control unit 220, a navigation device 230, a line-of-sight detection device 240, a raindrop sensor 250, a communication device 260, and the like via, for example, an in-vehicle LAN system such as a CAN communication system. Or directly connected.

The environment recognizing device 210 recognizes the shape of the lane in which the host vehicle is traveling and the relative positions of various objects existing in front of the host vehicle with respect to the host vehicle based on an image captured in front of the host vehicle. .
The environment recognition apparatus 210 includes a stereo camera including a camera LH211 and a camera RH212.
The camera LH211 and the camera RH212 image the front of the host vehicle at a predetermined angle of view by an optical system such as a solid-state imaging device such as a CMOS or CCD and a lens provided on the incident side.
The camera LH211 and the camera RH212 sequentially acquire images at a predetermined frame rate and transmit them to the environment recognition apparatus 210.
The camera LH211 and the camera RH212 are installed, for example, separated from each other in the vehicle width direction on the vehicle interior side of the upper end portion of the windshield.
The environment recognizing device 210 can detect the relative position of the subject with respect to the subject vehicle using the parallax of each camera by performing known stereo image processing using images captured by the cameras LH211 and RH212. .

  The behavior control unit 220 controls the hydraulic pressure supplied to the wheel cylinder of the hydraulic service brake of the vehicle, thereby suppressing anti-lock brake control for preventing wheel lock at the time of braking, understeer, oversteer and the like. It performs vehicle behavior control and the like.

A wheel speed sensor 221, an acceleration sensor 222, a yaw rate sensor 223, and a steering angle sensor 224 are connected to the behavior control unit 220, and the output of each sensor is input.
The behavior control unit 220 outputs a control command to the hydraulic control unit (HCU) 225.

The wheel speed sensor 221 is provided in the hub part of each wheel (left and right front wheels and rear wheels), and outputs a vehicle speed pulse signal whose frequency changes in proportion to the rotational speed of the wheel.
The behavior control unit 220 can calculate the rotational speed of the wheel (substantially equal to the traveling speed of the vehicle when the slip ratio is very small) based on the interval of the vehicle speed pulse signal.
The acceleration sensor 222 detects acceleration in the front-rear direction and the vehicle width direction acting on the vehicle body.
The yaw rate sensor 223 detects the rotational speed of the vehicle body in the yaw direction (around the vertical axis).
The steering angle sensor 224 detects the steering angle (steer angle) of the vehicle steering system.
The HCU 225 has a pump for pressurizing the brake fluid and a solenoid valve for supplying the obtained fluid hydraulic pressure to the wheel cylinder of each wheel, and supplies a predetermined hydraulic pressure to the wheel cylinder of each wheel. The braking force is controlled for each wheel.

When the behavior control unit 220 detects wheel lock at the time of braking based on the output from each sensor, the wheel cylinder hydraulic pressure of the wheel is periodically reduced to reduce the braking force, and the wheel is rotated. Perform anti-lock brake control to return to.
In addition, when the behavior control unit 220 detects an oversteer or understeer behavior of the vehicle, the behavior control unit 220 performs behavior control that generates a moment in a direction in which the behavior is suppressed using the braking force difference between the left and right wheels.

Further, the behavior control unit 220 has a road surface friction coefficient estimation function for estimating the friction coefficient (μ) of the road surface on which the host vehicle is traveling.
For example, the behavior control unit 220 can calculate the estimated μ of the road surface based on the difference between the yaw rate estimated from a preset vehicle model and the actual yaw rate based on the vehicle speed and the steering angle. is there.
Further, from the estimated μ and the vehicle speed, it is possible to calculate a stoppable distance that is the shortest distance at which the host vehicle can be safely stopped by deceleration by the brake.

  The navigation device 230 includes storage means such as an HDD in which map data including information related to road shapes and the like is stored, own vehicle position measurement means such as GPS, and the like.

  The line-of-sight detection device 240 is provided, for example, in an instrument panel, and image processing for capturing an image of a driver, and image processing for extracting an outline of a pupil by performing image processing on an image obtained by the image capturing unit and detecting a line-of-sight direction of the driver Means.

The raindrop sensor 250 is a sensor that detects a rainfall state, and is also used for controlling an auto wiper.
The raindrop sensor 250 detects a rainfall state by detecting, for example, an impact caused by a collision of raindrops on the windshield or a capacitance of electrostatic change due to water adhesion.
For example, the communication device 260 is connected to a communication network such as the Internet and acquires various information such as weather information.

Next, control of the headlamp control unit 100 in the headlamp apparatus of the embodiment will be described.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the control of the headlamp control unit of the embodiment.
Hereinafter, the steps will be described step by step.

<Step S01: Lane Shape Detection>
The headlamp control unit 100 detects the vehicle lane shape (curvature, gradient, etc.) ahead of the vehicle based on the outputs of the environment recognition device 210, the navigation device 230, and the like.
Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S02.

<Step S02: Vehicle speed detection>
The headlamp control unit 100 acquires information related to the traveling speed (vehicle speed) of the host vehicle from the behavior control unit 220.
Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S03.

<Step S03: Weather detection>
The headlamp control unit 100 uses the raindrop sensor 250 and the communication device 260 to detect whether or not the weather is in bad weather such as rainfall, snowfall, snowfall, or the like.
The raindrop sensor 250 detects the vibration of the windshield, and determines the rain state when the collision of the raindrop with the windshield is recognized.
Further, the communication device 260 acquires weather information in the vicinity of the own vehicle traveling position from an external server or the like via a network such as the Internet.
Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S04.

<Step S04: Driver Gaze Detection>
The headlamp control unit 100 acquires information related to the driver's line-of-sight direction from the line-of-sight detection device 240.
Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S05.

<Step S05: Irradiation target position setting>
The headlight control unit 100 is an area on the traveling lane of the host vehicle on which the host vehicle is assumed to pass after a predetermined time based on the lane shape acquired in step S01 and the vehicle speed acquired in step S02. In addition, an irradiation target position, which is an area expected to be watched by the driver, is set.
The irradiation target position is set so as to be far from the host vehicle as the traveling speed of the vehicle increases.
As an example, the irradiation target position is set in the vicinity of a stoppable distance that is a distance at which the host vehicle can be stopped by braking.
If the driver's line-of-sight direction acquired in step S04 is farther (forward) than the irradiation target position obtained by the above-described method, the irradiation target position is set on the driver's line-of-sight direction.
Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S06.

<Step S06: Bad weather condition determination>
The headlamp control unit 100 determines whether or not the surroundings of the host vehicle are in a bad weather state such as a raining state, a snowing state, or a snowy state based on the outputs of the raindrop sensor 250 and the communication device 260.
If it is determined that the weather is bad, the process proceeds to step S08, and otherwise, the process proceeds to step S07.

<Step S07: Irradiation Target Position Normal Range Irradiation>
The headlamp control unit 100 sets an irradiation range on the traveling lane of the own vehicle and in an adjacent area including the irradiation target position, and the high beam light source 10, the high beam optical system 11, the irradiation range variable mechanism 12, the low beam light source 20, Irradiation is performed by controlling the low beam optical system 21 and the irradiation range variable mechanism 22.
At this time, when the irradiation target position is relatively close to the host vehicle and irradiation with a low beam is possible, the low beam light source 20, the low beam optical system 21, and the irradiation range variable mechanism 22 are mainly used, and the irradiation target position is relatively When the irradiation with the low beam is impossible or difficult due to the distance from the host vehicle, the irradiation is mainly performed using the high beam light source 10, the high beam optical system 11, and the irradiation range variable mechanism 12.
Then, a series of processing is returned and the processing after step S01 is repeated.

<Step S08: Irradiation Target Position Narrow Range Irradiation>
The headlamp control unit 100 sets an irradiation range on the traveling lane of the own vehicle and in an adjacent area including the irradiation target position, and the high beam light source 10, the high beam optical system 11, the irradiation range variable mechanism 12, the low beam light source 20, Irradiation is performed by controlling the low beam optical system 21 and the irradiation range variable mechanism 22.
At this time, the irradiation range is set narrower in the vehicle width direction and in the front-rear direction than the normal irradiation range set in step S07. The width of the irradiation range is set so as to substantially cover the vehicle lane width and the road shoulder.
At this time, similarly to step S07, when the irradiation target position is relatively close to the own vehicle and irradiation with the low beam is possible, the low beam light source 20, the low beam optical system 21, and the irradiation range variable mechanism 22 are mainly used. When the irradiation target position is relatively far from the host vehicle and low beam irradiation is impossible or difficult, irradiation is mainly performed using the high beam light source 10, the high beam optical system 11, and the irradiation range variable mechanism 12.
Then, a series of processing is returned and the processing after step S01 is repeated.

Hereinafter, an example of the light distribution pattern in the headlamp apparatus according to the first embodiment will be described.
FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of an irradiation range during low-speed traveling in the headlamp device according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of an irradiation range during high-speed traveling in the headlamp device according to the first embodiment.
3 and 4 schematically show the state viewed from the viewpoint of the driver.
3 and 4 show a state where the vehicle is traveling on a one-lane, two-way road having a host vehicle lane 310, an opposite lane 320, and a center line 330 in front of the host vehicle, and the irradiation range in bad weather is shown on the road surface. 340, the normal irradiation range 350 is formed.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the normal-time irradiation range 350 is set so as to include a traveling lane width of the host vehicle and to irradiate both sides of the road over a relatively wide range.
On the other hand, the irradiation range 340 during bad weather is set narrower than the normal irradiation range 350 so as to substantially cover the width of the host vehicle travel lane 310.
As is clear from comparison between FIGS. 3 and 4, when the vehicle speed increases, both the normal-time irradiation range 350 and the bad-light irradiation range 340 are displaced forward with respect to the own vehicle and are also viewed from the driver's viewpoint. The irradiation range (irradiation angle) is set to be small.

According to the first embodiment described above, by narrowing the irradiation range with respect to the normal time during bad weather, it is possible to prevent dazzling due to the reflected light from the surrounding area of the driver's gaze and to reduce the driver's burden. be able to.
In addition, by setting the target irradiation position on the host vehicle lane, even if the irradiation range is narrowed during bad weather, the road surface on the course of the vehicle is appropriately irradiated to ensure ease of driving. be able to.
Furthermore, by shifting the target travel position forward as the vehicle speed increases, the driver's line of sight is guided to a narrower range during high-speed travel, thereby preventing the driver from knowing where to place the viewpoint. The driver's tension can be suppressed and fatigue can be reduced.
On the other hand, when traveling at low speed in an urban area or the like, it is possible to secure a peripheral visual field and prepare for jumping out.

(Modification)
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and changes are possible, and these are also within the technical scope of the present invention.
(1) The configuration of the headlamp device is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be changed as appropriate. For example, the method of changing the type and number of light sources, optical systems, illuminance, and irradiation range can be changed as appropriate.
For example, in the embodiment, a high-intensity discharge bulb is used as a light source and the irradiation range is changed using a variable shade. For example, a light source in which a plurality of LEDs that irradiate a relatively small range in a spot manner are arranged in an array. The irradiation range may be changed by switching on / off of individual LEDs.
(2) The configuration of sensors, various devices, and units connected for the headlamp control unit to acquire various types of information can be changed as appropriate.
(3) The method for detecting bad weather is not limited to the embodiment, and can be changed as appropriate. For example, rainfall, snowfall, snowfall, or the like may be detected based on an image captured by the camera of the environment recognition device. Moreover, you may detect bad weather based on operation of the wiper switch by a driver.
(4) When the environment recognition device detects a risk object such as an obstacle, a stopped vehicle, a pedestrian, or a bicycle, the irradiation range may be set to include the position of the risk object. In this case, the environment recognition apparatus is not limited to the one using the stereo camera as in the embodiment, but may be a radar such as a millimeter wave radar or a laser radar, or a combination of these radars and a monocular or a stereo camera. it can.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Headlamp apparatus 10 High beam light source 11 High beam optical system 12 Irradiation range variable mechanism 20 Low beam light source 21 Low beam optical system 22 Irradiation range variable mechanism 100 Headlamp control unit 210 Environment recognition apparatus 211 Camera LH
212 camera RH 220 behavior control unit 221 wheel speed sensor 222 acceleration sensor 223 yaw rate sensor 224 rudder angle sensor 225 hydraulic control unit 230 navigation device 240 line of sight detection device 250 raindrop sensor 260 communication device 310 own vehicle traveling lane 320 opposite lane 330 center line 340 Irradiation range during bad weather 350 Irradiation range during normal weather

Claims (4)

A variable light distribution mechanism capable of changing the irradiation range of light irradiated from the light source to the front of the vehicle;
Weather discrimination means capable of discriminating predetermined bad weather conditions;
A vehicle headlamp device comprising: a light distribution control unit that narrows the irradiation range of the variable light distribution mechanism with respect to a normal time when the weather determination unit determines the bad weather state. Lane shape detection means for detecting the lane shape in front of the host vehicle,
2. The light distribution control unit according to claim 1, wherein when the weather determination unit determines the bad weather condition, the light distribution control unit controls the road surface of the vehicle lane and the vicinity thereof as the irradiation range. Vehicle headlamp device. The vehicle headlamp device according to claim 1, wherein the light distribution control unit shifts the irradiation range so as to be displaced forward and narrow as the vehicle speed increases. The vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the bad weather discrimination means discriminates a bad weather state when detecting at least one of rain, snow, and snow. Headlamp device.

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