JP2020149489A - Vehicle control device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a vehicle control device capable of performing appropriate alarming and warning operation in consideration of an environment surrounding a host vehicle.SOLUTION: A vehicle control device 11 of a vehicle control system 1 provided herein comprises: an abandonment detection unit configured to detect abandonment of a living body inside a host vehicle; an alarm generation unit 41 configured to operate when a level of danger the abandoned living body is in is relatively high to generate a relatively loud alarm; a warning output unit 53 configured to operate when the level of danger the abandoned living body is in is relatively low to generate a relatively low-volume warning; and a surrounding noise level detection unit 36 for detecting a noise level in the surroundings of the host vehicle. The vehicle control device also comprises a control unit 51 configured to provide control such that the abandonment alarm generation unit 41 generates an alarm of a fixed volume regardless of the noise level, and that the abandonment warning generation unit 53 generates a warning of a lower volume when the noise level is low as compared with a volume when the noise level is high.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle control device that detects an abandoned state in a vehicle and gives an alarm / warning to the state.

Conventionally, there is known a device that detects, for example, an abandoned state of an infant in a vehicle and notifies the surroundings of the state by, for example, an alarm. It should be noted that the detection of abandonment in a vehicle is required not only for infants but also for children and adults such as the elderly.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-144432

It is easy to cause problems with residents of hospitals and residential areas, for example, if the warning operation for the abandoned state in the vehicle is always performed at a uniform volume without considering the environment and time zone around the vehicle. ..

In response to such a problem, for example, in Patent Document 1, the volume of the notification sound for calling attention is set to a high volume near roads and railroad tracks, and is set to a low volume in hospitals and residential areas at midnight. It is disclosed to do.

However, the warning operation when the vehicle is left behind is important, and simply reducing the volume in consideration of the environment may make it impossible to perform an appropriate warning operation.

One aspect of the present invention is to provide a vehicle control device capable of appropriately performing an alarm / warning operation for an abandoned state while considering the environment of a position where a vehicle exists.

The vehicle control device according to one aspect of the present disclosure operates in the case of the abandoned state detecting unit that detects the abandoned state of the living body in the vehicle and the abandoned state in which the risk of the living body is relatively high, and is relative. An alarm output unit that outputs a loud alarm output, a warning output unit that operates in the left-behind state where the risk of the living body is relatively low, and an alarm output unit that outputs a relatively low volume alarm, and the own vehicle The ambient noise level detection unit that detects the ambient noise level and the alarm output unit output an alarm at a constant volume regardless of the noise level, and when the noise level is low, the warning output unit performs the noise. It is provided with the alarm output unit and a control unit that controls the warning output unit so as to output a warning output at a lower volume than when the level is high.

According to the above configuration, the alarm output unit operates in the case of a left-behind state in which the risk of the living body is relatively high, and outputs a relatively loud alarm. The warning output unit operates when the risk of the living body is relatively low and is left behind, and outputs a relatively low volume warning. The ambient noise level detection unit detects the noise level around the own vehicle. The control unit controls the alarm output unit so that when the alarm output unit operates, the alarm output is performed at a constant volume regardless of the noise level. Further, the control unit controls the warning output unit so that when the warning output unit operates, when the noise level is low, a lower volume warning output is performed than when the noise level is high.

As a result, the alarm output unit can appropriately perform an important alarm operation for a left-behind dangerous state regardless of the environmental conditions of the own vehicle. Further, when the noise level is low, the warning output unit can perform a warning operation at a volume level in consideration of the surrounding environment where the noise level is low. Therefore, the vehicle control device can appropriately perform the warning / warning operation while considering the environment of the position where the vehicle exists.

The vehicle control device includes a time detection unit, and when the time zone detected by the time detection unit is other than midnight or early morning and the noise level is low, the volume of the warning output is increased. When the volume is at the standard level, the time zone detected by the time detector is midnight or early morning, and the noise level is low, the warning is made so that the volume of the warning output is lower than the volume of the standard level. It may be configured to control the output unit.

According to the above configuration, the control unit controls the warning output unit so that the volume of the warning output becomes the standard level volume when the time zone is other than midnight or early morning and the noise level is low. Further, the control unit controls the warning output unit so that the volume of the warning output becomes lower than the volume of the standard level when the time zone is midnight or early morning and the noise level is low.

As a result, the vehicle control device can perform a more environmentally friendly warning operation when the time zone is midnight or early morning.

The vehicle control device includes a solar radiation amount detection unit, and the control unit sets an operation start time of the warning output unit when the solar radiation amount detected by the solar radiation amount detection unit is equal to or more than a predetermined threshold value. The operation start time may be earlier than the operation start time when the amount of solar radiation is less than the predetermined threshold value.

According to the above configuration, when the amount of solar radiation detected by the amount of solar radiation detection unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, the control unit sets the operation start time of the warning output unit to be less than the predetermined threshold value. Make it earlier than the operation start time in some cases.

When the amount of solar radiation is large, the temperature inside the vehicle rises faster, and it is easier to reach the dangerous temperature faster than when the amount of solar radiation is small. Therefore, when the amount of solar radiation is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, it is possible to promptly warn that the vehicle is in a dangerous state for the living body in the vehicle interior by accelerating the operation start time of the warning output unit.

According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to appropriately perform the alarm warning operation while considering the environment at the position where the vehicle exists.

It is explanatory drawing which shows the outline of the operation of the vehicle control system of embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the hardware structure of the vehicle control system of embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the functional structure of the vehicle control system shown in FIG. Relationship between solar radiation, ambient noise, warning alarm start time, and warning alarm volume for times other than midnight or early morning, and midnight or early morning when the left-behind warning alarm device shown in FIG. 3 operates. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example. It is a flowchart which shows the operation of the vehicle control system shown in FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments according to one aspect of the present invention (hereinafter, also referred to as “the present embodiment”) will be described.
§1 Application example (Fig. 1)
(1) Optimize the alarm / warning operation for leaving according to the time of day.
This alarm has a constant volume day and night. Warning alarms should be low volume at midnight and early morning.

(2) Optimize the alarm volume according to the ambient noise.
This alarm has a constant volume regardless of the surrounding environment. Warning alarms should be low volume in low noise environments.

(3) Optimize the warning start time according to the amount of solar radiation.
In a high solar radiation environment, the warning start time should be advanced. In a low solar radiation environment, the warning start time will be the same as usual.
§2 Configuration example [Embodiment 1]
Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

(Outline of operation of vehicle control system 1)
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an outline of the operation of the vehicle control system of the present embodiment. When the vehicle is locked while the biological sensor detects the living body, the vehicle control system appropriately performs an alarm warning operation. For example, the abandonment warning alarm is activated after the lapse of the first predetermined time. In addition, when the temperature inside the vehicle rises to a temperature that is dangerous to the living body, this alarm is issued (this alarm device is operated). In addition, this alarm is issued after the second predetermined time has elapsed. As is well known, the biosensor detects a living body by irradiating the inside of a vehicle with radio waves and taking the minute respiration and pulse wave movement of the living body received by the reflected wave.

Further, in the alarm warning operation, this alarm has a constant volume regardless of day and night, and the warning alarm has a low volume at midnight and early morning. Further, this alarm has a constant volume regardless of the surrounding environment, and the warning alarm has a low volume in a low noise environment. However, this alarm may change the voice pattern between the time zone of midnight and early morning and the time zone other than that. For example, the midnight and early morning hours have a long pattern of short audio intervals, and the midnight and early morning hours have a short pattern of long audio intervals.

(Configuration of vehicle control system 1)
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of the vehicle control system 1 of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle control system 1 includes an in-vehicle monitoring unit and a body control unit. These in-vehicle monitoring units and body control units are connected by an in-vehicle LAN.

A clock, a temperature sensor, a door lock / unlock switch, a parking brake switch, a seatbelt switch and a biosensor are connected to the in-vehicle monitoring unit. An alarm device for issuing this alarm and a warning alarm device are connected to the body control unit. Further, an auto light control unit is connected to the in-vehicle monitoring unit and the body control unit. A solar radiation sensor is connected to the auto light control unit.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the vehicle control system 1 shown in FIG. The control unit 51 shown in FIG. 3 has functions as an in-vehicle monitoring unit and a body control unit shown in FIG. In addition, instead of the control unit 51, a first control unit having a function as an in-vehicle monitoring unit and a second control unit having a function as a body control unit may be provided.

As shown in FIG. 3, the vehicle control system 1 includes a vehicle control device 11, a temperature sensor 21, a biological sensor 22, a solar radiation sensor 23, a vehicle door lock / unlock switch 24, a vehicle door open / close switch 25, and a parking brake switch 26. It includes a microphone 27, a clock 28, a left-behind warning device 61, and a left-behind warning alarm device 62. The abandoned alarm device 61 is composed of a horn or the like, and is provided on the roof of a vehicle, for example, so that a loud alarm can be given. The abandonment warning alarm device 62 is, for example, a security alarm provided inside the vehicle, and can emit a warning sound at a lower volume than the abandonment warning device 61. Instead of this, the parking brake switch 25 may be a seatbelt switch or the like that detects an operation performed by a vehicle occupant when getting off the vehicle.

The vehicle control device 11 includes a control unit 51, a vehicle interior temperature detection unit 31, a biological detection unit 32, a solar radiation amount detection unit 33, a vehicle door information input unit 34, a disembarkation intention detection unit 35, an ambient noise level detection unit 36, and a time detection. It includes a unit 37, an abandoned alarm output unit 41, a communication control unit 42, and an abandoned warning output unit 43.

The vehicle interior temperature detection unit 31 notifies the control unit 51 of the detection temperature of the temperature sensor 21. The biological detection unit 32 notifies the control unit 51 of the presence or absence of a living body in the vehicle interior detected by the biological sensor 22. The solar radiation amount detection unit 33 notifies the control unit 51 of the solar radiation amount detected by the solar radiation sensor 23. The vehicle door information input unit 34 is obtained from the vehicle door lock / unlock switch 24, information on whether the vehicle door is locked or unlocked, and the vehicle door obtained from the vehicle door open / close switch 25 is closed. The control unit 51 is notified of information on whether it is in the state or the open state. The disembarkation intention detection unit 35 notifies the control unit 51 of the state in which the parking brake switch 26 is on as the vehicle occupant's intention to disembark. The ambient noise level detection unit 36 notifies the control unit 51 of the noise level around the vehicle detected by the microphone 27. The time detection unit 37 notifies the control unit 51 of the time information obtained from the clock 28.

In the present embodiment, the biological detection unit 32 and the vehicle door information input unit 34 constitute an abandoned state detection unit. In the state where the abandoned state detection unit detects the abandoned state, the biological detection unit 32 determines that the living body is present in the vehicle interior based on the detection result of the biological sensor 22, and the vehicle door information input unit 34 determines that the vehicle door lock / unlock switch. It is a state in which the information that the vehicle door is locked is obtained from 24. Further, the determination of the intention to get off is not limited to the on / off of the parking brake switch 26 shown as an example, and may be performed by, for example, the off / on of the seatbelt switch or the off / on of the engine.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the relationship between the amount of solar radiation, ambient noise, warning alarm start time, and warning alarm volume for a time zone other than midnight or early morning, and a time zone of midnight or early morning. As shown in FIG. 4, the control unit 51 controls the volume and operation start time of the warning alarm device 62 according to the environmental conditions (each of the above conditions) of the own vehicle.

(Operation of vehicle control system 1)
In the above configuration, the operation of the vehicle control system 1 will be described. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the vehicle control system 1 shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the disembarkation intention detection unit 34 detects the occupant's intention to disembark state (S11) and the vehicle door information input unit 34 notifies the door to be locked (S12). , Starts biometric detection in the vehicle (S13). It should be noted that the determination of whether or not there is an intention to disembark in S11 is a preliminary operation for smoothly shifting to the start of in-vehicle biometric detection, and is not essential.

Next, the control unit 51 acquires the environmental conditions of the own vehicle. Specifically, the current time is acquired from the time detection unit 37, the amount of solar radiation is acquired from the solar radiation amount detection unit 33, and the ambient noise level is acquired from the ambient noise level detection unit 36 (S14).

Next, the control unit 51 sets the alarm / warning alarm. Specifically, the warning alarm volume setting, the warning pattern setting, and the warning alarm start time setting are performed (S15).

After that, when the biological detection unit 32 notifies the detection of the living body in the vehicle (S16), the control unit 51 determines whether or not it is in a dangerous state of being left behind (S17). The abandoned dangerous state is an abandoned state in which the degree of danger of the living body is relatively high, and the temperature inside the vehicle notified from the vehicle interior temperature detection unit 31 is equal to or higher than the upper limit dangerous temperature threshold value (for example, 21 ° C. or higher) or the lower limit. It is in a state of being below the dangerous temperature threshold value (for example, 10 ° C. or less). Alternatively, the elapsed time from locking in S12 (notified by the time detection unit 35) is, for example, 30 minutes or 1 hour, and the person is left in the vehicle for a long time. The abandoned state other than the abandoned dangerous state (the abandoned state in which the risk of the living body is relatively high) is the abandoned state in which the risk of the living body is relatively low.

When the control unit 51 determines in S17 that it is in a dangerous state of being left behind, the left-behind alarm output unit 41 operates the left-behind alarm device 61 (S20). As a result, regardless of the environmental conditions of the own vehicle, this alarm is performed at a louder volume than the warning alarm. As a result, it is possible to appropriately issue this important alarm for the abandoned dangerous state. In this case, if it is set to require an external report, the designated report destination is appropriately notified that it is in a dangerous state of being left behind.
Further, the hazard lamp may be blinked at the same time as this alarm. After that, the operation proceeds to S21. Further, in S18, even if the warning alarm start time has not been reached, the process proceeds to S21.

Further, the control unit 51 determines in S17 whether or not the warning alarm start time has been reached if it is not in a dangerous state of being left behind (S18), and if the warning alarm start time has been reached, the left-behind warning output unit 43 warns of leaving. The alarm device 62 is operated (S19). As a result, a warning alarm is issued. After that, the operation proceeds to S21.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 4, the warning alarm start time in S18 is a standard time zone other than midnight or early morning when the amount of solar radiation is large (when it is equal to or more than a predetermined threshold value). It will be earlier than the start time, and if the amount of solar radiation is small (less than a predetermined threshold value), it will be the standard start time. Further, the volume of the warning alarm in S19 is a standard volume when the ambient noise level is low, and is increased with respect to the standard volume when the ambient noise level is high. As a result, the warning alarm is performed at a volume level that takes into consideration the surrounding environment (ambient noise level).

Next, if the vehicle door information input unit 33 does not notify the door opening in S21, the control unit 51 returns to S16 and repeats the subsequent operations. On the other hand, when the vehicle door information input unit 33 notifies the door opening in S21, the biological detection in the vehicle is terminated (S22), and the alarm warning operation (this alarm and the warning alarm) is terminated (S23).

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the claims, and the embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in the different embodiments. Is also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

1 Vehicle control system 11 Vehicle control device 23 Solar radiation sensor 32 Biometric detection unit (left-behind state detection unit)
33 Insolation amount detection unit 34 Vehicle door information input unit (left-behind state detection unit)
36 Ambient noise level detection unit 37 Time detection unit 41 Left-behind alarm output unit (alarm output unit)
43 Left-behind warning output section (warning output section)
51 Control unit 61 Left-behind alarm device 62 Left-behind warning alarm device

Claims (3)

An abandoned state detector that detects the abandoned state of a living body in a vehicle,
An alarm output unit that operates in the case of the left-behind state where the risk of the living body is relatively high and outputs a relatively loud alarm,
A warning output unit that operates in the case of the left-behind state where the risk of the living body is relatively low and outputs a relatively low volume warning
An ambient noise level detector that detects the noise level around the vehicle,
Regardless of the noise level, the alarm output unit outputs an alarm at a constant volume, and when the noise level is low, the warning output unit outputs a warning output at a lower volume than when the noise level is high. A vehicle control device including the alarm output unit and a control unit that controls the warning output unit. Equipped with a time detector
In the control unit, when the time zone detected by the time detection unit is other than midnight or early morning and the noise level is low, the volume of the warning output becomes a standard level volume, and the time detection unit detects it. The vehicle control according to claim 1, wherein the warning output unit is controlled so that the volume of the warning output becomes lower than the volume of the standard level when the time zone is midnight or early morning and the noise level is low. apparatus. Equipped with a solar radiation detector
When the amount of solar radiation detected by the amount of solar radiation detection unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, the control unit sets the operation start time of the warning output unit when the amount of solar radiation is less than the predetermined threshold value. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the operation start time of the vehicle is set to be earlier than the operation start time of the above.

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