JPH0581772U - Vehicle radar device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] It is possible to adjust the optical axis while the vehicle is stopped. [Configuration] If the traveling speed is 35 km / h or less, the distance to the front object is not measured. However, if the diagnosis monitor is connected and the volume adjustment switch is pressed and held for 3 seconds after the connection, make sure that the vehicle is stopped (step 104) and check that the diagnosis monitor 5 is connected. After confirmation (step 105), measurement of the distance to the front object is permitted (step 106).

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a vehicle radar device that prohibits measurement of a distance to a front object when a traveling speed is equal to or lower than a predetermined value.

[0002]

[Prior Art]

 Recently, a vehicle radar device has been proposed for the purpose of preventing a rear-end collision accident caused by a dozing driving or a side-looking driving on a highway. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a situation in which a laser radar 3 as a vehicle radar device of this type is mounted on a truck 1 and an inter-vehicle distance D from a vehicle ahead 2 is measured. In the figure, 3-1 is a laser radar head having a light transmitting section and a light receiving section. The laser light LS sent from the light sending unit is reflected by the reflector 4 mounted on the rear end of the front vehicle 2 and guided to the light receiving unit as reflected laser light LR. In the laser radar 3, the inter-vehicle distance D is calculated from the emission timing of the laser light LS and the light receiving timing of the reflected laser light LR, and the calculated inter-vehicle distance D is provided in the display unit 3-2 (FIG. 6) provided in the driver's seat. Display). The display unit 3-2 is provided with an inter-vehicle distance display section 3-21 on the front surface thereof, and the measured inter-vehicle distance D is digitally displayed on the inter-vehicle distance display section 3-21. When the truck 1 and the front vehicle 2 approach each other and the inter-vehicle distance D becomes equal to or less than the safe inter-vehicle distance, a buzzer (not shown) provided in the display unit 3-2 issues a rear-end collision warning. It is said that the above-mentioned safe inter-vehicle distance is calculated according to the vehicle speed based on the vehicle speed pulse output from the speed detection sensor 3-4, and is also changed according to the vehicle speed.

In the laser radar 3, when the traveling speed of the truck 1 becomes 35 km / h or less, the operation thereof is automatically stopped. That is, when the speed is 35 km / h or less, the driving of the laser diode is automatically stopped for the purpose of extending its life and reducing the power consumption, and the measurement of the distance to the front object is prohibited. .. At this time, the display on the inter-vehicle distance display unit 3-21 is "---", and the safe inter-vehicle distance is not set.

[0004]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, according to such a conventional laser radar 3, when the traveling speed is 35 km / h or less, the measurement of the distance to the front object is prohibited, that is, the driving of the laser diode is prohibited, and thus the vehicle is stopped. However, there is a problem that the optical axis cannot be adjusted. For such a problem, it is considered to prepare a pseudo vehicle speed pulse generator, artificially increase the traveling vehicle speed, and forcibly drive the laser diode to adjust the optical axis. However, if such a system is adopted, it is necessary to prepare a pseudo vehicle speed pulse generator, which has no special use in addition to the special one. In addition, in order to increase the running speed in a pseudo manner, the safe inter-vehicle distance is set according to the running speed, and a rear-end collision warning is issued when the optical axis is adjusted, which causes a feeling of discomfort. Also, if you forget to remove the pseudo vehicle speed pulse generator, the setting of the safe inter-vehicle distance during driving will be incorrect, which will be a safety issue. In addition, it may be dangerous because some users may adjust the optical axis during actual driving.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and is designed to permit measurement of a distance to a front object at least while a vehicle is stopped in accordance with a predetermined switch operation.

[0006]

[Action]

 Therefore, according to this invention, if a predetermined switch operation is performed, the distance to the front object can be measured while the vehicle is stopped without artificially increasing the vehicle speed.

[0007]

【Example】

 Hereinafter, a vehicle radar device according to the present invention will be described in detail based on embodiments.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of a control unit of a laser radar which is an embodiment of this vehicle radar device. The control unit 3-3 is a display unit 3-2 ′ (FIG. 3). Built in).

The display unit 3-2 ′ corresponds to the display unit 3-2 shown in FIG. 6, and in the present embodiment, it is provided with a connection coupler 3-22 ′ for a diagnostic monitor (described later). There is. In FIG. 3, 3-21 'is an inter-vehicle distance display section, 3-23' is a volume control switch for a rear-end collision warning, 3-24 'is a distance control mode switch (distance switch) for safe inter-vehicle distance, 3- Reference numeral 25 'is a failure display lamp, and 3-26' is a power switch.

The control unit 3-3 includes a CPU 3-31, a ROM 3-32, and a RAM 3-33, various input information is given to the CPU 3-31 via an interface 3-34, and various processing information in the CPU 3-31 Is output via the interface 3-34.

In the laser radar of the present embodiment, with the power switch 3-26 ′ turned on, while the vehicle is stopped, as shown in FIG. 4, the coupler 5 is connected to the coupler 3-22 ′ of the display unit 3-2 ′. -1 is fitted and the diagnostic monitor 5 is connected via the communication cable 5-2, and when the volume adjustment switch 3-23 'is pressed and held for 3 seconds, after the completion of the transmission of the diagnostic code that is currently output, up to the front object Distance measurements are allowed.

That is, the distance to the front object, which was prohibited because the traveling speed was 35 km / h or less, was measured by connecting the diagnostic monitor 5 to the display unit 3-2 ′ while the vehicle was stopped. Allowed in response to a switch operation of pressing and holding switch 3-23 'for 3 seconds.

To describe the above-described operation in more detail, the CPU 3-31 determines that the vehicle is in the stopped state when the traveling speed is 3.6 km / h or less, and in the stopped state, the CPU 3-31 displays a diagnostic monitor on the display unit 3-2 ′. When No. 5 is connected, "-1-", "-2-", etc. will be displayed on the inter-vehicle distance display section 3-21 'according to the type of failure, and a diagnostic code showing the displayed content will be displayed. Transfer to the diagnostic monitor 5. At this time, the failure display lamp 3-25 'of the display unit 3-2' and the LED 5-3 of the diagnostic monitor 5 blink in synchronization.

After the completion of the transfer of the diagnostic code to the diagnostic monitor 5, the CPU 3-31 drives the laser diode based on the fact that the volume adjustment switch 3-23 ′ is continuously pressed for 3 seconds, and the distance to the front object is increased. Allow the measurement of. This makes it possible to adjust the optical axis of the laser diode while the vehicle is stopped. In this case, since the safe inter-vehicle distance is not set in the traveling speed range of 35 km / h or less, the rear-end collision warning is not issued when the optical axis is adjusted.

After adjusting the optical axis, when the diagnostic monitor 5 is separated from the display unit 3-2 ', the laser diode is deactivated and the measurement of the distance to the front object is returned to the prohibited state.

When the traveling speed becomes 3.6 km / h or more or the power switch 3-26 ′ is turned off in a state where the distance to the front object is allowed to be measured, the distance is 35 km. The measurement of the distance to the forward object, which was permitted in the traveling speed range of / h or less, is returned to the prohibited state.

FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing a simplified processing operation of the CPU 3-31 described above. The CPU 3-31 monitors the traveling speed in step 101 according to the program stored in the ROM 3-32. If the traveling speed is 35 km / h or more, the distance to the front object is measured (step 102). If the traveling speed is 35 km / h or less, the distance to the front object is not measured.

However, in step 103 after step 101, when it is confirmed that “the coupler connection signal is being generated and the switch is continuously pressed for 3 seconds or more after the coupler connection signal is generated”, that is, “the display unit When the diagnosis monitor 5 is connected to 3-2 'and the volume adjustment switch 3-23' is pressed and held for 3 seconds after connection ", it is confirmed that the vehicle is stopped (step 104). ) Further, after confirming that the dialog monitor 5 is connected (step 105), the measurement of the distance to the front object is started (step 106). Then, the process returns to step 104 and the subsequent operations are repeated.

When the stopped state is not confirmed in step 104, that is, the traveling speed is 3. When the speed is 6 km / h or more, and when the connection state with the diagnostic monitor 5 is not confirmed in step 105, the process returns to step 101, and the measurement of the distance to the front object, which has been permitted until then, is returned to the prohibited state. ..

In the above-described embodiment, the distance measurement is permitted when the diagnosis monitor 5 is connected to the display unit 3-2 ′ while the vehicle is stopped and the volume adjustment switch 3-23 ′ is pressed and held for 3 seconds. However, for example, a dedicated switch is provided in the display unit 3-2 ', and regardless of the connection of the diagnostic monitor 5, the distance measurement is permitted when the dedicated switch is turned on in the stopped state. May be

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the range in which the distance to the front object is allowed to be measured is set to 3.6 km / h or less (in a stopped state), but the speed range may be further widened, and the speed range may be completely increased. The permission may be granted only when the vehicle is stopped.

[0022]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, when a predetermined switch operation is performed, the distance to a front object can be measured while the vehicle is stopped without artificially increasing the traveling speed. That is, it is possible to adjust the optical axis when the vehicle is stopped without artificially increasing the traveling speed, eliminating the need for using a pseudo vehicle speed pulse generator and various problems caused by using a pseudo vehicle speed pulse generator. Can be eliminated.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a simplified processing operation specific to a CPU in a control unit shown in FIG.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of a control unit of a laser radar which is an embodiment of a vehicle radar device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing a display unit of this laser radar.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state in which a diagnosis monitor is connected to this display unit.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a situation in which a laser radar is mounted on a truck and an inter-vehicle distance from a vehicle ahead is detected.

FIG. 6 is a front view showing a display unit of a conventional laser radar.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3-2 'Display unit 3-21' Inter-vehicle distance display section 3-22 'Coupler 3-23' Volume adjustment switch 5 Diag monitor 5-1 Coupler 5-2 Communication cable 3-3 Control section 3-31 CPU 3-32 ROM 3-33 RAM 3-34 Interface

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Makoto Yamanoi 500 Kitawaki, Shimizu City, Shizuoka Prefecture Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Shizuoka Factory

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A vehicle radar device for prohibiting measurement of a distance to a front object when a traveling speed is equal to or lower than a predetermined value, wherein at least a distance to the front object is measured in response to a predetermined switch operation while the vehicle is stopped. A vehicle radar device comprising a distance measurement permission means for permitting.