Anti-fog system

Abstract

The present invention provides an anti-fog system that improves power consumption efficiency and effectively suppresses fogging of vehicle windows. The anti-fog system (X) for a vehicle (1) having a photographing device (10) for photographing a space outside the vehicle through a vehicle window from the vehicle interior comprises: a first detection device (41, 42) for detecting the state of the vehicle interior; an acquisition device (61) for acquiring life data of a passenger; an anti-fog device (19, 20) for suppressing fogging of the vehicle window; and a control device (26) for controlling the anti-fog device (19, 20), wherein the control device (26) estimates the amount of water vapor in the vehicle interior at the current moment, i.e., the initial water vapor amount, based on the detection result of the first detection device (41, 42), estimates the amount of water vapor released by the passenger per unit time, i.e., the released water vapor amount, based on the acquisition result of the acquisition device (61), predicts future fogging of the vehicle window based on the estimated value of the initial water vapor amount and the estimated value of the released water vapor amount, and controls the anti-fog device (19, 20) based on the prediction result.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an anti-fogging system for suppressing fogging of vehicle windows. Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there is known an anti-fogging system for suppressing fogging of vehicle windows.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle window glass system, which includes: a vehicle window glass installed on a moving body such as a vehicle; an anti-fog film arranged on the indoor side surface of the vehicle window glass; a temperature sensor which detects the temperature of the indoor side surface of the vehicle window glass; a temperature and humidity sensor which detects the indoor temperature and humidity of the moving body; a drying unit which vaporizes moisture attached to the anti-fog film; and a control unit which has a circuit which estimates the time until fog is generated on the anti-fog film based on the glass temperature detected by the temperature sensor and the indoor temperature and humidity detected by the temperature and humidity sensor, and operates the drying unit based on the estimated time.

[0004] Prior art literature

[0005] Patent Literature

[0006] Patent Document 1: International Publication No. 2020 / 189353 Summary of the invention

[0007] Problem that the invention aims to solve

[0008] For example, when a vehicle with multiple passengers is traveling in a cold region, the vehicle windows may fog up. One of the causes of fogging is that water vapor released by the passengers cools and condenses near the surface of the window.

[0009] In the above-mentioned prior art, since the time until fog is generated on the anti-fog film is estimated without considering the influence of water vapor released by the passengers, it is difficult to accurately estimate the time until fog is generated on the anti-fog film. As a result, the operation time of the drying unit may be too short to suppress the fogging of the anti-fog film, or the operation time of the drying unit may be too long to waste power.

[0010] In view of the above background, an object of the present invention is to provide an anti-fogging system that can improve power consumption efficiency and effectively suppress fogging of vehicle windows.

[0011] Means used to solve problems

[0012] In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, a certain scheme of the present invention is an anti-fog system (X) for a vehicle (1), wherein the vehicle (1) has a shooting device (10) for shooting the space outside the vehicle (SP2) from the space inside the vehicle (SP1) through the vehicle window (6), wherein the system comprises: a first detection device (41, 42) for detecting the state of the space inside the vehicle; an acquisition device (61) for acquiring the life data of the occupant; an anti-fog device (19, 20) for suppressing the fogging of the vehicle window; and a control device (26) for controlling the anti-fog device, wherein the control device estimates the amount of water vapor in the space inside the vehicle at the current moment, i.e., the initial water vapor amount, based on the detection result of the first detection device, estimates the amount of water vapor released by the occupant per unit time, i.e., the released water vapor amount, based on the acquisition result of the acquisition device, predicts the future fogging of the vehicle window based on the estimated value of the initial water vapor amount and the estimated value of the released water vapor amount, and controls the anti-fog device based on the predicted result.

[0013] According to this scheme, the future fogging of the vehicle window can be accurately predicted based on the estimated value of the initial water vapor amount and the estimated value of the released water vapor amount, so the operation time and output of the anti-fogging device can be optimized. Therefore, the power consumption efficiency can be improved and the fogging of the vehicle window can be effectively suppressed.

[0014] In the above scheme, the acquisition device may also be a wearable device (61) worn by the passenger.

[0015] According to this aspect, the vital data of the occupant can be acquired without installing an acquisition device in the vehicle. Therefore, the future fogging of the vehicle window can be accurately predicted while suppressing the complexity of the vehicle structure.

[0016] In the above scheme, the wearable device may at least obtain the passenger's height, weight, heart rate and body temperature as the vital data.

[0017] According to this aspect, the amount of released water vapor can be accurately estimated based on the vital data of the occupant.

[0018] In the above scheme, the anti-fog system may also include a second detection device (43, 44) for detecting the state of the space outside the vehicle and / or the driving state of the vehicle, and the control device estimates the temperature of the vehicle window based on the detection result of the second detection device, predicts the future fogging of the vehicle window based on the estimated value of the initial water vapor amount, the estimated value of the released water vapor amount and the estimated value of the temperature of the vehicle window, and controls the anti-fog device based on the prediction result.

[0019] According to this aspect, future fogging of the vehicle window can be predicted more accurately, and therefore the operation time and output of the anti-fogging device can be further optimized.

[0020] In the above scheme, the control device may also calculate a corrected water vapor amount by adding an estimated value of the initial water vapor amount to an estimated value of the released water vapor amount, calculate a saturated water vapor amount based on an estimated value of the temperature of the vehicle window, determine whether the vehicle window is fogged within a specified time based on the corrected water vapor amount and the saturated water vapor amount, and start operating the anti-fog device or increase the output of the anti-fog device if it is determined that the vehicle window is fogged within the specified time.

[0021] According to this scheme, it is possible to accurately determine whether the vehicle window has fogged within a specified time based on the corrected water vapor amount and the saturated water vapor amount. Therefore, the anti-fog device can be started at an appropriate time, or the output of the anti-fog device can be increased at an appropriate time.

[0022] In the above aspect, the second detection device may include an outside temperature sensor (43) for detecting the temperature of the space outside the vehicle and a vehicle speed sensor (44) for detecting the vehicle speed.

[0023] According to this aspect, the temperature of the vehicle window can be accurately estimated based on the temperature of the space outside the vehicle and the vehicle speed. Therefore, the future fogging of the vehicle window can be predicted more accurately.

[0024] In the above aspect, the first detection device may include an in-vehicle temperature sensor (41) for detecting the temperature of the in-vehicle space and an in-vehicle humidity sensor (42) for detecting the humidity of the in-vehicle space.

[0025] According to this aspect, the initial water vapor amount can be estimated more accurately based on the temperature and humidity of the vehicle interior space, and thus the future fogging of the vehicle window can be predicted more accurately.

[0026] In the above aspect, the anti-fog device may also include a heating device (19) for heating the vehicle window and / or an air conditioning device (20) for adjusting the air in the vehicle interior space.

[0027] According to this aspect, fogging of the vehicle window can be effectively suppressed by the anti-fogging device.

[0028] Effects of the Invention

[0029] According to the above configuration, it is possible to provide an anti-fogging system that can improve power consumption efficiency and effectively suppress fogging of vehicle windows. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Figure 1 It is a perspective view showing a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 2This is a cross-sectional view showing a front window and its surroundings according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 3 This is a block diagram showing a vehicle and a wearable device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 4 It is an explanatory diagram showing the first control table to the third control table according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 5 This is a flowchart showing the anti-fog control according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Description of Reference Numerals

[0036] 1: Vehicle

[0037] 6: Front window (an example of a car window)

[0038] 10: Front camera (an example of a camera)

[0039] 19: Heating device (an example of anti-fogging device)

[0040] 20: Air conditioning device (an example of anti-fog device)

[0041] 26: Control Device

[0042] 41: In-vehicle temperature sensor (an example of the first detection device)

[0043] 42: In-vehicle humidity sensor (an example of the first detection device)

[0044] 43: External temperature sensor (an example of the second detection device)

[0045] 44: Vehicle speed sensor (an example of the second detection device)

[0046] 61: Wearable device (an example of an acquisition device)

[0047] SP1: Interior space

[0048] SP2: Space outside the vehicle

[0049] X: Anti-fog system DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] <Vehicle 1>

[0051] First, refer to Figure 1 to Figure 4 A vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0052] Reference Figure 1The vehicle 1 of this embodiment is a car. The vehicle 1 has a body 2 that is long in the front-to-back direction. An interior space SP1 is formed inside the body 2, and a cabin 3 for accommodating passengers is provided in the center of the interior space SP1 in the front-to-back direction. The cabin 3 is provided with, for example, a plurality of front seats 4 (driver's seat, passenger seat) and a plurality of rear seats 5 arranged behind the front seats 4. In addition, in this embodiment, two rows of seats are provided along the front and back, but in other embodiments, only one row of seats may be provided along the front and back, or more than three rows of seats may be provided along the front and back.

[0053] At the front of the vehicle body 2, a front window 6 (an example of a vehicle window) is provided in front of the front seat 4. The front window 6 is formed of glass. In other embodiments, the front window 6 may also be formed of a transparent material other than glass (e.g., a transparent resin). At the rear of the vehicle body 2, a rear window 7 is provided behind the rear seat 5. At both sides of the vehicle body 2, a plurality of side doors 8 are provided on the sides of the front seat 4 and the rear seat 5, and a side window 9 is provided on the upper part of each side door 8.

[0054] Reference Figure 1 , Figure 2 , a front camera 10 (an example of a photographing device) is provided at the upper rear of the front window 6. The front camera 10 is a device that photographs the space outside the vehicle SP2 (in this embodiment, the space in front of the vehicle 1) from the space inside the vehicle SP1 through the front window 6. The front camera 10 is, for example, a digital camera that uses a solid-state imaging element such as a CCD or CMOS. The front camera 10 includes a lens that converges light incident from the front through the front window 6, and a sensor that converts the light converged by the lens into an electrical signal. In addition, Figure 2 The arrow P indicates the field of view (photographable range) of the front camera 10 .

[0055] Reference Figure 2 The front camera 10 is mounted on the inner surface of the front window 6 via a bracket 11. The bracket 11 includes a main body 12 arranged around the front camera 10, and a cover 13 extending forward from the main body 12. The main body 12 is fixed to the inner surface of the front window 6. The cover 13 surrounds the space in front of the lens of the front camera 10 together with the front window 6. The cover 13 includes a bottom wall 13A extending in the left-right direction, and left and right side walls 13B extending upward from the left and right ends of the bottom wall 13A (at Figure 2 Only the right side wall 13B is shown).

[0056] Reference Figure 3The vehicle 1 includes a propulsion device 14, a braking device 15, a steering device 16, an HMI 17 (Human Machine Interface), a navigation device 18, a heating device 19 (an example of an anti-fog device), an air conditioning device 20 (an example of an anti-fog device), an occupant sensor 21, an external sensor 22, a vehicle sensor 23 and a control device 26.

[0057] The propulsion device 14 is a device that applies driving force to the vehicle 1. The propulsion device 14 includes, for example, an internal combustion engine such as a gasoline engine or a diesel engine and / or an electric motor.

[0058] The brake device 15 is a device that applies a braking force to the vehicle 1. The brake device 15 includes, for example, a brake caliper that presses a pad against a brake rotor, and an electric cylinder that supplies a hydraulic pressure to the brake caliper.

[0059] The steering device 16 is a device that changes the steering angle of the wheels and includes, for example, a rack-and-pinion mechanism that steers the wheels and an electric motor that drives the rack-and-pinion mechanism.

[0060] The HMI 17 is a device that notifies the occupant of various information (for example, a failure of the heating device 19) and accepts input operations from the occupant. The HMI 17 includes, for example, a touch panel, a sound generating device, an ignition switch, and the like.

[0061] The navigation device 18 is a device that guides the vehicle 1 to the destination. The navigation device 18 includes an input device that accepts input operations from the passengers. The input device may be a part of the HMI 17, or may be provided independently of the HMI 17. The navigation device 18 stores map information. The navigation device 18 determines the current position (latitude and longitude) of the vehicle 1 based on the signal received from the artificial satellite. The navigation device 18 sets the route from the departure point (for example, the current position) of the vehicle 1 to the destination based on the map information, the current position of the vehicle 1, and the destination of the vehicle 1 input by the passengers into the above-mentioned input device.

[0062] The heating device 19 is a device for suppressing fogging of the front window 6 by heating the front window 6. Figure 2 The heating device 19 is composed of a plurality of metal heating wires 28 in contact with the inner surface of the front window 6. At least a portion of the plurality of heating wires 28 can be arranged in the field of view of the front camera 10 (refer to Figure 2 In other embodiments, the heating device 19 may be formed of a transparent film such as an ITO film (Indium Tin Oxide Film). In other embodiments, the heating device 19 may be built into the front window 6, or may be spaced apart from the front window 6.

[0063] Reference Figure 3 The air conditioning device 20 is a device for adjusting the air in the vehicle interior space SP1. The air conditioning device 20 includes a duct connected to the vehicle interior space SP1 and the vehicle exterior space SP2, an evaporator and a heater core arranged in the duct, a fan for generating a flow of air in the duct, and an electric motor for driving the fan. The air conditioning device 20 is configured to be able to switch the air volume (the speed of the fan) and the air conditioning mode. The above-mentioned air conditioning mode includes, for example, an external air introduction mode for introducing air from the vehicle exterior space SP2 into the vehicle interior space SP1, an internal air circulation mode for circulating the air in the vehicle interior space SP1, and a defrosting mode for blowing air toward the front window 6.

[0064] The occupant sensor 21 is a sensor for detecting the riding state of the occupant. The occupant sensor 21 includes a seat belt sensor 35 for detecting the wearing state of the seat belt of the occupant and a occupant camera 36 for capturing an image of the occupant.

[0065] The external sensor 22 is a sensor for detecting objects (for example, obstacles or dividing lines on the road of the vehicle 1) existing in the vehicle exterior space SP2. The external sensor 22 includes the front camera 10, the sonar 38, and the vehicle exterior camera 39 described above.

[0066] The vehicle sensor 23 is a sensor that detects the state of the vehicle interior space SP1, the state of the vehicle exterior space SP2, the driving state of the vehicle 1, etc. The vehicle sensor 23 includes an in-vehicle temperature sensor 41 (an example of a first detection device) that detects the temperature of the vehicle interior space SP1 (hereinafter referred to as "in-vehicle temperature"), an in-vehicle humidity sensor 42 (an example of a first detection device) that detects the humidity of the vehicle interior space SP1 (hereinafter referred to as "in-vehicle humidity"), an outside temperature sensor 43 (an example of a second detection device) that detects the temperature of the vehicle exterior space SP2 (hereinafter referred to as "outside temperature"), and a vehicle speed sensor 44 (an example of a second detection device) that detects the vehicle speed.

[0067] The control device 26 is an electronic control unit composed of a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, etc. The control device 26 is connected to each component of the vehicle 1 via a communication network such as a CAN (Controller Area Network) and controls each component of the vehicle 1 .

[0068] The control device 26 includes a communication unit 51 , an outside recognition unit 52 , a travel control unit 53 , an anti-fog control unit 54 , and a storage unit 55 .

[0069] The communication unit 51 of the control device 26 communicates with peripheral devices based on wireless communication standards such as Bluetooth (registered trademark). For example, the communication unit 51 communicates with a wearable device 61 (described in detail later) based on the wireless communication standard and transmits and receives information with the wearable device 61.

[0070] The external recognition unit 52 of the control device 26 recognizes the position of an object (e.g., an obstacle or a dividing line on the driving path of the vehicle 1) existing in the vehicle exterior space SP2 based on the detection result of the external sensor 22. For example, the external recognition unit 52 recognizes the position of the object existing in front of the vehicle 1 by analyzing the change in the density value on the image captured by the front camera 10.

[0071] The travel control unit 53 of the control device 26 controls the travel of the vehicle 1 based on the detection results of the external sensor 22 and the vehicle sensor 23. For example, when the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor 44 is higher than a predetermined first threshold speed, the travel control unit 53 performs lane keeping control based on the position of the dividing line recognized by the external recognition unit 52. In the lane keeping control, the travel control unit 53 controls the steering device 16 so that the vehicle 1 travels at a reference position (for example, the center of the width direction of the lane) in the lane divided by the dividing line. In addition, when the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor 44 is higher than a predetermined second threshold speed, the travel control unit 53 performs collision mitigation control based on the position of the obstacle recognized by the external recognition unit 52. In the collision mitigation control, the travel control unit 53 controls the braking device 15 so as to avoid or mitigate the collision between the vehicle 1 and the obstacle.

[0072] The anti-fog control unit 54 of the control device 26 controls the heating device 19 and the air conditioning device 20 to suppress fogging of the front window 6. For example, the anti-fog control unit 54 switches the air volume or air conditioning mode of the air conditioning device 20 based on the detection result of the vehicle sensor 23 or the input operation of the passenger to the HMI 17. The anti-fog control unit 54 controls the heating device 19 through PWM control based on the detection result of the vehicle sensor 23 and the like.

[0073] The storage unit 55 of the control device 26 is composed of a memory, a HDD, etc. The storage unit 55 stores programs and tables necessary for controlling the vehicle 1. For example, the storage unit 55 stores a first control table T1, a second control table T2, and a third control table T3.

[0074] Reference Figure 4 (A), the first control table T1 is a table that specifies the relationship between the in-vehicle temperature and in-vehicle humidity and the water vapor amount (hereinafter referred to as "initial water vapor amount") in the in-vehicle space SP1 at the current moment. In the first control table T1, the higher the in-vehicle temperature or in-vehicle humidity, the larger the initial water vapor amount is set.

[0075] Reference Figure 4 (B), the second control table T2 is a table that specifies the relationship between the height, weight, heart rate and body temperature of the passenger (all of which are examples of the vital data of the passenger) and the amount of water vapor released per unit time by the passenger (hereinafter referred to as "released water vapor amount"). In the second control table T2, the higher the height of the passenger, the higher the released water vapor amount is set, the heavier the weight of the passenger, the higher the released water vapor amount is set, the higher the heart rate of the passenger, the higher the released water vapor amount is set, and the higher the body temperature of the passenger, the higher the released water vapor amount is set.

[0076] Reference Figure 4 (C), the third control table T3 is a table showing the relationship between the outside temperature and the vehicle speed and the temperature of the front window 6. In the third control table T3, the higher the outside temperature is, the higher the temperature of the front window 6 is set, and the higher the vehicle speed is, the lower the temperature of the front window 6 is set.

[0077] <Wearable Devices 61>

[0078] Next, refer to Figure 3 The wearable device 61 (an example of an acquisition device) of this embodiment is described. The wearable device 61 constitutes the anti-fog system X together with the heating device 19, the air conditioning device 20, the occupant sensor 21, the external sensor 22, the vehicle sensor 23, and the control device 26.

[0079] The wearable device 61 is worn by the passenger. When there is only one passenger, the wearable device 61 can be worn by the one passenger. When there are multiple passengers, the wearable device 61 is preferably worn by each of the multiple passengers. The wearable device 61 is formed in any shape such as a watch type, a wristband type, a glasses type, a ring type, a shoe type, a pendant type, etc.

[0080] The wearable device 61 includes a processing unit 62 , a communication unit 63 , an input unit 64 , and a detection unit 65 .

[0081] The processing unit 62 is an electronic control unit composed of a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, etc. The processing unit 62 is connected to each component of the wearable device 61 and controls each component of the wearable device 61 .

[0082] The communication unit 63 communicates with peripheral devices based on a wireless communication standard such as Bluetooth (registered trademark). For example, the communication unit 63 communicates with the communication unit 51 of the control device 26 of the vehicle 1 based on the wireless communication standard, and transmits and receives information with the communication unit 51 of the control device 26. For example, the communication unit 63 transmits the height, weight, heart rate, and body temperature of the passenger obtained by the input unit 64 or the detection unit 65 to the communication unit 51 of the control device 26.

[0083] The input unit 64 receives input of the height and weight of the passenger. In other embodiments, instead of the input unit 64 receiving input of the height and weight of the passenger, a portable terminal held by the passenger may receive input of the height and weight of the passenger, and the communication unit 63 receives information related to the height and weight of the passenger from the portable terminal. In other embodiments, instead of the input unit 64 receiving input of the height and weight of the passenger, a digital measuring device may measure the height and weight of the passenger, and the communication unit 63 receives information related to the height and weight of the passenger from the digital measuring device.

[0084] The detection unit 65 includes an optical heart rate sensor such as a PPG sensor (Photoplethysmogram Sensor) and is configured to detect the heart rate of the passenger. The detection unit 65 includes a temperature sensor such as a thermistor and is configured to detect the body temperature of the passenger. In other embodiments, the detection unit 65 may be configured to detect not only the heart rate or body temperature of the passenger, but also the height or weight of the passenger.

[0085] <Anti-fog control>

[0086] Next, refer to Figure 5 The anti-fog control performed by the anti-fog control unit 54 of the control device 26 is described. The anti-fog control is a control for suppressing fogging of the front window 6. For example, the anti-fog control is performed just after the passenger turns on the ignition switch (that is, just after the passenger gets on the vehicle 1). However, in other embodiments, the anti-fog control may be performed at a timing other than the above timing (for example, when the vehicle 1 is traveling).

[0087] When the anti-fog control is started, the anti-fog control unit 54 estimates the initial water vapor amount based on the in-vehicle temperature obtained from the in-vehicle temperature sensor 41 and the in-vehicle humidity obtained from the in-vehicle humidity sensor 42, referring to the first control table T1 (step ST1). Hereinafter, the initial water vapor amount estimated by the anti-fog control unit 54 in step ST1 is referred to as the "estimated value of the initial water vapor amount". In addition, when it is predicted that the in-vehicle temperature or the in-vehicle humidity changes greatly within a prescribed time (for example, when the air conditioning device 20 is operated in the external air introduction mode), the anti-fog control unit 54 may also correct the estimated value of the initial water vapor amount based on the predicted value of the change amount of the in-vehicle temperature or the in-vehicle humidity.

[0088] Next, the anti-fog control unit 54 estimates the amount of water vapor released based on the height, weight, heart rate and body temperature of the passenger obtained from the wearable device 61, referring to the second control table T2 (step ST2). Hereinafter, the amount of water vapor released estimated by the anti-fog control unit 54 in step ST2 is referred to as "the estimated value of the amount of water vapor released". In addition, when there are multiple passengers, the anti-fog control unit 54 can calculate the estimated value of the amount of water vapor released for each of the multiple passengers, add the calculated estimated values ​​of the amount of water vapor released together, and thus calculate the final estimated value of the amount of water vapor released.

[0089] Next, the anti-fog control unit 54 calculates the corrected water vapor amount by adding the estimated value of the initial water vapor amount to the estimated value of the released water vapor amount (step ST3). The corrected water vapor amount corresponds to the estimated value of the water vapor amount in the vehicle interior space SP1 at a time when a predetermined time has passed from the current time.

[0090] Next, the anti-fog control unit 54 estimates the temperature of the front window 6 based on the outside temperature obtained from the outside temperature sensor 43 and the vehicle speed obtained from the vehicle speed sensor 44, with reference to the third control table T3 (step ST4). Hereinafter, the temperature of the front window 6 estimated by the anti-fog control unit 54 in step ST4 is referred to as "the estimated value of the temperature of the front window 6".

[0091] Next, the anti-fogging control unit 54 calculates the saturated water vapor amount corresponding to the estimated value of the temperature of the front window 6 (step ST5). The correspondence between the estimated value of the temperature of the front window 6 and the saturated water vapor amount may be stored in the storage unit 55 of the control device 26 in advance.

[0092] Next, the anti-fog control unit 54 determines whether the front window 6 is fogged within the prescribed time (whether the temperature of the front window 6 reaches the dew point within the prescribed time) based on the corrected water vapor amount and the saturated water vapor amount (step ST6). For example, when the corrected water vapor amount exceeds the saturated water vapor amount, the anti-fog control unit 54 determines that the front window 6 is fogged within the prescribed time. On the other hand, when the corrected water vapor amount is less than the saturated water vapor amount, the anti-fog control unit 54 determines that the front window 6 is not fogged within the prescribed time.

[0093] When it is determined that the front window 6 is fogged within the specified time (step ST6: "Yes"), the anti-fog control unit 54 performs the anti-fog process (step ST7). In the anti-fog process, the anti-fog control unit 54 starts the operation of the heating device 19 and the air-conditioning device 20 or increases the output of the heating device 19 and the air-conditioning device 20, thereby suppressing the fogging of the front window 6. When the anti-fog control unit 54 increases the output of the heating device 19 and the air-conditioning device 20, it can increase the duty cycle of the heating device 19 or increase the air volume of the air-conditioning device 20. In addition, in other embodiments, the anti-fog control unit 54 can also start the operation of only one of the heating device 19 and the air-conditioning device 20, and can also increase the output of only one of the heating device 19 and the air-conditioning device 20. When the anti-fog process is completed, the anti-fog control unit 54 ends the anti-fog control.

[0094] On the other hand, when it is determined that the front window 6 is not fogged within the prescribed time (step ST6: "No"), the anti-fog control unit 54 does not perform the anti-fog process and ends the anti-fog control. That is, the anti-fog control unit 54 does not start the operation of the heating device 19 and the air-conditioning device 20 or does not increase the output of the heating device 19 and the air-conditioning device 20, but maintains the operating state of the heating device 19 and the air-conditioning device 20 at the current moment.

[0095] As described above, the anti-fogging control unit 54 predicts the future fogging of the front window 6 based on the estimated value of the initial water vapor amount (the amount of water vapor in the vehicle interior space SP1 at the current moment) and the estimated value of the released water vapor amount (the amount of water vapor released by the passenger per unit time), and controls the heating device 19 and the air conditioning device 20 based on the prediction result. As a result, the future fogging of the front window 6 can be accurately predicted based on the estimated value of the initial water vapor amount and the estimated value of the released water vapor amount, and thus the operation time and output of the heating device 19 and the air conditioning device 20 can be optimized. Therefore, the power consumption efficiency can be improved and the fogging of the front window 6 can be effectively suppressed.

[0096] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the vital data of the passenger is obtained through the wearable device 61 worn by the passenger. Thus, it is no longer necessary to provide a device for obtaining the vital data of the passenger in the vehicle 1. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the complexity of the structure of the vehicle 1 and accurately predict the future fogging of the front window 6. In addition, in other embodiments, the vital data of the passenger may also be obtained through the structural elements of the vehicle 1. For example, in the case where the passenger camera 36 is an infrared camera capable of detecting the body temperature (skin temperature) of the passenger, the body temperature of the passenger may also be obtained through the passenger camera 36.

[0097] In addition, the wearable device 61 obtains the height, weight, heart rate and body temperature of the passenger as the passenger's vital data. Thus, the amount of water vapor released can be accurately estimated based on the passenger's vital data. In addition, in other embodiments, the wearable device 61 may only obtain 1 to 3 data selected from the passenger's height, weight, heart rate and body temperature as the passenger's vital data, or may obtain data other than the passenger's height, weight, heart rate and body temperature (for example, the passenger's body water content) as vital data.

[0098] Furthermore, the anti-fogging control unit 54 predicts the future fogging of the front window 6 based on the estimated value of the initial water vapor amount, the estimated value of the released water vapor amount, and the estimated value of the temperature of the front window 6, and controls the heating device 19 and the air conditioning device 20 based on the prediction result. Thus, the future fogging of the front window 6 can be predicted more accurately, and therefore, the operation time and output of the heating device 19 and the air conditioning device 20 can be further optimized.

[0099] Furthermore, the anti-fog control unit 54 determines whether the front window 6 is fogged within a specified time based on the corrected water vapor amount and the saturated water vapor amount, and when it is determined that the front window 6 is fogged within a specified time, the heating device 19 and the air conditioning device 20 are started to operate or the output of the heating device 19 and the air conditioning device 20 is increased. Thus, it is possible to accurately determine whether the front window 6 is fogged within a specified time based on the corrected water vapor amount and the saturated water vapor amount. Therefore, it is possible to start the operation of the heating device 19 and the air conditioning device 20 at an appropriate time, or to increase the output of the heating device 19 and the air conditioning device 20 at an appropriate time.

[0100] Furthermore, the anti-fog control unit 54 estimates the temperature of the front window 6 based on the detection results of the outside temperature sensor 43 and the vehicle speed sensor 44. Thus, the temperature of the front window 6 can be accurately estimated based on the outside temperature and the vehicle speed. Therefore, the future fogging of the front window 6 can be predicted more accurately. In addition, in other embodiments, the anti-fog control unit 54 may estimate the temperature of the front window 6 based on only the detection results of either the outside temperature sensor 43 or the vehicle speed sensor 44, or may estimate the temperature of the front window 6 based on the detection results of sensors other than the outside temperature sensor 43 and the vehicle speed sensor 44.

[0101] In addition, the anti-fog control unit 54 estimates the initial water vapor amount based on the detection results of the in-vehicle temperature sensor 41 and the in-vehicle humidity sensor 42. As a result, the initial water vapor amount can be estimated more accurately based on the in-vehicle temperature and the in-vehicle humidity. Therefore, the future fogging of the front window 6 can be predicted more accurately. In addition, in other embodiments, the anti-fog control unit 54 can also estimate the initial water vapor amount based on only the detection results of either the in-vehicle temperature sensor 41 or the in-vehicle humidity sensor 42, or can also estimate the initial water vapor amount based on the detection results of sensors other than the in-vehicle temperature sensor 41 and the in-vehicle humidity sensor 42.

[0102] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, fogging of the front window 6 is suppressed by the heating device 19 and the air conditioning device 20. Thus, fogging of the front window 6 can be effectively suppressed. In addition, in other embodiments, fogging of the front window 6 can be suppressed by only one of the heating device 19 and the air conditioning device 20, or fogging of the front window 6 can be suppressed by an anti-fogging device other than the heating device 19 and the air conditioning device 20.

[0103] In the present embodiment, the fogging of the front window 6 is suppressed by the anti-fog system X, but in other embodiments, the fogging of the rear window 7 or the side window 9 may also be suppressed by the anti-fog system X. In other words, in the present embodiment, the front camera 10 is used as an example of the photographing device, but in other embodiments, the rear camera or the side camera (neither of which is shown in the figure) may also be used as an example of the photographing device.

[0104] Although specific embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications, and a wide range of modifications can be implemented.

Claims

1. An anti-fog system for a vehicle, wherein the vehicle is provided with a camera for photographing a space outside the vehicle through a vehicle window from a space inside the vehicle, wherein: The anti-fog system has: a first detection device for detecting a state of the vehicle interior space; An acquisition device for acquiring vital data of an occupant; an anti-fogging device that suppresses fogging of the vehicle window; as well as a control device, which controls the anti-fog device, The control device estimates the amount of water vapor in the vehicle interior at the current moment, i.e., the initial water vapor amount, based on the detection result of the first detection device, estimates the amount of water vapor released by the passenger per unit time, i.e., the released water vapor amount, based on the acquisition result of the acquisition device, predicts the future fogging of the vehicle window based on the estimated value of the initial water vapor amount and the estimated value of the released water vapor amount, and controls the anti-fog device based on the prediction result.

2. The anti-fog system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The acquisition device is a wearable device worn by the passenger.

3. The anti-fog system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The wearable device obtains at least the height, weight, heart rate and body temperature of the passenger as the vital data.

4. The anti-fog system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The anti-fog system further includes a second detection device, the second detection device detecting the state of the space outside the vehicle and / or the driving state of the vehicle. The control device estimates the temperature of the vehicle window based on the detection result of the second detection device, predicts the future fogging of the vehicle window based on the estimated value of the initial water vapor amount, the estimated value of the released water vapor amount and the estimated value of the temperature of the vehicle window, and controls the anti-fog device based on the prediction result.

5. The anti-fog system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The control device calculates a corrected water vapor amount by adding an estimated value of the initial water vapor amount to an estimated value of the released water vapor amount, calculates a saturated water vapor amount based on an estimated value of the temperature of the vehicle window, determines whether the vehicle window is fogged within a specified time based on the corrected water vapor amount and the saturated water vapor amount, and starts operating the anti-fog device or increases the output of the anti-fog device if it is determined that the vehicle window is fogged within the specified time.

6. The anti-fog system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The second detection device includes an outside temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the space outside the vehicle and a vehicle speed sensor for detecting the vehicle speed.

7. The anti-fog system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The first detection device includes an in-vehicle temperature sensor that detects a temperature of the in-vehicle space and an in-vehicle humidity sensor that detects a humidity of the in-vehicle space.

8. The anti-fog system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The anti-fogging device includes a heating device for heating the vehicle window and / or an air conditioning device for adjusting the air in the vehicle interior space.

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