JP7382667B2 - System and program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a system and a program for notifying when alarm conditions are met.

In recent years, a large number of speed measuring devices that measure the speed of automobiles have been installed around roads and the like. An example of a speed measuring device is one that emits microwaves in a predetermined frequency band toward a vehicle, receives reflected waves, and measures the traveling speed of the vehicle.

On the other hand, in order to detect the presence of such a speed measuring device, a microwave detector configured to detect microwaves emitted from the speed measuring device and output an alarm is conventionally known. However, depending on the installation location of the speed measurement device, road conditions, and other surrounding environments, conventional microwave detectors may be able to detect from a relatively far distance, or may be difficult to detect until relatively close. .

Also, some speed measurement devices cannot be detected by conventional microwave detectors.
For example, there is a so-called loop-type system that embeds a loop-shaped coil in the ground and detects when a vehicle passes over the coil and also determines the vehicle speed. There are also devices that detect the speed of a vehicle using light other than microwaves.

Therefore, recently, the installation position information of the speed measuring device is stored in advance, and GPS (Global
Positioning System) is an in-vehicle electronic device that uses information to issue a warning when the current position approaches the memorized installation position (when a predetermined relationship is reached), regardless of whether microwaves are detected. There is (Patent Document 1).

For example, the first warning will be issued when the current location is within 1000m from the installation location of the speed measurement device, and the first warning will be issued when the current location is within 500m from the installation location of the speed measurement device. , and issue a second warning.

Specific notification formats include, for example, relative positional relationships such as "1km to the left is the expressway H system" or "immediately ahead is the local road N system", as well as content that specifies the purpose as audio information. The alarm may be output from a speaker, or characters or images directly representing the alarm target may be displayed on the display. Examples of images that directly represent the alarm target include an actual photograph taken of the alarm target such as a speed measuring device, and an image imitating the same.

Furthermore, as the screen size of the display section becomes larger and the screen becomes a color screen, the types and amounts of information output using the display section are also increasing. An example of the information to be output is a map of the area around the vehicle's location, and by displaying a mark indicating the vehicle's location and a mark (2D, 3D) indicating the warning target on the map, specific information can be obtained. Positional relationships can be recognized. Furthermore, the background color is changed depending on the type of alarm target being notified, and when the distance to the alarm target is closer than a reference value, the background color is changed to red.

JP2008-64588A

In conventional devices, the amount of information provided using the display increased as the screen size of the display increased, but drivers who are driving need to look ahead and around the vehicle, so they have to keep their eyes on the display. It can be difficult to understand the content of the information provided instantly. For example, if a large amount of information is output to the display section at once, the user will not be able to see all of the displayed information and may miss important information. Further, when a map is displayed on the display unit, if the distance between the current position and the alarm target becomes less than the reference distance and the background color is changed to red, etc., the map becomes difficult to see. In particular, in the case of maps, roads and the like are displayed in different colors, and if the color of the road and the changed background color are the same color, there are various problems such as making it more difficult to see.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the system according to the present invention has (0) a function of displaying information on a display screen, and a function of controlling the light emitting state of the light emitting part to issue an alarm when an alarm condition is met. The system has a function to control the light emitting state by emitting light in a color corresponding to an alarm target that satisfies the alarm condition, and when the alarm condition is met, the display screen is displayed. The display device has a function of displaying a color similar to the emitted light color of the light emitting section, and the light emitting section is configured so that the logo emits light in the emitted color. A system having a function of displaying information on a display screen, and a function of controlling a light emitting state of a light emitting part to issue an alarm when an alarm condition is met, wherein the control of the light emitting state includes: The light emitting device has a function of emitting light in a color corresponding to an alarm target that satisfies an alarm condition, and a function of displaying a color similar to the light emission color of the light emitting unit on the display screen when the alarm condition is satisfied. The surrounding area including the logo is configured to emit light in the above luminescent color.
(1) A system comprising a control means for controlling the light emitting state of a light emitting unit using an LED as a light source to issue an alarm when an alarm condition is met, the control means for controlling the light emitting state to issue an alarm when the alarm condition is satisfied. It now emits light in a color that corresponds to the alarm target that has been met.

A light emitting section including an LED means that the light source of the light emitting section is an LED. If the LED is exposed, the LED itself becomes the light emitting part, and if the LED is built into the case body (housing) of the device, the area where the light is visible from outside the case body is the light emitting part. becomes. In the latter case, for example, a predetermined area on the surface of the case body becomes the light emitting part. Such a predetermined area may be formed by, for example, making the wall of the case body thin so that light from an LED can pass therethrough, or by making a window hole in the wall of the case body and using a material such as a translucent material that allows light to pass through the window hole. It may be configured by attaching a cover.

The light emitting unit emits light in a color corresponding to an alarm target that satisfies the alarm condition. For example, relational information associating the alarm target with luminescent color information is stored and held in a predetermined storage means. The emitted light color information is information that specifies what color the emitted light is. When the alarm condition is satisfied, the control means accesses the storage means to obtain emitted light color information corresponding to the alarm target that satisfies the alarm condition from the stored related information, and specifies the emitted light color information using the emitted light color information. The light emission of the LED is controlled so that the light emission color is the same. Alarm conditions include those based on location information, such as a predetermined proximity relationship between the alarm target and the current location, and those that are not based on location information, such as receiving a predetermined radio wave/wireless signal, vehicle status/driving status, etc. There is. Examples of things that are not based on location information include things that are based on information from outside the vehicle, such as reception of predetermined radio waves, and things that are not based on location information (such as when the sensor value of the acceleration sensor exceeds the standard value). ), such as dangerous driving, poor fuel efficiency, etc., based on information inside the vehicle (vehicle itself/driver).

The emitting color corresponds to the alarm target, but in the case of an alarm target based on location information, for example, the emitting color may be set (associated) for each alarm target for which location information is registered, or the emitting color may be set (associated) with the type of alarm target. You may set a luminescent color for each. In addition, if the warning target is classified by type, as partially illustrated in the embodiment, it can be set by detailed type such as fixedly installed speed measuring device (radar), N system, traffic monitoring point, inspection area, roadside station, etc. Alternatively, the alarm may be divided into a plurality of groups according to the degree of importance (degree of danger), and a luminescent color may be set for each group, so that alarm targets belonging to the same group may have the same luminescent color. For example, the correspondence of emitted light colors based on importance is red for high-importance devices such as speed measurement devices, blue for medium-importance (warning) devices such as N systems, and blue for high-importance devices such as N systems, and demand for roadside stations. If the level is low (to the extent of providing information), it is best to use green.

Drivers must be aware of the road ahead and around other vehicles while driving. In the present invention, when the warning conditions are met, the light emitting part emits light in the color corresponding to the warning target, so even if the device (light emitting part) of this system is not in the driver's field of vision, the driver can recognize that the light has emitted light. By simply shifting your line of sight a little, you can see the light emitting part within your field of vision and check its emitted color. As a result, it is possible to know that there is a warning target that satisfies the warning conditions in the surrounding area, and what the warning target is. Rather than reporting a large amount of alarm information, the alarm is a simple one that emits light in a predetermined color, so the driver can understand the content of the alarm without having to stare at the light emitting part for a long time. You can focus on gathering information necessary for driving.

(2) The LED may be a color LED, and the control means may change the emitted color in stages depending on the alarm level. By using color LEDs, it is possible to express many different colors with one LED. For example, if you use RGB three primary color LEDs and control the color intensity using PWM, with a total of 15 bits (5 bits for R, 5 bits for G, and 5 bits for B), color control of 32,768 colors is achieved. If R is 8 bits, G is 8 bits, and B is 8 bits, totaling 24 bits, 16,777,216 colors can be controlled. Therefore, by smoothly performing gradation control from low to high alarm levels, it is possible to issue an alarm in which the color of the emitted light changes gradually. When reporting information about the alarm level on a conventional display screen, for example, to notify the signal level of the received radio wave, the alarm level is divided into five levels, and an area that lights up each time the level increases by one. It used to take the form of a level meter, increasing (extending) by one, but by controlling the emitted light color to gradually change according to the alarm level, it is possible to express the alarm level in an analog way. Adds a sense of luxury. For example, the color of the emitted light may be changed from blue to red as the alarm level increases.

(3) Preferably, the control means changes the light emission intensity of the LED depending on the alarm level. The emission intensity can be changed, for example, by changing the brightness or brightness of the emission color. Such changes can be made, for example, by using PWM for brightness to change the brightness, or by other known methods (methods specified by the LED manufacturer) to set the color and brightness of the LED. Furthermore, the amount of light emitted may itself be changed by adjusting the voltage applied to the LED. The same effect as described above can be expected by changing the emission intensity instead of changing the emission color as in the invention (2). Furthermore, the emitted light color and the emitted light intensity may be changed at the same time. For example, the light emission intensity may be changed from a dark color to a bright color or the light emission amount may be increased (increased) as the alarm level increases.

(4) The alarm condition may be reception of radio waves, and the alarm level may be a signal level of the received radio waves. For example, when receiving radio waves of a predetermined frequency that is subject to alarm, such as microwaves emitted from a speed measuring device, the color and intensity of the emitted light can be changed in accordance with the signal level of the received radio waves. This is good because it can express the received signal level in analog form rather than using a digital radar level meter.

(5) The warning condition is that the current position and the warning target are in a close relationship, and the warning level may be the degree of the close relationship. The degree of proximity is controlled, for example, so that the closer the distance, the higher the alarm level. This is preferable because the approximate remaining distance to the warning target can be understood.

In addition to the above-mentioned radio wave reception in (4) and approach relationship in (5), the warning level is determined based on, for example, the degree of dangerous driving (the higher the sensor value of the acceleration sensor, the higher the degree of dangerous driving), fuel consumption ( There are various types such as high fuel consumption per unit time, sudden acceleration, etc.

(6) The emitted light color may be changed by changing the frequency of the emitted light color stepwise in accordance with the alarm level. By changing the frequency, the color of the emitted light can be changed continuously. In this case, it is preferable to perform smooth gradation control by setting the alarm level to 1 for the lower frequency and the maximum alarm level for the higher frequency.

(7) The control means preferably has a function of issuing a sound warning when the warning condition is satisfied, and the control means preferably changes the light emission intensity of the LED in accordance with the strength of the sound. When the warning conditions are met, information about the target of the warning, such as ``1 km ahead, Loop coil, speed limit is 60 km'' or ``N system just ahead'' is announced, and the driver turns to the front. This is preferable because the contents can be known based on the status. In this case, by changing the luminous intensity (brightness, brightness, etc.) according to the strength of the voice pronunciation (for example, volume), the device itself feels like it is speaking with its own will, which increases the sense of luxury and makes it more interesting. It is good because it also increases. It is preferable that the stronger (louder) the sound, the stronger (larger) the emission intensity.

(8) The control means has a function of notifying information on a display screen, and when the alarm condition is satisfied, the control means controls the light emission state of the light emitting unit without changing the background color of the display screen. It is good to control. If an alarm condition is met while outputting various information to the display screen, for example, if you change the background color of the display screen to red, the entire display screen will turn red, which will notify you that there is an alarm. , it becomes difficult to see the information that was originally provided, which is undesirable. In contrast, in the present invention, by changing the light emitting state of the light emitting part without changing the background color of the display screen, the driver is notified of the existence of the warning target, and the display screen is originally used to display and provide the warning. This is preferable because it does not make it difficult to see the information that was previously displayed.

(9) Based on the above invention (8), the information may be map information. For example, map information displays roads in different colors, and if the background color is similar to the road color when a warning condition is met, the roads become difficult to see. In particular, in the case of alarm notifications, the background color is often set to red, and the color of the road is also often displayed in red for main roads such as national highways. If changed, the problem will arise that it will be difficult to see the main road. On the other hand, in the present invention, the background color of the display screen is not changed, so even when an alarm is in progress (the light emitting unit is emitting light), the contents of the map such as roads can be easily and accurately understood, which is preferable.

(10) Based on the above invention (8) or (9), the control means may display alarm information on the display screen when the alarm condition is satisfied. By displaying the alarm information on the display screen, more specific and detailed content can be notified to the user. In this case, the presence of the alarm target can be notified to the user by emitting light from a light emitting section provided separately from the display screen. In other words, instead of multiple pieces of information coexisting on the same screen, the existence of the alarm target is detected on a display section installed outside the display screen, and the detailed contents are displayed on the display screen, so users who only want to know the existence of the alarm target This allows users to achieve their goals without looking at the display screen, and users who want to know detailed information can achieve their goals by also looking at the warning information displayed on the display screen.

(11) Based on the above invention (10), it is preferable that the alarm information is text information, and that the color of the text information and the color of the light emitted from the light emitting unit are similar colors. Text information makes the content easier to understand. At this time, by making the emitted light color of the light emitting part and the color of the text information similar, the association between the display part and the alarm information (text information) is strengthened, and the user can understand the alarm information displayed on the display screen. This is preferable because it makes it easier to find the location of the text information.

(12) The alarm condition is made up of a plurality of conditions, and the control means is configured to make the light emission state different when all of the plurality of conditions are satisfied and the light emission state when a part of the plurality of conditions is satisfied. good. If some of the conditions are met, there is a possibility that all of the conditions will be met later. Therefore, it is good to give a warning to the user when some of the conditions are satisfied. It is preferable that the light emitting state when some of the conditions are satisfied is less noticeable and quieter than the light emitting state when all the conditions are satisfied.

For example, if the multiple conditions are ``receiving microwaves (radio waves) of a predetermined frequency'' (condition 1) and ``the received signal level is equal to or higher than the reference value'' (condition 2), two conditions are satisfied. Then, when radio waves emitted from the alarm target are received, an alarm is issued with a predetermined light emission state (for example, red light emission), and if only condition 1 is satisfied (signal level is less than the reference value), a different light emission state (for example, (blue light emission) to issue an alarm. Even if the distance to the warning target is far and the received signal level is less than the reference value, it is common for the signal level to exceed the reference value by driving further and approaching the warning target. In such a case, it is good to issue a warning in advance so that the user can mentally prepare and drive safely without panic even if a warning that satisfies all the conditions is issued.

(13) The light emitting section may be configured to emit light of one color when viewed from the outside. Emitting light of one color when viewed from the outside means that the light emitting part visible from the outside only needs to emit light of one color. Even if multiple light sources are built-in, they should not be emitted at the same time, or they may be emitted at the same time. In some cases, it becomes one color by emitting light of the same color. Further, for example, LEDs of different colors are arranged close to each other, and the surface is covered with a white (semi-transparent) cover. Then, one or a predetermined number of LEDs may be made to emit light, and the light that passes through the cover and exits to the outside may be one of the composite colors of the emitting LEDs. By using only one emitted color, it is easy to understand what the alarm is about.

(14) The program of the present invention is a program for causing a computer to realize the function as the control means in the system described in any one of (1) to (13) above.

According to the present invention, when an alarm condition is met, the light emitting unit using an LED as a light source emits light in a predetermined color corresponding to the alarm target to issue an alarm, so that the user does not have to look at the light emitting unit. By recognizing the presence or absence of such light emission and the light emission state (emission color), it is possible to know the existence of the alarm target.

1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a radar detector that is a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a block diagram of a radar detector. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a warning screen displayed on the display unit. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a warning screen displayed on the display unit. 3 is a flowchart showing the functions of a control section. It is a figure showing a modification. It is a figure which shows an example of the display color related to the type of alarm target. It is a figure which shows an example of the display color related to the type of alarm target.

"Basic configuration of electronic equipment"
FIGS. 1 and 2 show the configuration of a radar detector, which is a preferred embodiment of the electronic device constituting the system of the present invention. The radar detector 1 includes a thin rectangular case body 2, and is fixed to a vehicle dashboard or the like using a bracket 3 attached to the lower back side of the case body 2.

A display section 5 is provided on the front surface of the case body 2 (the surface facing the rear of the vehicle (driver side)). The display section 5 is composed of a 3.2-inch color TFT liquid crystal display. A touch panel 6 is provided on the display section 5 to detect which part of the display section 5 is touched. Further, a volume adjustment button 7 is arranged on the right side of the front surface of the case body 2, and various work buttons 8 are arranged on the left side.

The right side of the case body 2 is provided with a card insertion slot 9 for inserting a memory card as a removable recording medium, and a memory card reader 10 is built inside the card insertion slot 9 inside the case body 2. . By inserting the memory card 11 through the card insertion slot 9, the memory card 11 is attached to the memory card reader 10. The memory card reader 10 passes data stored in the attached memory card 11 to the control unit 18. More specifically, if the control unit 18 has update information such as new alarm target information (location information such as longitude and latitude, type information, etc.) as data stored in the memory card 11, the control unit 18 updates the information. Data is updated by storing (downloading) information in the database 19.

The database 19 can be realized by a nonvolatile memory (eg, EEPROM) inside the microcomputer of the control unit 18 or externally attached to the microcomputer. Note that map data and information regarding certain warning targets are registered in the database 19 at the time of shipment, and data regarding warning targets added thereafter are updated as described above.

A GPS receiver 13 is placed inside the upper center of the back side of the case body 2, and a microwave receiver 14 and a wireless receiver 15 are placed next to it. The GPS receiver 13 receives GPS signals from GPS satellites and outputs current position (longitude/latitude) information. The microwave receiver 14 receives microwaves of a predetermined frequency emitted from the speed measuring device. The radio receiver 15 receives incoming radio waves of a predetermined frequency. A speaker 16 is also built into the lower part of the case body 2. A speaker port is provided on the bottom surface of the case body 2.

A DC jack 17 is arranged at the lower part of the back side of the case body 2. This DC jack 17 is for connecting a cigarette plug cord (not shown), and is connected to a cigarette socket of a vehicle via the cigarette plug cord to receive power supply.

Further, the control unit 18 is a microcomputer equipped with a CPU, ROM, RAM, nonvolatile memory, I/O, etc., and is connected to each unit described above as shown in FIG. A predetermined process is executed based on information input from a GPS receiver 13, a microwave receiver 14, a wireless receiver 15, etc.), and a predetermined alarm is issued using output devices (display unit 5, speaker 16, etc.). Output a message. These basic configurations can be basically the same as conventional ones.

The functions of the radar detector 1 of this embodiment are realized by being stored in the EEPROM of the control unit 18 as a program executed by the computer included in the control unit 18, and executed by the computer included in the control unit 18. Functions realized by the computer by the program included in the control unit 18 include a GPS log function, a standby screen display function, a radar scope display function, a GPS alarm function, a radar wave alarm function, a radio alarm function, and the like.

The GPS log function is a function in which the control unit 18 associates the current position detected by the GPS receiver 8 with the detected time and speed (vehicle speed) every second and stores it in a nonvolatile memory as a position history. This position history is recorded, for example, in NMEA format.

The standby screen display function is a function that displays a predetermined standby screen on the display unit 5. FIG. 3A shows an example of a standby screen, which shows the speed, latitude, longitude, and altitude of the own vehicle detected by the GPS receiver 13.

The MAP display function is a function that accesses the database 19 based on the current position detected by the GPS receiver 13, reads out and displays map data stored therein, as shown in FIG. 3(b). In addition, the MAP display function searches for warning targets around the current location based on the location information stored in the database 19, and if there are warning targets around, displays the warning target at the corresponding position on the map. It also has a function to display information (target icon 112, etc.) in an overlapping manner. The specific display mode is as follows.

The control unit 18 displays a map on the main display area R1 covering almost the entire surface of the display unit 5 so that the traveling direction of the vehicle always faces upward. The control unit 18 displays the map so that the lower center of the main display area R1 is the current vehicle position, and displays the vehicle icon 111 at the current position.

The control unit 18 displays status information in a status area R2 set above the main display area R1. The status information displayed in status area R2 is, from the left, the current time 121 (in the figure, "15:10"), the GPS radio reception level display icon 122 (in the figure, three straight lines of different lengths are arranged in parallel) maximum reception level), no-parking area icon 123 (displayed when in the most important parking area or within the most important parking area), reception sensitivity mode display icon 124 indicating the radar reception sensitivity (in the figure, "SE", the highest sensitivity) ), vehicle speed 125 ("30 km/h" in the figure), and magnetic compass 126. The status area R2 is a transparent area and is arranged using a layer above that of the main display area R1. As a result, even within the status area R2, the map located below can be visually recognized at locations where status information is not displayed.

The control unit 18 displays current scale information (reduced scale) in a scale display area R3 set on the left side of the main display area R1. The scale assumes that the own vehicle position is 0 m, and displays the distance from the own vehicle position to the vertically intermediate position of main area R1 ("500" in the figure) and the distance to the upper position ("1000" in the figure) do. The unit is "m". When the control unit 18 detects that the main display area R1 has been touched twice consecutively, it displays a map scale change button at a predetermined position in the main display area R1 (a position along the scale display area R3) (as shown in the figure). (omitted), the map scale is changed according to the touch on the map scale change button. That is, the control unit 18 changes the scale of the map displayed in the main display area R1 according to the changed map scale, and also changes the scale information displayed in the scale display area R3.

During execution of the standby screen display function as shown in FIG. 3A, the control unit 18 detects one touch on the display unit 5 and displays a predetermined menu screen. When the control unit 18 detects that the screen switching button prepared in the menu screen is touched, the control unit 18 switches to the MAP display function as shown in FIG. 3(b). Similarly, when the control unit 18 detects one touch on the display unit 5 while executing the MAP display function, it displays a predetermined menu screen. When the control unit 18 detects that a screen switching button prepared on the menu screen is touched, it performs a process of switching to the standby screen display function.

During the execution of the standby screen display function and the MAP display function (hereinafter these functions are collectively referred to as standby functions), the control unit 18 controls the GPS alarm function, the radar wave alarm function, and the wireless alarm function according to an event that occurs. It executes processing to realize each function such as an alarm function, and returns to the original standby function processing when the processing of the function is completed. The priority of each function is set in the order of radar wave warning function, radio warning function, and GPS warning function from the highest.

The GPS alarm function is a process that is executed at predetermined time intervals (1 second intervals) based on events from a timer included in the control unit 18, and is based on the latitude and longitude of the alarm target stored in the database 19 and the information detected by the GPS receiver 13. The distance between the two is calculated from the latitude and longitude of the current position, and when the calculated distance reaches a predetermined approaching distance, the display unit 5 displays a GPS warning display 130 (a schematic diagram of the warning target) as shown in FIG. 4(a). (remaining distance, etc.) and outputs an approach warning sound to that effect from the speaker 16.

These warning targets include drowsy driving accident points, radars, speed limit switching points, enforcement areas, inspection areas, parking monitoring areas, N systems, traffic monitoring systems, intersection monitoring points, red light violation prevention systems, police stations, and accident-prone areas. Area, area where vehicles are frequently targeted, sharp/continuous curves (expressway), branching/merging points (expressway), advance ETC lane guidance (expressway), service area (expressway), parking area (expressway), highway Oasis (expressway), smart interchange (expressway), PA/SA gas station (expressway), tunnel (expressway), highway radio reception area (expressway), prefectural border announcement, roadside station, viewpoint parking, etc. The type information of the warning target, the latitude and longitude information indicating its position, the schematic diagram or photograph data to be displayed on the display unit 5, and the audio data are stored in the database 19 in association with each other.

FIG. 4(b) shows a display example of the radar wave warning function. This radar wave warning function is activated when the microwave receiver 14 detects a signal corresponding to a microwave in a frequency band emitted from a speed measuring device (such as a mobile radar (hereinafter simply referred to as "radar")). , is an alarm function that displays an alarm screen 131 on the display unit 5 and outputs an alarm sound from the speaker 20. For example, when microwaves in the microwave frequency band emitted by a radar are detected by the microwave receiver 4, a schematic diagram or photograph of the radar stored in the database 19 is displayed as shown in FIG. 4(b). At the same time as displaying it on the unit 5 as an alarm screen, the voice data stored in the database 19 is read out and a voice saying "Radar. Be careful of speed" is output from the speaker 16.

The wireless alarm function is a function that issues an alarm when the wireless receiver 15 receives radio waves emitted by an emergency vehicle or the like so as not to interfere with the vehicle's movement. Radio alarm functions include enforcement radio, car location radio, digital radio, special small radio, police radio, police telephone, police activity radio, towing radio, helicopter radio, fire helicopter radio, fire radio, emergency radio, and highway radio. , scans the frequency of wireless signals used in security radios, etc., and when a wireless signal is received at the scanned frequency, a notification indicating that a wireless signal corresponding to the frequency stored in the database 19 for each wireless type has been received. The schematic diagram is displayed on the display section 5 as an alarm screen, and the audio data stored in the database 19 for each wireless type is read out, and the speaker 16 outputs an alarm sound indicating the wireless type. For example, when a police radio signal is received, a voice message such as "This is a police radio signal. Be careful of speed" is output.

[Alarm function using color LED]
The alarm function using color LEDs, which is a feature of the present invention, will be explained below. A light emitting section 21 is provided at a predetermined position on the front surface of the case body 2. The light emitting section 21 is installed at the center above the display screen of the display section 5. A color LED 22 is arranged inside the case body 2 facing the light emitting section 21 . The color LED 22 is an RGB three primary color LED, that is, an LED with built-in chips for three primary colors. If R is 5 bits, G is 5 bits, and B is 5 bits, totaling 15 bits, color control is performed for 32,768 colors. The light emitting part 21 is made thin in the corresponding area of the front wall surface of the case body 2, or a translucent member is fitted in the light emitting part 21, so that the emitted light color of the built-in color LED 22 can be seen from the outside. Furthermore, the light emitting section 21 is made to emit light of one color when viewed from the outside.

The control unit 18 controls the light emission state of the color LEDs 22 . That is, the database 19 stores and holds relational information that associates the alarm target with the luminescent color information. This related information is registered at the time of shipment as one of the information regarding the alarm target. In this embodiment, the luminescent color information is not associated with each individual alarm target, but is associated with each type of alarm target. In other words, the emitting color to be displayed is specified for each type of fixedly installed speed measuring device (radar), N system, traffic monitoring point, inspection area, roadside station, etc. that are the targets of the GPS alarm function. Associating the emitted light color information. In addition, we provide luminous color information that specifies the emitted color corresponding to the speed measuring device that is the alarm target for the radar wave alarm function (the alarm condition is the detection of a signal corresponding to microwaves in a predetermined frequency band), and the detection target for the wireless alarm function. Emission color information that specifies the corresponding emitted light color is associated with each wireless type.

FIG. 5 shows the function of the control section 18 that controls the light emission state of the light emitting section 21 (color LED 22). The control unit 18 controls the light emitting state of the light emitting unit 21 (color LED 22) by causing the color LED 22 to emit light in the emission color corresponding to the alarm target when there is an alarm target that satisfies the alarm condition, and If there are a plurality of alarm targets, one of them is set as the alarm target to be notified, and the color LED 22 is caused to emit light in a color corresponding to the alarm target. Specifically, the control unit 18 executes the flowchart shown in FIG. 5.

First, the control unit 18 determines whether or not a predetermined microwave is received by the microwave receiver 14 (S1). When the control unit 18 receives the microwave (S1 is Yes), the control unit 18 accesses the database 19 and transmits information to the speed measuring device associated with the microwave reception recorded in the relational information that associates the alarm target with the emitted light color information. The corresponding emitted light color information is acquired, and the color LED 22 is controlled to emit light in the emitted light color A specified by the emitted light color information. The emitted light color A may be, for example, a color such as red that indicates a high degree of urgency.

On the other hand, if the predetermined microwave has not been received (No in S1), the control unit 18 determines whether or not the predetermined radio signal has been received by the wireless receiver 15 (S3). When the control unit 18 receives a predetermined wireless signal (S3 is Yes), the control unit 18 accesses the database 19 and determines the wireless type of the received wireless signal recorded in the relational information that associates the alarm target with the luminescent color information. The color LED 22 is controlled to emit light in the color B specified by the color information. The emitted light color B actually differs depending on the wireless type, and is set to an appropriate color depending on the level of urgency of the wireless type, for example.

Also, depending on the wireless type, a color such as red is associated with a high level of urgency, but in this case, the level of urgency is lower than the emission color associated with the speed measurement device associated with microwave reception mentioned above. It is best to use a color that makes it easy to understand. A color that indicates a low level of urgency may be, for example, a color with less redness, or a lower brightness and/or brightness.

On the other hand, if the predetermined wireless signal is not received (S3 is No), the control unit 18 acquires the current position information detected by the GPS receiver 13, and determines whether there is an alarm target in the predetermined approach relationship nearby. It is determined whether or not (S5). That is, the control unit 18 accesses the database 19 based on the acquired current position and determines whether or not there is a target alarm object around the current position. The target alarm object is the surroundings of the own vehicle (for example, within a predetermined angle range with respect to the direction of travel (for example, preferably at an angle of 90 degrees or less on each side with respect to the direction of travel, particularly preferably at an angle of 45 degrees or less). If there is one alarm target within a fan-shaped area with radius Become a target. Such conditions are within a predetermined angular range with respect to the direction of travel and are the closest.

If there is an alarm object to be a target based on the position information (S5 is Yes), the control unit 18 accesses the database 19 and identifies the target recorded in the relational information that associates the alarm object with the luminescent color information. The color LED 22 is controlled to emit light in the color C specified by the color information. This emitted light color C actually differs depending on the type of alarm target. Items of high importance such as speed measuring devices are red, items of medium importance (providing caution) such as the N system are blue, and items of low demand (providing information) such as roadside stations are shown in red. ) It is best to make things green.

Drivers must be aware of the road ahead and around other vehicles while driving. In this embodiment, when the warning conditions are met, the light emitting unit 21 emits light in a predetermined color corresponding to the target of the warning, so even if the radar detector (light emitting unit 21) is not in the driver's field of vision, You can see that the light has been emitted, and just by shifting your line of sight a little, you can see the light emitting section 21 within your field of vision and check the color of the light emitted. As a result, it is possible to know that there is a warning target that satisfies the warning conditions in the surrounding area, and what the warning target is. The alarm using the predetermined emitted light color uses the light emitting unit 21 having the color LED 22 as the light source, so a large number of alarm information is not notified, and the alarm is a simple one in which the emitted light is emitted with the predetermined emitted color. This allows the driver to understand the content of the warning without having to stare at the light emitting part for long periods of time, allowing the driver to focus on gathering information necessary for driving inside and outside the vehicle.

[Alarm function using display unit]
As described above, when the color LED 22 (light emitting section 21) is used to issue an alarm, the display section 5 may not issue an alarm, or may be used in combination. When used together, the target icon 112, GPS alarm display 130, and alarm screen 131 displayed on the display unit 5 are displayed to notify the alarm target, and the color LED 22 (light emitting unit 21) emits a predetermined color. The alarm targets (targets) to be alerted should be the same.

Then, the control unit 18 controls the display unit 5 to be in a predetermined light emitting state without changing the background color when the alarm condition is satisfied. Since the background color is not changed in this manner, the map information etc. displayed on the display section 5 do not become difficult to see, and the information originally displayed on the display section 5 and provided to the user can be reported as is.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the control unit 18 displays various types of alarm information on the display unit 5 when the alarm conditions are met, so that the user can be informed of more specific and detailed information. In this case, the presence of the alarm target can be notified to the user by emitting light from the light emitting unit 21 provided separately from the display screen. In other words, instead of multiple pieces of information coexisting on the same screen, the existence of the alarm target is detected on a display section installed outside the display screen, and the detailed contents are displayed on the display screen, so users who only want to know the existence of the alarm target The purpose can be achieved from the light emitting state of the light emitting unit 21 without looking at the display screen, and users who want to know detailed contents can also achieve their purpose by looking at the alarm information displayed on the display screen. .

Furthermore, when the control section issues an alarm using the display section 5, it is preferable to use text information. In this case, it is preferable that the color of the text information and the emitted light color of the light emitting section 21 be similar colors. Text information makes the content easier to understand. At this time, by making the emitted light color of the light emitting part 21 and the color of the text information similar, the association between the light emitting part 21 and the alarm information (text information) is strengthened. This is preferable because the user can easily find the location of the text information displayed on the display unit 5 as the warning information.

[Other examples of changing the emission color depending on the alarm target]
In the embodiment described above, the emitted light color is changed depending on the type of alarm target, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in the case of an alarm target based on location information, an alarm target whose location information is registered You can set (associate) a luminescent color for each group, or divide them into multiple groups according to their importance (level of danger) and set a luminescent color for each group.Alarm targets belonging to the same group can be assigned the same luminescent color. Also good.

Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, when red is used as the emission color B by the wireless alarm function, it is a color that has a lower level of urgency than the red emission color B by the radar wave alarm function, but the same color may be used. .

[Change of light emission status depending on alarm level]
In the embodiment described above, the light emitting state is controlled by changing the emitted light color in accordance with the alarm target, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the light emitting state may be changed depending on the alarm level. By using color LEDs, it is possible to express many different colors with one LED. Therefore, by smoothly performing gradation control from low to high alarm levels, it is possible to issue an alarm in which the color of the emitted light changes gradually. The change in the light emission state based on the alarm level may be changed by changing the light emission color as described above, or by changing the light emission intensity of the color LED 22 along with the change. The control unit 18 changes the light emission intensity by, for example, changing the brightness or brightness of the light emission color (for example, using PWM for brightness), or by adjusting the voltage applied to the LED and changing the light emission amount itself. When changing the light emission intensity, for example, as the alarm level increases, it is preferable to change from a dark color to a bright color, or to make the light emission intensity stronger (larger).

For example, when the alarm condition is the reception of radio waves, the alarm level may be set to the signal level of the received radio waves. When receiving radio waves of a predetermined frequency that is a warning target, such as microwaves emitted from a speed measuring device, the inorganic digital radar changes the color and intensity of the emitted light according to the signal level of the received radio waves. Instead of using a level meter, the received signal level can be expressed analogously.

Further, when the alarm condition is that the current position and the alarm target are in a close relationship, the alarm level may be the degree of the close relationship. Control based on the degree of proximity relationship is, for example, such that the closer the distance, the higher the alarm level. In this way, the approximate remaining distance to the warning target can be understood. That is, when emitting light of the emitting color C in FIG. 5, the control unit 18 performs control to change the emitted light color based on the remaining distance to the alarm target based on the emitted light color based on the alarm target.

In addition to the above-mentioned predetermined radio wave reception and approach-related warning levels, there are various other warning levels, such as the degree of dangerous driving and fuel efficiency. The degree of dangerous driving is set, for example, by providing an acceleration sensor, and the larger the sensor value of the acceleration sensor, the higher the degree of dangerous driving, that is, the higher the alarm level. Furthermore, since fuel efficiency worsens as the vehicle accelerates more rapidly, it is determined based on the sensor value of the acceleration sensor that the larger the sensor value, the worse the fuel efficiency is during driving. Further, the fuel efficiency may be determined based on vehicle information provided by the vehicle. The OBD-II (II is the Roman numeral "2" and hereinafter "OBD-II" will be referred to as "OBD2") connector installed in the vehicle is also called a failure diagnosis connector and is connected to the ECU of the vehicle. , various vehicle information is output. Therefore, a connection cable that connects to the OBD2 connector is attached to the case body, and the MAF value (mass air flow: air amount), injection opening time, throttle opening, fuel flow rate, instantaneous fuel consumption, remaining fuel amount, accelerator opening, etc. Get vehicle information. For example, the control unit 18 calculates the fuel consumption from the MAF value, or calculates the current fuel consumption based on the instantaneous fuel consumption output as vehicle information.

On the other hand, regarding the change in the light emission state corresponding to the alarm level, it is preferable to change the light emission color by, for example, changing the frequency of the light emission color in stages. By changing the frequency, the color of the emitted light can be changed continuously. In this case, it is preferable to perform smooth gradation control by setting the alarm level to 1 for the lower frequency and the maximum alarm level for the higher frequency.

[Used in conjunction with audio warning]
The control section has a function of issuing an audio warning from the speaker 16 when the warning conditions are met. The control unit preferably changes the light emission intensity of the LED in accordance with the strength of the voice. When the warning conditions are met, information about the target of the warning, such as ``1 km ahead, Loop coil, speed limit is 60 km'' or ``N system just ahead'' is announced, and the driver turns to the front. This is preferable because the contents can be known based on the status. In this case, by changing the luminous intensity (brightness, brightness, etc.) according to the strength of the voice pronunciation (for example, volume), the device itself feels like it is speaking with its own will, which increases the sense of luxury and makes it more interesting. It's good because it also increases. It is preferable that the stronger (louder) the sound, the stronger (larger) the emission intensity.

[Alarm based on compound conditions]
It is preferable that the alarm condition is a plurality of conditions (compound condition). In this case, the control unit 18 may make the light emission state different when all of the plurality of conditions are satisfied and the light emission state when some of the plurality of conditions are satisfied. If some of the conditions are met, there is a possibility that all of the conditions will be met later. Therefore, it is good to give a warning to the user when some of the conditions are satisfied. It is preferable that the light emitting state when some of the conditions are satisfied is less noticeable and quieter than the light emitting state when all the conditions are satisfied.

For example, if the multiple conditions are ``receiving microwaves (radio waves) of a predetermined frequency'' (condition 1) and ``the received signal level is equal to or higher than the reference value'' (condition 2), two conditions are satisfied. Then, when radio waves emitted from the alarm target are received, an alarm is issued with a predetermined light emission state (for example, red light emission), and if only condition 1 is satisfied (signal level is less than the reference value), a different light emission state (for example, (blue light emission) to issue an alarm. Even if the distance to the warning target is far and the received signal level is less than the reference value, it is common for the signal level to exceed the reference value by driving further and approaching the warning target. In such a case, it is good to issue a warning in advance so that the user can mentally prepare and drive safely without panic even if a warning that satisfies all the conditions is issued.

<Others>
In the embodiment described above, the color of the LED is controlled using a total of 15 bits, including 5 bits for R, 5 bits for G, and 5 bits for B. However, the number of bits is not limited to this, and may be at most. It's good or it's good to have less. As each bit number increases, the number of colors to be controlled increases.For example, if R is 8 bits, G is 8 bits, and B is 8 bits, a total of 24 bits, 16,777,216 colors. color control becomes possible.

In the embodiment described above, the display unit 5 is provided and a map is displayed on the display unit 5, but the display unit 5 may not display a map, or may not have a display unit.

Moreover, although the color LED 22 is built into the case body 11, the present invention is not limited to this, and the color LED 22 may be exposed to the outside. Moreover, the number of color LEDs installed is arbitrary. In short, it is sufficient that the light emitting section 21 appears to emit light of one color when viewed from the outside.

Furthermore, in the embodiment, the light emitting section 21 is located at the center further above the display screen of the display section 5, but is not limited to this, and may be shifted to the left or right above the outside of the display screen. It may be located outside the display screen, to the side or below it.

Further, although the light emitting section 21 is a rectangular region in FIG. 1, the shape thereof is arbitrary, and can take various shapes such as an ellipse, a circle, and others. Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the light emitting section 21 may be a predetermined character (character string), symbol, mark, or the like. FIG. 6 shows an example in which the light emitting section 21 is provided on the left side of the display screen 5, and further shows an example in which the light emitting section 21 is configured with a trademark, a manufacturer's name, or other logo. A color LED 22 is arranged on the back side (inside the case main body 2) of the light emitting section 21 consisting of this logo. In this example, only the logo portion emits light in various colors depending on the situation. For example, the case body 2 is made of a material that does not transmit light, such as black plastic, and a slit or a hole that penetrates inside and outside is provided in the logo area. Then, a closing member made of a material (such as transparent or translucent plastic) that allows light to pass through is fitted into the hole to close it. Thereby, light from the color LED 22 passes through the closing member and reaches the outside while suppressing dust, dirt, etc. from entering the case body 2 through the hole. Therefore, when viewed from the outside, it appears to the user that the closing member, that is, the logo portion is emitting light.

Although only the logo and the like are emitted here, the entire surrounding area including the logo and the like may be emitted. For example, a logo or the like is printed on the rectangular light emitting section 21 shown in FIG. 1. As a result, the entire rectangular area that is the light emitting section 21 emits light in various colors depending on the situation, and the logo stands out due to the light.

7 and 8 show an example of the correspondence between the type of alarm target and the color (emission color of the LED) associated therewith. As shown in the figure, the warning targets associated with the LED emission colors are broadly divided into radar (corresponding to the "radar wave warning function" of the embodiment), wireless (corresponding to the "wireless warning function" of the embodiment) ), GPS (corresponds to the "GPS alarm function" of the embodiment), and systems. The system is all other systems that do not fall under radar, radio, or GPS, and the emitted light color is white. Therefore, when the light is emitted in conjunction with sound, the control unit 18 controls the color LED to emit white light while outputting all other sounds that do not correspond to the three genres.

Further, specific warning targets belonging to the radar genre include a normal warning when a predetermined microwave is received, and a stealth warning when a stealth wave, which has the characteristic of emitting strong radio waves instantaneously, is detected. The normal alarm is given in five different colors depending on the reception level (signal strength of the reception signal). The lowest reception level is ``Normal Alarm Level 1,'' and the emitted light color is ``yellow-green.'' As the reception level increases in the following order, the emission color for "normal alarm level 2" becomes "yellow", the emission color for "normal alarm level 3" becomes "light orange", and the emission color for "normal alarm level 4" becomes "orange". , the emission color of "normal alarm level 5" is associated with "red". In this way, when the reception level is low (Level 1), a relatively safe color such as green (yellow-green) is used, and when the level rises slightly (Level 2), "yellow" is used to warn people. It is said that Then, at level 3 or higher, a warning is given to the user using a color with an image of danger/warning, such as red. Furthermore, the stealth alarm is controlled so that the emitted light color gradually changes from blue to red, and then gradually changes toward blue.

The relationship between specific warning target types (alarm items) and emitted light colors in the wireless genre is "enforcement radio: pink", "car location nearby: pink", "car location far away: yellow", "digital radio: yellow" , "Out of car location area: light blue", "Special small radio: light blue", "Police radio: light blue", "Police radio: light blue", "Tow truck radio: light blue", "Helicopter radio: yellow-green", "Fire helicopter radio: light blue" : yellow-green," "firefighter radio: yellow-green," "emergency radio: yellow-green," "highway radio: yellow-green," and "security radio: yellow-green."

The relationship between specific warning target types (alarm items) and emitted light colors in the GPS genre is "Orbis: red", "Exceeding speed: red", "Speed limit switching: yellow", "Enforcement area: yellow" , "Inspection area: yellow", "Primary parking area: yellow", "Priority parking area: yellow", "High-speed traffic police force: yellow", "Intersection monitoring point: yellow", "Signal disregard prevention system: yellow" , "My Area: Yellow", "N System: Blue", "Traffic Monitoring System: Blue", "Police Station: Blue", "Area where accidents occur frequently: Blue", "Area where vehicles are targeted frequently: Blue", "Highway Road steep/continuous curves: Blue, Expressway merging/branching points: Blue, ETC lane: Green, Service area: Green, Parking area: Green, Highway oasis: Green, High speed Road long/continuous tunnel: Green," "Highway radio reception area: Green," "Prefectural border: Green," "Roadside station: Green," and "Viewpoint parking: Green."

In the above embodiment, the Eve radar detector was explained as an example of a device to which the system of the present invention is applied, which is fixedly installed by pasting or the like on the dashboard or other predetermined position in the car using the bracket 3. It can also be applied to mirror-type radar detectors attached to rearview mirrors. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to radar detectors, and can be implemented as a function of various electronic devices for vehicles. For example, it may be incorporated as a function of a navigation device or the like.

In the above-described embodiments and modifications, the device is provided with a database 19 storing various information, and the control unit 18 accesses the database 19 to read necessary information and perform various processes. It is not limited to this. That is, part or all of the information to be registered in the database 19 is registered in the server. The radar detector and other electronic equipment/devices may have a function of communicating with such a server, and the control unit 18 may be a system that accesses the server as appropriate, acquires necessary information, and executes processing. Part or all of the control unit may be installed in such a server, and the server side may execute part of the processing, and the in-vehicle device may obtain the results and display them in a predetermined manner. Further, the display device may be another in-vehicle device or a device mounted on the vehicle.

In the embodiments, a GPS receiver for detecting current position information is built-in, but the present invention does not require a configuration including a GPS receiver, and the present invention acquires current position information from a vehicle or other in-vehicle equipment, and uses the acquired information. It may also be possible to determine whether or not there is a close relationship with the warning target based on the following.

5 Display 6 Touch panel 7 Volume and adjustment button 8 Work button 10 Memory card reader 11 Memory card 13 GPS receiver 14 Microwave receiver 15 Wireless receiver 16 Speaker 18 Control section 19 Database 21 Light emitting section 22 Color LED

Claims (3)

A system that issues an alarm when predetermined alarm conditions are met,
A display section;
a light emitting unit disposed beside a screen of the display unit, the light emitting unit having a longitudinal direction substantially parallel to a side of the screen on the side of the light emitting unit;
a function of displaying a map on the screen and, when a predetermined alarm condition is met, causing the light emitting unit to emit light and displaying a warning on the screen while displaying the map on the screen;
A function of issuing a precursor alarm using the light emitting part ;
has
A system wherein the color of light emitted by the light emitting unit when the predetermined alarm condition is satisfied is different from the color of light emitted by the light emitting unit in the precursory warning. The system according to claim 1, wherein the display function displays a map at a position between the light emitting unit and the alarm in a predetermined direction. A program for causing a computer to implement the functions of the system according to claim 1 or 2 .

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