JP2022155845A - vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

To effectively suppress fogging of a window.SOLUTION: A vehicle 1 comprises: a photographing device 10 that photographs a space outside a vehicle through a window from a space in the vehicle; a route setting device 18 that sets a route up to a destination of the vehicle 1 on the basis of map information; a weather information obtaining device 18 that obtains weather information on the route from the outside; a heating device 19 that heats the window to suppress fogging of the window; and a control device 26 that controls the heating device 19. The control device 26 determines whether there is, on the route, an operation recommended section in which operation of the heating device 19 is recommended, on the basis of information on the route and the weather information, and when determining that there is the operation recommended section on the route, starts to operate the heating device 19 before the vehicle 1 arrives at the operation recommended section.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle equipped with a heating device for heating windows to suppress fogging of the windows.

Vehicles equipped with a heating device that heats windows in order to suppress fogging of the windows are conventionally known.

For example, Patent Document 1 describes a heater capable of heating a window member, a power receiving means for receiving power from an external power supply device, and a heater that operates when the power receiving means receives power from the power supply device. and a control means for controlling the state of the vehicle.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2020-111121

In the conventional technology described above, it is determined whether or not the heater needs to be activated based on the environment in which the vehicle is placed, and when it is determined that the heater needs to be activated, the heater is controlled to be in an activated state. With such control, it is difficult to accurately determine whether or not the heater needs to be activated on the route to the destination of the vehicle, and there is a risk that fogging of the windows cannot be effectively suppressed. be.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the background described above, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle capable of effectively suppressing fogging of windows.

In order to solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention is a vehicle (1), an imaging device (10) for imaging an exterior space (SP2) from an interior space (SP1) through a window (6); A route setting device (18) for setting a route to the destination of the vehicle based on map information, a weather information acquisition device (18) for acquiring weather information on the route from the outside, and suppressing fogging of the windows. and a control device (26) for controlling the heating device, wherein the control device controls the heating device based on the route information and the weather information. It is determined whether or not a recommended operation section for which operation is recommended exists on the route, and if the recommended operation section exists on the route, the heating is performed before the vehicle reaches the recommended operation section. Start the operation of the device.

According to this aspect, it is possible to accurately determine whether or not the recommended operation section exists on the route based on the information on the route and the weather information. Further, when the recommended operation section exists on the route, the heating device can be preliminarily operated to raise the temperature of the windows before the vehicle reaches the recommended operation section. Thereby, fogging of the window can be effectively suppressed.

In the above aspect, the vehicle further includes a battery (24) that supplies power to the heating device, and a power generation device (25) that generates power stored in the battery, and the control device controls the operating When the recommended section exists on the route, the power consumption of the heating device in the recommended operation section may be estimated, and the power generation device may be controlled based on the estimated power consumption.

According to this aspect, it is possible to cause the power generator to generate an appropriate amount of power based on the estimated power consumption of the heating device in the recommended operation section. Therefore, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the power generation device generates an amount of electric power exceeding the capacity of the battery, and it is possible to suppress energy loss due to the operation of the power generation device.

In the above aspect, the control device determines whether or not the charging rate of the battery is below a predetermined lower limit value in the recommended operation section based on the estimated power consumption, When it is determined that the charging rate is below the lower limit value, the operation of the power generation device may be started to increase the charging rate of the battery before the vehicle reaches the recommended operation section.

Generally, in order to operate the heating device, it is required to supply a relatively large amount of power from the battery to the heating device. Therefore, if the operation of the power generation device is started after the vehicle reaches the recommended operation section, the charging rate of the battery may fall below the lower limit value in the recommended operation section. According to the above aspect, considering such a situation, the operation of the power generation device is started before the vehicle reaches the recommended operation section as necessary. Therefore, even if a relatively large amount of power is consumed to operate the heating device, the charging rate of the battery can be maintained at an appropriate value.

In the above aspect, the vehicle further includes a failure sensor (45) that detects a failure of the heating device, and a notification device (17) that notifies an occupant of the failure of the heating device, wherein the failure sensor detects the failure of the heating device. When a failure of the heating device is detected and the recommended operation section does not exist on the route (ST1: No), the control device waits until a predetermined condition is satisfied (ST5, ST6: Yes). When the failure sensor detects a failure of the heating device and the recommended operation section exists on the route (ST1: Yes), the control device may allow the notification device to notify the failure of the heating device regardless of whether the predetermined condition is satisfied (ST2).

According to this aspect, when the recommended operation section does not exist on the route, notification of the failure of the heating device is prohibited until the predetermined condition is satisfied. As a result, it is possible to prevent the occupant from being bothered by the notification of the failure of the heating device. On the other hand, when the recommended operation section exists on the route, the notification of the failure of the heating device is permitted regardless of whether the predetermined condition is satisfied. Therefore, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the vehicle passes through the recommended operation section while the heating device is out of order.

In the above aspect, the control device operates the heating device when a predetermined operating condition is satisfied, the failure sensor detects a failure of the heating device, and the recommended operation section is on the route. If the vehicle does not exist (ST1: No) and the operating condition is not satisfied (ST5: No) and the vehicle arrives at the destination (ST6: Yes), the control device It is also possible to permit the notification of the failure of the heating device by the notification device when the destination is reached.

According to this aspect, until the vehicle reaches the destination, it is possible to prevent the occupant from being annoyed by the notification of the failure of the heating device.

In the above aspect, until the failure sensor detects a failure of the heating device, the recommended operation section does not exist on the route (ST1: No), and the vehicle reaches the destination. If the operating condition is satisfied during the time (ST5: Yes), the control device may allow the notification device to notify the failure of the heating device when the operating condition is satisfied.

According to this aspect, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the occupant does not notice the failure of the heating device even though the operating conditions for the heating device are satisfied.

In the above aspect, the control device controls the heating device by PWM control, and adjusts the duty ratio of the heating device until the vehicle reaches the recommended operation section. It may be set lower than the duty ratio of the heating device during running.

According to this aspect, it is possible to suppress consumption of a large amount of electric power due to the preliminary operation of the heating device until the vehicle reaches the recommended operation section.

In the above aspect, the weather information acquired from the outside by the weather information acquisition device includes the weather information for each section on the route at the estimated passage time, and the weather information for each section above.

According to this aspect, it is possible to more accurately determine whether or not the recommended operation section exists on the route based on the information on the route and the weather information.

According to the above configuration, it is possible to provide an anti-fogging system capable of effectively suppressing fogging of windows.

1 is a perspective view showing a vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a front window and its surroundings according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a vehicle and a weather information server according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a sequence diagram showing an example of a control flow of a vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4 is a graph exemplifying the relationship between the charging rate of the battery and the position of the vehicle on the route according to one embodiment of the present invention; 3 is a flow chart showing failure notification control according to one embodiment of the present invention;

<Vehicle 1>
First, a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG.

Referring to FIG. 1, vehicle 1 according to the present embodiment is an automobile. A vehicle 1 has a vehicle body 2 that is long in the front-rear direction. A vehicle interior space SP1 is formed inside the vehicle body 2, and a vehicle interior 3 for accommodating an occupant is provided in the front-rear direction central portion of the vehicle interior space SP1. The passenger compartment 3 is provided with, for example, a plurality of front seats 4 (driver's seat, front passenger's seat) and a plurality of rear seats 5 arranged behind the front seats 4 . In this embodiment, two rows of seats are provided in the front and rear, but in other embodiments, only one row of seats may be provided in the front and rear, or three or more rows of seats may be provided in the front and rear. good.

A front window 6 (an example of a window) is provided in front of the front seats 4 in the front part of the vehicle body 2 . The front window 6 is made of glass. In other embodiments, the front window 6 may be made of a transparent material other than glass (for example, transparent resin). A rear window 7 is provided behind a rear seat 5 in the rear part of the vehicle body 2 . A plurality of side doors 8 are provided on the sides of the front seat 4 and the rear seat 5 on both sides of the vehicle body 2 , and a side window 9 is provided above each side door 8 .

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a front camera 10 (an example of a photographing device) is provided above and behind the front window 6 . The front camera 10 is a device that captures an image of the vehicle exterior space SP2 (the space in front of the vehicle 1 in this embodiment) from the vehicle interior space SP1 through the front window 6 . The front camera 10 is, for example, a digital camera using a solid-state imaging device such as CCD or CMOS. The front camera 10 includes a lens that converges light incident from the front through the front window 6, and a sensor that converts the light converged by the lens into an electrical signal. Note that the arrow P in FIG. 2 indicates the field of view (photographable range) of the front camera 10 .

Referring to FIG. 2, front camera 10 is attached to the inner surface of front window 6 via bracket 11 . Bracket 11 includes a body portion 12 arranged around front camera 10 and a hood portion 13 extending forward from body portion 12 . The body portion 12 is fixed to the inner surface of the front window 6 . The hood part 13 surrounds the space in front of the lens of the front camera 10 together with the front window 6 . The hood portion 13 includes a bottom wall 13A extending in the left-right direction, and left and right side walls 13B (only the right side wall 13B is shown in FIG. 2) extending upward from both left and right ends of the bottom wall 13A.

Referring to FIG. 3, the vehicle 1 includes a propulsion device 14, a brake device 15, a steering device 16, an HMI 17 (Human Machine Interface: an example of a notification device), and a navigation device 18 (route setting device and weather information acquisition device). device), a heating device 19 , an air conditioner 20 , an occupant sensor 21 , an external sensor 22 , a vehicle sensor 23 , a battery 24 , a power generator 25 , and a control device 26 .

The propulsion device 14 is a device that applies driving force to the vehicle 1 . The propulsion device 14 includes, for example, an internal combustion engine such as a gasoline engine or a diesel engine and/or an electric motor.

The braking device 15 is a device that applies braking force to the vehicle 1 . The brake device 15 includes, for example, a brake caliper that presses a pad against the brake rotor and an electric cylinder that supplies hydraulic pressure to the brake caliper.

The steering device 16 is a device that changes the steering angle of the wheels. The steering device 16 includes, for example, a rack-and-pinion mechanism that steers the wheels, and an electric motor that drives the rack-and-pinion mechanism.

The HMI 17 is a device that notifies the occupant of various types of information (for example, a failure of the heating device 19) and receives an input operation from the occupant. The HMI 17 includes, for example, a touch panel, an audio generator, an ignition switch, and the like.

The navigation device 18 is a device that provides route guidance and the like to the destination of the vehicle 1 . The navigation device 18 includes an input device that receives an input operation from a passenger. This input device may be part of the HMI 17 or may be provided separately from the HMI 17 . The navigation device 18 stores map information. The navigation device 18 identifies the current position (latitude and longitude) of the vehicle 1 based on signals received from artificial satellites. The navigation device 18 plots a route from the departure point (for example, the current position) of the vehicle 1 to the destination based on the map information, the current position of the vehicle 1, and the destination of the vehicle 1 input by the occupant into the input device. set.

The navigation device 18 is connected to a weather information server 27 provided outside the vehicle 1 via a network N such as the Internet. The navigation device 18 acquires weather information for each section on the route from the weather information server 27 .

The heating device 19 is a device that suppresses fogging of the front window 6 by heating the front window 6 . Referring to FIG. 2 , heating device 19 is composed of a plurality of metal heating wires 28 that contact the inner surface of front window 6 . At least some of the plurality of heating wires 28 are preferably arranged within the field of view of the front camera 10 (see arrow P in FIG. 2). In another embodiment, the heating device 19 may be made of a transparent film such as an ITO film (Indium Tin Oxide Film). In another embodiment, the heating device 19 may be built in the front window 6 or may face the front window 6 with a gap therebetween.

Referring to FIG. 3, air conditioner 20 is a device that adjusts the air in vehicle interior space SP1. The air conditioner 20 includes a duct connected to the vehicle interior space SP1 and the vehicle exterior space SP2, an evaporator and a heater core installed in the duct, a blower fan that generates an air flow in the duct, and an electric motor that drives the blower fan. and including. The air conditioner 20 is provided so as to be able to switch the air volume (rotational speed of the blower fan) and the air conditioning mode. The air conditioning modes include, for example, an outside air introduction mode for introducing air from the outside space SP2 into the inside space SP1, an inside air circulation mode for circulating the air inside the inside space SP1, and a defroster mode for blowing air toward the front window 6. and are included.

The occupant sensor 21 is a sensor that detects the boarding state of the occupant. The occupant sensor 21 includes a seatbelt sensor 35 that detects the seatbelt wearing state of the occupant, and an occupant camera 36 that captures an image of the occupant.

The external sensor 22 is a sensor that detects targets existing in the vehicle exterior space SP2 (for example, obstacles and lane markings on the travel path of the vehicle 1). The external sensor 22 includes the aforementioned front camera 10 , sonar 38 , and vehicle exterior camera 39 .

The vehicle sensor 23 is a sensor that detects the state of the vehicle interior space SP1, the state of the vehicle exterior space SP2, the running state of the vehicle 1, the state of the heating device 19, the state of the battery 24, and the like. The vehicle sensors 23 include a vehicle interior temperature sensor 41 that detects the temperature of the vehicle interior space SP1 (hereinafter referred to as "vehicle temperature") and a vehicle interior humidity sensor that detects the humidity of the vehicle interior space SP1 (hereinafter referred to as "vehicle humidity"). 42, a vehicle exterior temperature sensor 43 that detects the temperature of the vehicle exterior space SP2 (hereinafter referred to as "vehicle exterior temperature"), a vehicle speed sensor 44 that detects vehicle speed, a failure sensor 45 that detects failure of the heating device 19, and a battery. and a battery sensor 46 that detects the state of charge (SOC) of 24. The failure sensor 45 detects failure of the heating device 19 based on the temperature and/or resistance of the heating device 19, for example. Battery sensor 46 detects the state of charge of battery 24 based on, for example, the current value, voltage value, and/or temperature of battery 24 .

The battery 24 is a device that supplies electric power to each component of the vehicle 1 (for example, the heating device 19). The battery 24 is composed of, for example, a secondary battery such as a lithium ion battery.

The power generation device 25 is a device that generates electric power that is stored in the battery 24 . The power generation device 25 is configured by, for example, an alternator connected to the internal combustion engine of the propulsion device 14, and is connected to the battery 24 via an AC/DC converter. Note that, in another embodiment, the power generator 25 may be configured by the electric motor of the propulsion device 14 . That is, in another embodiment, the regenerated electric power generated by the electric motor of the propulsion device 14 may be stored in the battery 24 .

The control device 26 is an electronic control unit including a CPU, ROM, RAM, and the like. The control device 26 is connected to each component of the vehicle 1 via a communication network such as CAN (Controller Area Network), and controls each component of the vehicle 1 .

The control device 26 includes an external world recognition unit 52 , a travel control unit 53 , an anti-fogging control unit 54 , a power generation control unit 55 , an action planning unit 56 and a storage unit 57 .

The external world recognition unit 52 of the control device 26 recognizes the positions of targets (for example, obstacles and lane markings on the roadway of the vehicle 1) existing in the vehicle exterior space SP2 based on the detection results of the external world sensor 22 . For example, the external world recognition unit 52 recognizes the position of a target existing in front of the vehicle 1 by analyzing changes in density values on the image captured by the front camera 10 .

A travel control unit 53 of the control device 26 controls travel of the vehicle 1 based on the detection results of the external sensor 22 and the vehicle sensor 23 . For example, when the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor 44 is equal to or higher than a predetermined first threshold speed, the travel control unit 53 executes lane keeping control based on the position of the lane marking recognized by the external world recognition unit 52 . In the lane keeping control, the travel control unit 53 controls the steering device 16 so that the vehicle 1 travels at a reference position (for example, the center in the width direction of the lane) within the lane partitioned by the lane markings. Further, when the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor 44 is equal to or higher than the predetermined second threshold speed, the travel control unit 53 executes collision mitigation control based on the position of the obstacle recognized by the external world recognition unit 52 . In the collision mitigation control, the travel control unit 53 controls the brake device 15 so as to avoid or reduce the collision between the vehicle 1 and an obstacle.

The anti-fogging control section 54 of the control device 26 controls the heating device 19 to suppress fogging of the front window 6 . For example, the anti-fogging control unit 54 controls the heating device 19 by PWM control based on the detection result of the vehicle sensor 23 or the like.

The anti-fogging control section 54 of the control device 26 operates the heating device 19 when a predetermined operating condition is satisfied. The operating conditions include, for example, the condition that the outside temperature of the vehicle is equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold temperature. Note that in other embodiments, the operating conditions may include conditions related to parameters other than the vehicle exterior temperature (for example, the temperature difference between the vehicle interior space SP1 and the vehicle exterior space SP2).

A power generation control unit 55 of the control device 26 controls the power generation device 25 based on the charging rate of the battery 24 detected by the battery sensor 46 . For example, the power generation control unit 55 sets a lower limit value and an upper limit value of the charging rate of the battery 24, and operates/stops the power generation device 25 and controls unit time so that the charging rate of the battery 24 falls between the lower limit value and the upper limit value. Switch the amount of power generated per unit.

The action planning unit 56 of the control device 26 creates a action plan for driving the vehicle 1 to the destination along the route set by the navigation device 18 .

The storage unit 57 of the control device 26 is composed of memory, HDD, and the like. The storage unit 57 stores programs, tables, and the like necessary for controlling the vehicle 1 .

<Control flow>
Next, an example of the control flow in the vehicle 1 as described above will be described with reference to FIG.

First, the passenger turns on the ignition switch (IG-ON). Thereby, the vehicle 1 is started. Next, the passenger inputs the destination of the vehicle 1 to the input device of the navigation device 18 . When the passenger completes input of the destination, the navigation device 18 sets a route from the starting point (for example, the current position) of the vehicle 1 to the destination based on the map information, the current position of the vehicle 1, and the destination. do. Furthermore, based on the set route, the navigation device 18 predicts the expected time that the vehicle 1 will pass through each section on the route (hereinafter referred to as "expected passage time") and the expected time that the vehicle 1 will arrive at the destination ( hereinafter referred to as "estimated arrival time"). Information relating to the route set by the navigation device 18, the expected passage time, and the expected arrival time is hereinafter referred to as "route information".

Next, the navigation device 18 transmits a signal requesting weather information on the route to the weather information server 27 together with the route information. In response, the weather information server 27 transmits weather information on the route to the navigation device 18 . The weather information on the route that the weather information server 27 transmits to the navigation device 18 includes, for example, information 1 to 4 below.
[Information 1] Temperature, humidity, and weather in each section on the route at the estimated passage time [Information 2] Each section on the route at a time (hereinafter referred to as "passage reference time") a predetermined time before the estimated passage time [Information 3] Temperature, humidity, and weather at the destination at the estimated arrival time

Next, the navigation device 18 transmits route information and weather information along the route to the control device 26 via a gateway (not shown). In response to this, the action planning unit 56 of the control device 26 determines whether or not there is an operation recommended section on the route where operation of the heating device 19 is recommended, based on the route information and the weather information on the route. (Recommended operation determination).

For example, when at least one of the following conditions 1 to 5 is satisfied, the action planning unit 56 determines that the recommended working section exists on the route.
[Condition 1] The temperature in each section on the route at the estimated time of passage and/or the temperature at the destination at the estimated time of arrival shall be below a predetermined reference temperature. [Condition 2] Humidity in each section on the route at the time of estimated passage. and/or the temperature at the destination at the estimated time of arrival is equal to or higher than a predetermined standard humidity [Condition 3] The weather in each section on the route at the estimated time of passage and/or the weather at the destination at the estimated time of arrival is a predetermined operating condition. Recommended weather (for example, rain or snow) [Condition 4] The weather in each section on the route at the reference time of passage and/or the weather at the destination at the reference time of arrival must be the above recommended weather for operation [Condition 5 ] The altitude of the destination is higher than the altitude of the departure point by a specified reference height or more.

If at least one of the above conditions 1 to 4 is satisfied for the temperature, humidity, or weather in a section on the route, the action planning unit 56 may set the section as a recommended operation section. When at least one of the above conditions 1 to 4 is satisfied with respect to the temperature, humidity, or weather of the destination, the action planning unit 56 sets the section closest to the destination among the sections on the route as the recommended operation section. good to do When the above condition 5 is satisfied, the action planning unit 56 recommends operation of all condition-satisfying sections (i.e., sections including points having a reference height or higher than the starting point) among the sections on the route. It is better to set it in the interval.

Next, the action planning unit 56 creates an action plan for the vehicle 1 on the route based on the determination result of the operation recommendation determination. The action plan includes a plan regarding start/stop timing of the heating device 19, a plan regarding the duty ratio of the heating device 19, a plan regarding start/stop timing of the power generation device 25, a plan regarding the operation rate (power generation rate) of the power generation device 25, and the like. .

When the recommended operation section exists on the route, the action planning unit 56 creates an action plan so that the heating device 19 starts operating before the vehicle 1 reaches the recommended operation section. For example, the action planning unit 56 may estimate the time when the vehicle 1 reaches the recommended operation section, and create an action plan so that the heating device 19 starts operating at a time a predetermined time before the estimated time. The action plan unit 56 sets the action plan so that the duty ratio of the heating device 19 in the section closer to the departure point than the recommended operation section is lower than the duty ratio of the heating device 19 in the recommended operation section. good to do

When the recommended operation section exists on the route, the action planning unit 56 estimates the power consumption of the heating device 19 (hereinafter referred to as "heating power consumption") in the recommended operation section. For example, the action planning unit 56 may estimate the heating power consumption to be larger as the temperature in the recommended operation section at the expected passage time is lower. In addition, the action planning unit 56 preferably estimates the heating power consumption to be larger as the humidity in the recommended operation section at the expected passage time is lower.

Referring to FIG. 5, when the recommended operation section exists on the route, the action planning unit 56 estimates the transition of the charging rate of the battery 24 in the recommended operation section based on the heating power consumption, It is determined whether or not the charging rate of the battery 24 is below the lower limit. When it is determined that the charging rate of the battery 24 is below the lower limit value in the recommended operation section (see solid line L1 in FIG. 5), the action planning unit 56 reduces the charging rate of the battery 24 before the vehicle 1 reaches the recommended operation section. An action plan is created so that the power generation device 25 will start operating in order to raise it (see broken line L2 in FIG. 5).

When the action plan created by the action plan unit 56 is completed and the vehicle 1 starts running, the anti-fogging control unit 54 of the control device 26 turns on the heating device 19 based on the action plan created by the action plan unit 56. Control. For example, when a recommended operation section exists on the route, the anti-fogging control unit 54 starts operating the heating device 19 with electric power from the battery 24 before the vehicle 1 reaches the recommended operation section, and the front window 6 increase the temperature of However, the anti-fogging control unit 54 determines the duty ratio of the heating device 19 until the vehicle 1 reaches the recommended operation section from the duty ratio of the heating device 19 while the vehicle 1 is traveling in the recommended operation section. set lower as well.

Moreover, when the vehicle 1 starts running, the power generation control unit 55 controls the power generation device 25 based on the action plan created by the action planning unit 56 . More specifically, when the recommended operation section exists on the route, the power generation control unit 55 controls the power generation device 25 based on the power consumption for heating (the power consumption of the heating device 19 in the recommended operation section). For example, when the recommended operation section exists on the route and the charging rate of the battery 24 in the recommended operation section is below the lower limit, the power generation control unit 55 controls the power generation device before the vehicle 1 reaches the recommended operation section. 25 is started (that is, the generator 25 is caused to start generating power). As a result, the battery 24 is charged with power supplied from the power generation device 25 to the battery 24 before the vehicle 1 reaches the recommended operation section, and the charging rate of the battery 24 increases.

As described above, when the recommended operation section exists on the route, the anti-fogging control unit 54 starts operating the heating device 19 before the vehicle 1 reaches the recommended operation section. As a result, the heating device 19 can be preliminarily operated to increase the temperature of the front window 6 before the vehicle 1 reaches the recommended operation section. As a result, fogging of the front window 6 can be effectively suppressed.

In addition, the anti-fogging control unit 54 determines the duty ratio of the heating device 19 until the vehicle 1 reaches the recommended operation section from the duty ratio of the heating device 19 while the vehicle 1 is traveling in the recommended operation section. is also set low. As a result, it is possible to prevent a large amount of electric power from being consumed due to the preliminary operation of the heating device 19 until the vehicle 1 reaches the recommended operation section.

Further, when the recommended operation section exists on the route, the power generation control unit 55 controls the power generation device 25 based on the power consumption for heating (the power consumption of the heating device 19 in the recommended operation section). Accordingly, it is possible to cause the power generation device 25 to generate an appropriate amount of power based on the estimated value of the power consumption of the heating device 19 in the recommended operation section. Therefore, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the power generation device 25 generates an amount of electric power exceeding the capacity of the battery 24, and it is possible to suppress energy loss due to the operation of the power generation device 25.

Normally, in order to operate the heating device 19 , it is required to supply a relatively large amount of power from the battery 24 to the heating device 19 . Therefore, if the power generator 25 starts operating after the vehicle 1 reaches the recommended operation section, the charging rate of the battery 24 may drop below the lower limit in the recommended operation section. Therefore, when it is estimated that the charging rate of the battery 24 falls below the lower limit in the recommended operation section, the power generation control unit 55 increases the charging rate of the battery 24 before the vehicle 1 reaches the recommended operation section. Therefore, the operation of the power generator 25 is started (see broken line L2 in FIG. 5). Therefore, even if a relatively large amount of power is consumed to operate the heating device 19, the charging rate of the battery 24 can be maintained at an appropriate value.

The weather information acquired by the navigation device 18 from the external weather information server 27 includes weather information for each section on the route at the estimated passage time, and route It contains weather information for each section above. Therefore, it is possible to predict not only whether it will rain or snow in each section on the route at the estimated passage time, but also whether rain or snow remains in each section on the route at the estimated passage time. Accordingly, it is possible to more accurately determine whether or not the recommended operation section exists on the route based on the route information and the weather information on the route.

<Failure notification control>
Next, the failure notification control executed by the action planning section 56 of the control device 26 will be described with reference to FIG. The failure notification control is control for determining whether or not to notify the occupant of the failure of the heating device 19 when the failure sensor 45 detects the failure of the heating device 19 . The following description is based on the premise that the vehicle 1 is stopped at the starting point when the failure notification control is started. can be

When the failure notification control is started, the action planning unit 56 determines whether or not the recommended operation section exists on the route (step ST1). The determination in this step ST1 is the same as the operation recommendation determination in the above-described control flow, so description thereof will be omitted.

If the recommended operation section exists on the route (step ST1: Yes), the action planning unit 56 causes the HMI 17 to notify the failure of the heating device 19 (step ST2). For example, the action planning unit 56 causes the touch panel of the HMI 17 to display a message indicating that the heating device 19 has failed.

On the other hand, if the recommended operation section does not exist on the route (step ST1: No), the action planning unit 56 starts running the vehicle 1 without notifying the HMI 17 of the failure of the heating device 19 (step ST3). .

Next, the action planning unit 56 acquires the outside temperature based on the detection result of the outside temperature sensor 43 (step ST4).

Next, the action planning unit 56 determines whether or not the operating conditions for the heating device 19 are satisfied. For example, the action planning unit 56 determines that the operating condition of the heating device 19 is established when the outside temperature acquired in step ST4 is equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold temperature (20° C. in this embodiment). On the other hand, the action planning unit 56 determines that the operating condition of the heating device 19 is not satisfied when the outside temperature acquired in step ST4 is higher than the threshold temperature.

If the operating conditions for the heating device 19 are satisfied (step ST5: Yes), the action planning unit 56 notifies the HMI 17 of the failure of the heating device 19 (step ST2).

On the other hand, if the operating conditions for the heating device 19 are not satisfied (step ST5: No), the action planning section 56 determines whether or not the vehicle 1 has arrived at the destination (step ST6). When the vehicle 1 has arrived at the destination (step ST6: Yes), the action planning unit 56 notifies the HMI 17 of the failure of the heating device 19 (step ST2). On the other hand, if the vehicle 1 has not arrived at the destination (step ST6: No), the action planning section 56 repeats steps ST4 to ST6 while the vehicle 1 continues to travel.

As described above, when the failure sensor 45 detects a failure of the heating device 19 and the recommended operation section does not exist on the route, the action planning unit 56 sets a predetermined condition (see steps ST5 and ST6 ) is established, the notification of the failure of the heating device 19 by the HMI 17 is prohibited. As a result, it is possible to prevent the occupant from being bothered by the notification of the failure of the heating device 19 .

On the other hand, when the failure sensor 45 detects a failure of the heating device 19 and the recommended operation section exists on the route, the action planning unit 56 determines whether or not the predetermined condition is satisfied. The notification of the failure of the heating device 19 by the HMI 17 is permitted. Therefore, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the vehicle 1 passes through the recommended operation section with the heating device 19 malfunctioning.

In addition, when the failure sensor 45 detects a failure of the heating device 19, the recommended operation section does not exist on the route, and the vehicle 1 arrives at the destination without the operating conditions being satisfied, the action plan The unit 56 permits the HMI 17 to report the failure of the heating device 19 when the vehicle 1 arrives at the destination. As a result, it is possible to prevent the occupant from being bothered by the notification of the failure of the heating device 19 until the vehicle 1 reaches the destination.

Further, when the failure sensor 45 detects a failure of the heating device 19, the recommended operation section does not exist on the route, and the operation condition is met before the vehicle 1 reaches the destination, The action planning unit 56 permits the HMI 17 to report the failure of the heating device 19 when the operating conditions are met. As a result, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the occupant does not notice the failure of the heating device 19 even though the operating conditions for the heating device 19 are satisfied.

In the above embodiment, the anti-fogging system X suppresses fogging of the front window 6, but in other embodiments, the anti-fogging system X may suppress fogging of the rear window 7 and the side windows 9. In other words, in the above embodiment, the front camera 10 is used as an example of an imaging device, but in other embodiments, a rear camera or a side camera (none of which is shown) may be used as an example of an imaging device.

Although the specific embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications, and can be widely modified.

1: Vehicle 6: Front window (an example of a window)
10: Front camera (an example of a photographing device)
17: HMI (an example of an alarm device)
18: Navigation device (an example of a route setting device and a weather information acquisition device)
19: heating device 24: battery 25: generator 26: control device 45: failure sensor SP1: vehicle interior space SP2: vehicle exterior space

Claims (8)

a photographing device for photographing the space outside the vehicle through the window from the space inside the vehicle;
a route setting device for setting a route to a vehicle destination based on map information;
a weather information acquisition device that acquires weather information on the route from the outside;
a heating device that heats the window to suppress fogging of the window;
and a control device that controls the heating device,
The control device determines whether or not a recommended operation section in which operation of the heating device is recommended exists on the route based on the information on the route and the weather information, and determines whether the recommended operation section exists on the route. , the heating device starts to operate before the vehicle reaches the recommended operation section. a battery that powers the heating device;
and a power generator that generates power stored in the battery,
The control device estimates power consumption of the heating device in the recommended operation section when the recommended operation section exists on the route, and controls the power generation device based on the estimated power consumption. A vehicle according to claim 1. The control device determines whether the charging rate of the battery is below a predetermined lower limit in the recommended operation section based on the estimated power consumption, and determines whether the charging rate of the battery is lower than the lower limit in the recommended operation section. 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein when it is determined that the value is below the value, the operation of the power generation device is started to increase the charging rate of the battery before the vehicle reaches the recommended operation section. vehicle. a failure sensor that detects a failure of the heating device;
and a notification device that notifies the occupant of the failure of the heating device,
When the failure sensor detects a failure of the heating device and the recommended operation section does not exist on the route, the control device controls the notification device until a predetermined condition is satisfied. Prohibiting notification of failure of the heating device,
When the failure sensor detects a failure of the heating device and the recommended operation section exists on the route, the control device controls whether the predetermined condition is satisfied or not. 4. The vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein notification of a failure of said heating device by a notification device is permitted. The control device operates the heating device when a predetermined operating condition is satisfied,
When the failure sensor detects a failure of the heating device, the recommended operation section does not exist on the route, and the vehicle arrives at the destination without the operating condition being satisfied, 5. The vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the control device permits notification of the failure of the heating device by the notification device when the vehicle arrives at the destination. When the failure sensor detects a failure of the heating device, the recommended operation section does not exist on the route, and the operation condition is satisfied before the vehicle reaches the destination. 6. The vehicle according to claim 5, wherein said control device permits notification of a failure of said heating device by said notification device when said operating condition is satisfied. The control device controls the heating device by PWM control, and adjusts the duty ratio of the heating device until the vehicle reaches the recommended operation section while the vehicle is traveling in the recommended operation section. 7. The vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the duty ratio of the heating device is set lower than that of the heating device. The weather information acquired from the outside by the weather information acquisition device includes the weather information for each section on the route at the estimated passage time and the information for each section on the route at a time a predetermined time before the estimated passage time. The vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the weather information and the weather information are included.

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