Vehicle lighting device, vehicle lighting control method, and storage medium

Abstract

Provided are a vehicle lighting device, a vehicle lighting control method, and a storage medium, which are capable of obtaining general communication with a partner, further improving traffic safety with respect to a vehicle and the partner, and contributing to sustainable development of a transportation system. A vehicle lighting device includes: a first exterior lamp provided in an exterior portion of a vehicle; a second exterior lamp provided on an exterior portion of the vehicle; a recognition unit that recognizes an object present in a travel path of the vehicle; a detection unit that detects a visual recognition direction of a driver of the vehicle; and a control unit that, when the recognition unit recognizes the object, operates the second external lamp and operates the first external lamp on the basis of the visual recognition direction detected by the detection unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a vehicle lighting device, a vehicle lighting control method and a storage medium. Background Art

[0002] Generally, lights other than direction indicators installed at the front and rear of a vehicle are used to ensure the forward field of vision at night or to notify the following vehicles of the vehicle's position. In recent years, in order to further ensure the safety of vehicles and pedestrians, a technology has been proposed to enable the above-mentioned lights to have a reporting function to pedestrians in addition to the previous functions.

[0003] For example, a vehicle lighting device (vehicle lighting system) is proposed that can notify pedestrians of a situation in which a vehicle traveling in an autonomous driving mode recognizes a pedestrian (International Publication No. 2018 / 021063). The vehicle lighting device (vehicle lighting system) includes a communication light that can be visually recognized from the front of the vehicle, and a lighting control device that changes the lighting state of the communication light when the vehicle detects a pedestrian.

[0004] However, in the above-mentioned prior art, although the vehicle itself reports to the other party whether it recognizes the other party (pedestrian), it cannot reflect whether the driver recognizes the other party or whether the vehicle system recognizes the other party. Therefore, it is impossible to obtain comprehensive communication with the other party, and there is room for improvement in order to ensure the safety of the vehicle and the other party's traffic. Summary of the invention

[0005] The present invention was completed in consideration of such a situation, and one of its purposes is to provide a vehicle lighting device, a vehicle lighting control method and a storage medium that can achieve comprehensive communication with the other party, can further improve the safety of the vehicle and the other party's traffic, and contribute to the development of a sustainable transportation system.

[0006] Solutions to Solve Problems

[0007] The vehicle lighting device, vehicle lighting control method, and storage medium according to the present invention employ the following structures.

[0008] (1): One embodiment of the present invention relates to a vehicle lighting device, wherein the vehicle lighting device comprises: a first exterior light, which is arranged on an exterior portion of the vehicle; a second exterior light, which is arranged on an exterior portion of the vehicle; an identification unit, which identifies an object existing in a travel path of the vehicle; a detection unit, which detects a visual recognition direction of a driver of the vehicle; and a control unit, which operates the second exterior light when the identification unit recognizes the object, and operates the first exterior light according to the visual recognition direction detected by the detection unit.

[0009] (2): Based on the scheme of (1) above, when the vehicle stops in front of an intersection or a crosswalk and the recognition unit recognizes the object, the control unit activates the second exterior light, and activates the first exterior light according to the visual recognition direction detected by the detection unit.

[0010] (3) Based on the above solution (1), the first exterior light is provided along an outer edge of a side of the vehicle, and the second exterior light is provided along a vehicle width direction at the front of the vehicle.

[0011] (4) In the above-mentioned aspect (1), the control unit turns on the second exterior light so as to follow the object.

[0012] (5) In the above-mentioned aspect (1), when a plurality of the objects are recognized, the control unit lights positions of the second exterior light corresponding to the plurality of the objects.

[0013] (6) In the above aspect (1), the control unit changes the manner in which the second exterior lamp is lit according to a positional relationship between the vehicle and each of the plurality of objects.

[0014] (7): One embodiment of the present invention relates to a vehicle lighting control method, wherein the vehicle lighting device includes a first exterior light provided on an exterior portion of the vehicle and a second exterior light provided on an exterior portion of the vehicle, and the vehicle lighting control method causes a processor of the vehicle lighting device to perform the following processing: identifying an object existing in a travel path of the vehicle; detecting a visual recognition direction of a driver of the vehicle; and, when the object is identified, operating the second exterior light, and operating the first exterior light according to the visual recognition direction detected by the detection unit.

[0015] (8): One embodiment of the present invention relates to a storage medium storing a program, wherein a vehicle lighting device includes a first exterior light provided on an exterior portion of a vehicle and a second exterior light provided on an exterior portion of the vehicle, and the program is used to cause a processor of the vehicle lighting device to perform the following processing: identifying an object existing in a travel path of the vehicle; detecting a visual recognition direction of a driver of the vehicle; and, when the object is identified, operating the second exterior light, and operating the first exterior light according to the visual recognition direction detected by the detection unit.

[0016] Effects of the Invention

[0017] According to the schemes (1) to (8), the vehicle lighting device controls each lamp according to the position of the object and the driver's visual recognition direction, thereby enabling comprehensive communication with the other party, further improving the traffic safety of the vehicle and the other party, and contributing to the development of a sustainable transportation system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of a vehicle lighting device.

[0019] Figure 2 It is a perspective view of a vehicle equipped with a vehicle lighting device.

[0020] Figure 3 is a front view of the second exterior lamp.

[0021] Figure 4 is an enlarged view of the second exterior light.

[0022] Figure 5 It is a diagram showing the recognition range of the external sensor and the driver's field of vision.

[0023] Figure 6 This is a diagram showing an example of the lighting state of each lamp when the vehicle is running.

[0024] Figure 7 This is a diagram showing an example of the lighting state of each lamp when a pedestrian approaches from the right side of the vehicle.

[0025] Figure 8 It means that each lamp is controlled as Figure 7 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a pedestrian observed from the viewpoint of a driver of a vehicle in a state of .

[0026] Fig. 9 This is a diagram showing an example of the lighting state of each lamp when a pedestrian approaches from the right side of the vehicle.

[0027] Fig.10 It means that each lamp is controlled as Fig. 9 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a pedestrian observed from the viewpoint of a driver of a vehicle in a state of .

[0028] Fig.11 This is a diagram showing an example of the lighting state of each lamp when a pedestrian approaches the front right side of the vehicle.

[0029] Fig.12 It means that each lamp is controlled as Fig.11 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a pedestrian observed from the viewpoint of a driver of a vehicle in a state of .

[0030] Fig.13This is a diagram showing an example of the lighting state of each lamp when a pedestrian approaches the left side of the vehicle.

[0031] Fig.14 It means that each lamp is controlled as Fig.13 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a pedestrian observed from the viewpoint of a driver of a vehicle in a state of .

[0032] Fig.15 This is a diagram showing an example of the lighting state of each lamp when a pedestrian moves away to the left side of the vehicle.

[0033] Fig.16 It means that each lamp is controlled as Fig.15 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a pedestrian observed from the viewpoint of a driver of a vehicle in a state of .

[0034] Fig.17 This is a diagram showing an example of the lighting state of each lamp when a pedestrian moves away to the left side of the vehicle.

[0035] Fig.18 It means that each lamp is controlled as Fig.17 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a pedestrian observed from the viewpoint of a driver of a vehicle in a state of .

[0036] Fig.19 This is a diagram showing an example in which a plurality of objects exist.

[0037] Fig. 20 It means in Fig.19 A front view of a vehicle showing the lighting state of a vehicle lighting device controlled in a case.

[0038] Fig.21 This is a diagram showing an example of how the vehicle lighting device is turned on when the vehicle is stopped.

[0039] Fig. 22 This is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the second exterior light. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] Hereinafter, embodiments of a vehicle lighting device, a vehicle lighting control method, and a storage medium according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0041] The vehicle lighting device 1 is, for example, a lighting device mounted on a vehicle. The vehicle is, for example, a four-wheeled vehicle, a two-wheeled motor vehicle, a micro mobile body, etc. In the following description, the case of a four-wheeled vehicle is described. The vehicle lighting device 1 operates in a manner of lighting up according to the movement of an object such as a pedestrian, a bicycle, a wheelchair, or a livestock when the object crosses the road on which the vehicle is traveling. The vehicle lighting device 1 detects the object using, for example, a camera, etc., and further detects the direction of visual recognition by the driver of the vehicle, thereby expressing the movement of the object.

[0042] Figure 1 1 is a block diagram of a vehicle lighting device 1. The vehicle lighting device 1 includes, for example, a position measuring device 10, an external sensor 20, an in-vehicle camera 30, a first right outside lamp 40R, a first left outside lamp 40L, a second outside lamp 50, a right headlamp 60R, a left headlamp 60L, an in-vehicle communication network 70, and a control device 100.

[0043] The position measuring device 10 is, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver and measures the position of the vehicle 200 and outputs the measured position to the control device 100 .

[0044] The external sensor 20 is, for example, a camera, a radar device, LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), a sonar, etc. for acquiring information outside the vehicle. The external sensor 20 transmits a signal indicating the detected information to the control device 100 .

[0045] The in-vehicle camera 30 is, for example, a visible light camera and is installed in the vehicle cabin 201 of the vehicle 200 to capture the driver's face.

[0046] Figure 2 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle 200 equipped with the vehicle lighting device 1. The first right exterior lamp 40R and the first left exterior lamp 40L are light emitting devices respectively provided along the outer edge at the side of the vehicle 200. The first right exterior lamp 40R and the first left exterior lamp 40L are respectively provided, for example, along the fender. The first right exterior lamp 40R and the first left exterior lamp 40L are respectively provided along the boundary between the left and right engine guards 202 and the front fenders 203 of the vehicle 200. The first right exterior lamp 40R and the first left exterior lamp 40L are respectively controlled by the control device 100.

[0047] The second exterior light 50 is a light emitting device provided along the vehicle width direction at the front of the vehicle 200. The second exterior light 50 is provided, for example, at a front grille constituting the front part of the vehicle 200. The second exterior light 50 is provided to extend along the vehicle width direction between the right headlight 60R and the left headlight 60L.

[0048] The right headlight 60R and the left headlight 60L are provided on both left and right sides of the front portion of the vehicle 200 in the vehicle width direction, respectively.

[0049] Figure 3 It is a front view of the second exterior light 50. The multiple cylinders 51 of the second exterior light 50 facing the front of the vehicle 200 (lighting display direction) are arranged along the up-down direction and the vehicle width direction. In addition, the right headlamp 60R and the left headlamp 60L are respectively composed of a headlamp body 61 and a plurality of status display lights 62 surrounding the headlamp body 61. The headlamp body 61 is a light that illuminates the front at night. A plurality of status display lights 62 are arranged in a circular shape when viewed from the front. The status display lights 62 function as a direction indicator. The status display lights 62 are controlled to light up / off for each light one by one. In Figure 2 In FIG. 1 , the front of the vehicle 200 is indicated by an arrow FR. The upper side of the vehicle 200 is indicated by an arrow UP. The left direction in a state of facing the front of the vehicle 200 is indicated by an arrow LH.

[0050] Figure 4 It is an enlarged view of the second exterior light 50. The peripheral wall 52a of each cylinder 51 is formed into a hexagonal shape. The multiple cylinders 51 are arranged in a staggered manner in the up-down direction and the vehicle width direction. On the front side (the side of the lighting display direction) of each cylinder 51, a Y-shaped connecting wall 53 is provided to connect the tops 52t of the hexagonal peripheral walls 52a separated one by one. Therefore, the peripheral walls 52a of each cylinder 51 of the cylinder collection wall are formed into a continuous honeycomb shape. In this way, the light of the lit light source passes through the cylinder 51 of the cylinder collection wall and is emitted to the front side of the vehicle. Visual recognizers outside the vehicle can recognize text, graphics, etc. displayed by the light of the light source lit in the cylinder. In addition, when the light source is not lit, the light source is blocked by the peripheral wall 52a of the cylinder 51 and is difficult to see from the outside.

[0051] Figure 5 : is a diagram showing the recognition range of the external sensor 20 and the field of view of the driver. A represents the field of view of the driver, and B represents the recognition range of the external sensor 20. In a vehicle to which the present invention is applied, the field of view A of the driver is larger than the recognition range B of the external sensor. As described later, when the vehicle 200 stops at an intersection or near a crosswalk, and there are objects such as pedestrians and other vehicles in the recognition range B of the external sensor 20, the recognition unit 110 uses the external sensor 20 to recognize the object. When the object exists in the driver's field of view A and outside the recognition range of the external sensor 20, the driver gazes at the object and perceives it, whereupon the detection unit 120 uses the in-vehicle camera 30 to detect the driver's visual recognition direction and infers that there is an object.

[0052] like Figure 1As shown, the control device 100 includes, for example, a recognition unit 110, a detection unit 120, a control unit 130, and a storage unit 140. The components other than the storage unit 140 are implemented by, for example, a hardware processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing a program (software). Some or all of these components can be implemented by hardware (circuitry) such as LSI (Large Scale Integration), ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), etc., or can be implemented by the cooperation of software and hardware. The program can be pre-stored in a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or a flash memory (a storage device having a non-temporary storage medium), or can be stored in a removable storage medium such as a DVD or CD-ROM (a non-temporary storage medium), and installed by assembling the storage medium in a drive device.

[0053] The recognition unit 110 recognizes an object. The recognition unit 110 recognizes an object existing in the path of the vehicle 200 based on the information input from the external sensor 20. For example, an image captured by a camera is input to a learned model for recognizing an object, thereby recognizing the position of the object on the image, and recognizing the object existing in the path of the vehicle 200 by converting it into a position on a virtual plane observed from above. The recognition unit 110 sends the recognized recognition information to the control unit 130. The recognition information is, for example, the position information of the recognized object.

[0054] The detection unit 120 detects the visual recognition direction of the driver through the in-vehicle camera 30. The visual recognition direction is, for example, the direction in which the line of sight of the driver of the vehicle 200 is directed. The visual recognition direction is not limited to the direction the driver is looking at, but may also be a direction that the driver is looking at vaguely. The detection unit 120 detects the visual recognition direction of the driver by, for example, a corneal reflection method that reflects infrared rays on the driver's cornea to detect the driver's line of sight, a limbus-tracking method that uses the difference in reflectivity of light between the cornea and the sclera, an image analysis method that uses a camera to capture an image of the eyeball and detects the line of sight through image processing, etc.

[0055] The detection unit 120 uses, for example, the in-vehicle camera 30 to capture the driver's eyes and detects the visual recognition direction based on the positional relationship between the corner of the eye and the iris. The detection unit 120 measures the elapsed time when the movement of the visual recognition direction stops. When the detection unit 120 detects that the driver's visual recognition direction is directed in the same direction (within a predetermined angle range) for a certain period of time, the detection unit 120 sends the direction as the visual recognition direction (detection information) to the control unit 130.

[0056] The control unit 130 controls the first right exterior lamp 40R, the first left exterior lamp 40L, the second exterior lamp 50, the right headlamp 60R, and the left headlamp 60L based on the identification information sent from the identification unit 110, the detection information sent from the detection unit 120, the driving condition of the vehicle 200, and the information of the occasion (scene) the vehicle is in. The driving condition is, for example, information such as whether the vehicle 200 is driving, stopped, or about to turn right / left.

[0057] The driving status is acquired from, for example, the in-vehicle communication network 70. The in-vehicle communication network 70 is, for example, a CAN (Controller Area Network). The in-vehicle communication network 70 is connected to sensors, an ECU (Electronic Control Unit), and the like of the vehicle 200, and transmits various status information for vehicle control.

[0058] The situation (scene) is information indicating whether the vehicle 200 is at an intersection or a crosswalk. The control unit 130 compares the history of the position information of the vehicle 200 measured by the position measurement device 10 with the information of the map information 142 stored in the storage unit 140 to determine the situation.

[0059] The storage unit 140 stores map information 142. The map information 142 stores the latest map as appropriate, and stores the locations of intersections and crosswalks. The storage unit 140 can also be implemented by the above-mentioned various storage devices, or EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), or RAM (Random Access Memory).

[0060] In addition to the recognition of the object by the external sensor 20 , the recognition unit 110 may recognize that an object exists around the vehicle 200 by communicating with a pedestrian's mobile terminal or another vehicle.

[0061] When the recognition unit 110 recognizes an object, the control unit 130 operates the second exterior lamp 50, the right headlamp 60R, and the left headlamp 60L. The control unit 130 may also operate the second exterior lamp 50 based on the visual recognition direction of the driver detected by the detection unit 120. On the other hand, the control unit 130 operates the first right exterior lamp 40R and the first left exterior lamp 40L based on the visual recognition direction of the driver detected by the detection unit 120. In addition, when the recognition unit 110 recognizes an object and the control unit 130 determines that the vehicle 200 is in front of an intersection or a crosswalk, each lamp may be operated. The following describes the lighting forms of the first right exterior lamp 40R, the first left exterior lamp 40L, the second exterior lamp 50, and the right headlamp 60R and the left headlamp 60L.

[0062] Figure 6 1 is a diagram showing an example of the lighting of each lamp when the vehicle 200 is traveling. "Driving" means traveling along the direction of travel on the road at a speed greater than a prescribed speed. When the vehicle 200 is traveling, the control unit 130 turns off the first right exterior lamp 40R and the first left exterior lamp 40L. The control unit 130 turns on the second exterior lamp 50 in a line. The control unit 130 turns off the headlamp body 61 of the right headlamp 60R and the left headlamp 60L, and turns on the status indicator lamp 62. Figure 6 The lighting state of each lamp shown is set as the first lighting state. When the vehicle 200 is normally traveling on the road, the control unit 130 controls each lamp to be the first lighting state. Regarding the judgment that the vehicle 200 is normally traveling, the control unit 130 obtains the driving status from the in-vehicle communication network 70 to make a judgment. For example, when the vehicle speed of the vehicle 200 is above a predetermined speed, the control unit 130 judges that the vehicle is traveling.

[0063] Figure 7 This is a diagram showing an example of the lighting state of each lamp when a pedestrian approaches from the right side of the vehicle 200 while the vehicle 200 is turning right. Figure 8 It means that each lamp is controlled as Figure 7 FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a pedestrian H observed from the viewpoint of a driver of a vehicle 200 in a state of Figure 8 As shown in FIG. 1 , the pedestrian H is about to cross the crosswalk from the right side relative to the driver's direction. The driver can visually recognize the pedestrian H. When the detection unit 120 detects that the driver visually recognizes the pedestrian H, as shown in FIG. Figure 7As shown, the control unit 130 lights up the first right exterior light 40R in a first color. The first color may be, for example, green or other colors. The control unit 130 continues to turn off the first left exterior light 40L. Based on the signal of the lighting of the first right exterior light 40R, the control unit 130 lights up the right side of the second exterior light 50 in a < shape, and the light becomes dimmer as it approaches the left side. The control unit 130 lights up only the right side of the second exterior light 50, and turns off the center and left sides. The control unit 130 turns off the headlamp body 61 of the right headlamp 60R and the left headlamp 60L, and turns on the status display light 62. Figure 7 The lighting form of each lamp shown is set as the second lighting form.

[0064] When Figure 8 As shown in the figure, when the pedestrian H starts to approach near the crosswalk, the driver stops the vehicle 200 to avoid collision and visually recognizes the direction of the pedestrian H. The detection unit 120 detects the driver's visual recognition direction. When the detection unit 120 detects the driver's visual recognition direction and knows that the driver is looking at the right side based on the detected visual recognition direction and the elapsed time, the control unit 130 changes the lighting form of each lamp to the second lighting form. Since the control unit 130 controls each lamp to light up in the second lighting form, the fact that the driver visually recognizes the pedestrian H is communicated to the pedestrian H, and the pedestrian H can feel safe.

[0065] Fig. 9 1 is a diagram showing an example of the lighting state of each lamp when a pedestrian H approaches from the right side of the vehicle 200 . Fig.10 It means that each lamp is controlled as Fig. 9 FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a pedestrian H observed from the viewpoint of a driver of a vehicle 200 in a state of Fig.10 As shown, the pedestrian H is walking on the crosswalk on the right side relative to the driver's direction and is Figure 8 Pedestrian H is walking at a place closer to vehicle 200 because of the forward movement. Fig. 9 As shown in FIG. 1 , the control unit 130 causes the first right exterior lamp 40R to light up in the first color and at the same time, causes the second color to light up in a manner that moves from the right direction to the left direction. The second color may be, for example, white or another color that is different from the first color. The control unit 130 causes the second exterior lamp 50 to light up in the same color as the first color. Figure 8 The control unit 130 keeps the right headlamp 60R and the left headlamp 60L lit in the same state as the second exterior lamp 50. Figure 8 Similarly, the headlamp main body 61 is kept turned off, and the state indicator lamp 62 is kept turned on. Fig. 9 The lighting form of each lamp shown is set as the third lighting form.

[0066] The driver continues to look at the pedestrian H walking on the crosswalk. The driver's visual recognition direction moves to the left as the pedestrian H moves forward. For example, when the detection unit 120 detects that the driver has been looking at the pedestrian H for 1 to 2 seconds, the control unit 130 lights the first right exterior lamp 40R in the second color and lights it in a manner that follows the driver's visual recognition direction. For example, the second color gradually moves to the left, and the light intensity of the previously lit part decreases. The control unit 130 lights the first color at the part where the light intensity has decreased.

[0067] The control unit 130 controls the lamps to light up in the third lighting pattern, thereby notifying the pedestrian H that the driver's visual recognition direction is following the pedestrian H, and the pedestrian H can feel safe.

[0068] Fig.11 1 is a diagram showing an example of the lighting state of each lamp when a pedestrian H approaches the front right side of the vehicle 200 . Fig.12 It means that each lamp is controlled as Fig.11 FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a pedestrian H observed from the viewpoint of a driver of a vehicle 200 in a state of Fig.12 As shown, the pedestrian H moves forward and walks on the crosswalk in the right direction in front of the vehicle 200. Fig.11 As shown in FIG. 1 , the control unit 130 causes the first right exterior lamp 40R to light up in the first color and lights up in the second color at the left end. The control unit 130 gradually reduces the light intensity of the portion of the first right exterior lamp 40R that lights up in the second color, and lights up only in the first color. The control unit 130 causes the second exterior lamp 50 to light up only in the right end. The shape of the second exterior lamp 50 lighting up can be, for example, Fig.11 The hexagonal shape may be a human figure or a dot. The control unit 130 turns off a portion of the right side of the right headlamp 60R and the left headlamp 60L, the headlamp body 61 and the status indicator lamp 62, and turns on the other portion of the status indicator lamp 62. The control unit 130 turns off the first left exterior lamp 40L. Fig.11 The lighting state of each lamp shown is set as the fourth lighting state.

[0069] like Fig.12 As shown, the pedestrian H moves forward, so the driver's visual recognition direction gradually moves to the front of the vehicle 200. The control unit 130 controls the lighting state of each lamp according to the visual recognition direction to light them in the fourth lighting pattern.

[0070] The control unit 130 controls the lamps to light up in the fourth lighting pattern, thereby notifying the pedestrian H that the driver's visual recognition direction continues to follow the pedestrian H, and the pedestrian H can feel safe.

[0071] Fig.131 is a diagram showing an example of the lighting state of each lamp when a pedestrian H approaches the left side of the vehicle 200 . Fig.14 It means that each lamp is controlled as Fig.13 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a pedestrian H observed from the viewpoint of the driver of vehicle 200 in a state of . Pedestrian H moves forward and walks on the left side when viewed from the driver. The driver's visual recognition direction moves to the left. Fig.13 As shown in FIG. 1 , the control unit 130 reduces the light intensity of the first color of the first right exterior lamp 40R. The control unit 130 turns off the first left exterior lamp 40L. The control unit 130 turns on the left side of the second exterior lamp 50 in a hexagonal shape. The control unit 130 turns off the headlamp body 61 of the right headlamp 60R and the left headlamp 60L, and turns on only the status indicator lamp 62. Fig.13 The lighting state of each lamp shown is set as the fifth lighting state.

[0072] exist Fig.14 In the example, the pedestrian H moves to the left, and the driver's visual recognition direction moves to the left. Therefore, the control unit 130 controls the second exterior lamp 50 so that the portion lit is on the left. In addition, the control unit 130 reduces the light intensity of the first right exterior lamp 40R.

[0073] The control unit 130 controls the lamps to light up in the fifth lighting pattern, thereby notifying the pedestrian H that the movement of the lamps follows the movement of the pedestrian H to the left side of the road, so that the pedestrian H can feel safe.

[0074] Fig.15 1 is a diagram showing an example of the lighting state of each lamp when the pedestrian H moves away to the left side of the vehicle 200 . Fig.16 It means that each lamp is controlled as Fig.15 FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a pedestrian H observed from the viewpoint of the driver of the vehicle 200 in a state of . The pedestrian H moves forward and is about to cross the crosswalk, gradually moving away from the vehicle 200. Fig.15 As shown in FIG. 1 , the control unit 130 turns off the first right exterior lamp 40R. The control unit 130 turns on the first left exterior lamp 40L in a first color and turns on the second color while shifting in accordance with the movement of the pedestrian H. The control unit 130 turns on the left side of the second exterior lamp 50 in a < shape. The control unit 130 turns off the left side of the headlamp body 61 and the status indicator lamp 62 of the right headlamp 60R and the left headlamp 60L, and turns on the other status indicator lamps 62. Fig.15 The lighting state of each lamp shown is set as the sixth lighting form.

[0075] The control unit 130 controls the lamps to light up in the sixth lighting pattern, thereby notifying the pedestrian H that the lamps are following the pedestrian H even when the pedestrian H is about to cross the crosswalk, so that the pedestrian H can feel safe.

[0076] Fig.17 1 is a diagram showing an example of the lighting state of each lamp when the pedestrian H moves away to the left side of the vehicle 200 . Fig.18 It means that each lamp is controlled as Fig.17 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a pedestrian H observed from the viewpoint of the driver of the vehicle 200 in the state of FIG. The pedestrian H further moves forward and crosses the crosswalk. Fig.17 As shown in FIG. 1 , the control unit 130 continues to turn off the first right exterior lamp 40R. The control unit 130 moves the second color light of the first left exterior lamp 40L to the left. The control unit 130 continues to light up the left side of the second exterior lamp 50 in the shape of a letter "<". The control unit 130 turns off the headlamp body 61 of the right headlamp 60R and the left headlamp 60L, and lights up the status indicator lamp 62. Fig.17 The lighting state of each lamp shown is set as the seventh lighting state.

[0077] The driver determines that the pedestrian H has moved away and there is no longer a risk of collision, and shifts the visual recognition direction to the direction of the road ahead and continues driving. The lamps of the vehicle lighting device 1 return to the first lighting state.

[0078] When the vehicle 200 stops near an intersection or a crosswalk, and the recognition unit 110 recognizes an object, and the detection unit 120 detects that the driver's visual recognition direction is in the direction of the object, the vehicle lighting device 1 lights up in the second lighting form to the seventh lighting form. The vehicle lighting device 1 does not necessarily change sequentially from the first lighting form. After all, when it is detected that an object exists near the vehicle 200 and the driver moves the visual recognition direction to the direction of the object, the lighting form is changed according to the position and visual recognition direction of the object. The vehicle lighting device 1 changes the lighting form according to the position and visual recognition direction of the object, thereby transmitting the driver's visual recognition direction to the outside of the vehicle 200, enabling comprehensive communication.

[0079] When there are multiple objects, the control unit 130 lights up the objects in a manner that emphasizes the objects with a higher risk of danger to the vehicle 200. The risk of danger refers to the risk of collision with the vehicle 200 obtained by the control unit 130. The risk of danger is calculated based on conditions such as a high overlap rate between the object and the vehicle 200 and a short distance between the object and the vehicle 200. The overlap rate is a value calculated by dividing the lateral difference between the left end of the vehicle 200 and the center of the object when the vehicle 200 is traveling on the road by the total width of the vehicle 200.

[0080] Fig.19 1 is a diagram showing an example of the presence of multiple objects. Pedestrians C and D are present in the direction of travel of vehicle 200. Pedestrians C and D are present in the range recognized by the external sensor 20 of vehicle 200. The control unit 130 calculates the danger risk of pedestrians C and D respectively. The danger risk is calculated to be the highest when the overlap rate between vehicle 200 and the object is the highest and the distance between vehicle 200 and the object is the shortest. Fig.19 In the case of , the risk of pedestrian C is calculated to be the highest.

[0081] Fig. 20 It means in Fig.19 The control unit 130 turns off the first right exterior lamp 40R and the first left exterior lamp 40L. The control unit 130 turns on the portions of the second exterior lamp 50 corresponding to the pedestrians C and D in a rectangular shape. The control unit 130 turns on the rectangle corresponding to the pedestrian C with a high risk of danger in the second exterior lamp 50 in a darker light, and turns on the rectangle corresponding to the pedestrian D with a low risk of danger in a lighter light. The control unit 130 turns off the headlamp body 61 of the right headlamp 60R and the left headlamp 60L, and turns on the status indicator lamp 62.

[0082] The control unit 130 controls the lighting position of the second exterior light 50 according to the positional relationship of the object, and controls the lighting form according to the dangerousness risk of the object.

[0083] Fig.21 1 is a diagram showing an example of the lighting state of the vehicle lighting device 1 when the vehicle 200 is stopped. "Stop" means that the vehicle 200 stops at a speed lower than a predetermined speed. When the vehicle 200 is stopped, the control unit 130 turns off the first right exterior lamp 40R, the first left exterior lamp 40L, and the second exterior lamp 50. The control unit 130 turns on only the lower half of the status indicator lamp 62 of the right headlamp 60R and the left headlamp 60L, and turns off the other parts. Fig.21 The lighting form shown is set as the eighth lighting form.

[0084] Fig. 22 1 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the second exterior lamp 50. The processing in this flowchart is repeatedly executed in a predetermined cycle, for example. Fig. 22 In the flowchart of , it is assumed that the object is one.

[0085] First, the control unit 130 determines whether the vehicle speed of the vehicle 200 is equal to or higher than a predetermined speed (step S100). The predetermined speed is, for example, a value of about 1 [km / h], and is a value used to determine whether the vehicle 200 is stopped or nearly stopped.

[0086] When the vehicle 200 is at a predetermined speed or higher, the control unit 130 controls the second exterior lamp 50 to be turned on in the first lighting mode (step S120 ).

[0087] When the vehicle 200 is traveling at a speed lower than a predetermined speed, the control unit 130 determines whether the vehicle 200 is near an intersection or a crosswalk (step S110).

[0088] When it is determined in the process of step S110 that the vehicle 200 is stopped near the intersection or the crosswalk (that is, when the vehicle 200 is near the intersection or the crosswalk in a state close to being stopped), the recognition unit 110 determines whether an object exists (step S130).

[0089] When there is no object, the control unit 130 controls the second exterior light 50 to the eighth lighting mode (step S140 ).

[0090] If the object is present, the control unit 130 controls the second exterior lamp 50 from the second lighting mode to the seventh lighting mode according to the driver's visual recognition direction and the position of the object (step S150 ).

[0091] According to the above-described embodiment, each lamp is controlled according to the position of the object and the visual recognition direction of the driver, thereby achieving comprehensive communication with the other party, further improving the traffic safety of the vehicle and the other party and contributing to the development of a sustainable transportation system.

[0092] The above-described embodiment can be expressed as follows.

[0093] A lighting device for a vehicle, wherein:

[0094] The vehicle lighting device comprises:

[0095] A storage medium that stores computer-readable instructions.

[0096] a first exterior light disposed on an exterior portion of the vehicle;

[0097] a second exterior light disposed on an exterior portion of the vehicle; and

[0098] one or more processors connected to the storage medium,

[0099] The one or more processors execute the following processing by executing the instructions that can be read by the computer (the processor executing the computer-readable instructions to:

[0100] identifying an object present in a path of travel of the vehicle;

[0101] detecting a visual direction of a driver of the vehicle; and

[0102] When the object is recognized, the second exterior light is operated, and the first exterior light is operated according to the visual recognition direction detected by the detection unit.

[0103] The above uses the embodiment to illustrate the specific embodiment of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and various deformations and substitutions can be applied within the scope of the main purpose of the present invention. It should be noted that it is preferred to prohibit the vehicle 200 from moving forward (moving in the direction of approaching the object) during the period from the second lighting mode to the seventh lighting mode. In addition, an external speaker not shown in the figure can also be used in conjunction with the second lighting mode to the seventh lighting mode to make the effect sound and sound linked.

Claims

1. A lighting device for a vehicle, wherein: The vehicle lighting device comprises: a first exterior light disposed on an exterior portion of the vehicle; a second exterior light disposed on an exterior portion of the vehicle; an identification unit that identifies an object existing in a travel path of the vehicle; a detection unit that detects a visual recognition direction of a driver of the vehicle; as well as A control unit operates the second exterior light when the recognition unit recognizes the object, and operates the first exterior light according to the visual recognition direction detected by the detection unit.

2. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 1, wherein: When the vehicle stops at an intersection or a crosswalk and the recognition unit recognizes the object, the control unit operates the second exterior light and operates the first exterior light according to the visual recognition direction detected by the detection unit.

3. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 1, wherein: The first exterior light is disposed along an outer edge at a side of the vehicle, The second exterior light is provided along a vehicle width direction at the front side of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 1, wherein: The control unit turns on the second exterior light so as to follow the object.

5. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 1, wherein: When a plurality of the objects are recognized, the control unit lights positions of the second exterior light corresponding to the plurality of the objects.

6. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 1, wherein: The control unit changes a mode of lighting the second exterior lamp according to a positional relationship between the vehicle and each of the plurality of objects.

7. A vehicle lighting control method, wherein: A vehicle lighting device includes a first exterior lamp provided on an exterior portion of a vehicle and a second exterior lamp provided on the exterior portion of the vehicle. The vehicle lighting control method causes the processor of the vehicle lighting device to execute the following processing: identifying an object present in a path of travel of the vehicle; detecting a visual recognition direction of a driver of the vehicle; as well as When the object is recognized, the second exterior light is operated, and the first exterior light is operated according to the detected visual recognition direction.

8. A storage medium storing a program, wherein: A vehicle lighting device includes a first exterior lamp provided on an exterior portion of a vehicle and a second exterior lamp provided on the exterior portion of the vehicle. The program is used to cause the processor of the vehicle lighting device to execute the following processing: identifying an object present in a path of travel of the vehicle; detecting a visual recognition direction of a driver of the vehicle; as well as When the object is recognized, the second exterior light is operated, and the first exterior light is operated according to the detected visual recognition direction.

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