JPS643698Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] The present invention relates to a lighting control device that controls the lighting status of a group of external lights, such as headlamps and tail lamps, installed on the outside of the vehicle, depending on the ambient light outside the vehicle and the light generated by an oncoming vehicle. .

A conventional lighting control device for a group of exterior lights controls the lighting of a group of exterior lights in response to ambient light. However, when a car is driving on a bright road during the day and enters a dark place such as a tunnel, the amount of ambient light decreases rapidly, so simply turning on the outside lights will reduce the impact. Until the driver's eyes became accustomed to the brightness, the brightness seemed darker than the actual brightness, which was dangerous for traffic safety.

The present invention was devised in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to contribute to traffic safety by detecting a sudden drop in the amount of ambient light and temporarily turning on the high beam and low beam in the group of external lights.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In FIG. 1, 1 is a first optical sensor that detects the amount of ambient light outside the vehicle and outputs an analog signal;
A second optical sensor detects the amount of light generated by an oncoming vehicle, such as illumination light from a headlamp, and outputs an analog signal. The two optical sensors 1 and 2 are constructed from a combination of cadmium sulfide and a transistor amplifier circuit, and are installed at desired positions in the vehicle. In this case, the first optical sensor 1 is selected at a position where it detects only ambient light and does not detect light generated by an oncoming vehicle. Further, the second optical sensor 2 is selected at a position where it can detect only the light generated when an oncoming vehicle approaches. 3 is a vehicle speed sensor that generates a pulse signal according to the vehicle speed. 4 is the ignition switch, 5 is the throttle switch that turns on when you press the accelerator pedal, and 6 turns on when you open the door.
This is a door switch. In this case, it is desirable that the door switch 6 is turned on when the door on the driver's seat side is opened. 7 and 8 are A-D converters connected to the first optical sensor 1 and the second optical sensor 2, respectively, and convert analog output signals into digital signals.

9 is a lighting switch unit, which includes a tail lamp switch 9a, an auto changeover switch 9b, a main switch 9c, and a daymer switch 9.
It is equipped with d. 10 is a right side headlamp, 11 is a left side headlamp, and each has a high beam 10a,
11a, and low beams 10b and 11b. 12 is a tail lamp. 13,14,1
5 is a relay, which has coils 13a and 14, respectively.
a, 15a and normally open contacts 13b, 14b, 1 that are closed when the coils 13a, 14a, 15a are energized.
It consists of 5b. 16 is a lighting control section;
When the auto changeover switch 9b is ON, the two optical sensors 1 and 2, the vehicle speed sensor 3, the ignition switch 4, the throttle switch 5, and the door switch 6 are activated.
Each relay 13, 14, 15 according to each signal from
By turning on and off each lamp 10,1
It has a function of controlling the lighting of lights 1 and 12, and is composed of a microcomputer or the like.

The tail lamp switch 9a has one end connected to the positive pole of the DC power supply 17 via the coil 13a of the tail relay 13, and the other end connected to the ground. The auto changeover switch 9b has one end connected to the positive pole of the DC power supply 17 and the other end connected to the power supply terminal Vcc of the lighting control section 16. Main switch 9c, daymer switch 9d
One side is the positive terminal of the DC power supply 17, and the other side is the high beam 10a, 11a or the low beam 10.
It is grounded via b and 11b. The lighting control unit 16 has a tail output terminal T/L connected to the tail relay 1.
3. Also, main output terminal M/L is main relay 1
4. Further, the dimmer output terminal D/L is connected to the positive terminal of the DC power supply 17 of the dimmer relay 15 via each coil 13a, 14a, 15a. Each lamp 10, 11, 12 has a relay 13, 1
It is connected to the positive electrode of the DC power supply 17 via normally open contacts 13b, 14b, and 15b of 4 and 15, respectively. F is a fuse.

Next, the operation when the lighting control section 16 in the above configuration is configured by a microcomputer will be explained based on the control flowcharts shown in FIGS. 2 to 4.

Turn on the tail lamp switch 9a, main switch 9c, and daymer switch 9d of the lighting switch unit 9 in FIG.
If you operate OFF, the tail lamp 1 will turn on accordingly.
2. High beam 10 of headlamps 10 and 11
a, 11a and low beams 10b, 11b are blinked. When the auto changeover switch 9b is turned on, the lighting control section 16 is supplied with power supply voltage and becomes operational. FIG. 2 shows the main routine, and arithmetic processing starts from ignition switch action determination step 101. When the ignition switch action determination step 101 determines that the ignition switch 4 is ON, the next step 10 is to input ambient light amount data.
2. If it is determined to be OFF, proceed to the main routine end step. Ambient light amount data input step 102
inputs ambient light amount data _L1 outside the vehicle. This ambient light amount data L ₁ becomes a larger value as the surroundings outside the vehicle become brighter. The next first light amount determination step 103 is a preset first light amount setting value when the ambient light amount data _L1 requires lighting of the tail lamp 12.
Determine whether it is less than or equal to L _T. When the surroundings are dim
If YES is selected, the process proceeds to the second light amount determination step 104, and if it is sufficiently bright, the process proceeds to the first lighting condition step 105 with the judgment NO. In the second light amount determination step 104, if the ambient light amount data _L1 is
It is determined whether the value is less than or equal to a first preset value _LH when lighting is required. When the surroundings are dark
If YES is selected, the process proceeds to the third lighting condition step 107, or if the brightness is dim, the process proceeds to the second lighting condition step 106 by selecting NO. The above three lighting condition steps 105, 106, and 107 are a group of conditions a', where Ma controls the high beams 10a and 11a of the headlamps 10 and 11, and Da controls the low beam 10a of the headlamps 10 and 11, respectively.
b, 11b and Ta are conditions for lighting the tail lamp 12, where "1" is a condition for lighting and "0" is a condition for turning off. Next, the process proceeds to ignition action determination step 108, and if it is determined that the ignition switch 4 is ON, the process advances to step 109 to determine the throttle switch operation, and if it is determined that the ignition switch 4 is OFF, the process advances to door switch determination step 110. Throttle switch action determination step 109
When it is determined that it is ON, the fourth lighting condition step 111;
If it is determined to be OFF, the process advances to lighting command step 112. The fourth lighting condition step 111 is a group of condition b, where Mb is Ma, Db is Da, Db is Da, Tb
is the same condition form as the group of Ta and the above condition a', and is all "1", that is, the condition is that all lights are turned on. The door switch determination step 110 is performed when the door switch 6
When it is determined that the light is turned on, the light is turned off at step 113.
If it is determined to be OFF, the process advances to lighting command step 112. The lighting command step 112 outputs a lighting command to each relay 13, 14, 15 to light the head lamps 10, 11 and the tail lamp 12 based on the result of the logical product of condition a' or condition a (described later) and condition b. Give control. That is, the condition
A lighting command is output only when either a' or condition a and condition b are both "1". Lights-off command step 113 is for each relay 1.
Output a light-off command to all 3, 14, and 15,
Head lamps 10, 11 and tail lamps 12
Turn off all lights. Incidentally, the lighting control section 16 sets each output terminal T/L, M/L, and D/L to the ground potential only when a lighting command is output.
3, 14, 15 coils 13a, 14a, 15a
It is something that excites. Lighting command step 11
After completing step 2, ignition action determination step 1
Return to 08. FIG. 3 shows a vehicle bundle interrupt routine that performs interrupt arithmetic processing every time one pulse signal is input from the vehicle speed sensor 3 in accordance with the vehicle speed, and the arithmetic processing starts from an ambient light amount data input step 201. Note that the ambient light amount data input step 201 is the same as the ambient light amount data input step 102 in the main routine of FIG. The light amount determination step 206 performs the same processing as the second light amount determination step 104 of the main routine. Ambient light amount data input step 20
1, the oncoming vehicle light amount data input step 202
inputs the light intensity data _L2 of the approaching oncoming vehicle.
This light amount data L ₂ of the oncoming vehicle becomes larger as the oncoming vehicle approaches. Next, the third light amount determination step 2
03 is YES, tunnel mode judgment step 20
4. If NO, proceed to the fifth lighting condition step 209.
In the tunnel mode determination step 204, the horizontal axis in FIG. 5 represents the distance traveled by the vehicle, and the vertical axis represents the amount of ambient light outside the vehicle.
In the ambient light amount change graph with L ₁ , the amount of decrease in the amount of ambient light ΔL ₁ per predetermined traveling distance Δl is greater than the predetermined amount, that is, when driving in bright daylight, it suddenly becomes dark due to entering a tunnel, etc., and the amount of ambient light decreases significantly. It is determined whether the mode is a light amount changing mode called tunnel mode, and if YES, the process proceeds to a fourth light amount determination step 205, and if NO, the process proceeds to a fifth light amount determination step 206. In the fourth light amount determination step 205, the determination is
6th light amount judgment step 207 if YES, 8th light amount judgment step if NO
The process advances to lighting condition step 212. If the judgment is YES in the fifth light quantity judgment step 206, the process proceeds to the seventh light quantity judgment step 208, and if the judgment is NO, the process proceeds to the sixth lighting condition step 210.
Proceed to. Sixth and seventh light amount determination steps 207,
208 is oncoming vehicle light amount data L ₂ and low beams 10b, 11b from the high beams 10a, 11a of the headlamps 10, 11 when the oncoming vehicle approaches.
Compare it with a preset third light intensity setting value L _B when switching to the lighting is required, and make a determination of YES that the third light intensity setting value L B is greater than or equal to the third light intensity setting value L _B , and proceed to the eighth lighting condition step 212. . 6th light amount judgment step 2
07, the judgment is NO and the ninth lighting condition step 213
Proceed to. Further, in the seventh light amount determination step 208, if the determination is NO, the process proceeds to the seventh lighting condition step 211. The five lighting condition steps 209 to 213 are a group of conditions a, and are set to the lighting conditions shown in FIG. 3 in the same condition form as the group of conditions a'. In addition, the vehicle speed interrupt routine in FIG.
In consideration of the operation switching speed such as 2, it is desirable to provide a delay time for the change in the group of condition a, especially a delay time for the change from lighting to extinction. For example, even if there is a change in the judgment in each of the light quantity judgment steps 203, 205 to 208 or the tunnel mode judgment step 204 for each interrupt processing, the condition a group is maintained until the pulse signal input according to the vehicle speed reaches a predetermined number of pulses. The lighting condition steps 209 to 213 are not changed. Therefore, even if the light amount data L ₁ and L ₂ change frequently within a single period of time, frequent changes in lighting condition steps 209 to 213 can be prevented and stable lighting control can be performed.

FIG. 4 shows a time interrupt routine that performs interrupt arithmetic processing at predetermined time intervals, for example, every 20 milliseconds, and starts the arithmetic processing from a vehicle speed data input step 301. A vehicle speed data input step 301 inputs a pulse signal corresponding to the vehicle speed. Next, a first time determination step 302 determines the time interval TI for each input of the pulse signal and a preset first set time.
TI ₁ , for example, 4 to 5 seconds, is compared, and if it is equal to or longer than the first set time TI ₁ , it is determined as YES, and the process returns to the second time determination step 303 with a NO determination. The next second determination step 303 is based on the above time interval TI,
A comparison is made with a preset second set time TI ₂ , for example about 10 minutes, and if the second time TI 2 is greater than or equal to the second time TI ₂ , it is determined as YES and the process goes to the 10th lighting condition step 304, and if the determination is NO, the process proceeds to the 11th lighting condition step 305. Return after progress. The two lighting condition steps 304 and 305 are a group of conditions b, and are set to the lighting conditions shown in FIG. 4 in the same condition form as the group of conditions a'.

Next, the operation of lighting control in various states will be explained.

First, I will explain what happens when driving in bright daylight. In the main routine shown in Figure 2, ignition switch 4 is
When set to ON, input ambient light amount data _L1 . Since the surroundings outside the vehicle are bright, the first light amount determination step 103 is
The determination is NO and the process proceeds to step 105 of the first lighting condition, which is condition a'. In this case, when the ignition switch 4 is ON and the accelerator pedal is depressed and the throttle switch 5 is turned ON and the vehicle starts running, the fourth lighting condition step 1, which is condition b, is activated.
Proceed to 11. Then, the lighting command step 112 is a lighting command based on the AND operation processing of the first lighting condition step 105 and the fourth lighting condition step 111, that is, Ma×Mb is “0”, Da×Db is “0”, Ta×Tb
Outputs a command that makes ``0''. Therefore, the lighting control unit 16 does not turn on each relay 13, 14, 15, and turns on the head lamps 10, 11 and the tail lamp 1.
Both of 2 are turned off. In this state, each time one pulse is input as vehicle speed data from the vehicle speed sensor 3, the vehicle speed interrupt routine shown in FIG. 3 executes interrupt calculation processing. This interrupt routine uses each light amount data of ambient light and oncoming vehicle light.
Input L ₁ and L ₂ and proceed to the third light amount determination step 203
The determination is NO, and the process proceeds to step 209 of the fifth lighting condition, which is condition a. However, since the fifth lighting condition step 209 is also all "0" conditions, the command in the lighting command step 112 of the main routine does not change. In this state, the fourth
The time interrupt routine shown in the figure executes interrupt calculation processing. This interrupt routine inputs vehicle speed data, but since the vehicle is running, the first time determination step 302 makes a negative determination, and the previous condition is held as condition b.

Then, when the vehicle enters the tunnel while driving,
Ambient light amount data L ₁ input in the ambient light amount data input step 201 in the vehicle speed interrupt routine
becomes very small. Now, assume that the ambient light amount data L ₁ decreases from the straight line L ₁ a shown in FIG. 5 to below the second light amount setting value L _H while the vehicle travels a predetermined travel distance Δl ₁ . Then, the third light amount determination step 203
Since the judgment is YES and the tunnel mode has been entered again, the tunnel mode judgment step 204 is also performed.
The verdict is YES. Further, the fourth light amount determination step 205 also makes a YES determination. If there is no oncoming vehicle at this time and the oncoming vehicle light amount data _L2 is sufficiently small, the sixth light amount determining step 207 makes a negative determination and the process proceeds to the ninth lighting condition step 213 which is condition b. In this case, the lighting command step 112 is
Ma×Mb, Da×Db, Ta×Ta are all “1”
Outputs the command. Therefore, the lighting control section 16
When the output terminals M/L, D/L, and T/L are at ground potential, each relay 13, 14, and 15 is turned on, and the high beams 10a and 11 of the headlamps 10 and 11 are turned on.
a. Turn on all the low beams 10b, 11b and tail lamp 12. If there is an oncoming vehicle at that time, the oncoming vehicle light amount data L ₂ input in the oncoming vehicle light amount data input step 202 in the vehicle speed interrupt routine will be greater than or equal to the third light amount setting value _LB.
The sixth light amount determination step 207 makes a YES determination, and the process proceeds to the eighth lighting condition step 212, which is condition b. Therefore, if there is an oncoming vehicle, the headlights 10,
Only the high beams 10a and 11a at 11 are turned off to prevent dazzling oncoming vehicles.
After that, as the driver continues to drive in the tunnel, when the driver's eyes become accustomed to the darkness, the tunnel mode is canceled because the ambient light amount data L ₁ does not change much from the time of the previous interruption due to the input of vehicle speed data. The tunnel mode determination step 204 is
Make a NO decision. If there is no oncoming vehicle, the seventh light amount determination step 208 makes a NO determination, and the condition b
The process advances to the seventh lighting condition step 211. Thus, only the low beams 10b and 11b of the headlamps 10 and 11 are turned off. When the tunnel exits from this state, the ambient light amount data L ₁ is input in the ambient light amount data input step 201.
becomes large, so the third light amount determination step 203
If the result is NO, the process proceeds to the fifth lighting condition step 209, which is the group of condition b. Thus, the headlamps 10, 11 and the tail lamp 12 are all turned off.

After that, while the vehicle is running, the outside of the vehicle gradually becomes dark and the ambient light amount data L ₁ changes to the first light amount setting value L _T
When the darkness decreases to below, the third light amount determination step 203 makes a YES determination. At this time, if the tunnel mode determination step 204 makes a NO determination, the fifth light amount determination step 206 makes a NO determination, and the process proceeds to the sixth lighting condition step 210, which is the group of condition b. Thus, only the tail lamp 12 is turned on. Ambient light data as the outside of the car gets darker
When L ₁ decreases to darkness below the second light intensity setting value L _H ,
If the tunnel mode determination step 204 is NO, the fifth light amount determination step 206 is YES.
Make a judgment. If there is no oncoming vehicle, the seventh light amount determination step 208 makes a negative determination and proceeds to the seventh lighting condition step 211, which is the group of condition b.
Therefore, the high beam 1 of the headlamps 10 and 11
Only 0a, 11a and tail lamp 12 are lit. Further, if there is an oncoming vehicle, the seventh light amount determination step 208 makes a YES determination, and the process proceeds to the eighth lighting condition step 212, which is the group of condition b. Thus, the headlamps 10 and 11 switch from high beams 10a and 11a to low beams 10b and 11b.
The light changes to . After that, if the vehicle is temporarily stopped for the first set time TI ₁ or more due to waiting at a red light, etc., there is no vehicle speed data to be input at the vehicle speed data input step 301 in the time interrupt routine, and the first time determination step 302 returns YES.
Since the stop is for a short time, the second time determination step 303 makes a negative determination, and the process proceeds to the eleventh lighting condition step 305, which is the group of condition b. Thus, only the tail lamp 12 lights up. The lighting condition step returns to the previous lighting condition when the vehicle is driven.

After that, if the vehicle is not driven for a long period of time equal to or longer than the second set time TI ₂ due to parking, etc., two time determination steps 3 in the time interrupt routine are performed.
02, 303 makes a YES determination and proceeds to step 304 of the 10th lighting condition, which is the group of condition b.
Thus, the headlamps 10, 11 and the tail lamp 12 are all turned off. Also, after turning ignition switch 4 OFF, open the door and turn door switch 6
When turned on, the main routine proceeds to step 113 to command the lights off, and the headlamps 10, 1 are turned on.
1 and the tail lamp 12 are all turned off.
In addition, in the lamp lighting control described above, it is also conceivable to control the lighting of fog lamps at the same time depending on the surrounding darkness. For example, if the tunnel mode determination step 204 makes a YES determination, one or both of the headlamps 10 and 11 and the fog lamps may be turned on.

The present invention has the above-mentioned configuration and operation, and has the following effects. Even if a car enters a tunnel or the like while driving and the amount of light surrounding the car suddenly drops, the high beam and low beam of the outside lights can be simultaneously turned on for a while in response to the drop, so the driver will not be confused by the darkness. In addition, when there is an oncoming vehicle, the high beam and low beam are not turned on at the same time and the low beam is switched on, thereby preventing the oncoming vehicle from being dazzled by light, contributing to traffic safety.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 5 show an embodiment of the lighting control device for a group of vehicle exterior lights according to the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is an electric circuit diagram, FIG. 2 is a control flowchart of the main routine of the lighting control section, and FIG. 3 is a control flowchart of the vehicle speed interrupt routine of the lighting control section, FIG. 4 is a control flowchart of the time interrupt routine of the lighting control section, and FIG. 5 is a graph of changes in ambient light amount. 1...First optical sensor, 2...Second optical sensor, 1
0, 11... Head lamp, 12... Tail lamp, 16... Lighting control section.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A group of exterior lights installed on the outside of the vehicle, a first light detection section that detects ambient light outside the vehicle, a second light detection section that detects light generated by an oncoming vehicle, and the first light detection section detect sudden changes in the surroundings. lighting comprising means for temporarily turning on high beams and low beams simultaneously in the group of exterior lights when detecting a decrease in light intensity and outputting a signal; and means for switching and controlling lighting of the high beams and low beams according to a signal from the second light detection section. 1. A lighting control device for a group of vehicle exterior lights, comprising: a control section.