JP5949490B2 - Vehicle sensor mounting structure and system linkage method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle sensor mounting structure in which a plurality of sensors are installed close to each other in the vicinity of glass, and a system linkage method for linking a plurality of systems configured by the plurality of sensors.

  Conventionally, an optical sensor system installed in the vicinity of a front window glass of a vehicle is known (see Patent Document 1).

  This optical sensor system includes a camera installed in the vehicle interior, and a heating lead is embedded in the front window glass so as to surround a glass region that falls within the field of view of the camera. The heating conductor is used to heat the front window glass to remove ice or the like attached to the front window glass.

Special table 2010-534588 gazette

  However, Patent Document 1 does not disclose that another sensor is installed around the camera, but discloses an in-vehicle system that uses another sensor that is affected by the heating of the front window glass by the heating lead. Nor.

  The present invention links a vehicle sensor mounting structure in which a sensor that uses heating of glass and a sensor that is affected by heating of the glass are installed close to each other in the vicinity of the glass, and a plurality of systems that are configured by the plurality of sensors. The purpose is to provide a system linkage method.

  In order to achieve the above-described object, a vehicle sensor mounting structure according to an embodiment of the present invention is a vehicle sensor mounting structure in which a plurality of sensors are installed in the vicinity of glass, and the plurality of sensors are made of glass. An image sensor that constitutes an imaging system that images the outside of the vehicle over the glass, and a glass fogging sensor that constitutes a glass fogging prevention system that prevents fogging of the glass, the imaging system corresponding to the imaging range of the image sensor A glass heating device for heating a glass region, wherein the glass fog prevention system controls an in-vehicle air conditioner based on the output of the glass fogging sensor, and when the glass heating device is activated, the output of the glass fogging sensor Control of the in-vehicle air conditioner based on the above is prohibited.

  In addition, a system cooperation method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an imaging system including an image sensor that images the outside of a vehicle through glass, a glass heating device that heats a glass region corresponding to an imaging range of the image sensor, A system cooperation method for coordinating with a glass fog prevention system that controls an in-vehicle air conditioner based on an output of a glass fogging sensor installed in the vicinity of the image sensor to prevent fogging of the glass, In a state where the heating device is activated, control of the on-vehicle air conditioner based on the output of the glass fogging sensor by the glass fogging prevention system is prohibited.

  By the means described above, the present invention provides a vehicle sensor mounting structure in which a sensor that utilizes heating of glass and a sensor that is affected by the heating of glass are installed close to each other, and a plurality of systems including the plurality of sensors. A system linkage method to be linked can be provided.

It is explanatory drawing of the system cooperation method which concerns on the Example of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows an example of a sensor housing. It is a figure which shows the example of installation of a glass heating apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a corresponding | compatible glass area | region heat processing. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a fogging prevention / removal process. It is a figure which shows an example of the glass fog state determination map which shows the relationship between the cloudiness state of glass, glass vicinity humidity, and glass temperature.

  Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a system cooperation method according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the system cooperation method according to the present embodiment, the imaging system 1 and the glass fog prevention system 2 are linked.

  The imaging system 1 is an in-vehicle system that images the outside of the vehicle, and mainly includes a control device 10, an image sensor 11, an ignition switch 12, an outside air temperature sensor 13, and a glass heating device 14. In the present embodiment, when the imaging system 1 detects that the outside air temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature when the engine is started, the glass heating device 14 is activated to correspond to the imaging range of the image sensor 11 (hereinafter, referred to as “image area”). "Corresponding glass area") is heated. This is for removing ice frost and the like adhering to the corresponding glass region and preventing condensation. Note that the image captured by the imaging system 1 is used in another system that performs driving support such as obstacle detection, white line detection, and lane keeping support.

  The glass fog prevention system 2 is a system for preventing glass fogging, and mainly includes a control device 20, a glass fog sensor 21, and a fog removal device 22. The glass fog prevention system 2 activates the fog removal device 22 to detect the glass fogging when it detects that the glass fogging or the glass fogging may occur based on the output of the glass fogging sensor 21. Remove or prevent fogging.

  Next, the detail of the component in each of the imaging system 1 and the glass fog prevention system 2 is demonstrated.

  The control device 10 is a device that controls the imaging system 1. In this embodiment, the control device 10 is a computer including a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and the like. For example, the control device 10 reads a program corresponding to the glass heating control unit 100 from the ROM and develops the program in the RAM, and causes the CPU to execute processing corresponding to the glass heating control unit 100. Note that the program corresponding to the glass heating control unit 100 may be downloaded through a communication network or provided in a state of being recorded on a recording medium.

  The image sensor 11 is a device that acquires an image of a scenery outside the vehicle that can be seen through the glass. For example, the image sensor 11 is a camera that includes an image sensor such as a charge coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS). Further, the image sensor 11 may be an infrared camera that can shoot at night, a stereo camera that can measure the distance to the subject, and the like. In this embodiment, the image sensor 11 is attached to a sensor housing 50 as a vehicle sensor mounting structure.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of the sensor housing 50. The sensor housing 50 mainly includes an image sensor housing portion 51, a glass mist sensor housing portion 52, and a bracket portion 53 disposed so as to surround the image sensor housing portion 51 and the glass frost sensor housing portion 52.

  The sensor housing 50 is configured to adhere the surface of the bracket portion 53 to glass in a state where the image sensor 11 is received in the image sensor housing portion 51 and the glass fogging sensor 21 is received in the glass fogging sensor housing portion 52. Can be attached to the glass. FIG. 2 shows a state where the surface of the bracket portion 53 bonded to the glass is exposed.

  Thus, the sensor housing 50 is attached to the glass so that the image sensor 11 and the glass fogging sensor 21 are accommodated in a common housing.

  In the present embodiment, the sensor housing 50 accommodates both the control device 10 and the control device 20. However, one or both of the control device 10 and the control device 20 may be installed outside the sensor housing 50.

  The ignition switch 12 is a switch for starting or stopping the engine. In this embodiment, the ignition switch 12 is installed in, for example, a steering column, and outputs a control signal for notifying start or stop of the engine to the control device 10.

  The outside air temperature sensor 13 is a sensor that detects the temperature outside the vehicle. In the present embodiment, the outside air temperature sensor 13 is attached to a front bumper (not shown) and outputs the detected value to the control device 1.

  The glass heating device 14 is a device that heats the corresponding glass region corresponding to the imaging range of the image sensor 11. In the present embodiment, the glass heating device 14 is a hot wire heater embedded around the corresponding glass region of the windshield. And the glass heating apparatus 14 receives supply of electric power from a power supply (not shown), and heats a corresponding | compatible glass area | region. This is for removing ice frost and the like adhering to the corresponding glass region and preventing condensation.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an installation example of the glass heating device 14, and shows a view of the sensor housing 50 attached to the windshield FW in the vehicle interior as viewed from the outside of the windshield FW (outside the vehicle cabin). FIG. 3 shows the sensor housing 50 attached to the inside of the windshield FW (in the vehicle compartment) by a thin dotted line, and shows the glass heating device 14 embedded in the windshield FW by a solid line. In addition, a glass region FW1 surrounded by a thick dotted line in FIG. 3 schematically represents a corresponding glass region corresponding to the imaging range of the image sensor 11. In addition, in FIG. 3, illustration of the glass mist sensor accommodating part 52 is abbreviate | omitted for clarification of a figure.

  The glass heating control unit 100 is a functional element that controls the heating of the corresponding glass region by the glass heating device 14. In the present embodiment, when the outside air temperature is lower than the predetermined temperature, the glass heating control unit 100 performs heating of the corresponding glass region by the glass heating device 14 until a predetermined time elapses after the engine is started.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a flow of a process in which the glass heating control unit 100 heats the corresponding glass region using the glass heating device 14 (hereinafter referred to as “corresponding glass region heating process”). When detecting a start of the engine based on a control signal from the ignition switch 12, the control device 10 repeatedly executes the corresponding glass region heating process at a predetermined cycle until a predetermined time elapses from the engine start time.

  First, the glass heating control unit 100 determines whether or not the elapsed time after engine startup is within a predetermined time (step S1). The predetermined time is registered in advance as a time sufficient to remove the ice frost and the like attached to the corresponding glass region by heating the corresponding glass region using the glass heating device 14 or prevent the condensation of the corresponding glass region. Has been.

  When it is determined that the elapsed time is within the predetermined time (YES in step S1), the glass heating control unit 100 determines whether or not the outside air temperature is lower than the predetermined temperature based on the output of the outside air temperature sensor 13 ( Step S2).

  When it is determined that the outside air temperature is lower than the predetermined temperature (YES in step S2), the glass heating control unit 100 outputs a control signal (operation signal) to the glass heating device 14 to operate the glass heating device 14. (Step S3). This is to heat the corresponding glass region. In addition, when the glass heating device 14 is operated, the glass heating control unit 100 transmits a control signal (operation notification signal) to the control device 20 of the glass fog prevention system 2 to notify that.

  On the other hand, when it determines with external temperature being more than predetermined temperature (NO of step S2), the glass heating control part 100 outputs a control signal (stop signal) with respect to the glass heating apparatus 14, and by the glass heating apparatus 14 Heating of the corresponding glass region is stopped (step S4). Further, even when the glass heating device 14 is stopped, the glass heating control unit 100 transmits a control signal (stop notification signal) to the control device 20 of the glass fog prevention system 2 to notify that.

  Thereafter, when it is determined that the elapsed time exceeds the predetermined time (NO in step S1), the glass heating control unit 100 outputs a control signal (stop signal) to the glass heating device 14, and the response by the glass heating device 14 is performed. The heating of the glass region is stopped (step S4). This is because it can be estimated that removal of ice frost and the like attached to the corresponding glass region or prevention of condensation in the corresponding glass region has been achieved.

  Referring now again to FIG. 1, a detailed description of the components in the glass fog prevention system 2 will be continued.

  The control device 20 is a device that controls the glass fog prevention system 2. In the present embodiment, like the control device 10, it is a computer including a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, and the like. For example, the control device 20 reads a program corresponding to the defogging control unit 200 from the ROM and develops it in the RAM, and causes the CPU to execute processing corresponding to the defogging control unit 200. Note that the program corresponding to the defogging control unit 200 may be downloaded through a communication network or provided in a state of being recorded on a recording medium. Further, the control device 10 and the control device 20 may be the same single control device.

  The glass fogging sensor 21 is a sensor that detects a physical quantity related to fogging of glass. In this embodiment, the glass fogging sensor 21 is a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the inner surface of the windshield (hereinafter referred to as “glass temperature”) and the humidity near the windshield (hereinafter referred to as “glass vicinity humidity”). .) For detecting the humidity. The glass fogging sensor 21 outputs the detected glass temperature and near-glass humidity to the control device 20.

  Further, the glass fogging sensor 21 is attached to the glass fogging sensor accommodating portion 52 of the sensor housing 50, which is a position near the image sensor 11 in the vicinity of the windshield. Therefore, the temperature sensor and the humidity sensor constituting the glass fogging sensor 21 are affected by the corresponding glass region heated by the glass heating device 14. For example, the temperature sensor that constitutes the glass fogging sensor 21 detects the temperature of the glass region near the corresponding glass region (hereinafter referred to as “temperature measuring glass region”), and therefore, when the corresponding glass region is heated. Detects the temperature of the locally heated glass. As a result, the temperature sensor constituting the glass fogging sensor 21 detects a temperature higher than the average temperature of most glass regions other than the temperature measuring glass region, and detects the average temperature of the entire glass region. Can not. Therefore, the glass fog prevention system 2 controls the fog removal device 22 so as not to be affected by the corresponding glass region heated by the glass heating device 14, as will be described later.

  The fog removal device 22 is a device for preventing or removing fogging of the glass. In the present embodiment, the defogging device 22 is an on-vehicle air conditioner, which prevents or removes frosting of the glass by performing a dehumidifying function to lower the humidity near the glass. For the dehumidifying function, for example, a compressor type is adopted in which the refrigerant is circulated using a compressor and the moisture is changed into water droplets by cooling the moist air. Note that other dehumidification methods may be employed.

  The defogging control unit 200 is a functional element that controls the defogging device 22. In this embodiment, the defogging control unit 200 activates the defogging device 22 to prevent or remove the fogging of the glass when the output of the glass mist sensor 21 satisfies a predetermined condition. Specifically, when the glass temperature and the humidity near the glass satisfy predetermined conditions, the defogging control unit 200 activates the dehumidifying function of the in-vehicle air conditioner as the defogging device 22 to prevent or remove the fogging of the glass. To do.

  Further, when the glass heating device 14 in the imaging system 1 is in operation, the defogging control unit 200 prohibits the operation / stop switching control of the defogging device 22 based on the output of the glass mist sensor 21. Specifically, even if the glass temperature and the humidity near the glass do not satisfy the predetermined conditions, the defogging control unit 200 determines whether the in-vehicle air conditioner is in operation when the glass heating device 14 in the imaging system 1 is operating. After the dehumidifying function is activated, it is prohibited to stop the dehumidifying function. That is, when the glass heating device 14 is in operation, the defogging control unit 200 operates the dehumidifying function of the in-vehicle air conditioner regardless of the glass temperature and near-glass humidity. This is to prevent the glass fog sensor 21 from being affected by the corresponding glass region heated by the glass heating device 14 and stopping the operation of the fog removal device 22 at an inappropriate timing.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing in which the fog removal control unit 200 prevents or removes fogging of the glass using the fog removal device 22 (hereinafter referred to as “fogging prevention / removal processing”).

  First, the defogging control unit 200 determines whether or not the glass heating device 14 is operating based on a control signal from the imaging system 1 (step S11).

  If it is determined that the glass heating device 14 is not in operation (NO in step S11), the defogging control unit 200 acquires the glass temperature and the glass vicinity humidity as the output of the glass mist sensor 21 (step S12).

  Then, the defogging control unit 200 determines whether or not the windshield is in a fogged state or a state immediately before fogging based on the glass temperature and the humidity near the glass (step S13).

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a glass fogging state determination map showing a relationship between a glass fogging state, a glass vicinity humidity, and a glass temperature. As shown in FIG. 6, the glass fogging state determination map arranges the glass vicinity humidity on the vertical axis and the glass temperature on the horizontal axis. Moreover, FIG. 6 shows that when the glass vicinity humidity rises with the glass temperature constant in the state immediately before clouding, the cloudy state is reached, and when the glass vicinity humidity decreases with the glass temperature constant in the state immediately before clouding, the cloudless state is reached. Further, FIG. 6 shows that when the glass temperature rises with the glass near-humidity constant in the state immediately before clouding, the cloudless state is reached, and when the glass temperature is lowered with the glass near-humidity constant in the state immediately before clouding, the cloudy state is reached.

  In addition, the “pre-fogging state” means a state in which the glass may be fogged, and the “cloudy state” means a state in which the glass is fogged. Means that the glass is not fogged.

  If it is determined that the windshield is in a cloudy state or a state immediately before clouding based on the humidity near the glass and the glass temperature (YES in step S13), the fog removal control unit 200 activates the dehumidifying function of the in-vehicle air conditioner (step S14). ). Specifically, when the current humidity near the glass and the glass temperature are in the state indicated by the point P1 in FIG. 6 (the state immediately before fogging), the fog removal control unit 200 operates the dehumidification function to activate the humidity near the glass. Reduce. As a result, the defogging control unit 200 can change the state of the near-glass humidity and the glass temperature to the state indicated by the point P2 in FIG.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the windshield is neither in a cloudy state nor in a state immediately before fogging based on the humidity near the glass and the glass temperature (NO in step S13), that is, when it is determined that there is no fogging, the fog removal control unit 200 Stops the dehumidifying function of the in-vehicle air conditioner (step S15). If the dehumidification function has not been activated yet, the defogging control unit 200 ends the current fog prevention / removal process without activating the dehumidification function.

  Further, when it is determined that the glass heating device 14 is in operation (YES in step S11), the defogging control unit 200 activates the dehumidifying function of the in-vehicle air conditioner and then based on the output of the glass mist sensor 21. Switching between deactivation and deactivation of the dehumidifying function is prohibited (step S16). This is to prevent the dehumidifying function from being stopped at an inappropriate timing under the influence of the corresponding glass region heated by the glass heating device 14.

  Here, with reference to FIG. 6 again, the case where the temperature of the temperature measuring glass region rises due to the influence of the corresponding glass region heated by the glass heating device 14 will be considered.

  When the temperature of the temperature measuring glass region rises, for example, the state indicated by the point P3 in FIG. 6 corresponding to the current glass near-humidity and glass temperature state (immediately before fogging) changes to the average temperature of the entire glass. Even if it does not exist, it will change to the state shown in FIG.

  In this case, if there is no determination process in step S11, the defogging control unit 200 determines that there is no fogging in the determination process in step S13 and stops the dehumidifying function of the in-vehicle air conditioner (step S15).

  However, in practice, the temperature of most glass regions other than the corresponding glass region and the temperature measuring glass region is lower than the temperature of the temperature measuring glass region. That is, most of the glass regions other than the corresponding glass region and the temperature measuring glass region remain in the state indicated by the point P3 in FIG. Therefore, stopping the dehumidifying function means that the fogging of the glass cannot be removed or prevented.

  In order to avoid the occurrence of such a situation, the defogging control unit 200 always operates the dehumidifying function of the in-vehicle air conditioner when it is determined that the glass heating device 14 is in operation. Further, even when the operation of the glass heating device 14 is stopped, the defogging control unit 200 may not stop the dehumidification function until a predetermined time has elapsed after the stop. This is because the temperature in the temperature measuring glass region remains locally increased for a while after stopping.

  With the above configuration, the system cooperation method according to the embodiment of the present invention is a defogging device based on the output of the glass mist sensor 21 by the glass defogging system 2 when the glass heating device 14 of the imaging system 1 is in operation. 22 operation / stop switching control is prohibited. As a result, an inappropriate operation of the glass fog prevention system 2 according to the output of the glass fog sensor 21 affected by the corresponding glass region heated by the glass heating device 14 can be prevented.

  The system cooperation method according to the embodiment of the present invention prevents the defogging device 22 of the glass defogging system 2 from being stopped when the glass heating device 14 of the imaging system 1 is in operation. As a result, it is possible to prevent the defogging device 22 from stopping at an inappropriate timing in accordance with the output of the glass mist sensor 21 affected by the corresponding glass region heated by the glass heating device 14.

  Further, when the glass heating device 14 of the imaging system 1 is in operation, the glass fog prevention system 2 temporarily ignores the output of the glass fog sensor 21 without stopping the fog removal device 22. Therefore, the sensor housing 50 according to the embodiment of the present invention can be installed with the image sensor 11 and the glass fogging sensor 21 close to each other in the vicinity of the corresponding glass region.

  The sensor housing 50 accommodates both the image sensor 11 and the glass fogging sensor 21 in a common housing. Therefore, the worker can easily and quickly attach the image sensor 11 and the glass fogging sensor 21 to the windshield.

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and substitutions can be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Can be added.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the sensor housing 50 is attached to the windshield, but may be attached to the rear glass or the side glass. In this case, the imaging system 1 may capture the rear of the vehicle or the side of the vehicle.

  In the above-described embodiment, the glass fog prevention system 2 receives the operation notification signal for notifying that the glass heating device 14 has been operated from the imaging system 1, and the fog removal device based on the output of the glass fog sensor 21. 22 operation / stop switching control is prohibited. That is, when the glass fog prevention system 2 detects that the glass heating device 14 has actually started operation, the glass fog prevention system 2 operates the fog removal device 22 and then the fogging removal device 22 based on the output of the glass fog sensor 21. The operation / stop switching control is prohibited. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the glass fog prevention system 2 detects the start of the engine, and when the glass temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature, the operation / stop switching control of the fog removal device 22 based on the output of the glass fog sensor 21 over a predetermined time. May be prohibited. That is, the glass fog prevention system 2 may independently estimate that the glass heating device 14 has been operated without receiving from the imaging system 1 an operation notification signal for notifying that the glass heating device 14 has actually been operated. . Then, the glass fog prevention system 2 may prohibit the operation / stop switching control of the fog removal apparatus 22 based on the output of the glass fog sensor 21 when it can be estimated that the glass heating apparatus 14 has been operated.

  Moreover, the imaging system 1 and the glass fog prevention system 2 may be applied not only to a vehicle equipped with an engine but also to an electric vehicle or the like not equipped with an engine.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Imaging system 2 ... Glass fogging prevention system 10 ... Control apparatus 11 ... Image sensor 12 ... Ignition switch 13 ... Outside temperature sensor 14 ... Glass heating device 20 ... Control device 21 ... Glass fogging sensor 22 ... Fog removal device 50 ... Sensor housing 51 ... Image sensor housing part 52 ... Glass fogging sensor housing part 53 ... Bracket part 100 ... Glass Heating control unit 200 ... defrosting control unit

Claims (6)

A vehicle sensor mounting structure in which a plurality of sensors are installed in the vicinity of a glass,
The plurality of sensors includes an image sensor that constitutes an imaging system that images the outside of the vehicle through glass, and a glass fogging sensor that constitutes a glass fog prevention system that prevents fogging of the glass,
The imaging system includes a glass heating device that heats a glass region corresponding to an imaging range of the image sensor,
The glass fog prevention system controls the fog removal device based on the output of the glass fog sensor, and prohibits the control of the fog removal device based on the output of the glass fog sensor when the glass heating device is activated. ,
Vehicle sensor mounting structure. The defogging device is an in-vehicle air conditioner,
The glass fog prevention system controls the dehumidification function of the on-vehicle air conditioner based on the output of the glass fog sensor, and in the state where the glass heating device is activated, after the dehumidification function is activated, the dehumidification function is stopped. Prohibits switching to
The vehicle sensor mounting structure according to claim 1. The plurality of sensors are installed in the same housing.
The vehicle sensor mounting structure according to claim 1 or 2. The glass fogging sensor includes a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor.
The vehicle sensor mounting structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The glass heating device includes a heat wire heater embedded in the glass,
The vehicle sensor mounting structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4. An image sensor including an image sensor that images the outside of the vehicle through the glass and a glass heating device that heats a glass region corresponding to the imaging range of the image sensor, and a glass fog that is installed in the vicinity of the image sensor near the glass A system cooperation method for coordinating with a glass anti-fogging system for controlling the anti-fogging device based on the output of the sensor to prevent the glass from fogging,
Prohibiting control of the defogging device based on the output of the glass mist sensor by the glass defogging system when the glass heating device is in operation;
System linkage method.

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