JP5522011B2 - Vehicle direction indication device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicular direction indicating device that blinks front left and right and rear left and right direction indicating lights when the vehicle turns right or left. In particular, the present invention relates to a vehicular direction indicating device having a function of notifying a vehicle driver when a disconnection (out of a ball) occurs in which a direction indicating lamp does not blink.

  As shown in FIG. 7, Patent Document 1 discloses a disconnection of a direction indicator lamp 20, specifically, 20RF, 20RS, 20RB (typically referred to as 20R), 20LF, 20LS, 20LB (typically referred to as 20L). In this device, a correction method is provided that appropriately detects disconnection of a plurality of direction indicator lamps 20R and 20L connected in parallel without being affected by variations in element characteristics of an electronic circuit.

  For this purpose, based on a control signal from the outside, a drive unit 21B that blinks and drives the vehicle direction indicators 20R and 20L, and a current that is connected in parallel to the drive unit 21B and proportional to the current flowing through the drive unit 21B Has a current monitor unit 21Aa that flows as a monitor current for detecting disconnection of the direction indicator lamp. Reference numeral 21 denotes a control device main body, 22 denotes an inspection device, 21A denotes a CPU, and I, I1, and I2 denote currents.

  And based on operation of the direction instruction | indication operation switch 3, a control signal is output to the drive part 21B, and blink control of the direction indicator lamps 20R and 20L is performed. On the other hand, the disconnection of the direction indicator lamps 20R and 20L is detected based on the value of the monitor current and the preset disconnection detection threshold value of the direction indicator lamps 20R and 20L, and a disconnection alarm is issued. Moreover, while calculating the theoretical value of the monitor current at the time of direction indicator light disconnection, the measured value of monitor current is measured, and the disconnection detection threshold value is corrected based on the difference between them.

  In FIG. 8 showing Patent Document 2, the direction indicator lights 112 and 113 are provided on the rear side of the vehicle. The direction indicator lights 114 and 115 are direction indicator lamps provided on the front side of the vehicle. Current detection circuits 103 and 104 are used for the direction indicator lamps 114 and 115, respectively.

  On the other hand, a common current detection circuit 105 is provided for the direction indicator lights 112 and 113 on the rear side of the vehicle. According to this configuration, it is possible to individually detect which of the direction indication lamps 112, 113, 114, and 115 has a current abnormality, that is, a disconnection or the like.

  In FIG. 8, 101 is a power supply circuit, 102 is a battery voltage detection circuit, 106, 107, and 108 are output circuits, 109 and 110 are SW detection circuits, 116 is a blinker SW, 117 is a battery, and 120 is a control unit. .

  Non-Patent Document 1 discloses a semiconductor device incorporating two power transistors that can be used in a vehicle direction indicator. Since this semiconductor device is commercially available and is also used in the embodiment of the present invention, it will be described with reference to FIG.

  The two power transistors 10 and 11 have source sides connected to a common power supply terminal Vcc and drain sides connected to individual output terminals OUT1 and OUT2. The two power transistors 10 and 11 can be used as a right-turn power transistor and a left-turn power transistor, respectively.

JP 2007-15654 A JP 2009-241665 A

Datasheet VND5E025AK-E Double channel high side driver with nalog current sense for automotive applications-STMicroelectronics, [online], [November 11, 2010 search], Internet <URL: http://pdf1.alldatasheet.com/datasheet- pdf / view / 237383 / STMICROELECTRONICS / VND5E025AK-E.html>

  The circuit configuration of the direction indication device of Patent Document 1 shown in FIG. 7 has a structure in which the right and left direction indication lights of the vehicle can be controlled together. In the case of a short circuit, there is a problem that the other normal direction indicator light cannot be turned on if there is a problem either before or after the short circuit. In addition, some users do not know the fact that “the high direction indicator lamp state in which the blinking cycle of the direction indicator lamp is short is the disconnection of the direction indicator lamp”, and the purpose of notifying the disconnection state has not been sufficiently satisfied.

  Furthermore, in a vehicle environment where a bulb (bulb) is used as the direction indicator lamp and a light emitting diode (also referred to as LED) is used in the rear, the energization current of the LED is about 1/10 of the energization current of the bulb. For this reason, there is a problem that disconnection detection cannot be performed normally. That is, there is a problem when combining direction indicator lamps with different rated currents. Reference numeral 24 denotes an alarm generator, 21Ab denotes a storage unit, and 21Aa denotes a current monitor unit.

  In the circuit configuration of Patent Document 2 shown in FIG. 8, it is possible to detect a current abnormality such as disconnection of individual direction indicator lamps, but the direction indicator lamps 112 and 113 use a common current detection circuit. These direction indicator lights 112 and 113 must use direction indicator lights having the same rated current.

  In addition, since there are three output circuits 106, 107, and 108 each having a power transistor inside, two sets of semiconductor devices are used in the commercially available semiconductor device as shown in FIG. 4 incorporating a pair of power transistors. In this case, there are four power transistors, and one more is left.

  Further, in the circuit of FIG. 8, the hazard blinking that blinks both direction indicator lamps at the same time does not operate normally, which is not realistic. Therefore, the circuit of FIG. 8 is considered to have a configuration focused only on detection of turn signal (blinker) disconnection. In addition, a process for monitoring the battery voltage and calculating a threshold value for disconnection detection is necessary.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to such problems existing in the prior art. The purpose of the present invention is to control turning on and off for each direction indicator lamp and to control the current flowing through the direction indicator lamp. It is possible to monitor individually, detect which direction indicator light is broken, can cope with the combination of direction indicator lights with different rated currents, and it is easy to use a semiconductor device with an even number of switching means An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicular direction indicating device.

  Descriptions of patent documents listed as prior art can be introduced or incorporated by reference as explanations of technical elements described in this specification.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention employs the following technical means. That is, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicular direction indicating device that blinks a plurality of direction indicating lights outside the vehicle in order to indicate the direction in which the vehicle is to be turned, and the direction indicating operation that indicates the direction in which the vehicle is to be bent. The direction indicating operation signal generating means for generating a signal and the direction indicating lamp are energized, and the energizing current detection result is received from the direction indicating lamp energizing means and the direction indicating lamp energizing means for detecting the energizing current of each direction indicating lamp. In addition to specifying which of the direction indicator lights is broken, a failure identification control means for controlling the direction indicator lamp energization means based on the direction indication operation signal, and a direction indication lamp in which a breakage has occurred from the failure identification control means A storage means for receiving and storing the specified signal, and a display for displaying which of the direction indicator lamps is disconnected inside the vehicle based on information from the storage means. The means is provided with switching means for individually controlling turning on / off for each of the direction indicator lamps, and detection means for individually detecting the energization current of each of the direction indicator lights when energized by the switching means. Each time the failure identification control means receives a direction indication operation signal from the direction indication operation signal generation means, it receives an energization current detection result from the direction indication lamp energization means and determines whether or not the direction indication lamp is disconnected. The failure specifying control means has a means for updating the stored contents of the storage means relating to disconnection, and the failure specifying control means is disconnected from the direction indication operation signal generating means when the direction indicator lamp in which the disconnection has occurred is stored in the storage means. When the direction indication operation signal for blinking the direction indicator lamp stored as having occurred is detected, the direction in which the vehicle turns is determined, and whether the stored content is involved in the direction in which the vehicle turns If there is a break in the direction indicator light in the direction to turn, there is a means to give a warning alert, and the warning alert is a disconnection indication on the display when any of the direction indicator lights is broken It is characterized by comprising a display on a changed display .

  According to the present invention, the direction indicator lamp energizing means includes switching means for individually controlling turning on / off of each of the direction indicator lamps, and the energization current of each of the direction indicator lamps when energized by the switching means. Detecting means for detecting the current, and having a failure specifying control means for receiving an energization current detection result from the direction indicator lamp energizing means and specifying which one of the direction indicator lights is broken, and this failure specifying control Since it has a display that displays a signal indicating the location where the disconnection has occurred from the means and displays which one of the direction indicator lights in the vehicle, it is possible to individually detect which direction indicator light caused the disconnection. Can be displayed.

Moreover, since the energization current for each direction indicator lamp is individually detected, it is possible to cope with a case where direction indicator lamps having different rated currents are arbitrarily combined. Further, since the switching means for controlling turning on / off for each of the even number of direction indicator lamps is usually provided, it is easy to employ a semiconductor device having an even number of switching means as the direction indicator lamp energization means. In addition, by individually monitoring the state of each direction indicator lamp, disconnection can be accurately detected even when LEDs and light bulbs are mixed in the direction indicator lamp.
Moreover, the failure identification control means receives the result of detecting the energization current from the direction indicator lamp energizing means every time a direction indication signal is received from the direction indicator lamp, determines the presence or absence of disconnection of the direction indicator lamp, Since the storage contents of the storage means relating to disconnection are updated, even if there is a disconnection, the disconnection display on the display device can be stopped if the direction indicator lamp is repaired. When a direction indicator operation signal that blinks the direction indicator lamp that has been disconnected is received from the direction indicator operation signal generator when the direction indicator lamp in which the disconnection has occurred is stored. Is involved, and when the direction indicator light in the direction of turn is broken, a warning alert is given, so the driver is made aware that the direction in which the vehicle is turning is not reported outside the vehicle, Careful driving can be required. The warning alert consists of a display changed from the disconnection display on the indicator that displayed the disconnection when one of the direction indicators is disconnected. It is possible to fully recognize that no notification has been made and to request careful driving.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the direction indicator lamp energizing means comprises a semiconductor device in which at least the same number of semiconductor switches as the switching means are built in as the number of direction indicator lamps, and the failure specifying control means is a meter for controlling a vehicle meter. The meter electronic control device receives the direction indication operation signal from the direction indication operation signal generating means and transmits it to the semiconductor device, and the semiconductor device sends an energization current to the meter electronic control device. The detection result is transmitted.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to control the direction indicator lamp energizing means made of a semiconductor device by utilizing the meter electronic control device that controls the meter of the vehicle.

The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that the indicator is provided in the meter panel of the vehicle and individually displays in which location of the vehicle the direction indicator lamp has failed.

  According to the present invention, since the indicator is provided in the meter panel of the vehicle and individually indicates which part of the vehicle the direction indicator lamp has failed, the blinking cycle is simply accelerated as in the prior art. Compared with what only notifies disconnection, it can notify reliably that the individual direction indicator lamp has disconnected.

It is a block diagram which shows 1st Embodiment in the vehicle direction indicator of this invention. It is a display state explanatory view showing the display form at the time of disconnection displayed on the indicator in the above-mentioned embodiment. It is a display state explanatory drawing which shows the display form at the time of the short circuit displayed on the display in the said embodiment. It is a block diagram of one chip | tip of the semiconductor device which makes the direction indicator light electricity supply means in the said embodiment. It is a flowchart of the control performed in the control apparatus which comprises the failure specific control means shown in FIG. It is a detailed flowchart of the control part which discriminate | determines the presence or absence of a failure of the flowchart shown in FIG. 5, and controls a display. It is an electrical block diagram of the direction indicator device for vehicles which shows the structure of the conventional patent document 1. It is an electrical block diagram of the vehicle direction indicator which shows the structure of the conventional patent document 2. FIG.

(One embodiment)
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention. The MPU is a vehicle meter control device (hereinafter simply referred to as a control device) 2 using a microcomputer and an EEPROM 1 as a storage means, and is provided in a meter panel corresponding to the dashboard of the vehicle.

  A direction indicating operation signal from a direction indicating operation switch (which constitutes a direction indicating operation signal generating means) 3 mounted on a steering column (not shown) in the vehicle and operated by a driver is directly or via a multiple wiring circuit (not shown). Input to the control device 2.

  A display 4 is connected to the control device 2. The display 4 constitutes a multi-display composed of a liquid crystal display device (LCD). The control device 2 is connected to a semiconductor device 5 made of an intelligent power IC or the like.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the semiconductor device 5 is connected with a left front direction indicator lamp 6FL, a left rear direction indicator lamp 6RL, a right front direction indicator lamp 6FR, and a right rear direction indicator lamp 6RR. Transistors serving as switching means 10, 10 a, 11, 11 a, which will be described later, individually corresponding to the direction indicator lamps are incorporated in the semiconductor device 5. Therefore, the number of the switching means 10, 10a, 11, 11a and the direction indicator lamps 6FL, 6RL, 6FR, 6RR is the same, and in the case of FIG.

  In the direction indicator lamp blinking control, the microcomputer in the control device 2 that constitutes the failure identification control means causes the semiconductor device 5 that constitutes the direction indicator lamp energizing means to indicate the direction indication indicated by the solid arrows in FIG. This is done by controlling with signals. In the figure, “L” indicates a direction indication signal for the left direction indicator lamp.

  The energizing current of the direction indicator lamp that has flowed during this direction indication control is detected by the semiconductor device 5 and supplied to the control device 2 as a feedback signal indicated by the dashed arrow in FIG. In this way, the current flowing can be monitored by the microcomputer in the control device 2.

  The semiconductor device 5 is supplied with a power supply 7 from a battery. The semiconductor device 5 is configured such that the front, rear, left, and right direction indicator lamps 6FL, 6RL, 6FR, and 6RR can be individually turned on and off, and current can be detected. In addition, lighting and extinction are operated synchronously with the front and rear direction indicator lights.

  The microcomputer in the control device 2 determines the voltage being monitored (the current flowing in the direction indicator lamp is converted to a voltage) to determine the disconnection, and the blinking cycle of the corresponding left or right direction indicator lamp , The high direction indicator lamp is controlled, and a warning display is displayed on the display 4 to notify the disconnection.

  Also, if the monitored voltage (converting the current flowing in the direction indicator lamp into a voltage) is greater than a certain threshold, it is determined as a short circuit (short circuit), and the output to the corresponding direction indicator lamp is turned OFF. Then, a warning display informing the short of the corresponding direction indicator lamp is displayed on the display 4. At that time, except for the direction indicator light determined to be short-circuited, the normal blink operation is performed as usual.

  FIG. 2 shows a display form at the time of disconnection displayed in the display 4. When the right front direction indicator lamp (flasher lamp) 6FR is disconnected, as shown in FIG. 2A, the pixel area 4a at the position of the direction indicator lamp 6FR disconnected from the character display is displayed.

  2 (b) shows a case where the rear right direction indicator lamp 6RR is disconnected, FIG. 2 (c) shows a case where the front left direction indicator lamp 6FL is disconnected, and FIG. Each time the direction indicator lamp 6RL is disconnected is shown.

  FIG. 3 shows a display form at the time of a short circuit displayed on the display 4. When the right front direction indicator lamp 6FR is short-circuited, as shown in FIG. 3A, the pixel area 4a at the position of the direction indicator lamp short-circuited with the character display is individually displayed.

  3 (b) shows a case where the right rear direction indicator light is short-circuited, FIG. 3 (c) shows a case where the left front direction indicator light is short-circuited, and FIG. 3 (d) shows a left rear direction indicator. Each shows when the light is shorted. The display 4 emits light with a backlight.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram of one chip incorporated in the semiconductor device 5 of FIG. 1, and a similar circuit diagram is described in Non-Patent Document 1. A total of two chips shown in FIG. 4 are mounted on the semiconductor device 5 of FIG. Of course, these two chips may be contained in one chip.

  In the conventional non-patent document 1, only one chip is used for four direction indicator lamps. However, in this embodiment, since two chips are used, the current rating of the switching means 10, 11, etc. is different from the conventional one. Different.

  In FIG. 4, switching means 10 and 11 comprising FET transistors are provided. The semiconductor device 5 in FIG. 1 has a total of four switching means 10, 10a, 11, 11a for two chips.

  In FIG. 4, only one switching unit 10 and 11 is illustrated because another chip is not illustrated and only one chip is illustrated. Each of the switching means 10, 10 a, 11, 11 a is provided corresponding to one of the individual direction indicator lamps 6 FL, 6 RL, 6 FR, 6 RR.

  Each of the switching means 10, 10 a, 11, 11 a is connected to the individual direction indicator lamps 6 FL, 6 RL, 6 FR, 6 RR via output terminals OUT 1, OUT 2, etc. (not shown, but there are a total of four output terminals). In contrast, current can be supplied individually. The switching means 10, 10a, 11, and 11a are provided with a first control diagnosis unit 12, a second control diagnosis unit 13, and the like.

  Inside these first control diagnostic unit 12 and second control diagnostic unit 13, there are provided drivers, current sensors and the like for driving the switching means 10, 10 a, 11, 11 a. The first control diagnosis unit 12 and the second control diagnosis unit 13 are individually connected to the logic unit 14.

  Terminals IN1 and IN2 and the like input to the logic unit 14 are input terminals for direction indication signals for controlling on / off of the switching units 10, 10a, 11, and 11a. Terminals CS1, CS2, etc. are output terminals for feedback signals obtained by monitoring the current flowing through each switching means 10, 10a, 11, 11a.

  Vcc is a power supply terminal, and GND is a ground terminal. In FIG. 4, only the wiring of the first control diagnostic unit 12 is illustrated in detail, and the wiring of the second control diagnostic unit 13 is the same, and thus a part of the illustration is omitted.

  A voltage protection unit 15 including a voltage protection circuit is connected to the logic unit 14 to protect the circuit from a significant voltage drop or overvoltage. The terminal CSDIS is a terminal that invalidates the feedback function. When a signal is input to this terminal, a feedback current does not flow.

  Next, the operation will be described using the flowcharts of FIGS. FIG. 5 is a flowchart of control executed in the control device 2 constituting the failure identification control means shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a more detailed flowchart of step S4 for determining presence / absence of failure and controlling the display 4 in FIG.

  When the microcomputer in the vehicle meter control device 2 shown in FIG. 1 enters the WAKE state when the vehicle key switch is turned on and the control shown in FIG. 5 is started, the direction indicating operation switch shown in FIG. It is determined whether or not a direction instruction operation signal from 3 is received.

  When the direction indication operation signal is received, the microcomputer in the control device 2 in FIG. 1 sends a direction indication signal for turning on / off the individual direction indication lamps 6FL, 6RL, 6FR, 6RR in step S2 to the semiconductor device 5 in FIG. To supply. This direction instruction signal is supplied to the terminal IN1, the terminal IN2, etc. in FIG.

  The switching means 10, 11 and the like in the semiconductor device 5 in FIG. 4 are turned on / off based on the direction indication signal in FIG. 1, and the corresponding direction indication lamp is blinked at a predetermined cycle. When the load current of the direction indicator lamp flows through the switching means 10, 11 and the like, the current value is converted into a voltage, and the feedback signal (FIG. 1) of the energization current is sent to the control device 2 from the four terminals CS and CS2. Entered.

  In step S3 of FIG. 5, the feedback signal of the energization current is converted into a digital signal and taken in the microcomputer. In step S4, the digital signal is compared with a predetermined reference, and the presence / absence of a disconnection and the presence / absence of a short circuit are determined for each individual direction indicator lamp. In the determination in step S4, as shown in FIG. 6, it is determined in step S41 which direction indicator lamp is in which failure mode.

  In this case, in FIG. 8, when disconnection is detected, it is necessary to monitor the battery voltage and calculate a threshold value. In this embodiment, however, the flow flows to the individual direction indicator lights 6FL, 6RL, 6FR, 6RR. Since the current is individually detected, it is not necessary to calculate a strict disconnection threshold value (the current does not flow when the disconnection occurs, so it is only necessary to determine whether the current is flowing or not). Therefore, conventional battery voltage monitor control and threshold value calculation control are unnecessary.

  Although explanation is omitted, in order to notify the outside of a vehicle failure or the like, a hazard blinking that blinks the omnidirectional indicator lamp is performed. In the circuit of FIG. 8, due to the sharing of a part of the circuit, in the case of a short circuit, if a problem occurs in either the front or the rear, the other normal direction indicator light cannot be lit, but in this embodiment, the front and rear Whichever is normal blinks.

  In this way, even if it is short-circuited, the normal one of the front and back that is not short-circuited can blink, so even if the vehicle user intends to blink hazard, it looks like turn blinking when viewed from the outside and causes misunderstanding Even if you intend to give a turn blink, you can alleviate the situation that nothing blinks when you look from the outside by blinking one of the front and rear direction indicators.

  In addition, before and after the hazard flashing, the left and right synchronous flashing is regulated by law. The regulation also defines a disconnection detection function during turn flashing control and a high direction indicator lamp flashing (flashing that shortens the flashing cycle) at the time of disconnection. On the other hand, short detection is at the request of the vehicle manufacturer. Further, the disconnection detection is not required during the blinking of the hazard. On the other hand, the short circuit needs to be detected both when the turn blinks and when the hazard blinks.

  Next, in step S42 of FIG. 6, the stored contents of the “failed direction indicator lamp” stored in the EEPROM 1 which is the storage means of FIG. 1 are updated. Next, in step S43, a display signal is transmitted to the multi-display serving as the display device 4 based on the stored contents. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the display unit 4 displays each failure status individually.

  Next, in step S5 in FIG. 5, the direction in which the vehicle turns is determined from the direction instruction operation signal from the direction instruction operation switch 3 in FIG. Then, it is determined whether or not the stored “failed direction indicator light” is involved in the turning direction. For example, when turning right, if the direction indicator lamp 6FR or 6RR in FIG. 1 is included in the failed direction indicator lamp in the EEPROM 1 in FIG. 1, YES is determined in step S5.

  In this case, since there is a possibility that the direction indicator lamp that informs the outside of the vehicle does not blink when turning right, a re-warning signal is transmitted for the driver in the vehicle in step S6. Specifically, a voice warning such as “the direction indicator lamp is faulty” or a different display on the display 4 from the disconnection that causes a further attention, for example, the entire screen of the display 4 of FIG. Flashes and demands careful driving. Next, when it is confirmed in step S7 that the key switch of the vehicle is turned off, the control is terminated. When the key switch is not turned off, the process returns to step S1.

  The control at the time of turning when the vehicle turns right or left is controlled by the flowcharts of FIGS. 5 and 6. However, in the case of hazard blinking in which the left and right direction indicator lights blink simultaneously, the key switch of the automobile is switched. It operates regardless of on / off and the WAKE state and SLEEP state of the microcomputer. Although omitted here, the hazard blinking requires another control flow that operates in parallel, and the hazard control has priority over the turn blinking control.

  As described above, the above-described embodiment has the control device 2 of FIG. In addition, each of the direction indication lamps 6FL, 6RL, 6FR, 6RR has one switching means 10, 11 or the like that controls turning on / off.

  And it has the 1st control diagnosis part 12, the 2nd control diagnosis part 13, etc. of FIG. 4 which are the detection means which detects each energization current of the direction indicator lamp when it supplies with electricity by this switching means 10 and 11 grade | etc.,.

  The control device 2 that receives the result of detecting the energization current and constitutes a failure identification control unit that identifies which one of the direction indicator lamps is broken performs step S4 of FIG. It has the indicator 4 which receives the signal which specified the generation | occurrence | production location of the disconnection from this failure specific control means, and displays which of the direction indicator lamps was disconnected in the vehicle.

  As a result, it is possible to individually detect which direction indicator light caused the disconnection. In addition, since the energization current for each direction indicator lamp is detected, it is possible to cope with any combination of direction indicator lamps having different rated currents.

  Further, it is easy to adopt the semiconductor device 5 including the paired switching means 10, 11 and the like (FIG. 4). Further, by individually monitoring the state of each direction indicator lamp, it is possible to accurately detect disconnection even in a system in which LEDs and light bulbs are mixed in the direction indicator lamp. Next, it is possible to control the direction indicator lamp energizing means comprising the semiconductor device 5 by utilizing the control device 2 comprising the meter electronic control device for controlling the vehicle meter.

  Next, since the indicator 4 is provided in the meter panel of the vehicle and displays in which part of the vehicle the direction indicator lamp has failed, the disconnection is simply caused by the flashing period being shortened as in the prior art. Compared with what to alert | report, a driver | operator can be alert | reported reliably that the direction indicator lamp has disconnected.

  Next, when the direction indicator lamp in which the disconnection has occurred is stored in the EEPROM 1 of FIG. 1 serving as the storage means, the direction indicator to blink the direction indicator lamp in which the disconnection has occurred from the direction indicator operation switch. When an operation signal is received, a warning alert is issued in step S5 and step S6 of FIG. 5, so that the driver recognizes that the direction in which the vehicle turns is not displayed outside and requests careful driving. be able to.

  Next, in the above warning alert, the indicator 4 causes the driver to recognize that the turning direction of the vehicle is not displayed outside by the changed disconnection display different from the normal disconnection display. You can request driving.

  Next, as shown in steps S1 to S4 in FIG. 5, the control device 2 in FIG. 1 receives a direction indication operation signal from the direction indication operation switch 3 from the semiconductor device 6 that forms the direction indication lamp energization means. The result of detecting the energization current is received, the presence / absence of disconnection of the direction indicator lamp is individually determined, and the storage content of the storage means (EEPROM 1) regarding disconnection is updated. Specifically, since the state of the flag in the detailed flowchart (not shown) is updated, even if there is a disconnection, the disconnection display on the display 4 can be stopped if the direction indicator lamp is repaired.

(Other embodiments)
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be modified or expanded as follows. For example, in the above-described embodiment, a multi-display is used as the indicator 4, but it can also be displayed with an indicator such as an LED (light emitting diode). In this case, the display area serving as a base in the shape of a vehicle is used. What is necessary is just to alert | report disconnection etc. by lighting or blinking any of four LED provided in the back. Moreover, you may alert | report disconnection etc. with an audio | voice etc. using a speaker etc. together.

6FL, 6RL, 6FR, 6RR Direction indicator lamp 2 Control device that forms failure specifying control means 3 Direction indication operation switch that forms direction indication operation signal generating means 4 Display 5 Semiconductor device that forms direction indicator light energizing means 10, 11 Switching means 1 EEPROM as memory means
Step S5 and Step S6 Means for performing a warning alarm Step S42 Means for updating stored contents

Claims (3)

A vehicle direction indicating device that blinks a plurality of direction indicating lights outside the vehicle to indicate the direction in which the vehicle is to be turned,
Direction indicating operation signal generating means for generating a direction indicating operation signal indicating a direction in which the vehicle is to bend,
Direction indicator lamp energizing means for energizing the direction indicator lamps and detecting an energization current of each of the direction indicator lamps,
An energization current detection result is received from the direction indicator lamp energizing means, and it is specified which of the direction indicator lamps is broken, and the direction indicator lamp energizing means is controlled based on the direction indication operation signal. Failure identification control means,
Storage means for receiving and storing a signal specifying the direction indicator lamp in which the disconnection has occurred, from the failure specifying control means;
According to the information from the storage means, it has a display for displaying which of the direction indicator lights is broken inside the vehicle,
The direction indicator lamp energizing means individually includes switching means for individually controlling turning on / off of each of the direction indicator lamps, and individually energizing currents of the direction indicator lamps when energized by the switching means. Detection means for detecting is provided ,
Each time the failure identification control means receives the direction indication operation signal from the direction indication operation signal generation means, the failure identification control means receives the energization current detection result from the direction indicator lamp energization means, and detects the disconnection of the direction indication lamp. Having a means for determining the presence or absence and updating the storage content of the storage means regarding the disconnection;
The failure identification control means stores the direction indicating lamp stored as having been disconnected from the direction indicating operation signal generating means when the direction indicating lamp in which the disconnection has occurred is stored in the storage means. When the direction indicating operation signal for blinking is received, the turning direction of the vehicle is determined, it is determined whether the stored contents are involved in the turning direction, and the direction indicator lamp in the turning direction is disconnected. In some cases, has a means to alert
The vehicle warning device according to claim 1, wherein the warning alarm includes a display on the display device that is changed from a disconnection display on the display device when any of the turn signal lights is disconnected. The direction indicator lamp energizing means comprises a semiconductor device in which at least the same number of semiconductor switches as the switching means are built in as the direction indicator lamps,
The failure identification control means comprises a meter electronic control device for controlling a vehicle meter, and the meter electronic control device receives a direction indicating operation signal from the direction indicating operation signal generating means and receives the direction indicating operation signal from the semiconductor device. transmitted, the semiconductor device for a vehicle direction indicating apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that to transmit the result of detecting the conduction current to the electronic control unit for the meter. The indicator is provided in the meter panel of a vehicle, the vehicle direction of claim 1 or 2, wherein the direction indication lamp provided in which part of the vehicle, characterized in that individually displayed whether failed Pointing device.

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