JP2023019333A - In-vehicle camera arrangement structure - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an in-vehicle camera arrangement structure which allows a front visual field of a driver to be secured sufficiently without impairing functions of cameras.SOLUTION: An in-vehicle camera arrangement structure includes: a vehicle front imaging camera 7 which is installed at a lower part of a windshield 6 and captures images of an area in front of a vehicle 1; and a driver imaging camera 8 which is installed at an upper part of a dash board 4 and captures images of a face of a driver D. The driver imaging camera 8 is arranged in a dead angle area 92 of the driver D which is generated by the vehicle front imaging camera 7.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to an arrangement structure of an in-vehicle camera.

BACKGROUND ART In recent years, vehicles such as passenger cars, commercial vehicles such as trucks and buses are equipped with various safe driving support devices in order to support the safe driving of drivers. For example, in order to monitor the state of consciousness and attention of the driver, some vehicles are equipped with a camera around the driver's seat for photographing the driver. Such a camera is mainly aimed at the driver's face, and monitors the driver's state of consciousness and attention by photographing the direction of the driver's face and eye movements.

In Patent Document 1, a monitoring device is installed on the lower surface of the overhanging portion of the meter hood that projects in the vehicle front-rear direction from the upper portion of the instrument panel on the instrument panel in front of the steering handle, using the empty space in the overhanging portion. Disclosed is to place a camera for Patent Document 2 discloses a configuration in which a camera and its pointing device are arranged on the upper surface of a meter hood of an instrument panel, and the camera and the pointing device can be housed in the meter hood.

In addition, as a safe driving support device other than the above, there are cases where a camera is provided on the upper part of the dashboard in order to monitor the lane ahead of the vehicle (lane departure warning) and obstacles (collision avoidance). Since such a camera takes a picture of the lane on the side of the own vehicle, it is desirable to be provided in the center of the dashboard.

In Patent Document 3, an in-vehicle camera that captures an image of the front of a non-bonnet type vehicle is housed in a storage portion attached to the upper surface of the dashboard via a leg portion, and is surrounded by the dashboard, the storage portion, and the leg portion. It is disclosed that a wide and clear image of the front of the non-bonnet type vehicle is captured and monitored with high accuracy by forming a wide space to ensure a sufficient field of vision for the passenger.

JP 2010-254084 JP 2008-189230 JP 2018-177104

By the way, when a plurality of cameras, one for capturing the front of the vehicle and the other for capturing the driver, are installed in the vehicle, for example, the camera for capturing the front of the vehicle is installed in the center of the upper surface of the dashboard, and the driver is captured. If a camera for driving is installed near the meter hood in front of the driver's seat, the front field of vision of the driver is narrowed by the two cameras installed at different positions.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and does not impair the functions of a plurality of cameras, one for photographing the front of the vehicle and the other for photographing the driver, and furthermore, secures a sufficient forward field of vision for the driver. It is an object of the present invention to provide a possible in-vehicle camera arrangement structure.

The present invention has been made to solve at least part of the above problems, and can be implemented as the following aspects or application examples.

The arrangement structure of the in-vehicle camera according to this application example is as follows: a vehicle forward photographing camera that is installed below the windshield to photograph the front of the vehicle, and a driver photographing camera that is installed above the dashboard to photograph the driver's face. and, wherein the driver shooting camera is arranged in the driver's blind spot area caused by the vehicle forward shooting camera.

In the arrangement structure of the in-vehicle camera configured in this way, the driver shooting camera is arranged in the driver's blind spot area created by the vehicle front shooting camera, so that the function of each camera is not impaired, and furthermore, the driver's shooting camera is not impaired. It is possible to provide an in-vehicle camera arrangement structure capable of ensuring a sufficient forward field of view.

1 is a schematic view of the interior of a vehicle, showing the layout structure of an in-vehicle camera according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the inside of the vehicle showing the arrangement structure of the in-vehicle camera viewed in the direction P (rightward from the left side) of FIG. 1 ;

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the interior of a vehicle 1 viewed from above, showing the arrangement structure of an in-vehicle camera (vehicle front camera 7 and driver camera 8) according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the interior of the vehicle 1 showing the arrangement structure of the in-vehicle camera according to one embodiment of the present invention, viewed in the direction P (rightward from the left side) of FIG. In this embodiment, a so-called non-bonnet type vehicle 1 such as a truck is shown. The vehicle 1 includes a driver's seat 31 , a passenger's seat 32 , and a dashboard 4 arranged in front of the driver's seat 31 in a passenger compartment 2 . The dashboard 4 has a meter bezel 41 and an instrument panel 42 on the driver's seat 31 side. The instrument panel 42 is arranged inside the vehicle interior 2 (on the front passenger seat 32 side as seen from the driver's seat 31 side) relative to the meter bezel 41 . A hood portion 43 (detailed structure is not shown) is provided on the upper portion of the meter bezel 41 so as to cover the meter bezel 41 like an eave and extend toward the driver's seat 31 side.

A steering column 51 and a steering wheel 52 attached to the steering column 51 are provided between the instrument panel 42 and the driver's seat 31 (see FIG. 2).

A windshield 6 is arranged in the left-right direction where a driver's seat 31 and a front passenger's seat 32 are located in front of the passenger compartment 2 (that is, in front of the dashboard 4). The windshield 6 is arranged so that its front surface faces forward and slightly upward (see FIG. 2). Further, the left and right end portions of the windshield 6 are provided so as to be slightly curved rearward (see FIG. 1).

The vehicle 1 is provided with a vehicle forward photographing camera 7 using a multi-purpose camera above the dashboard 4 and below the windshield 6 (see also FIG. 2). The vehicle forward photographing camera 7 is a device for photographing and monitoring the front of the vehicle 1, and is capable of detecting the inter-vehicle distance from other vehicles positioned in front of the vehicle 1, lanes, and the like. As shown in FIG. 2, the upper surface 4a of the dashboard 4 is inclined downward toward the front, so that the space between the windshield 6 and the dashboard 4 narrows downward. .

A vehicle interior 2 of the vehicle 1 is formed with a visual field area 91 in which the outside of the vehicle can be visually recognized through the windshield 6 from the driver D side. The vehicle forward photographing camera 7 is arranged below the windshield 6 and below the position of the driver D's face. The vehicle forward photographing camera 7 is fixed to the inner surface of the windshield 6 on the compartment 2 side. In addition, the vehicle forward photographing camera 7 forms a blind spot area 92 which is a direct visual obstruction range that obstructs the driver's D side's view of the outside of the vehicle through the windshield 6 . The blind spot area 92 is a cone-shaped spatial area having a predetermined solid angle formed according to the external shape of the vehicle forward photographing camera 7 . For example, the blind spot area 92 is formed in a pyramidal shape and extends from the position of the driver D's face forward and downward of the vehicle 1 .

A driver photographing camera 8 for photographing the face of the driver D is installed above the dashboard 4 . The driver photographing camera 8 of the present embodiment is provided on the upper surface 4a of the dashboard 4 on the instrument panel 42 side. The driver photographing camera 8 photographs the face of the driver D positioned within the photographing area 93, detects the line of sight direction and the blinking action of the driver D, and can monitor carelessness of the driver D during driving. The driver photographing camera 8 is arranged near the face of the driver D (for example, within 1 m from the face), so that the face of the driver D can be recognized well.

The driver photographing camera 8 is arranged within a blind spot area 92 of the driver D caused by the vehicle forward photographing camera 7 . The configuration in which the driver's camera 8 is arranged within the blind spot area 92 includes a configuration in which part or all of the driver's camera 8 (for example, part of the housing) is arranged within the blind spot area 92 . In the present embodiment, the entire housing of the driver imaging camera 8 is placed within the blind spot area 92 in plan view in FIG. 1, and most of the upper side of the driver imaging camera 8 in side view in FIG. Located within 92. Although the face of the driver D may move, the driver photographing camera 8 is provided in a range that can be positioned within the blind spot area 92 even if the face of the driver D moves.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2 , other structures of the vehicle 1 such as the dashboard 4 may be positioned in part of the blind spot area 92 of the vehicle forward photographing camera 7 . In the present embodiment, part of the driver shooting camera 8 is positioned within the blind spot area 92 of the vehicle front shooting camera 7, and the other part of the driver shooting camera 8 is positioned within the blind spot area (as viewed from the driver D side) by the dashboard 4. Since the visual field area 91 of the windshield 6 is located within the area blocked by the dashboard 4, the driver's imaging camera 8 is not reduced in the visual field area 91 of the driver D as compared with the case where the driver imaging camera 8 is not arranged. can be placed in the vehicle 1 .

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, since the vehicle forward photographing camera 7 is positioned substantially in the center of the vehicle 1 in the left-right direction, the blind spot area 92 is provided on the left side of the steering wheel 52 (that is, on the passenger seat 32 side with respect to the driver's seat 31). be done. Therefore, the steering wheel 52 does not block the driver's face from the driver's photographing camera 8 arranged in the blind spot area 92 . Therefore, the driver photographing camera 8 can photograph the face of the driver D well.

Further, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the driver photographing camera 8 is provided below the position of the driver D's face. Therefore, even when the driver D faces obliquely downward (for example, when the driver D is in a state where the driver D is in a downward posture), the driver photographing camera 8 recognizes the driver D's face, can be well recognized. Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the driver's photographing camera 8 is arranged above the instrument panel 42, even when the driver D operates the instrument panel 42, the photographing area of the driver's photographing camera 8 can be captured by the driver's hand or the like. Blockage of 93 can be reduced.

A part of the housing of the driver photographing camera 8 is arranged within the blind spot area 92, and the other part is positioned within the visual field area 91 seen from the driver D (that is, outside the blind spot area 92). However, since the blind spot area 92 already formed by the vehicle forward photographing camera 7 can be effectively used to suppress the reduction of the visual field area 91, the functions of the vehicle forward photographing camera 7 and the driver photographing camera 8 can be prevented. Therefore, the forward visibility of the driver D can be sufficiently secured.

The arrangement structure of the in-vehicle camera configured as described above includes the vehicle forward photographing camera 7 which is installed below the windshield 6 and photographs the front of the vehicle 1, and the vehicle front photographing camera 7 which is installed above the dashboard 4 and which is installed above the driver D. a driver photographing camera 8 for photographing the face of the driver D, and the driver photographing camera 8 is arranged in a blind spot area 92 of the driver D produced by the vehicle front photographing camera 7. - 特許庁Therefore, the arrangement structure of the in-vehicle camera described in this embodiment does not impair the function of each camera (vehicle forward photographing camera 7 and driver photographing camera 8), and further secures a sufficient forward field of vision for driver D. becomes possible.

This completes the description of the embodiment of the arrangement structure of the in-vehicle camera according to the present invention, but the aspect of the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.

For example, in the present embodiment, an example in which the arrangement structure of the in-vehicle camera is applied to a non-bonnet type vehicle 1 such as a so-called bus, truck, or bus has been described. It may be applied to a bonnet type vehicle such as a passenger car as long as the driver photographing camera 8 is arranged in the rear.

In addition, in the configuration in which the vehicle forward photographing camera 7 is arranged below the windshield 6, the vehicle forward photographing camera 7 can be positioned at any position including the lower end of the windshield 6 and a certain range above the lower end. can include a configuration that is placed in the

1 and 2 of the present embodiment illustrate an example in which the driver photographing camera 8 is formed smaller than the vehicle front photographing camera 7, but the driver photographing camera 8 is the same as the vehicle front photographing camera 7 or It may be larger than the photographing camera 7. In this case as well, the driver photographing camera 8 can be arranged in the blind spot area 92 of the driver D caused by the vehicle forward photographing camera 7 .

1 Vehicle 2 Vehicle interior 4 Dashboard 4a Upper surface 6 Windshield 7 Vehicle forward photographing camera 8 Driver photographing camera 31 Driver's seat 32 Passenger seat 41 Meter bezel 42 Instrument panel 43 Hood 51 Steering column 52 Steering wheel 91 Visibility area 92 Blind spot area 93 Shooting area D driver

Claims (1)

A vehicle forward photographing camera that is installed in the lower part of the windshield and photographs the front of the vehicle;
A driver shooting camera installed on the upper part of the dashboard that shoots the driver's face,
with
The in-vehicle camera arrangement structure, wherein the driver photographing camera is arranged in a driver's blind spot area caused by the vehicle forward photographing camera.

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