JP2019209807A - Illumination device - Google Patents

Abstract

To make it possible for a target to more easily recognize an illumination device emitting light to notify the target and also to make it possible for an illumination device emitting light to more accurately recognize the direction of the presence of the target to be notified.SOLUTION: An illumination device comprises: an illumination units (26, 32) that emits illumination light by means of a visible light source 26 toward a target capable of recognizing visible light and a horizontal directional angle setting unit (28) that sets a first horizontal directional angle as a directional angle for a horizontal component of the emitted light, and a second horizontal directional angle smaller than the first horizontal directional angle. The horizontal directional angle setting unit sets the first horizontal directional angle and the second horizontal directional angle so as to form: a first illumination area formed by emitting illumination light having the first horizontal directional angle, toward the target; and a second illumination area formed between the first illumination area and the illumination units by emitting illumination light having the second horizontal directional angle, toward the target. The illumination unit emits illumination light such that the target is present within the first illumination area.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a lighting device, and more particularly to a vehicle lighting device.

  For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a pedestrian warning method using a laser beam. According to this pedestrian warning method, a laser beam (that is, irradiation light with high directivity) is irradiated to notify the pedestrian (target) that the vehicle is moving.

  Further, for example, Patent Document 2 discloses a pedestrian notification device. According to this anti-pedestrian notification device, in order to notify the pedestrian that the vehicle has recognized the pedestrian, marking light of a predetermined pattern is irradiated to the pedestrian.

JP 2013-124092 A JP, 2014-046838, A

  When the directivity of the light irradiated to the target is high as in the technique described in Patent Document 1, the irradiation area is limited. For this reason, there is a problem that the target cannot recognize the irradiated light unless the target is irradiated with light in a direction in which visible light can be recognized. Examples where the target cannot recognize the irradiation light include a case where the pedestrian is facing a direction different from the light irradiation direction, or a case where the pedestrian is gazing at a specific place such as a hand.

  Contrary to the above, it is also conceivable to reduce the directivity of light irradiated to the target. This makes it easier to solve the above problem. However, as a result, the following problems arise. That is, on the target side, it is difficult to recognize from which direction the notification is made using light irradiation. On the other hand, on the illumination device side (vehicle driver) that performs light irradiation, it becomes difficult to accurately recognize the position of the target based on the light irradiation direction.

  The present invention has been made in view of the problems as described above, and its purpose is to make it easier for a target to recognize from which lighting device notification using light irradiation is made. The illumination device that has irradiated the light is able to recognize the direction in which the target to be notified exists more accurately.

The lighting device according to the present invention includes:
An illumination unit that emits irradiation light using a visible light source toward a target that can recognize visible light, and
A horizontal directivity angle setting unit that sets a first horizontal directivity angle and a second horizontal directivity angle smaller than the first horizontal directivity angle as a directivity angle of a horizontal component of the irradiation light;
Is provided.
The horizontal directivity angle setting unit includes a first irradiation area formed by irradiating the irradiation light having the first horizontal directivity angle toward the target, and the second horizontal toward the target. The first horizontal directivity angle and the second irradiation area are formed so that a second irradiation area formed between the first irradiation area and the illumination unit is formed by irradiation with the irradiation light having a directivity angle. Two horizontal directivity angles are set.
The illumination unit irradiates the irradiation light so that the target is present in the first irradiation region.

  According to the present invention, the irradiation light in the second irradiation region having a relatively small horizontal directivity angle has a function as an indicator that highlights and points out the direction in which the opponent is positioned from both the illumination device and the target. become. And according to the irradiation light of the 1st irradiation field where a horizontal directivity angle is comparatively large, a target can recognize irradiation light more certainly by illuminating a target more certainly. For this reason, it is possible to easily recognize from which illumination device the notification using the irradiation light is made from the target side, and more accurately recognize the direction in which the target to be notified exists from the illumination device side. become.

It is the schematic which shows the example of the vehicle with which the illuminating device which concerns on embodiment of this invention is applied. It is a figure showing an example of the specific structure of the illuminating device shown in FIG. It is the figure which looked at the pedestrian shown in FIG. 1 from the illuminating device.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the embodiment shown below, when the number of each element is mentioned, the number, quantity, range, range, etc., unless otherwise specified or clearly specified in principle, the number mentioned. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The structures and the like described in the following embodiments are not necessarily essential to the present invention unless otherwise specified or clearly specified in principle.

1. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a vehicle 1 to which a lighting device 18 according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 1 is a view of the vehicle 1 as viewed from above.

  The lighting device 18 according to the embodiment of the present invention is mounted on a vehicle 1 including the recognition support device 10 and is used in the recognition support device 10. The recognition support device 10 is a device that supports mutual recognition between the host vehicle (driver) to which the recognition support device 10 is applied and the “specific target” to be alerted. More specifically, the “specific target” to be alerted is a “target that can recognize visible light”, and examples thereof include a person (for example, a pedestrian, a bicycle), an animal, and A device having an element capable of recognizing visible light is included. Hereinafter, in this embodiment, a pedestrian will be described as an example of a target to be alerted.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle 1 includes various sensors (not shown) that acquire information (for example, vehicle speed) related to the motion state of the vehicle 1, and various sensors that acquire information related to the surrounding environment and surrounding objects of the vehicle 1. And are attached. The latter sensor includes a millimeter wave sensor 12 and a camera sensor 14 as an example. The recognition support apparatus 10 includes an electronic control unit (ECU) 16 together with the millimeter wave sensor 12 and the camera sensor 14. The illumination device 18 is controlled by the ECU 16.

  The millimeter wave sensor 12 and the camera sensor 14 can be used for recognition of a target existing in front of the host vehicle 1. Specifically, the millimeter wave sensor 12 is provided in the front grill 20 of the vehicle 1 as an example. In the millimeter wave sensor 12, the ECU 16 determines the presence or absence of a target around the host vehicle 1, or the target information such as the distance between the host vehicle 1 and a surrounding object and the relative speed of the host vehicle 1 with respect to the target. Used to obtain.

  The camera sensor 14 is provided on the windshield 22 of the vehicle 1 as an example. The image photographed by the camera sensor 14 is used for discrimination of a target to be photographed (for example, a pedestrian, a bicycle, another vehicle). As an example, the camera sensor 14 is configured as a stereo camera capable of measuring the distance from the host vehicle 1 to a subject to be photographed.

  The ECU 16 includes a processor, a memory, and an input / output interface. The millimeter wave sensor 12 and the camera sensor 14 are connected to the ECU 16 directly or via a communication network such as a CAN (Controller Area Network) built in the vehicle 1. The information acquired by the sensors 12 and 14 is repeatedly transmitted to the ECU 16 at a predetermined cycle.

  The illumination device 18 is installed inside the headlamp unit 24 as an example in order to irradiate irradiation light in front of the host vehicle 1. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a specific configuration of the lighting device 18 illustrated in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 2A, the lighting device 18 includes a visible light source (for example, a light emitting element) 26, a plate 30 having a slit 28, and a projection lens 32. According to such a configuration, the light emitted from the visible light source 26 passes through the slit 28 before being projected onto the irradiation surface (road surface), and the shape of the light is determined as described below, and Thereafter, the image is magnified by the projection lens 32.

  FIG. 2B is an enlarged view of the slit 28 viewed from the light irradiation direction. As shown in FIG. 2B, the slit 28 includes a horizontal portion 28a formed so as to extend in the horizontal direction, and a vertical portion formed so as to extend vertically upward from the horizontal portion 28a in the center of the horizontal portion 28a. 28b.

  FIG. 1 shows a state where irradiation light passing through the slit 28 formed as described above is irradiated to a pedestrian (target). As shown in FIG. 1, the irradiation light is “first irradiation region” formed by light passing through the horizontal portion 28a of the slit 28 and “second irradiation region” formed by light passing through the vertical portion 28b. And have. The first irradiation region is formed by irradiating irradiation light having a first horizontal directivity angle toward the target. On the other hand, the second irradiation region is formed between the first irradiation region and the projection lens 32 of the illumination device 18 by irradiation with irradiation light having a second horizontal directivity angle toward the target. The first and second horizontal directivity angles are both directivity angles of the horizontal component of the irradiation light, and the second horizontal directivity angle is smaller than the first horizontal directivity angle.

  More specifically, the first irradiation area has a function of illuminating the pedestrian as shown in FIG. 1 and that the pedestrian is alerted by the light irradiated on the road surface (vehicle 1). For this reason, the 1st irradiation field is formed so that it may become wide with respect to the width of a pedestrian. Moreover, by widening in this way, the tolerance regarding the illuminating device 18 can be absorbed, and it is suppressed that irradiation light does not hit a pedestrian.

  On the other hand, the second irradiation area is a pedestrian illuminated by the first irradiation area from the driver side by irradiating thin linear light on the road surface between the vehicle 1 and the pedestrian. Is set so that a light stimulus can be obtained for emphasizing (that is, enabling intuitive recognition) and for the pedestrian to know from which vehicle the alert is given. In addition, as long as such a light stimulus can be obtained, the shape of the irradiation light in the second irradiation region is a shape having a specific meaning (for example, an arrow) instead of the thin line shape shown in FIG. ).

  FIG. 3 is a view of the pedestrian shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the irradiation range (vertical direction) of the light by the illumination device 18 is such that irradiation light is directly applied to the pedestrian's eyes in consideration of reducing the pedestrian's troublesomeness. It is set so that there is no. Therefore, the awareness of pedestrian alerting is based on light stimulation from the road surface, not light stimulation directly entering the eyes.

  The lighting device 18 includes an actuator (not shown) that can change the irradiation direction of the irradiation light. As an example, this actuator has a mechanism that can freely adjust the irradiation direction in the left-right direction and the vertical direction of the vehicle 1 using an electric motor. According to such an actuator, it is possible to effectively irradiate the pedestrian with irradiation light regardless of the position of the pedestrian to be alerted to the host vehicle 1.

  In the above-described illumination device 18, the visible light source 26, the projection lens 32, and the actuator irradiate irradiation light using a visible light source toward a target capable of recognizing visible light. Is equivalent to. The slit 28 corresponds to a “horizontal directivity angle setting unit according to the present invention” that sets the first and second horizontal directivity angles so that the first and second irradiation areas are formed.

2. Operation of Recognition Support Device Using Lighting Device The ECU 16 of the recognition support device 10 exists in front of the host vehicle 1 using the millimeter wave sensor 12 and the camera sensor 14 as an example during driving of the vehicle 1 at night. A target recognition process for recognizing the target is configured to be executed. Specifically, in the target recognition process, the ECU 16 receives an image around the host vehicle 1 from the camera sensor 14 via the input / output interface. Then, the ECU 16 determines the target by performing a predetermined image recognition process on the received image. In addition, the ECU 16 uses the millimeter wave sensor 12 and the camera sensor 14 to make other various peripheral target information (the distance between the host vehicle 1 and the peripheral target, the relative speed of the host vehicle 1 with respect to the peripheral target, etc. ).

  ECU16 is comprised so that light irradiation processing may be performed with said target recognition processing. Specifically, in the light irradiation process, the ECU 16 determines whether or not the target recognized by the target recognition process is a pedestrian to be alerted. When the recognized target is a pedestrian to be alerted, a command for irradiating the pedestrian with irradiation light is issued to the lighting device 18. Accordingly, the visible light source 26 of the illumination device 18 emits irradiation light having the first and second irradiation regions described above. More specifically, the illuminating device 18 performs irradiation after appropriately determining the irradiation direction by the actuator so that the pedestrian (target) exists in the first irradiation area.

3. Effect As described above, according to the illumination device 18 of the present embodiment, the irradiation of the target by the illumination device 18 uses the irradiation light having the first and second irradiation regions as shown in FIG. It is executed so that the target exists in the first irradiation area. And this irradiation light has the 2nd horizontal directivity angle which is the horizontal directivity angle of the irradiation light of the near side with respect to the own vehicle 1 (namely, 2nd irradiation area) around a target (namely, 1st). (Irradiation region) is formed to be smaller than the first horizontal directivity angle of the irradiation light.

  The irradiation light of the second irradiation region having a relatively small horizontal directivity angle has a function as an indicator that highlights and points out the direction of the other party from both the driver and the target. In other words, according to the irradiation light in the second irradiation area, the locus from the driver to the target is known. And according to the irradiation light of the 1st irradiation field where a horizontal directivity angle is comparatively large, a target can recognize irradiation light more certainly by illuminating a target more certainly. Therefore, from the target side, it is easy to recognize from which vehicle (illumination device) the notification using the irradiation light is made, and from the illumination device 18 (driver) side, the notification target (attention target) object It becomes possible to recognize the direction in which the mark exists more accurately. In addition, according to the illuminating device 18 of the present embodiment, it is possible to favorably alert the driver during the rough driving and promote the avoidance action of the pedestrian himself.

4). Another Example of Horizontal Directional Angle Setting Unit The above-described first and second horizontal directivity angles are not limited to the directivity of the visible light source, but are horizontal when the first and second irradiation areas are irradiated as shown in FIG. It represents the direction angle of the direction. And the horizontal directivity angle setting part which sets these 1st and 2nd horizontal directivity angles is not restricted to what uses the slit 28 like the example shown in FIG. That is, the horizontal directivity angle setting unit according to the present invention is an object installed in the propagation path of the irradiation light, and is an object having at least one of the transmittance and the reflectance of the visible light spectrum depending on the coordinates of the object. In addition to slits such as the slit 28, for example, a filter may be used. What is necessary is just to set arbitrarily the transmittance | permeability and reflectance with respect to a coordinate. Alternatively, the horizontal directivity angle setting unit may be realized, for example, by controlling a lighting pattern of these visible light sources using a plurality of visible light sources having different directivities.

  The examples described in the above-described embodiments and other modifications may be combined as appropriate within a possible range other than the explicit combinations, and various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. May be.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vehicle 10 Recognition support apparatus 12 Millimeter wave sensor 14 Camera sensor 16 Electronic control unit (ECU)
18 Illuminating device 26 Visible light source 28 Slit 28a Slit horizontal part 28b Slit vertical part 32 Projection lens

Claims (1)

An illumination unit that emits irradiation light using a visible light source toward a target that can recognize visible light, and
A horizontal directivity angle setting unit that sets a first horizontal directivity angle and a second horizontal directivity angle smaller than the first horizontal directivity angle as a directivity angle of a horizontal component of the irradiation light;
With
The horizontal directivity angle setting unit includes a first irradiation area formed by irradiating the irradiation light having the first horizontal directivity angle toward the target, and the second horizontal toward the target. The first horizontal directivity angle and the second irradiation area are formed so that a second irradiation area formed between the first irradiation area and the illumination unit is formed by irradiation with the irradiation light having a directivity angle. Set two horizontal directivity angles,
The illuminating unit irradiates the irradiation light such that the target is present in the first irradiation region.

Images