SG181780A1

SG181780A1 - Driving control system

Info

Publication number: SG181780A1
Application number: SG2012044822A
Authority: SG
Inventors: Akihiro Hashimoto; Masatomo Ishikura; Hyosuke Yonezawa
Original assignee: Horiba Ltd
Priority date: 2009-12-25
Filing date: 2010-12-16
Publication date: 2012-07-30
Also published as: CN102667869A; JPWO2011078041A1; TW201136783A; WO2011078041A1; JP5563599B2

Abstract

A driving control system of the present inventionincludes: a driving recorder (2) to acquire movement data and status data including image data indicative of driving conditions; and operation equipment (3) connected to the driving recorder (2) via a communication cable so as to acquire the data so that the acquired data can be operated using a touch panel monitor. The operation equipment (3) acquires the status data from the driving recorder (2) in a short cycle of a prescribed period so as to store the status data in an acquired data storage part, and the operation equipment (3) is configured to be able to acquire vehicle speed data and engine revolution number data from the driving recorder (2) in a long cycle longer than the short cycle.[Selected Figure] Fig. 1

Description

SPECIFICATION

Title of the Invention

DRIVING CONTROL SYSTEM

Technical Field

[0001]

The present invention relates to a driving control system and, in particular, to a driving control system using a digital driving recorder that acquires a vehicle speed and an engine revolution number and a drive recorder that acquires status data including such as image data indicative of driving conditions.

Background Art

[0002]

As a conventional driving recorder, as disclosed in Patent Literature 1, there is a driving recorder that is mounted on a vehicle such as a truck so as to record various movement data such as a speed (vehicle speed), a time, a traveled distance and an engine revolution number. This movement data is acquired at prescribed timings (every 500msec) from various parts of the vehicle or automatically calculated from the acquired data so as to be recorded on a recording medium such as, ¢.g., a memory card. By reading this memory card using a reading device installed in an office, the movement data is automatically inputted to a computer connected to the reading device and is also utilized to automatically make a daily operation report.

[0003]

Also, as disclosed in Patent Document 2, there has been developed a vehicle onboard type drive recorder that is rendered to automatically record external and internal images of a vehicle (car) under driving so as to be able to conduct a posterior analysis of an : objective situation when an accident or a startled shiver and the like occurs. For example, in the case of a taxi and the like, for the purpose of measures of preventing an accident from occurring by a posterior analysis of a daily operation, and, for example, when an accident occurs, in order for investigating an objective evidence of a cause thereof, there arise developments of mounting this type of a drive recorder on a vehicle.

: [0004]

Specifically, a drive recorder like this is mounted on a vehicle and configured so as to sequentially store status data such as external image data, acceleration data, speed data, position data, brake data, winker data, door opening and closing data and the like under driving in time series in a memory so that a posterior analysis can be conducted by referring to the status data stored in the memory.

[0005]

Recently, there is a demand that a driving recorder is also implemented with a function of a drive recorder like this so as to manage the status data acquired by the drive recorder together with the conventional movement data in a driving control system so as to determine the overall driving status so that the status data together with the movement data can be utilized as education materials for safe driving and fuel-efficient driving. Also, there is a demand that a driving recorder mounted on a vehicle is equipped with a touch panel monitor so as to display the recorded data in real time as much as possible on a spot of recording the data, or even if it is not in situ spot, there is a desire of improving a data analyzing function, operability of a system, data processing ability and a data displaying : function as a GUI (Graphical User Interface) in a vehicle. And it is not hard to imagine that, in the future, in accordance with an object of the posterior analysis, there increasingly come out such demands, i.e., a tendency of desiring to add new movement data and status data as acquired data and a new demand for enhancement of functionality in an on-time analysis and an in-vehicle data analysis when recording the data.

[0006]

However, the data ranges in quite wide variety, and since a data capacity may be possibly increased in the case of including image data such as still images or moving images, the memory becomes full of data in a short time in the driving recorder based on the assumption of a current inexpensive hardware configuration and there is a problem that it is difficult to ensure such extensibility.

[0007]

In addition, the configuration of the driving recorder is defined by a predetermined specification and it is difficult to provide a touch panel monitor on the driving recorder per se, and there is a limitation in improving data analyzing functionality and operability of the system, data processing ability and data displaying functionality as a GUI by the driving recorder per se in a vehicle.

Citation List

Patent Literature

[0008]

Patent Document 1: JP2004-240639A

Patent Document 2: JP2007-11909A

Summary of Invention Technical Problem

[0009]

Therefore, the present invention has been made in order to collectively solve the above problems, and an essential object thereof is to make it possible to surely acquire status data needed to be newly acquired without exception and with extensibility while surely recording conventional movement data while allowing the driving recorder to be configured : at a low cost and to improve operability of the driving control system using a touch panel monitor.

Solution to Problem

[0010]

That is, a driving control system according to the present invention includes: a driving recorder adapted to acquire movement data including at least vehicle speed data, : time data and travel distance data, and status data including image data indicative of driving conditions; and operation equipment connected to the driving recorder via a communication cable so as to acquire the movement data and the status data so that the acquired data can be operated using a touch panel monitor, wherein the operation equipment acquires the status data from the driving recorder in a short cycle of a prescribed period so as to store the status data in an acquired data storage part, and the operation equipment is adapted to be able to acquire the movement data from the driving recorder in a long cycle longer than the short cycle.

[0011]

With this configuration, by providing the touch panel monitor, it is possible to improve the operability of the driving control system and it is also possible to configure the driving recorder to be separated from the operation equipment including the touch panel so that the driving recorder satisfies the prescribed standards, Moreover, by rendering the operation equipment to acquire the status data such as image data having a larger data capacity or status data needed to be newly acquired in a cycle of a time period shorter than that of the movement data having a relatively small data capacity, it is possible to reduce a memory capacity for storing the status data provided in the driving recorder so as to be able to surely acquire the movement data and status data including the image data without exception with an inexpensive hardware configuration. Moreover, only the driving recorder can be independently used by disconnecting the communication cable so that the driving control system or the driving recorder can be appropriately selected and used according to user’s applications. It is noted here that the movement data includes at least vehicle speed data, time data and travel distance data and may include engine revolution number data and the like. And at least these three kinds of data may transmit in a relatively long cycle and this configuration includes the case where overlapped data is transmitted to the operation equipment regarding as the status data in the short cycle.

[0012]

Moreover, it is preferable that the driving recorder includes a movement data storage part for storing the movement data, and in each case the driving recorder acquires the status data, the operation equipment acquires the status data from the driving recorder so as to be stored in the acquired data storage part, wherein the operation equipment acquires the movement data accumulated in the movement data storage part in the long cycle so as to be stored in the acquired data storage part. With this configuration, since it is not necessary to provide a memory for storing the status data in the driving recorder, the configuration of the driving recorder can be simplified and configured at a still more inexpensive cost and the status data can be stored in the operation equipment in real time.

[0013]

In the driving control system described above, in order to increase general-purpose properties without providing the operation equipment, it is preferable that the driving recorder includes: a movement recorder processing board for arithmetically processing the movement data; and a drive recorder processing board provided in separation from the movement recorder processing board so as to arithmetically process the status data. With this configuration, when only the driving recorder is independently used, if it is configured only using the movement recorder processing board while removing the drive recorder processing board, it is not needed to incorporate unnecessary components so that not only the cost can be reduced but also assembly thereof can be facilitated.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

[0014]

According to the present invention configured as described above, it is possible to surely acquire data desired to be newly acquired such as status data, e.g., image data and the like without exception together with movement data conventionally required to be acquired while allowing to configure at a low cost without providing a large capacity storage memory in the driving recorder and to improve operability of the driving control system using the touch panel monitor.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0015] [Fig. 1] Fig. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a driving control system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Fig. 2] Fig. 2 is an equipment configuration diagram of a driving recorder of the same embodiment. [Fig. 3] Fig. 3 is a functional configuration diagram of the driving control system of the same embodiment. [Fig. 4] Fig. 4 is an equipment configuration diagram of operation equipment of the same embodiment. [Fig. 5] Fig. 5 is a functional configuration diagram of the operation equipment of the same embodiment. [Fig. 6] Fig. 6 is a diagram showing display contents of an operation evaluation display in the operation equipment in a modified embodiment.

Reference Signs List

[0016] 100 ... Driving control system 2 ... Driving recorder 21b ... Vehicle speed/revolution number data storage part (movement data storage part}

C1, C2 ... Communication cable 3 ... Operation equipment 301 ... Touch panel monitor 3b ... Acquired data storage part

Description of Embodiments

[0017]

The following describes one embodiment of a driving control system 100 according to the present invention referring to the drawings.

[0018]

As shown in Fig. 1, the driving control system 100 according to the present embodiment includes a driving recorder 2 that acquires movement data (driving control data) such as vehicle speed data, time data and travel distance data, and status data indicative of driving conditions including acceleration data, speed data, position data, brake data, winker data, door opening/closing data and image data, and the driving control system 100 further includes operation equipment 3 that is connected to the driving recorder 2 via communication cables C1 and C2 so as to acquire the data mentioned above so that the data can be operated using a touch panel monitor. In this configuration, the operation equipment is provided in a position where it can be operated by a person sitting on a driver’s seat such that it is, for example, fixed to a dashboard and the like.

[0019]

The driving recorder 2 is configured to satisfy prescribed standards (Standards set forth in safety standards of the Road Transport Vehicle Act) defining such as anti-shock characteristics and heat resistance, wherein the driving recorder 2 includes a driving recording part 21 that receives vehicle speed data from a speed sensor and engine revolution number data from an engine revolution number sensor which are provided in a vehicle so as to arithmetically process the received data, and further includes a drive recorder part 22 that receives the status data including the image data from a drive recorder provided in the vehicle so as to arithmetically process the received data. In this configuration, the drive recorder part has a function overlapped with that of the driving recording part 21 so as to be independently operable and it is configured so as to be able to also acquire the data pertaining to the movement data from a sensor.

[0020]

It is noted here that the drive recorder (not shown) is attached to, e.g., front glass for sensing a behavior of the vehicle and surrounding conditions thereof and operating conditions of the vehicle and the like and outputting the status data indicative of the contents thereof, and in this case, it is configured using at least three kinds of a CCD camera that outputs the image data (moving image data or still image data), an acceleration sensor that outputs the acceleration data and a GPS receiver that outputs the position data. Meanwhile, the status data may include the vehicle speed data, door opening/closing data, brake data (brake pedal amount data), winker data and the like.

[0021]

As shown in Fig. 2, the driving recorder 2 is implemented using a microcomputer that includes a CPU 201, an internal memory 202, an AD converter (not shown) and the like.

In addition, the driving recorder 2 includes a real time clock (RTC) 203 that produces time data, a LED 204 (see Fig. 1) for confirming such as power source ON, a power source connector 205, a CPLD (Complex Programmable Logic Device) 206 to which the speed sensor and engine revolution number sensor are connected, a buzzer 207 for generating an alarm sound in accordance with an arithmetic result of the CPLD 206, a general-purpose cable connection port (e.g., USB port) 208 to which a general-purpose communication cable is connected, and the like.

[0022]

In addition, in order to store the vehicle speed data and engine revolution number data as the movement data in a recording medium such as a memory card so as to be able to carry the stored data, the driving recorder 2 is provided with a memory card socket 209 (see

Fig. 1) so that the memory card can be detachably attached to the socket.

[0023]

Moreover, the driving recorder 2 is provided with a first connection port (e.g,

RS-232C serial port) 210 for transmitting the vehicle speed data and engine revolution number data as the movement data to the operation equipment 3 via the communication cable and a second connection port (e.g., USB port) 211 for transmitting the status data to the operation equipment 3 via the communication cable.

[0024]

Thus, by operating the CPU 201 and peripheral equipment thereof in accordance with a program set in a predetermined region of the internal memory 202, the driving recorder 2 implemented by a microcomputer is rendered to function as the driving recorder part 21 and the drive recorder part 22 and the like, as shown in Fig. 3. Sucha microcomputer 10 may be general-purpose one or dedicated one.

[0025]

As shown in Fig. 3, the driving recorder part 21 includes a vehicle speed/revolution number data receiving part 21a that receives at least the vehicle speed data and engine revolution number data as the movement data from the sensor, a vehicle speed/revolution number data storage part 21b as a movement data storage part that stores the received vehicle speed data and engine revolution number data, and further includes a vehicle speed/revolution number data management part 21¢ that manages the vehicle speed data and engine revolution number data.

[0026]

The vehicle speed/revolution number data storage part 21b is adapted to be a ring . memory type that sequentially stores the vehicle speed data and engine revolution number data as the movement data, e.g., every 500msec in time series and it is adapted to be overwritten in sequence every time the capacitor thereof is filled with the data. For example, the vehicle speed/revolution number data storage part 21b is configured to store the vehicle speed data and engine revolution number data in a prescribed cycle of such as 24 hours or 48 hours in the past.

[0027]

The vehicle speed/revolution number data management part 21c¢ stores the vehicle speed data and engine revolution number data received from the respective sensors in the vehicle speed/revolution number data storage part 21b in each case the data is received.

Then, the vehicle speed/revolution number data management part 21¢ outputs the vehicle speed data and revolution number data accumulated in the vehicle speed/revolution number data storage part 21b after a prescribed time lapse to the operation equipment 3 via the communication cable. It is noted here that the prescribed time is set to a time period just before the memory allocated as the vehicle speed/revolution number data storage part 21b is filled with the data. Also, the vehicle speed/revolution number data management part 21c stores the data in the memory card pushed into the memory card socket 209. It is noted here that the storage of the vehicle speed data and revolution number data in the memory card may be performed when, e.g., a prescribed matter occurs, or the same data as the vehicle speed data and revolution number data at a similar timing of being outputted to the operation equipment 3 may be also stored in the memory card.

[0028]

Further, as shown in Fig. 3, the drive recorder part 22 includes a status data receiving part 22a for receiving the status data from the drive recorder and a status data management part 22b for managing the status data received by the status data receiving part 22a.

[6029]

The status data management part 22b is adapted to transmit the status data received from the drive recorder to the operation equipment 3 in each case the status data is received.

That is, the drive recorder part 22 is configured to have no status data storage part so that the status data management part 22b transmits the status data to the operation equipment 3 in real time without storing the status data in a memory provided in the drive recorder part 22.

[0030]

It is noted here that the driving recording part 21 is installed on a movement recorder processing board (not shown) and the drive recorder part 22 is installed on a drive recorder processing board (not shown). These processing boards are separated from each other and installed within a casing of the driving recorder 2.

[6031]

As shown in Fig, 4, the operation equipment 3 is configured using a microcomputer that includes a touch panel monitor 301, a CPU 302, an internal memory 303, an AD converter (not shown) and the like. In addition, the operation equipment 3 further includes a clock oscillation circuit (oscillator) 304, a video input connector 305, a wireless LAN connector 306 for performing radio communication, a GPS antenna connector 307, a power source connector 308, a receiving part 309 for enabling short distance radio communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication with a portable terminal such as a cellular phone, a loudspeaker 310 (see Fig. 1) for generating such as a sound, and the like.

[0032]

In addition, in order to store not only the movement data such as vehicle speed data and engine revolution number data but also the status data in a recording medium such as a memory card so as to be able to carry the stored data, the operation equipment 3 is provided with a memory card socket 311 so that the memory card can be detachably attached to the socket.

[0033]

Moreover, the operation equipment 3 is provided with a third connection port (e.g,

RS-232C serial port) 312 for connecting the communication cable corresponding to the first connection port 210 of the driving recorder 2 and a fourth connection port (e.g., USB port) 313 for connecting the communication cable corresponding to the second connection port 211 of the driving recorder 2. :

[0034]

Thus, by operating the CPU 302 and peripheral equipment thereof in accordance with a program set in a predetermined region of the internal memory 303, the operation equipment 3 includes a various data receiving part 3a that receives the vehicle speed/revolution number data and status data acquired from the driving recorder 2, an acquired data storage part 3b that stores the various data acquired by the data receiving part 3a, and an acquired data management part 3c that manages the acquired data. Such a microcomputer 10 may be general-purpose one or dedicated one.

[0035]

The acquired data management part 3¢ stores the acquired data received by the various data receiving part 3a in the acquired data storage part 3b in each case the data is received. Also, the acquired data management part 3c stores the data in the memory card pushed into the memory card socket 311. It is noted here that the storage of the acquired data in the memory card is performed by, for example, operating the touch panel or when a prescribed matter occurs.

[0036]

Next, the following describes an operation of the driving control system 100 according to the present invention.

[0037]

When the vehicle speed/revolution number data receiving part 21a receives the vehicle speed data and engine revolution number data as the movement data from the speed sensor and the engine revolution number sensor, the vehicle speed/revolution number data management part 2 1c sequentially stores the received data in the vehicle speed/revolution number data storage part 21b in time series in association with a time. At this time, the travel distance is also stored concurrently. Then, the vehicle speed/revolution number data management part 21c outputs the data stored in the vehicle speed/revolution number data storage part 21b to the operation equipment 3 via the communication cable every prescribed time lapse of the data storage in the vehicle speed/revolution number data storage part 21b (every 24 hours or 48 hours lapse in the present embodiment). Thus, the vehicle speed/revolution number data management part 21c outputs the movement data including the travel distance, vehicle speed data, engine revolution number data and associated time point stored in the vehicle speed/revolution number data storage part 21b to the operation equipment 3 via the communication cable at every cycle of a prescribed time period (at every cycle of 24 hours or 48 hours).

[0038]

Subsequently, when the acquired data receiving part 3a receives the movement data, the acquired data management part 3c stores the corresponding received data in a predetermined region allocated in the acquired data storage part 3b.

[0039]

Meanwhile, when the status data receiving part 22a receives the status data including the image data from the drive recorder, the status data management part 22b outputs the received status data to the operation equipment 3 via the communication cable in each case the status data is received. That is, when the status data receiving part 22a receives the status data including the image data from the drive recorder, the status data management part 22b outputs the status data to the operation equipment 3 in real time.

[0040]

Subsequently, when the acquired data receiving part 3a receives the status data, the acquired data management part 3c stores the received data in a predetermined region allocated in the acquired data storage part 3b.

[0041]

Thus, the movement data and status data can be stored in the operation equipment 3 so that the stored data can be.managed. Also, at this time, by operating the touch panel monitor 301, it is possible to, e.g., associate additional information with the stored data.

Moreover, since the operation equipment 3 has a communication function, the data accumulated in the operation equipment 3 can be transmitted to a base station or a central information processor in such as an office by operating the touch panel monitor 301. In addition, the movement data and status data can be analyzed in the touch panel.

[0042] <Effect of the Present Embodiment>

According to the driving control system 100 according to the present embodiment configured as described above, by providing the touch panel monitor 301, it is possible to improve the operability of the driving control system 100 and it is also possible to configure the driving recorder 2 to be separated from the operation equipment 3 including the touch panel monitor 301 so that the driving recorder 2 satisfies the prescribed standards.

[0043]

Moreover, by rendering the operation equipment 3 to acquire the status data such as image data having a larger data capacity in a cycle of a time period shorter than that of the movement data having a relatively small data capacity, it is possible to reduce a memory capacity for storing the status data provided in the driving recorder 2 so as to be able to surely acquire the status data including the image data without exception with an inexpensive hardware configuration. Particularly, in the present embodiment, since it is configured to transmit the status data to the operation equipment 3 without storing the same in the driving recorder 2, it is not necessary to provide a memory for storing the status data in the driving recorder 2 and therefore the driving recorder 2 can be configured at a still more inexpensive cost and the status data can be more surely stored in the operation equipment 3. In addition, since the status data is transmitted substantially in real time, the operation equipment 3 is allowed to analyze the status data in real time so as to output such as fuel-efficient driving guide information and safety driving guide information on the screen in each case the data is analyzed so as to be able to urge a driver to drive based on the information. It is noted here that only the driving recorder 2 can be independently used by disconnecting communication cables C1 and C2 so that the driving control system 100 or the driving recorder 2 can be appropriately selected and used according to user’s applications. : [0044] : <Other Modified Embodiment>

It is noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above.

[0045]

For example, in the embodiment described above, although the drive recorder part of the driving recorder does not include a status data storage part, the drive recorder part may include a status data storage part if the driving recorder can be configured at an inexpensive cost. In addition, by capturing a prescribed event such as a case where, e.g., acceleration exceeds a threshold, and only when such an event occurs, the status data may be stored in the status data storage part using such an event as a trigger. In this case, since the data capacity of the status data including the image data is larger than that of the vehicle speed/revolution number data, it is preferable that a cycle of transmitting the status data to : the operation equipment is made shorter than that of transmitting the movement data to the operation equipment. Herein, each cycle is set so as to transmit the data before the memory of the storage part is filled with the data. : [6046]

Moreover, in the embodiment described above, although the vehicle speed/revolution number data management part is configured to transmit the data accumulated in the vehicle speed/revolution number data storage part to the operation equipment at prescribed intervals, the other configuration is possible such that the data accumulated in the storage part with triggering user’s input signals may be transmitted to the : operation equipment.

[0047]

Furthermore, the operation equipment may be configured to perform a warning display for warning when a startled shiver occurs, a driving evaluation display indicating a : driving evaluation of a driver or a trend display indicating a driving trend of a driver, on the touch panel monitor 301. Herein, the warning display may be also performed together with a voice warming.

[0048]

Referring to the driving evaluation display, as shown in Fig. 6, constant speed driving, hard acceleration and deceleration, excessive acceleration, unnecessary idling, tendency of high-speed driving, prevention of wavy driving, abrupt steering operation and the like are multistage-evaluated in, e.g., first to seventh stages or numerically evaluated based on, e.g., a scale of 100 points, and an overall evaluation in comprehensive consideration of these evaluations is similarly multistage-evaluated or numerically evaluated so that the evaluated results are displayed. Also, the driving evaluation display includes a : display of comments on the results of the driving evaluation. Meanwhile, referring to the trend display, it may include a display of a driving tendency of a driver in each time zone such that, e.g., there are startled shivers many times in the morning or there are hard accelerations many times in the afternoon and the like, Also, the accumulated values of hard accelerations and decelerations and the like in a day or week, in each place or time zone may be displayed. Herein, when these are displayed, the operation equipment 3 : analyzes the status data and the like acquired from the driving recorder 2 via the communication cable and the status data and the like acquired via the recording medium so that various displays thereof are performed in real time. Thus, by performing the driving evaluation display and trend display, it becomes possible for a driver to objectively determine his own driving so that he may keep a safe driving in mind.

In addition, it may be configured that the image data included in the status data may be reproduced on the touch panel monitor 301 of the operation equipment. Thus, a driver can confirm the acquired image data on the spot so as to be able to immediately confirm a cause of such as an accident or a startled shiver.

[0050]

In addition, it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and various modifications thereof can be made in a range without departing from the spirit thereof.

Industrial Applicability

[0051]

According to the present invention, it becomes possible to surely acquire status data : needed to be newly acquired without exception and with extensibility while surely recording conventional movement data while allowing the driving recorder to be configured at a low cost and to improve operability of the driving control system using a touch panel monitor.

Claims

1. A driving control system comprising; a driving recorder adapted to acquire movement data including at least vehicle speed data, time data and travel distance data, and status data including image data indicative of driving conditions; and operation equipment connected to the driving recorder via a communication cable $0 as to acquire the movement data and the status data so that the acquired data can be operated using a touch panel monitor, wherein the operation equipment acquires the status data from the driving recorder in a short cycle of a prescribed period so as to store the status data in an acquired data storage part, and the operation equipment is adapted to be able to acquire the movement data from the driving recorder in a long cycle longer than the short cycle.

2. The driving control system according to claim 1, wherein the driving recorder includes a movement data storage part for storing the movement data, and in each case the driving recorder acquires the status data, the operation equipment acquires the status data from the driving recorder so as to be stored in the acquired data storage part, and wherein the operation equipment acquires the movement data accumulated in the movement data storage part in the long cycle so as to be stored in the acquired data storage part.

3. The driving control system according to claim 1, wherein the driving recorder includes: a movement recorder processing board for arithmetically processing the movement data; and a drive recorder processing board provided in separation from the movement recorder processing board so as to arithmetically process the status data.