JP4737187B2 - Vehicle lighting device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicular illumination device, and more particularly to a vehicular illumination device that controls light distribution of a headlamp or the like.

  Among vehicle lighting devices, a headlamp becomes difficult to visually recognize the front when an abnormality due to a disconnection or the like occurs and the lamp is not turned on. Accordingly, various techniques have been proposed in the case where a vehicle lighting device such as a headlamp fails. For example, techniques described in Patent Documents 1 to 4 have been proposed.

  In the technique described in Patent Document 1, it is proposed that when one of the left and right headlamps breaks down, the optical axis of the other headlamp is moved to ensure visibility. In addition, it has been proposed to use a low beam by switching to a high beam and moving the optical axis when the low beam fails.

  In the technique described in Patent Document 2, when a disconnection occurs in a vehicle lamp, it is proposed to turn on another type of vehicle lamp (for example, a fog lamp or a vehicle width lamp) instead.

  In the technique described in Patent Document 3, it is proposed to detect a failure of the filament of the headlamp, stop the power supply to the failed filament, and switch the filament so that a voltage is applied to the filament that has not failed. . Specifically, when a low beam filament fails, the high beam filament is compensated by applying a voltage at a low illumination level, and when the high beam filament fails, a voltage is applied to the low beam filament to reduce the low beam filament. It has been proposed to adjust the illuminance of the headlight to be approximately equal to the high beam filament of the other headlamp.

In the technique described in Patent Document 4, a first valve and a second valve are provided at each lighting location of a vehicle, and a failure of each valve is detected by a current detection sensor, and either the first valve or the second valve is detected. It has been proposed to increase the amount of light in the other bulb when a fault is detected.
JP 2004-168209 A JP 2002-144958 A Special Table 2002-532318 JP 2000-318519 A

  By the way, the applicant of the present application has proposed a vehicular illumination device that includes a plurality of light sources and can divide a light distribution region into a plurality of regions and control the light distribution for each of the divided regions. Then, when an abnormality occurs in the light source, only a part of the divided areas becomes dark, and noticeable uneven light distribution occurs.

  However, the technologies described in Patent Documents 1 to 4 are not vehicle lighting devices that include a plurality of light sources and that can divide a light distribution area into a plurality of parts and control the light distribution for each of the divided areas. Uneven light distribution is not considered.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of the above facts, and an abnormality occurs in a vehicular lighting device that includes a plurality of light sources and that can divide a light distribution area into a plurality of parts and control the light distribution for each divided area. Even so, the object is to ensure visibility by suppressing uneven light distribution.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention described in claim 1 is provided with a plurality of light sources each capable of changing the amount of light, and a pair of light distributions that can be changed for each divided region obtained by dividing the light distribution region into a plurality of regions. The vehicle illumination means, a detection means for detecting an abnormality of the plurality of light sources, and an abnormality of one of the vehicle illumination means including a light source in which an abnormality is detected when the detection means detects an abnormality. The vehicle illumination means is controlled so as to increase the divided area of the other vehicle illumination means that irradiates the divided area corresponding to the light source, and the divided areas around the increased divided area are dimmed. And a control means for controlling the vehicle illumination means.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, each of the pair of vehicle illumination means includes a plurality of light sources each capable of changing the amount of light, and each of the divided light distribution areas is divided into a plurality of light distribution areas. Can be controlled. As the vehicle illumination means, for example, a vehicle headlamp can be applied. In addition, as the vehicle illumination means, for example, a plurality of light sources such as LED light sources that can be divided into divided regions by each light source can be applied.

  The detecting means detects abnormalities of a plurality of light sources. For example, it is possible to detect a failure such as disconnection as an abnormality by detecting an applied current value of the light source.

  In the control means, when an abnormality is detected by the detection means, light is emitted to the divided area corresponding to the abnormal light source of the one vehicle illumination means including the light source in which the abnormality is detected. The vehicular illumination means is controlled to increase the brightness of the divided area of the illumination means, and the vehicular illumination means is controlled to reduce the brightness of the divided area around the increased divided area.

  That is, among the divided areas irradiated from the pair of vehicle illumination means, the divided area where the abnormality occurs irradiates light to the divided area, and the divided area of the vehicle illumination means where no abnormality occurs is increased. As a result, the lack of brightness is compensated for, so that visibility can be ensured.

  In general, since the light source is driven near the rated value, even if the light is increased, the brightness is insufficient compared to the other divided areas. Therefore, the divided areas around the brightened divided areas should be dimmed. Thus, the difference in brightness is reduced, and uneven light distribution can be suppressed.

  Therefore, even if an abnormality occurs in the vehicular lighting device, it is possible to suppress the light distribution unevenness and ensure the visibility.

  As in the invention described in claim 2, the control means controls the vehicle illumination means so as to diminish the divided area around the divided area of the brightened vehicle illumination means. Only a vehicular illumination means can be prevented from becoming a heavy load.

  Further, the control means reduces the brightness between the brightness of the increased divided area and the brightness of the other divided areas when dimming the divided areas around the divided areas as in the third aspect of the invention. By controlling the vehicle illumination means so as to emit light, it is possible to suppress a significant difference in brightness from a region where light is not increased or decreased, and uneven distribution of light can be suppressed.

  As described above, according to the present invention, when an abnormality of the light source is detected, the divided area of the other vehicle illumination unit that irradiates light to the divided area where the abnormality has occurred is increased and the divided area is increased. By dimming the surrounding divided areas, visibility can be ensured by increasing the divided areas, and a significant difference in brightness can be suppressed by dimming the divided areas around the increased divided areas. The light distribution area can be divided into a plurality of light sources and the light distribution can be controlled for each divided area. There is an effect that can be done.

  Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a vehicular illumination apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  In the vehicular lighting device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention, a headlamp 12 provided in a vehicle is connected to a light distribution control ECU 14 via a headlamp driver 20 as shown in FIG. The light distribution control ECU 14 controls turning on and off of the headlamp 12.

  In the present embodiment, the light distribution control ECU 14 performs light distribution control so that the area corresponding to other vehicles such as the oncoming vehicle in the front of the light distribution area of the headlamp 12 is turned off.

  The light distribution control ECU 14 includes a microcomputer including a CPU 14A, a RAM 14B, a ROM 14C, and an I / O 14D.

  The ROM 14C of the light distribution control ECU 14 stores a table for performing light distribution control of the headlamp 12, a program for executing a light distribution control routine described later, and the RAM 14B performs various calculations performed by the CPU 14A. It is used as a memory for performing

  A switch 16, a camera 18, and a headlight driver 20 are connected to the I / O 14D, and an operation state of the switch 16 and a photographing result in front of the vehicle by the camera 18 are input to the light distribution control ECU 14.

  The switch 16 instructs the headlamp 12 to be turned on / off, instructs the low beam and the high beam, and outputs the instruction result to the light distribution control ECU 14. The camera 18 captures the front of the vehicle and outputs the captured result to the light distribution control ECU 14.

  Then, the light distribution control ECU 14 controls the headlamp driver 20 in accordance with the state of the switch 16 to turn on the headlamp 12 and detects an oncoming vehicle based on a photographed image of the camera 18. The light distribution of the headlamp 12 is controlled so that the light from the headlamp is not irradiated onto the area corresponding to the oncoming vehicle.

  In addition, the light distribution control ECU 14 detects an abnormality due to a failure such as a disconnection of the light source of the headlamp 12, and controls an unfailed light source according to the detection result to ensure visibility. (Details will be described later).

  Two headlamps 12 are provided at the front end of the vehicle. As shown in FIG. 2, the light distribution area of the headlamp 12 is divided into a plurality of parts in the vehicle width direction. Accordingly, the light distribution can be changed for each divided region 22 and the light distribution control ECU 14 controls the light irradiation or non-irradiation to each divided region 22. .

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a headlamp applicable to the vehicular illumination device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the headlamp 12 can be provided with a plurality of LED light sources 24, and the headlamp driver 20 controls turning on and off of the plurality of LED light sources 24. It is possible to irradiate or not irradiate each divided region 22 shown in FIG. Further, the LED light source 24 can change the amount of light by changing the applied current value or the like. In the present embodiment, when the light distribution control ECU 14 detects an abnormality of the headlamp 12, the LED light source 24 responds to the abnormal portion. In order to compensate for the irradiation of light to the divided areas, the light intensity is increased by controlling the value of the current applied to the LED light sources 24 included in the other divided areas 22 where no abnormality has occurred. Specifically, the divided region of the other headlamp 12 that does not have an abnormality is irradiated with light to the divided region corresponding to the abnormal light source of the one headlamp 12 including the LED light source 24 in which the abnormality has occurred. Visibility is ensured by brightening.

  FIG. 3 shows an example of a headlamp having two LED lamps 26 each having a plurality of LED light sources 24. For example, one LED lamp 26 is used for a low beam and the other LED lamp 26 is used for a high beam. You may make it use properly.

  FIG. 4A is a diagram for explaining a divided region 22 of the headlamp 12 of the vehicle lighting device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 4A, the division pattern of the division region 22 of the headlamp 12 according to the present embodiment is such that the division width of the division region 22 at the substantially central portion in the vehicle width direction is larger than the end portion in the vehicle width direction. It is set to be short in the vehicle width direction and gradually become a divided region 22 that is longer in the vehicle width direction toward the outside in the vehicle width direction. Note that the division pattern is not limited to this.

  Further, the headlamp 12 is preset with LED light sources 24 corresponding to the respective divided regions 22, and selectively turns on the plurality of LED light sources 24 to turn on / off each divided region 22. .

  For example, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 corresponds to the LED light source No. 1. 1 to 8 correspond to each other, and the divided region No. LED light source 24 corresponding to 2 is LED light source No. 2. 9 to 12 correspond to each other, and the divided region No. 3 corresponds to the LED light source No. 3. 13 to 15 are associated with each other, and the divided region No. 4 corresponds to LED light source No. 4. 16 and the divided region No. LED light source 24 corresponding to LED No. 5 17 to correspond to the divided area No. 6 corresponds to the LED light source No. 18 and 19 are associated with each other, and the divided region No. 7 corresponds to the LED light source No. 20 to 22 correspond to each other, and the divided area No. 8 corresponds to the LED light source No. 23-27 are made to correspond. Then, by controlling the turning on and off of the LED light source 24 corresponding to each divided region 22, light irradiation or non-irradiation can be performed for each divided region 22, and the correspondence shown in FIG. The light source divided area correspondence table 38 is stored in the ROM 14C or the like, and the light distribution control ECU 14 performs lighting control using the light source divided area correspondence table 38, thereby turning on or off the headlamp 12 for each area. Is possible.

  In the present embodiment, the divided region 22 is determined based on the number of lighting of the LED light source 24. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the size of the divided region 22 is determined by the size or characteristics of a lens or a light source. It may be determined.

  Next, light distribution control performed by the vehicle lighting device according to the embodiment of the present invention configured as described above will be described. In the present embodiment, the oncoming vehicle is detected, and the divided region 22 corresponding to the oncoming vehicle in the light distribution region of the headlamp 12 is not irradiated.

  The details of the light distribution control performed by the light distribution control ECU 14 of the vehicle lighting device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a light distribution control routine performed by the light distribution control ECU 14 of the vehicle lighting device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention. The light distribution control routine shown in FIG. 5 is started when the lighting of the headlamp 12 is instructed by the operation of the occupant's switch 16. Further, when the switch 16 is provided with the automatic lighting mode, the automatic lighting may be instructed by the occupant, and may be started when a predetermined condition for lighting the headlamp 12 is satisfied.

  When the lighting of the headlamp 12 is instructed by the operation of the occupant switch 16, the headlamp 12 is turned on in step 100. That is, the CPU 14 </ b> A controls the headlamp driver 20 via the I / O 14 </ b> D to drive the LED light sources 24 of the two headlamps 12, thereby turning on the headlamp 12.

  In step 102, an abnormality detection process for the headlamp 12 is performed, and the routine proceeds to step 104. In detail, the abnormality detection process of the headlamp 12 is performed according to the flowchart shown in FIG.

  That is, when the process proceeds to the abnormality detection process for the headlamp 12, in step 200, failure detection of each LED light source 24 of the headlamp 12 is performed. For example, by detecting an applied current value of the LED light source 24, an abnormality due to a failure such as disconnection of the LED light source 24 is detected. It should be noted that an abnormality caused by a failure such as disconnection of the LED light source 24 may be detected by detecting whether or not there is a dimmed irradiation area in the irradiation area of the headlamp 12 from the photographing result of the camera 18. .

  Next, in step 202, it is determined whether or not there is an abnormality. If the determination is negative, the abnormality detection process is terminated, and if the determination is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 204.

  In step 204, the divided area 22 of the other headlamp 12 that irradiates light to the divided area 22 of the headlamp 12 including the LED light source in which the abnormality is detected is specified by the CPU 14A, and the process proceeds to step 206. That is, when the abnormality is the right headlamp 12, the divided region 22 of the left headlamp 12 that irradiates the abnormal divided region 22 of the right headlamp 12 is specified, and the abnormality is the left headlamp. In the case of the lamp 12, the divided area 22 of the right headlamp 12 that irradiates the abnormal divided area 22 of the left headlamp 12 is specified.

  In step 206, the light quantity of the specified divided area 22 is increased, the light quantity of the adjacent divided area 22 is reduced, the abnormal process is terminated, and the process proceeds to step 104 in FIG.

  That is, when an abnormality occurs due to disconnection of the LED light source 24 or the like, the light to the divided region 22 corresponding to the abnormal LED light source 24 of the headlight 12 in which the abnormality has occurred is not irradiated, so that the light is not irradiated. Control is performed so that light is emitted to the divided area 22 of the headlamp 12 that irradiates the area 22 with light and has no abnormality. For example, as shown in the upper side of FIG. 3 when an abnormality occurs, as shown in the lower side of FIG. 3 is brightened. Thereby, the divided area 22 whose brightness is reduced by half due to the abnormality can be brightened, and forward visibility can be ensured.

  However, even if the other headlamp 12 is controlled to be brightened to compensate for the illuminance of the divided area 22 where the abnormality has occurred, it cannot be completely compensated because the light source is generally driven near the rating. If left as it is, uneven light distribution will remain. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the divided region 22 adjacent to the brightened divided region 22 is dimmed. For example, as shown in the upper side of FIG. 3 is brightened due to an abnormality, as shown on the lower side of FIG. 3 and 4 are dimmed. As a result, as shown in the lower part (increase / decrease) in FIG. 7B, the brightness deficiency of the divided region 22 that has increased due to an abnormality can be made inconspicuous, and uneven light distribution can be suppressed. it can.

  That is, as for the overall brightness of the left and right headlamps 12, the divided area 22 where the abnormality has occurred is halved from the normal brightness (upper part of FIG. 7B) due to the abnormality (interruption of FIG. 7B). However, by increasing the brightness of the divided area 22 of the headlamp 12 on which no abnormality has occurred and reducing the brightness of the surrounding divided areas, the difference in brightness of the entire light distribution area is reduced. (Lower stage of FIG. 7B), forward visibility can be ensured and uneven light distribution can be suppressed. Note that the dimming of the divided areas around the divided area where the abnormality has occurred is dimmed so that the brightness is between the brightness of the divided area 22 where the abnormality has occurred and the brightness of the other divided areas 22 is increased. By doing so, unevenness in light distribution can be made inconspicuous. Further, as a brightness control method, the brightness may be reduced by a predetermined amount of light reduction. However, based on the photographing result of the camera 18, the brightness of the brightened divided area and other divided areas (lightening and dimming). Feedback control may be performed so that the brightness is between the brightness of the divided areas not illuminated.

  On the other hand, when the abnormality detection process is completed, in step 104, the photographing result obtained by photographing the front of the vehicle by the camera 18 is acquired by the light distribution control ECU 14 via the I / O 14D, and the process proceeds to step 106.

  In step 106, the oncoming vehicle is detected by the CPU 14A based on the photographing result of the camera 18, and the process proceeds to step 108. The oncoming vehicle can be detected using various known techniques. For example, the oncoming vehicle can be detected by performing processing such as detecting a bright spot using image processing. .

  Subsequently, at step 108, the CPU 14A determines whether there is an oncoming vehicle ahead. If the determination is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 110. If the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step 114.

  In step 110, the divided area 22 of the headlamp 12 corresponding to the area where the oncoming vehicle is present is specified by the CPU 14A, and the routine proceeds to step 112.

  In step 112, the specified divided area 22 is turned off and the other divided areas 22 are turned on, and the process proceeds to step 116. That is, since the light distribution control ECU 14 controls the headlamp driver 20, the divided region 22 corresponding to the oncoming vehicle is turned off, so that glare light to the oncoming vehicle can be suppressed even when traveling with a high beam. .

  On the other hand, in step 114, there is a case where the light distribution is reset, that is, there is a case where the light distribution control is performed and the divided regions 22 are turned off. Therefore, by resetting the light distribution control, all the divided regions 22 are turned on. To step 116.

  In step 116, the CPU 14A determines whether or not the switch 16 is turned off. If the determination is negative, the process returns to step 102 and the above processing is repeated, and the determination in step 116 is affirmed. Proceeding to step 118, the headlamp 12 is turned off, and the series of processing ends.

  Thus, in the vehicular illumination device 10 according to the present embodiment, when there is an LED light source 24 that is not irradiated with light due to an abnormality occurring in the headlamp 12, the LED light source 24 that includes the abnormality is included. By irradiating the divided area 22 corresponding to the abnormal LED light source 24 of the headlamp 12 with light, the divided area 22 of the other headlamp 12 in which no abnormality has occurred is controlled to increase the brightness. By ensuring that visibility is maintained and the divided region 22 adjacent to the brightened divided region 22 is dimmed, uneven light distribution can be suppressed.

  Moreover, since the divided area 22 adjacent to the divided area 22 of the brightened headlamp 12 is dimmed, it is possible to prevent only one of the headlamps 12 from becoming a heavy load.

  In the above embodiment, when dimming the divided area 22 adjacent to the brightened divided area 22, the divided area 22 of the headlamp in which no abnormality has occurred is dimmed. For example, as shown in FIG. 8A, the dimming area 22 that dimmes the dimming area 22 adjacent to the dimming area 22 that has been dimmed. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 8B, the divided area 22 of the headlamp 12 in which an abnormality has occurred adjacent to the brightened divided area 22 may be dimmed.

  In the above embodiment, the divided region 22 adjacent to the brightened divided region 22 is dimmed. However, the present invention is not limited to this. In the present embodiment, the size of each divided region is Since they are different, the light may be dimmed for a plurality of divided areas 22 around the brightened divided area 22.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the vehicle illuminating device concerning embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the division area of the light distribution range of the headlamp of the illuminating device for vehicles concerning embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the headlamp applicable to the illuminating device for vehicles concerning embodiment of this invention. (A) is a figure for demonstrating the division area of the headlamp of the illuminating device for vehicles concerning embodiment of this invention, (B) is a figure which shows the light source division area corresponding | compatible table. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the light distribution control routine performed by light distribution control ECU of the illuminating device for vehicles concerning embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the abnormality detection process performed by light distribution control ECU of the illuminating device for vehicles concerning embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the light distribution control when abnormality is confirmed by the abnormality detection process. It is a figure for demonstrating the other example of light distribution control when abnormality is confirmed by the abnormality detection process.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Vehicle lighting device 12 Headlamp 14 Light distribution control ECU
18 Camera 20 Headlight Driver 22 Divided Area 24 LED Light Source

Claims (3)

A plurality of light sources each capable of changing the amount of light, a pair of vehicle illumination means capable of changing the light distribution for each divided region obtained by dividing the light distribution region into a plurality of regions,
Detecting means for detecting an abnormality of the plurality of light sources;
When an abnormality is detected by the detection means, the other illumination means for the vehicle illuminates a divided region corresponding to the abnormal light source of the vehicle illumination means including the light source where the abnormality is detected. Control means for controlling the vehicle illumination means so as to increase the brightness of the divided areas, and to control the vehicle illumination means so as to reduce the brightness of the divided areas around the increased brightness areas.
A vehicle lighting device comprising:   2. The vehicle illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the vehicle illumination unit so as to diminish a divided region around the divided region of the vehicle illumination unit that is brightened. 3. apparatus.   The control means controls the vehicle illumination means so that when dimming a divided area around the divided area, the light is dimmed to a brightness between the brightness of the increased divided area and the brightness of the other divided areas. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the lighting device is controlled.

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