JP2024020830A - Air conditioning monitoring device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an air conditioning monitoring device that requires a vehicle occupant to start operating an air conditioning system when there is a risk of condensation forming on cabin windows and, if the air conditioning system does not start operating, changes to an operation mode that involves a higher degree of driver involvement before condensation forms on the windows.SOLUTION: An air conditioning monitoring device includes: an estimation unit that is installed in a vehicle having a plurality of operation modes with different degrees of an automatic controller involving a driver's operation and estimates a condensation generation time when the air conditioning device is stopped; and a control unit that notifies an occupant of a start request to start operation of the air conditioning device when the condensation generation time is shorter than a first reference time. The control unit decides to change the operation mode of a vehicle to another operation mode in which the driver is more involved in the operation than the current operation mode when the operation of the air conditioning device is not started before a second reference time shorter than the condensation generation time elapses from the time when the condensation generation time is estimated by the estimation unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present disclosure relates to an air conditioning monitoring device.

An automatic control system for a vehicle has, for example, an automatic driving mode in which the automatic control system primarily drives the vehicle, and a manual driving mode in which the driver primarily drives the vehicle. In the automatic driving mode, some or all of the driving operations necessary for driving the vehicle 10 are automatically performed, so that the degree of involvement of the driver in driving is low. On the other hand, in the manual driving mode, there are fewer or no types of driving operations that are automatically executed than in the automatic driving mode, so the degree of involvement of the driver in driving is high.

The automatic control system controls the air conditioner installed in the vehicle so as to provide the driver with a comfortable indoor environment no matter which driving mode the vehicle is operated in (for example, Patent Document 1 reference).

The United Nations Regulations on Automated Driving of Vehicles stipulates that even when the vehicle is being operated in automated mode, the automated control system must control the vehicle so that the driver can resume driving the vehicle in manual mode at any time. ing. To this end, the automatic control system controls the air conditioner to ensure the driver's visibility so that the windows in the passenger compartment do not fog up due to condensation.

JP2017-202768A

When an automatic control system operates an air conditioner, the driver may sometimes feel that the air conditioning is not comfortable and shut down the air conditioner.

If the air conditioner stops and the windows of the vehicle interior become foggy due to condensation, there is a risk that the driver's visibility may not be secured. If the window of the vehicle interior is fogged when the vehicle operation is switched from the automatic driving mode to the manual driving mode, the driver may not be able to drive while looking outside the vehicle through the window.

Therefore, the present disclosure requests the occupants of the vehicle to start operating the air conditioner when there is a risk of condensation forming on the window of the vehicle interior, and if the operation of the air conditioner does not start, condensation may form on the window. An object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioning monitoring device that changes to a driving mode that is highly involved in the driver's driving before the problem occurs.

According to one embodiment, an air conditioning monitoring device is provided. This air conditioning monitoring device is an air conditioning monitoring device installed in a vehicle that has multiple driving modes in which the automatic control device is involved in the driver's driving with different degrees.When the air conditioning device is stopped, the environment inside the vehicle is an estimator for estimating the time required for condensation to form on the window of the passenger compartment based on the above information; and a control unit that notifies the occupant of the request via the notification unit, and the control unit is configured to control the control unit from the time when the condensation occurrence time is estimated by the estimation unit until a second reference time shorter than the condensation occurrence time elapses. characterized in that, if the operation of the air conditioner is not started, it is determined to change the driving mode of the vehicle to another driving mode that is more involved in the driver's driving than the current driving mode, It is characterized by

The air conditioning monitoring device according to the present disclosure requests the occupant of the vehicle to start operating the air conditioner when there is a risk of condensation forming on the window of the vehicle interior, and when the air conditioner does not start operating, Before condensation forms on the windows, it is possible to change to a driving mode that is more involved in the driver's driving.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an overview of the operation of the air conditioning monitoring device according to the present embodiment. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a vehicle in which a vehicle control system including an air conditioning monitoring device of this embodiment is installed. It is an example of the operation flowchart regarding the air conditioning monitoring process of the air conditioning monitoring device of this embodiment. It is a figure explaining the relationship between water vapor amount and time.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an overview of the operation of the air conditioning monitoring device 12 of this embodiment. Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 1, an overview of the operation of the air conditioning monitoring device 12 disclosed in this specification regarding air conditioning monitoring processing will be described.

The vehicle 10 includes an air conditioner 6, an automatic control device 11, and an air conditioning monitoring device 12. The automatic control device 11 controls the operation of the vehicle 10 according to a plurality of driving modes in which the degree of involvement of the driver 40 in driving differs. Vehicle 10 may be a self-driving vehicle.

For example, the automatic control device 11 operates in an automatic driving mode (for example, a level 3 to 5 driving mode) in which the automatic control device 11 primarily drives the vehicle 10 and in which the driver 40 primarily drives the vehicle 10. and a manual operation mode (eg, level 0 to level 2 operation mode).

The automatic control device 11 also controls the air conditioner 6 to adjust the temperature and humidity in the vehicle interior 30 so that the occupants including the driver 40 can spend a comfortable time. As the occupants including the driver 40 breathe, the humidity inside the vehicle interior 30 increases, but the operation of the air conditioner 6 prevents condensation from forming on the front window 14, etc. of the vehicle interior 30. The humidity inside the vehicle compartment 30 is controlled within a predetermined range.

The air conditioner 6 sends out air whose temperature and humidity have been adjusted into the vehicle interior 30 from the air outlet 6a. Since the air outlet 6a is arranged to face the driver 40 seated in the driver's seat 31, a portion of the air sent from the air outlet 6a may directly hit the driver 40. Note that one or more other ventilation ports may be arranged in the vehicle compartment 30.

If the driver 40 feels that the air conditioning is not comfortable, he may operate the user interface (UI) 5 to stop the air conditioner 6. By stopping the air conditioner 6, the humidity inside the vehicle compartment 30 gradually increases.

When the air conditioner 6 is stopped, the air conditioning monitoring device 12 determines the time required for condensation to form on the front window 14 of the vehicle interior 30 based on the environment (temperature, humidity, etc.) inside the vehicle interior 30. Estimate.

If the condensation occurrence time is shorter than the first reference time, the air conditioning monitoring device 12 notifies the occupants including the driver 40 via the UI 5 of a start request requesting that the air conditioner 6 start operating. The first reference time can be, for example, 3 minutes to 10 minutes.

When occupants including the driver 40 operate the UI 5 to operate the air conditioner 6, the temperature and humidity in the vehicle interior 30 are controlled within a predetermined range, thereby preventing dew condensation from forming on the front window 14, etc. be done.

On the other hand, if the operation of the air conditioner 6 is not started from the time when the condensation occurrence time is estimated until the second reference time shorter than the dew condensation occurrence time has elapsed, the air conditioning monitoring device 12 changes the driving mode of the vehicle 10 to It is determined to change to another driving mode (for example, level 2) that is more involved in the driver's driving than the current driving mode (for example, level 3). It is preferable that the second reference time is a time well before the time when dew condensation occurs on the front window 14 or the like.

The automatic control device 11 changes the driving mode of the vehicle 10 according to the determination by the air conditioning monitoring device 12.

As described above, the air conditioning monitoring device 12 of this embodiment requests the air conditioning device 6 to start operating when there is a possibility that dew condensation may occur on the front window 14 or the like of the vehicle interior 30. By starting the operation of the air conditioner 6 by the occupant of the vehicle 10, it is possible to prevent dew condensation from forming on the front window 14 and the like. Further, since the driver 40 is always able to drive the vehicle 10 in the manual driving mode or the like, compliance with the provisions of United Nations regulations can be achieved.

Furthermore, when the air conditioner 6 does not start operating, the air conditioner monitoring device 12 of this embodiment changes to an operation mode that is highly involved in the driving of the driver 40, so that the air conditioner monitor 12 changes the operation mode to a mode that is highly involved in the driving of the driver 40. , it is possible to shift to operation of the vehicle 10 in which control by the driver 40 is more central.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a vehicle 10 in which a vehicle control system 1 including an air conditioning monitoring device 12 of this embodiment is installed. The vehicle control system 1 includes an indoor temperature sensor 2, an outdoor temperature sensor 3, a humidity sensor 4, a UI 5, an air conditioner 6, an automatic control device 11, an air conditioning monitoring device 12, and the like.

The indoor temperature sensor 2, the outdoor temperature sensor 3, the humidity sensor 4, the UI 5, the air conditioner 6, the automatic control device 11, and the air conditioning monitoring device 12 are connected via an in-vehicle network 13 compliant with standards such as a controller area network. and are connected for communication.

The indoor temperature sensor 2 is arranged within the vehicle interior 30 so as to be able to measure the temperature within the vehicle interior 30 . It is preferable that the indoor temperature sensor 2 is placed in a position that is not directly exposed to sunlight, for example. The indoor temperature sensor 2 measures the temperature within the vehicle interior 30 and outputs information representing the temperature within the vehicle interior 30 to the automatic control device 11, the air conditioning monitoring device 12, etc. via the vehicle interior network 13. The indoor temperature sensor 2 is formed using, for example, a resistance temperature detector, a linear resistor, or a thermistor.

The outdoor temperature sensor 3 is arranged, for example, so as to be exposed on the outer surface of the vehicle 10 so as to be able to measure the temperature outside the vehicle 10 . It is preferable that the outdoor temperature sensor 3 is placed near a window of the vehicle interior 30, for example. The outdoor temperature sensor 3 measures the temperature outside the vehicle 10 and outputs information representing the temperature outside the vehicle 10 to the automatic control device 11, the air conditioning monitoring device 12, etc. via the in-vehicle network 13. The outdoor temperature sensor 3 is formed using, for example, a resistance temperature detector, a linear resistor, or a thermistor.

The humidity sensor 4 is arranged inside the vehicle interior 30 so as to be able to measure the humidity within the vehicle interior 30 . For example, it is preferable that the humidity sensor 4 is placed in a well-ventilated position within the vehicle interior 30. The humidity sensor 4 measures the relative humidity within the vehicle interior 30 and outputs information representing the relative humidity within the vehicle interior 30 to the automatic control device 11, the air conditioning monitoring device 12, etc. via the vehicle interior network 13. As the humidity sensor 4, for example, a variable resistance type or a variable capacitance type can be used. Note that the humidity sensor 4 may be integrated with the indoor temperature sensor 2.

UI5 is an example of a notification section. The UI 5 is controlled by the air conditioner 6, the automatic control device 11, the air conditioning monitoring device 12, etc., and notifies the driver of operating information regarding the vehicle 10 and the like. The operational information regarding the vehicle 10 includes driving information of the vehicle 10, temperature and humidity inside the vehicle compartment 30, set temperature, and the like. The UI 5 includes a display device 5a such as a liquid crystal display or a touch panel to display operation information and the like. Further, the UI 5 may include a sound output device (not shown) for notifying the driver of operation information and the like. Further, the UI 5 generates an operation signal according to the driver's operation on the vehicle 10. The operation information includes, for example, control information for the air conditioner 6 including the destination position, waypoints, vehicle speed, and temperature setting. The UI 5 includes, for example, a touch panel or operation buttons as an input device for inputting operation information from the driver to the vehicle 10. The UI 5 outputs the input operation information to the air conditioner 6, automatic control device 11, air conditioning monitoring device 12, etc. via the in-vehicle network 13.

The air conditioner 6 is controlled by the occupants including the driver 40 or the automatic control device 11 to adjust the temperature or humidity in the vehicle interior 30 to a set temperature or humidity. The air conditioner 6 starts and stops operating under the control of an occupant including the driver 40 or the automatic control device 11. The occupants including the driver 40 operate the UI 5 to control the air conditioner 6 .

The air conditioner 6 outputs an operation signal indicating that the air conditioner 6 is operating to the automatic control device 11 and the air conditioning monitoring device 12 when performing an operation related to air conditioning. Further, when the air conditioner 6 is stopping operations related to air conditioning, it outputs a stop signal indicating that the air conditioner 6 is stopped to the automatic control device 11 and the air conditioning monitoring device 12.

The automatic control device 11 controls operations including running of the vehicle 10 and the air conditioner 6. The automatic control device 11 has a plurality of driving modes with different degrees of involvement in the driving of the driver 40. Automatic control device 11 controls the operation of vehicle 10 according to the driving mode.

The plurality of driving modes include an automatic driving mode (for example, level 3 to 5 driving modes) in which the automatic control device 11 mainly drives the vehicle 10, and a manual driving mode in which the driver mainly drives the vehicle 10. (for example, level 0 to level 2 driving modes). Further, the plurality of driving modes include a first mode in which some or all of the driving operations necessary for driving the vehicle 10 are automatically executed, and a mode in which the types of driving operations to be automatically executed are fewer than the first mode. Alternatively, the second mode may be zero.

In the automatic driving mode, the automatic control device 11 generates a driving plan for controlling operations such as steering, driving, braking, etc. based on information detected by a sensor (not shown) mounted on the vehicle 10. The automatic control device 11 sends an automatic control signal based on this driving plan via the in-vehicle network 13 to an actuator (not shown), a drive device (not shown), or a brake (not shown) that controls the steering wheels. Output to.

Further, in the manual driving mode, the automatic control device 11 generates a manual control signal for controlling operations of the vehicle 10 such as steering, driving, and braking based on the driver's operation, and transmits this manual control signal to the in-vehicle network. 13, it is output to an actuator that drives the steered wheels, a drive device, or a brake.

The automatic control device 11 can drive the vehicle 10 in the automatic driving mode in an area where the automatic driving mode is permitted (for example, an area where a high-precision map for controlling the vehicle 10 is prepared). Automatic control device 11 controls vehicle 10 in manual driving mode in a region where automatic driving mode is not permitted. Further, the automatic control device 11 shifts from the automatic driving mode to the manual driving mode, or from the manual driving mode to the automatic driving mode, in response to a request from the driver 40.

Further, the automatic control device 11 controls the air conditioner 6 based on information representing the temperature inside the vehicle interior 30, information representing the temperature outside the vehicle 10, and information representing the humidity within the vehicle interior 30.

The air conditioning monitoring device 12 executes estimation processing and control processing. For this purpose, the air conditioning monitoring device 12 includes a communication interface (IF) 21, a memory 22, and a processor 23. Communication interface 21, memory 22, and processor 23 are connected via signal line 24. The communication interface 21 has an interface circuit for connecting the air conditioning monitoring device 12 to the in-vehicle network 13.

The memory 22 is an example of a storage unit, and includes, for example, a volatile semiconductor memory and a nonvolatile semiconductor memory. The memory 22 stores application computer programs and various data used in information processing executed by the processor 23.

All or part of the functions of the air conditioning monitoring device 12 are, for example, functional modules realized by a computer program running on the processor 23. The processor 23 includes an estimation section 231 and a control section 232. Alternatively, the functional module included in the processor 23 may be a dedicated arithmetic circuit provided in the processor 23. The processor 23 includes one or more CPUs (Central Processing Units) and their peripheral circuits. The processor 23 may further include other arithmetic circuits such as a logic arithmetic unit, a numerical arithmetic unit, or a graphic processing unit.

The automatic control device 11 and the air conditioning monitoring device 12 are, for example, electronic control units (ECUs). Although the automatic control device 11 and the air conditioning monitoring device 12 are described as separate devices in FIG. 2, these devices may be configured as one device.

FIG. 3 is an example of an operation flowchart regarding the air conditioning monitoring process of the air conditioning monitoring device 12 of this embodiment. Next, the air conditioning monitoring process of the air conditioning monitoring device 12 will be described below with reference to FIG. The air conditioning monitoring device 12 executes air conditioning monitoring processing according to the operation flowchart shown in FIG. 3 at air conditioning monitoring times having a predetermined cycle.

First, the estimation unit 231 determines whether the air conditioner 6 has stopped air conditioning operations (step S101). If the stop signal is input from the air conditioner 6, the estimation unit 231 determines that the air conditioner 6 has stopped air conditioning operations. On the other hand, if the operation signal is input from the air conditioner 6, the estimation unit 231 determines that the air conditioner 6 has not stopped its air conditioning operation. If the air conditioner 6 has not stopped air conditioning operations (step S101-No), the series of processes ends. In this specification, the fact that the air conditioner is stopped includes that the air conditioner 6 has stopped its operation related to air conditioning.

When the air conditioner 6 has stopped air conditioning operations (step S101 - Yes), the estimation unit 231 calculates the dew condensation generation time required for condensation to form on the window of the vehicle interior 30 based on the environment inside the vehicle interior 30. is estimated (step S102). The process of estimating the dew condensation occurrence time by the estimation unit 231 will be described later.

Next, the control unit 232 determines whether the dew condensation occurrence time is shorter than the first reference time (step S103). The first reference time is determined by operating the air conditioner 6 before the estimated dew condensation generation time required for condensation to form on the window of the vehicle interior 30. This is the time considered to be sufficient to prevent condensation from forming on 30 windows. The first reference time can be, for example, 3 minutes to 10 minutes. If the condensation generation time is long (for example, 60 minutes), no condensation will occur on the windows of the vehicle interior 30 even if the air conditioner 6 is stopped until the first reference time has elapsed. By stopping the air conditioner 6 until the first reference time has elapsed, a comfortable environment can be provided to the driver 40. If the dew condensation occurrence time is not shorter than the first reference time (step S103-No), the series of processes ends.

If the dew condensation occurrence time is shorter than the first reference time (step S103 - Yes), the control unit 232 notifies the occupant via the UI 5 of a start request requesting that the air conditioner 6 start air conditioning operations. (Step S104). When the occupants including the driver 40 are notified of the start request, it is thought that they usually start the air conditioning operation of the air conditioner 6. However, if the occupants including the driver 40 think that operating the air conditioner 6 is not comfortable, they will not necessarily operate the air conditioner 6 even if they are notified of the start request.

Next, the control unit 232 determines whether the air conditioning operation of the air conditioner 6 has started (step S105). When the operation signal is input, the control unit 232 determines that the air conditioning operation of the air conditioner 6 has started. Furthermore, when the stop signal is input, the control unit 232 determines that the air conditioning operation of the air conditioner 6 has not started. If the air conditioning operation of the air conditioner 6 has started (step S105-Yes), the series of processes ends.

If the operation related to air conditioning of the air conditioner 6 has not started (step S105-No), the control unit 232 determines whether a second reference time shorter than the dew condensation occurrence time has elapsed from the time when the dew condensation occurrence time was estimated. (Step S106). It is preferable that the second reference time is determined such that no dew condensation occurs on the windows of the vehicle interior 30 and the driver's 40's visibility of the surroundings of the vehicle 10 is ensured. For example, the second reference time can be the time required for the amount of water vapor in the vehicle compartment 30 to reach 70 to 80% of the saturated amount of water vapor (see FIG. 4).

If the second reference time has elapsed (step S106-Yes), the control unit 232 changes the driving mode of the vehicle 10 to another driving mode that is more involved in the driving of the driver 40 than the current driving mode. It is determined to change (step S107), and the series of processing ends. For example, when the current driving mode is the automatic driving mode, the control unit 232 determines to change to the manual driving mode. Alternatively, the control unit 232 may change the current driving level (eg, level 3) to a lower driving level (eg, level 2).

The automatic control device 11 changes the driving mode of the vehicle 10 according to the determination by the air conditioning monitoring device 12. The driver 40 can start driving the vehicle 10 in a driving mode in which the driver 40 is highly involved in driving while the visibility is secured. When the driver 40 notices that the windows of the vehicle 10 start to fog up, it is thought that the driver 40 operates the UI 5 to operate the air conditioner 6 to ensure visibility.

On the other hand, if the second reference time has not elapsed (step S106-No), the process returns to step S105.

Next, a process in which the estimation unit 231 estimates the dew condensation occurrence time in step S102 described above will be described below. The estimation unit 231 acquires the temperature inside the vehicle interior 30 based on the information representing the temperature inside the vehicle interior 30, and acquires the temperature outside the vehicle 10 based on the information representing the temperature outside the vehicle 10. , the relative humidity inside the vehicle interior 30 is acquired based on information representing the relative humidity within the vehicle interior 30 . The temperature within the vehicle interior 30 and the relative humidity within the vehicle interior 30 are examples of the environment within the vehicle interior 30.

The estimation unit 231 calculates the absolute humidity (water vapor amount) inside the vehicle interior 30 based on the relative humidity and temperature inside the vehicle interior 30 . Furthermore, the estimating unit 231 calculates the saturated water vapor amount at the windows such as the front window 14 of the vehicle interior 30, assuming that the temperature outside the vehicle 10 is the temperature of the windows such as the front window 14.

The estimation unit 231 calculates the amount of water vapor increase in the passenger compartment 30 per unit time determined based on the number of passengers in the passenger compartment 30, the current absolute humidity (amount of water vapor) in the passenger compartment 30, and the saturation at the window. Based on the amount of water vapor, the time required for condensation to occur on the window of the vehicle compartment 30 is estimated.

The amount of water vapor increase in the vehicle interior 30 per unit time determined based on the number of passengers in the vehicle interior 30 is determined by registering, for example, the relationship between the number of passengers and the amount of water vapor increase in the vehicle interior 30 per unit time. It is obtained based on the water vapor increase amount table. This water vapor increase amount table is stored in the memory 22. The number of occupants in the vehicle interior 30 is input into the air conditioning monitoring device 12 by the driver via the UI 5, for example.

The estimation unit 231 refers to the water vapor increase amount table and obtains the amount of water vapor increase in the vehicle interior 30 per unit time associated with the number of passengers. Note that when the air in the vehicle compartment 30 is ventilated, the product of the water vapor increase obtained from the water vapor increase amount table and a predetermined coefficient (a positive real number smaller than 1) is calculated as the unit time. It may also be the amount of water vapor increase in the vehicle compartment 30 per year.

The estimation unit 231 estimates the absolute humidity (water vapor amount) in the passenger compartment 30 over time based on the amount of water vapor increase in the passenger compartment 30 per unit time and the current absolute humidity (water vapor amount) in the passenger compartment 30. Estimate development. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the amount of water vapor and time.

The estimation unit 231 estimates the time required for the absolute humidity (water vapor amount) in the vehicle interior 30 to reach the saturated water vapor amount at the window as the dew condensation generation time.

Further, FIG. 4 shows that the second reference time is determined as the time when the amount of water vapor reaches a predetermined ratio (for example, 70 to 80%) of the amount of saturated water vapor.

As explained above, the air conditioner of this embodiment not only requests the occupants of the vehicle to start operating the air conditioner when there is a risk of condensation forming on the window of the vehicle interior, but also starts the operation of the air conditioner. If this is not the case, the driver can change to a driving mode that is more involved in driving before dew condensation forms on the windows.

In the present disclosure, the air conditioner of the embodiments described above can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the technical scope of the present disclosure is not limited to these embodiments, but extends to the inventions described in the claims and their equivalents.

For example, the control unit notifies the occupant via the UI, along with a start request, that the air conditioner will be operated after a predetermined time period shorter than the condensation generation time has elapsed from the time when the condensation generation time was estimated. You may.

1 Vehicle control system 2 Indoor temperature sensor 3 Outdoor temperature sensor 4 Humidity sensor 5 User interface 5a Display device 6 Air conditioner 10 Vehicle 11 Automatic control device 12 Air conditioning monitoring device 21 Communication interface 22 Memory 23 Processor 231 Estimation section 232 Control section 24 Signal line 13 In-vehicle network

Claims (1)

An air conditioning monitoring device installed in a vehicle having multiple driving modes with different degrees of involvement of the driver in driving by an automatic control device,
an estimating unit that estimates the time required for condensation to form on the window of the vehicle interior, based on the environment inside the vehicle interior when the air conditioner is stopped;
a control unit that notifies an occupant via a notification unit of a start request requesting to start operation of the air conditioner when the dew condensation occurrence time is shorter than a first reference time;
has
If the operation of the air conditioner is not started before a second reference time shorter than the condensation occurrence time elapses from the time when the dew condensation occurrence time is estimated by the estimation unit, the control unit controls the operation of the vehicle. An air conditioning monitoring device characterized in that it determines to change the mode to another driving mode that is more involved in the driver's driving than the current driving mode.

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