Vehicle light control system and control method thereof, vehicle, and recording medium

Abstract

A vehicle light control system for controlling illumination of a lamp of a vehicle to an illumination control object around the vehicle includes: a camera for capturing an image of an illumination direction of the lamp; an object detection unit that detects an irradiation control object from an image captured by the camera; a reliability calculation unit that calculates a reliability relating to the detection of the irradiation control object detected by the object detection unit on the basis of the captured image of the camera; and a lamp control unit for controlling the illumination of the lamp on the illumination control object, the lamp control unit adjusting the amount of light of the lamp on the illumination control object according to the reliability.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to a vehicle light control system, a vehicle, a recording medium, and a control method of a vehicle light control system. BACKGROUND

[0002] As a technical document related to a vehicle light control system, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-086676 is known. In this document, a vehicle spotlight system is disclosed, which has a pedestrian light reduction function of acquiring a position of a pedestrian and reducing an amount of irradiation light to a region including the acquired position of the pedestrian. SUMMARY

[0003] However, in the conventional system having the pedestrian light reduction function, there is a problem that the detection accuracy of a pedestrian by a camera of a vehicle is reduced due to the reduction of the amount of irradiation light to the pedestrian, and the pedestrian is lost.

[0004] One embodiment of the present application is a vehicle light control system that controls light irradiation by a light fixture of a vehicle with respect to an irradiation control object around the vehicle. The vehicle light control system includes a camera that captures an irradiation direction of the light fixture, and an object detection unit that detects the irradiation control object from a captured image of the camera. The vehicle light control system also includes a reliability calculation unit that calculates a reliability related to detection of the irradiation control object by the object detection unit, based on the captured image of the camera, and a light fixture control unit that controls light irradiation by the light fixture with respect to the irradiation control object. The light fixture control unit adjusts an amount of light by the light fixture with respect to the irradiation control object, based on the reliability.

[0005] According to the vehicle light control system of one embodiment of the present application, by adjusting the amount of light by the light fixture based on the reliability related to detection of the irradiation control object, appropriate light irradiation with respect to the irradiation control object can be achieved. Thus, the irradiation control object such as a pedestrian or a bicycle is not excessively irradiated with light, and the amount of light by the light fixture can be appropriate to detect the irradiation control object from the captured image of the camera.

[0006] In the vehicle light control system of one embodiment of the present application, the irradiation control object can be a pedestrian or a bicycle, and the light fixture control unit can perform light reduction control for suppressing glare of the irradiation control object.

[0007] According to the vehicle light control system, in the case where the irradiation control object is a pedestrian or a bicycle, the light reduction control for suppressing glare of the irradiation control object is performed by the light fixture control unit, so that the case where the pedestrian or the bicycle is dazzled by the light fixture of the vehicle can be suppressed.

[0008] In the vehicle light control system according to the aspect of the present application, the light amount of the luminaire with respect to the irradiation control object can be increased by the luminaire control section when the reliability of the irradiation control object in the dimming control becomes lower than the increase start threshold. In the vehicle light control system according to the aspect of the present application, the decrease amount of the light amount in the dimming control with respect to the passage of time can be decreased by the luminaire control section when the reliability of the irradiation control object in the dimming control becomes lower than the mitigation start threshold, or when the decrease amount of the reliability of the irradiation control object in the dimming control with respect to the initial reliability becomes equal to or greater than the second mitigation start threshold.

[0009] In the vehicle light control system according to the aspect of the present application, the light amount of the luminaire with respect to the irradiation control object can be increased by the luminaire control section when the reliability of the irradiation control object in the dimming control becomes lower than the increase start threshold. In the vehicle light control system according to the aspect of the present application, the decrease amount of the light amount in the dimming control with respect to the passage of time can be decreased by the luminaire control section when the reliability of the irradiation control object in the dimming control becomes lower than the mitigation start threshold, or when the decrease amount of the reliability of the irradiation control object in the dimming control with respect to the initial reliability becomes equal to or greater than the second mitigation start threshold.

[0010] In the vehicle light control system according to the aspect of the present application, the light amount of the luminaire with respect to the irradiation control object can be increased by the luminaire control section when the decrease amount of the reliability of the irradiation control object with respect to the reliability of the irradiation control object calculated in the previous operation becomes equal to or greater than the sudden decrease threshold.

[0011] Another aspect of the present application is a vehicle including a vehicle light control system that controls light irradiation of a luminaire of the vehicle with respect to an irradiation control object around the vehicle. The vehicle includes a camera that captures an irradiation direction of the luminaire, and an object detection section that detects the irradiation control object from a captured image of the camera. The vehicle also includes a reliability calculation section that calculates a reliability related to detection of the irradiation control object detected by the object detection section, based on the captured image of the camera, and a luminaire control section that controls the light irradiation of the luminaire with respect to the irradiation control object. The luminaire control section adjusts a light amount of the luminaire with respect to the irradiation control object based on the reliability.

[0012] According to the vehicle of the aspect of the present application, the light amount of the luminaire with respect to the irradiation control object can be appropriately adjusted based on the reliability related to detection of the irradiation control object, and thus the light irradiation with respect to the irradiation control object can be appropriately performed. As a result, the luminaire can not excessively irradiate light with respect to the irradiation control object such as a pedestrian or a bicycle, and the light amount of the luminaire can be appropriately set to an amount in which the irradiation control object can be detected from the captured image of the camera.

[0013] Another aspect of the present application relates to a control method of a vehicle light control system that controls light irradiation of a vehicle light to an irradiation control object around the vehicle. In the control method of the vehicle light control system, detection of the irradiation control object is performed from an image captured by a camera that captures an irradiation direction of the vehicle light. In the control method of the vehicle light control system, a degree of reliability related to the detection of the irradiation control object by the object detection section is calculated from the image captured by the camera, and the light amount of the vehicle light to the irradiation control object is adjusted according to the degree of reliability.

[0014] According to the control method of the vehicle light control system of another aspect of the present application, by adjusting the light amount of the vehicle light according to the degree of reliability related to the detection of the irradiation control object, appropriate light irradiation to the irradiation control object can be achieved. Thus, the irradiation control object such as a pedestrian or a bicycle is not excessively irradiated with light, and the light amount of the vehicle light can be appropriate for the detection of the irradiation control object from the image captured by the camera.

[0015] According to the aspects of the present application, by adjusting the light amount of the vehicle light to the irradiation control object according to the degree of reliability of the detection of the irradiation control object, the light amount of the vehicle light can be appropriate for the detection of the irradiation control object from the image captured by the camera. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating a vehicle light control system according to an embodiment.

[0017] Figure 2 (a) of FIG. 1 is a graph showing an example of a change in the degree of reliability of the detection of the irradiation control object in the dimming control of the related art. Figure 2 (b) of FIG. 1 is a graph showing an example of a change in the degree of reliability of the detection of the irradiation control object in the dimming control according to the present embodiment.

[0018] Figure 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the dimming control according to the present embodiment.

[0019] Figure 4 is a flowchart showing Figure 3 a subsequent flowchart to FIG. 4.

[0020] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the dimming control recovery process.

[0021] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing Figure 4 a modification of the flowchart of FIG. 5. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present application will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0023] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present application will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.Figure 1 is a block diagram showing a vehicle light control system 100 according to an embodiment. Figure 1 The vehicle light control system 100 shown is a system mounted on a vehicle M such as a passenger car, a truck, or the like, and controls light irradiation by a lamp 4 of the vehicle M. The vehicle light control system 100 has a function of detecting a pedestrian, a bicycle, or the like, which is an irradiation control object, in a night or a low-illuminance space, and performing dimming control for reducing glare to such an object.

[0024] The dimming control for the irradiation control object can be a part of a function of ADB (Adaptive Driving Beam), or can be another function other than ADB. The dimming control is executed when the lamp 4 of the vehicle M is lit. The dimming control can be of a type that is executed only when the lamp 4 is in a high beam state, or can be of a type that is executed regardless of the high beam state or a low beam state. A start condition of the dimming control can adopt a known condition.

[0025] [Configuration of Vehicle Light Control System]

[0026] The vehicle light control system 100 has an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 10 that comprehensively manages the system. The ECU 10 is an electronic control unit having a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a storage portion. The storage portion is constituted by, for example, a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), or the like. In the ECU 10, various functions are realized, for example, by executing a program stored in the storage portion by the CPU. The ECU 10 can also be constituted by a plurality of electronic units. The ECU 10 is connected to the camera 1, the internal sensor 2, the switch 3, and the lamp 4.

[0027] The camera 1 is a camera that captures an irradiation direction of the lamp 4 of the vehicle M. The camera 1 is, for example, a front camera that captures a front of the vehicle M. The camera 1 is constituted so as to be able to capture a visible light region, for example. In addition, the camera 1 can also be a camera that captures a region other than the visible light region. The camera 1 transmits a captured image to the ECU 10.

[0028] The internal sensor 2 is a sensor for detecting the state of the vehicle M. The internal sensor 2 detects at least the state of the lamp 4 of the vehicle M. The state of the lamp 4 refers to, for example, whether or not the light is on, a high beam state, or a low beam state. The internal sensor 2 transmits information related to the state of the lamp 4 to the ECU 10.

[0029] The internal sensor 2 can also include a vehicle speed sensor and a yaw rate sensor. The vehicle speed sensor detects the speed of the vehicle M and transmits the information to the ECU 10. The yaw rate sensor detects the angular velocity of rotation of the vehicle M about the plumb axis of the center of gravity and transmits the information to the ECU 10.

[0030] The switch 3 is a switch for starting and stopping the light reduction control function. The user can enable or disable the light reduction control function by operating the switch.

[0031] The lamp 4 includes at least a headlamp of the vehicle M. The lamp 4 is configured to be able to adjust the light quantity of light irradiated in a certain direction in accordance with an instruction from the ECU 10. The lamp 4 is, for example, constituted by a micro LED or a matrix LED. The lamp 4 can be a so-called high-resolution headlamp.

[0032] Next, the functional configuration of the ECU 10 will be described. The ECU 10 has an object detection section 11, a reliability calculation section 12, a light reduction instruction angle calculation section 13, and a lamp control section 14.

[0033] The object detection section 11 detects a light irradiation control object by image recognition based on the captured image of the camera 1. The light irradiation control object is a pedestrian or a bicycle. The object detection section 11, for example, performs image preprocessing such as noise reduction, contrast adjustment, and the like on the captured image of the camera 1. Thereafter, the object detection section 11 extracts a feature quantity for detecting the light irradiation control object from the preprocessed image data.

[0034] As the feature quantity, HOG (Histogram of Oriented Gradients), SIFT (Scale-Invariant Feature Transform), or the like can be used. The object detection section 11 detects the light irradiation control object based on the result of the feature quantity extraction. A method using machine learning, deep learning is used in the object detection. For example, a machine learning algorithm such as a support vector machine (SVM), a random forest, or the like is used to detect the light irradiation control object based on the feature quantity. In addition, the object detection section 11 can also adopt a manner in which it is detected that it is a light irradiation control object when the reliability of the reliability calculation section 12 described later is a certain value or more for a prescribed time.

[0035] The object detection section 11 sets an object region based on the position information on the captured image of the irradiation control object detected, and tracks the irradiation control object between successive image frames. The tracking of the irradiation control object can employ a color-based tracking method or a method using optical flow. The processing of the object detection section 11 is not limited to the above, and can appropriately detect the irradiation control object from the captured image of the camera 1.

[0036] The reliability calculation section 12 calculates the reliability of the detection of the irradiation control object based on the captured image of the camera 1. The reliability calculation section 12, for example, calculates the reliability every time the captured image of the camera 1 is updated. The reliability calculation section 12, for example, calculates a feature amount such as HOG, SIFT, SURF (Speeded-Up Robust Features), or the like in a region detected as the irradiation control object from the captured image of the camera 1. These feature amounts, for example, serve to express the shape and texture of the irradiation control object.

[0037] The reliability calculation section 12 calculates the reliability of the detection of the irradiation control object based on the feature amount of the irradiation control object and an evaluation criterion of a rule base prepared in advance. The reliability calculation section 12 evaluates to what extent the feature amount coincides with a rule defined in advance. The reliability calculation section 12, for example, evaluates to what extent the HOG feature amount coincides with a specific pattern. The specific pattern is prepared in advance in correspondence with the irradiation control object such as a pedestrian or a bicycle.

[0038] The reliability calculation section 12 can also calculate the reliability based on the feature amount using a machine learning algorithm such as a support vector machine or a random forest. In addition, the reliability calculation section 12 can also calculate the reliability using an algorithm based on deep learning. The reliability calculation section 12 calculates the reliability using a deep learning algorithm such as a CNN (Convolutional Neural Network), YOLO (You Only Look Once), or SSD (Single Shot Multi Box Detector).

[0039] The reliability calculation section 12 can also use the reliability calculated by a plurality of methods in combination. The reliability calculation section 12 can use, as the reliability of the detection of the irradiation control object, a value obtained by combining the reliability calculated using the rule base and the reliability calculated using the algorithm based on deep learning by a prescribed calculation formula. The calculation of the reliability of the detection of the irradiation control object is not limited to the above. A publicly known calculation method related to the reliability of the detection of a target object based on image recognition can also be employed.

[0040] The reliability calculation section 12 calculates a reliability at the time of initial detection (first detection) of the irradiation control object based on the object detection section 11, that is, an initial reliability. The initial reliability is a higher value in which the irradiation control object is successfully detected.

[0041] The dimming instruction angle calculation section 13 calculates a dimming instruction angle for dimming control of the luminaire 4 with respect to the irradiation control object detected by the object detection section 11. The dimming instruction angle is a control value for instructing a portion of the luminaire 4 (for example, a matrix LED) to dim with respect to the irradiation control object.

[0042] Since there is a deviation in the installation positions of the camera 1 and the luminaire 4 in the vehicle M, the distance from the irradiation control object and the lateral position with respect to the irradiation control object are different. Therefore, the position information (coordinates) of the irradiation control object obtained by image recognition by the camera 1 cannot be directly used for control of the luminaire 4, and thus the dimming instruction angle needs to be calculated and specified. As for the method of calculating the dimming instruction angle, a publicly known method can be used. Furthermore, as long as the position of the luminaire 4 corresponding to the irradiation control object can be determined, it does not have to be the dimming instruction angle, and other parameters can also be used.

[0043] The luminaire control section 14 performs dimming control with respect to the irradiation control object by controlling the luminaire 4. The luminaire control section 14, for example, performs dimming control when the irradiation control object is detected in a case where the user of the vehicle M turns on the switch 3 and the luminaire 4 of the vehicle M is irradiating. Furthermore, it can be a mode in which dimming control is performed only in a case where the luminaire 4 is in a high beam state. Dimming control is performed in order to suppress a case where the light of the luminaire 4 causes glare to the irradiation control object such as a pedestrian. In dimming control, the light amount of the luminaire 4 is not abruptly changed, but gradually reduced over time.

[0044] The luminaire control section 14 reduces the light amount of the luminaire 4 having a matrix LED or the like in a range of the dimming instruction angle with respect to the irradiation control object. The luminaire control section 14, for example, can also reduce the light amount with respect to the irradiation control object at a constant reduction ratio over time. The reduction ratio does not have to be constant, and can be patterned in advance.

[0045] The light fixture control section 14 adjusts the light amount of the light fixture 4 with respect to the irradiation control object in accordance with the reliability calculated by the reliability calculation section 12 during execution of the dimming control. Specifically, the light fixture control section 14 performs dimming mitigation processing in which the light amount in the dimming control decreases at a decreasing rate over time in a case where the reliability becomes lower than the mitigation start threshold value. The dimming mitigation processing is performed for each irradiation control object. Thus, the light fixture control section 14 can suppress a case where the reliability of the detection of the irradiation control object sharply decreases during execution of the dimming control. Further, in the dimming mitigation processing, the target value of the light amount in the dimming control can also be changed to a larger value.

[0046] The mitigation start threshold value is a threshold value of the reliability at which the dimming mitigation processing is started. The value of the mitigation start threshold value can also be changed in accordance with at least one of the vehicle speed, the acceleration, the yaw rate, and the initial reliability of the irradiation control object of the vehicle M. For example, the larger the values of the vehicle speed, the acceleration, and the yaw rate of the vehicle M, the larger the value of the mitigation start threshold value is changed to. It can be considered that the likelihood of the reliability of the irradiation control object sharply changing due to obstruction by a tree, a utility pole, or the like increases in a case where the values of the vehicle speed, the acceleration, and the yaw rate of the vehicle M are large.

[0047] In addition, the light fixture control section 14 performs light increase processing that increases the light amount of the light fixture 4 with respect to the irradiation control object in a case where the reliability becomes lower than the light increase start threshold value. The light increase start threshold value is a threshold value of the reliability at which the light increase processing is started. The light increase start threshold value is set to a value smaller than the mitigation start threshold value. Like the mitigation start threshold value, the light increase start threshold value can also be changed in accordance with at least one of the vehicle speed, the acceleration, the yaw rate, and the initial reliability of the irradiation control object of the vehicle M.

[0048] Here, Figure 2 (a) of FIG. 12 is a graph showing an example of the change in the reliability of the detection of the irradiation control object in the conventional dimming control. The graph shows the change in the reliability of the detection of the irradiation control object and the light amount corresponding thereto over time. The horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents the reliability and the light amount.

[0049] In the conventional dimming control, the light amount of the light fixture of the vehicle decreases over time, and thus the reliability of the detection of the irradiation control object sharply decreases, and there is a possibility that the irradiation control object is lost (cannot be detected). Figure 2In (a), the reliability threshold for the assumed loss of the illumination control object is shown, i.e., the reliability threshold L for detecting the loss, and the moment T1 at which the reliability begins to decrease significantly. Whether the significant decrease in reliability is due to dimming control varies depending on various factors such as the ambient brightness of the vehicle, the distance between the vehicle and the illumination control object, and whether there is partial occlusion due to obstructions. If the significant decrease in reliability leads to the loss of the illumination control object, it will have an adverse effect on vehicle control such as automatic braking.

[0050] Figure 2 (b) is a graph illustrating an example of the change in the reliability of the detection of the illumination control object in the light reduction control of this embodiment. The graph also shows the change in the reliability of the detection of the illumination control object over time, and the corresponding change in the amount of light. The horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents reliability and light amount.

[0051] Figure 2 (b) shows the easing start threshold R and the time T2 when the dimming easing begins, the dimming start threshold B and the time T3 when the dimming begins. Figure 2 In (b), when the reliability decreases significantly from time T1 and falls below the mitigation start threshold R, a dimming mitigation process begins at time T2, the start time for dimming mitigation. Through this dimming mitigation process, the reduction in the amount of light emitted by the luminaire 4 towards the illuminated target is slowed. This extends the time until the illuminated target is lost due to a significant decrease in reliability. If, during this period, the illuminated target moves out of the illumination range of the luminaire 4 on the vehicle M, the loss of the illuminated target due to dimming control can be avoided.

[0052] exist Figure 2 In (b), if the reliability further decreases after the dimming mitigation process begins, resulting in a reliability below the dimming start threshold, then the dimming process begins at the dimming start time T3. Through the dimming process, the amount of light from the luminaire 4 to the illuminated target increases. This increases the reliability, thus preventing the loss of the illuminated target due to dimming control.

[0053] The lighting control unit 14 can also stop the brightness enhancement process and revert to normal dimming control if the reliability is restored through the brightness enhancement process. For example, the lighting control unit 14 stops the brightness enhancement process and reverts to normal dimming control if the reliability becomes higher than the dimming recovery threshold. The dimming recovery threshold is a threshold used to determine if the risk of loss has been reduced even after reverting to dimming control. The dimming recovery threshold is a threshold value greater than the mitigation start threshold R. The dimming recovery threshold can be the same as the initial reliability or a certain percentage of the initial reliability (e.g., 90% of the initial reliability). Furthermore, the lighting control unit 14 can also revert to dimming control if the difference between the initial reliability and the reliability becomes lower than a predetermined value.

[0054] Furthermore, the lighting control unit 14 may also compare the decrease in the reliability of the illuminated object in dimming control relative to the initial reliability with various thresholds, instead of comparing the reliability itself. The decrease in the reliability of the illuminated object in dimming control relative to the initial reliability refers to the proportion or value (difference) of the decrease in reliability of the illuminated object caused by the reduction in light intensity due to dimming control, based on the initial reliability. For example, if the initial reliability is set to 100%, and the calculated reliability is equivalent to 80% of the initial reliability, then the proportional decrease is 20%. For example, if the initial reliability is set to a value of 10, and the calculated reliability is 8, then the numerical decrease is 2. By setting the initial reliability as a reference, the size and type of the illuminated object, the positional relationship between the vehicle M and the illuminated object, the surrounding environment of the vehicle M, and other influences can be considered in the determination.

[0055] The luminaire control unit 14 may, for example, perform a dimming mitigation process to reduce the amount of light decrease that occurs over time when the decrease in reliability of the illumination control object relative to the initial reliability in dimming control exceeds a second mitigation start threshold. The second mitigation start threshold is a threshold used to determine when to begin the dimming mitigation process. For example, if the decrease in reliability is proportional, the second mitigation start threshold can be set to 10%.

[0056] Similarly, the luminaire control unit 14 can also perform a light enhancement process to increase the light amount of the luminaire 4 for the illuminating object when the decrease in reliability of the irradiated object relative to the initial reliability in the dimming control becomes greater than or equal to the second light enhancement start threshold. The second light enhancement start threshold is a threshold used to determine when to start the light enhancement process. The second light enhancement start threshold can be set to 20% as an example when the decrease is proportional. The second light enhancement start threshold is set to a value greater than the second easing start threshold.

[0057] Moreover, the light fixture control section 14 can increase the light amount of the light fixture with respect to the irradiation control object in a case where the decrease amount of the reliability calculated this time with respect to the reliability calculated last time becomes a sudden decrease threshold value or more. The decrease amount of the reliability calculated this time with respect to the reliability calculated last time refers to the decrease ratio of the reliability calculated this time with respect to the reliability calculated last time in the repeated calculation. The sudden decrease threshold value refers to a threshold value for detecting a case where the reliability suddenly decreases due to some reason.

[0058] The light fixture control section 14 considers that the probability of the loss of the irradiation control object increases and performs the light increase processing in a case where the decrease amount of the reliability calculated this time with respect to the reliability calculated last time becomes a sudden decrease threshold value or more. The decrease amount of the reliability calculated this time with respect to the reliability calculated last time can be either a ratio or a numerical value (difference). Thereby, it is also possible to cope with a case where the reliability of the irradiation control object suddenly decreases due to an external factor.

[0059] [Computer program]

[0060] The computer program causes the ECU 10 (computer) to function as the above-described object detection section 11, reliability calculation section 12, light decrease indication angle calculation section 13, and light fixture control section 14. The computer program is provided by, for example, a non-transitory recording medium such as a ROM or a semiconductor memory. In addition, the program can be provided from a network or the like via wireless communication.

[0061] [Control method of vehicle light control system]

[0062] Next, the control method of the vehicle light control system 100 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the light decrease control according to the present embodiment. The light decrease control is performed, for example, in a case where the light fixture 4 of the vehicle M is in the light-on state.

[0063] As shown in Figure 3 , the ECU 10 of the vehicle light control system 100 determines whether or not the irradiation control object is detected by the object detection section 11 in step S10. The irradiation control object is mainly a mobile body such as a pedestrian or a bicycle. The ECU 10 proceeds to step S11 in a case where the irradiation control object is detected by the object detection section 11 on the basis of the image data acquired from the camera 1. In a case where the irradiation control object is not detected, the ECU 10 ends the processing.

[0064] Next, the ECU 10 calculates, in step Sll, the dimming instruction angle for the irradiation control object by the dimming instruction angle calculation section 13. The dimming instruction angle is a control value for instructing the part of the luminaire 4 to dim in correspondence with the irradiation control object.

[0065] Next, the ECU 10 determines whether the irradiation control object is newly detected in step S12. In the case of being newly detected, the ECU 10 proceeds to step S13 to calculate the initial reliability by the reliability calculation section 12. The initial reliability is an index showing the certainty degree of the detection result of the irradiation control object at the time of newly detecting the irradiation control object.

[0066] After the ECU 10 calculates the initial reliability in step S13, the ECU 10 proceeds to step S14 to start the dimming control of the luminaire 4 for the irradiation control object. In the dimming control, the light amount of the luminaire 4 is adjusted in order to reduce glare to the irradiation control object. Thereafter, the ECU 10 ends the present processing.

[0067] On the other hand, in the case where it is determined in step S12 that the irradiation control object is not newly detected, the ECU 10 proceeds to step S15 to calculate the reliability of the detection of the irradiation control object by the reliability calculation section 12. The reliability calculation section 12 calculates the reliability of the detection of the irradiation control object from the captured image of the camera 1.

[0068] Figure 4 is Figure 3 the flowchart of the present embodiment.

[0069] As Figure 4 indicated, the ECU 10 determines whether the reliability is lower than the brightening start threshold by the luminaire control section 14 in step S20. In the case where the reliability is lower than the brightening start threshold, the ECU 10 proceeds to step S21 to perform the brightening processing for the irradiation control object. Thereafter, the ECU 10 ends the present processing.

[0070] On the other hand, in the case where the reliability is not lower than the brightening start threshold, the ECU 10 proceeds to step S22 to determine whether the reliability is lower than the mitigation start threshold. In the case where the reliability is lower than the mitigation start threshold, the ECU 10 proceeds to step S23 to perform the dimming mitigation processing for the irradiation control object. Thereafter, the ECU 10 proceeds to step S24. In the case where the reliability is not lower than the mitigation start threshold, the ECU 10 does not perform the dimming mitigation processing but proceeds to step S24.

[0071] The ECU 10 determines in step S24 whether the decrease amount of the reliability calculated this time with respect to the reliability calculated last time is equal to or greater than the sudden decrease threshold. The decrease amount in this case is an index showing that the detection of the irradiation control target suddenly became uncertain. In the case where the decrease amount of the reliability is equal to or greater than the sudden decrease threshold, the ECU 10 proceeds to step S25 and performs the light-up processing for the irradiation control target. Thereafter, the ECU 10 ends the processing this time. On the other hand, in the case where the decrease amount of the reliability is not equal to or greater than the sudden decrease threshold, the ECU 10 does not perform the light-up processing and ends the processing this time.

[0072] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing an example of light-up control recovery processing. The light-up control recovery processing is performed in the case where the light-up processing is performed.

[0073] As shown in Figure 5 , the ECU 10 determines in step S30 whether the reliability is equal to or greater than the light-down recovery threshold. In the case where the reliability is equal to or greater than the light-down recovery threshold, the ECU 10 proceeds to step S31.

[0074] In step S31, the ECU 10 performs recovery of the light-down control for the irradiation control target. By the recovery of the light-down control, it is possible to start again the processing for reducing glare to the irradiation control target. On the other hand, in the case where the reliability is not equal to or greater than the light-down recovery threshold, the ECU 10 ends the processing this time. In this case, since the reliability does not sufficiently increase, the recovery of the light-down control is not performed and the reliability is continuously monitored.

[0075] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing a modification example of the flowchart of Figure 4 . The ECU 10 can perform the processing of the flowchart of Figure 4 instead of the processing of the flowchart of Figure 6 .

[0076] As shown in Figure 6 , the ECU 10 determines in step S40, by the luminaire control section 14, whether the decrease amount of the reliability of the irradiation control target in the light-down control with respect to the initial reliability is equal to or greater than the second light-up start threshold. In the case where the decrease amount of the reliability is equal to or greater than the second light-up start threshold, the ECU 10 proceeds to step S41 and performs the light-up processing for the irradiation control target. Thereafter, the ECU 10 ends the processing this time.

[0077] On the other hand, in a case where the decrease amount of the reliability is not more than the second increase threshold, the ECU 10 proceeds to step S42 to determine whether the decrease amount of the reliability of the irradiation control target in the dimming control with respect to the initial reliability is more than a second mitigation threshold. In a case where the decrease amount of the reliability of the irradiation control target in the dimming control with respect to the initial reliability is more than the second mitigation threshold, the ECU 10 proceeds to step S43 to perform dimming mitigation processing for the irradiation control target. Thereafter, the ECU 10 proceeds to step S44. In a case where the decrease amount of the reliability is not more than the second mitigation threshold, the ECU 10 does not perform the dimming mitigation processing but proceeds to step S44.

[0078] In step S44, the ECU 10 determines whether the decrease amount of the reliability calculated this time with respect to the reliability calculated last time is more than a sudden decrease threshold. The decrease amount in this case is an index showing that the detection of the irradiation control target suddenly becomes uncertain. In a case where the decrease amount of the reliability is more than the sudden decrease threshold, the ECU 10 proceeds to step S45 to perform increase processing for the irradiation control target. Thereafter, the ECU 10 ends the processing this time. On the other hand, in a case where the decrease amount of the reliability is not more than the sudden decrease threshold, the ECU 10 does not perform the increase processing but ends the processing this time.

[0079] According to the vehicle light control system 100 according to the present embodiment described above, by adjusting the light amount of the luminaire in accordance with the reliability related to the detection of the irradiation control target, appropriate light irradiation for the irradiation control target can be achieved. Thus, excessive light irradiation to the irradiation control target such as a pedestrian or a bicycle can be prevented, and the light amount of the luminaire can be made appropriate for detecting the irradiation control target with sufficient reliability from the captured image of the camera.

[0080] In addition, according to the vehicle light control system 100, by the luminaire control section 14 performing dimming control for suppressing glare to the irradiation control target under a prescribed condition, it is possible to suppress a situation where a pedestrian or a bicycle is dazzled by the luminaire of the vehicle.

[0081] Furthermore, according to the vehicle light control system 100, in a case where the reliability of the irradiation control target in the dimming control becomes lower than the mitigation threshold, or in a case where the decrease amount of the reliability of the irradiation control target in the dimming control with respect to the reliability at the time of the initial detection becomes more than the second mitigation threshold, by reducing the decrease amount of the light amount in the dimming control with the passage of time, it is possible to obtain a time margin until the irradiation control target is lost due to dimming.

[0082] In addition, according to the vehicle light control system 100, in a case where the reliability of the irradiation control target in the dimming control becomes lower than the increase start threshold value, or in a case where the amount of decrease in the reliability of the irradiation control target in the dimming control with respect to the reliability at the time of the initial detection becomes equal to or greater than the second increase start threshold value, the light amount of the light fixture with respect to the irradiation control target is increased, so that the reliability can be recovered in a case where the reliability of the detection of the irradiation control target is decreased due to the dimming control.

[0083] In addition, according to the vehicle light control system 100, in a case where the reliability of the irradiation control target in the dimming control becomes lower than the increase start threshold value, or in a case where the amount of decrease in the reliability of the irradiation control target in the dimming control with respect to the reliability at the time of the initial detection becomes equal to or greater than the second increase start threshold value, the light amount of the light fixture with respect to the irradiation control target is increased, so that the reliability can be recovered in a case where the reliability of the detection of the irradiation control target is decreased due to the dimming control.

[0084] The above describes the embodiments of the present application, but the present application is not limited to the above-described embodiments. The present application can be implemented in various modes by various modifications and improvements based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art, starting from the above-described embodiments.

[0085] The vehicle light control system 100 does not necessarily have to perform the dimming control. The vehicle light control system 100 can be a system that adjusts the light amount of the light fixture with respect to the irradiation control target in accordance with the reliability. Specifically, even in a case where the dimming control is not being performed, the vehicle light control system 100 can increase the light amount of the light fixture 4 with respect to the irradiation control target in a case where the reliability of the detection of the irradiation control target becomes lower than the increase start threshold value B during the lighting of the light fixture 4. In this case, the vehicle light control system 100 can increase the light amount with respect to the body of the pedestrian other than the head of the pedestrian, so as to improve the reliability of the detection of the irradiation control target.

[0086] Further, in order to improve the reliability of the detection of the irradiation control target, the vehicle light control system 100 can be used in combination with a plurality of irradiation modes. For example, the reliability of the detection of the irradiation control target can be further improved by increasing the light amount with respect to the entire body of the pedestrian and the light amount with respect to the feet of the pedestrian and the surrounding ground. Thus, the motion and position of the pedestrian can be more accurately grasped, and the precision of the dimming control can be improved.

[0087] In addition, in order to improve the reliability of the detection of the irradiation control target, the vehicle light control system 100 can use light of different wavelengths. For example, the detection precision of the irradiation control target can be improved by using light of wavelengths other than visible light, such as infrared light and ultraviolet light. Thus, the irradiation control target can be reliably detected even in a situation where the field of view is poor, such as at night or in bad weather.

[0088] Further, in order to improve the reliability of detection of the irradiation control target, the vehicle light control system 100 can be used in combination with a plurality of sensors. For example, by using a sensor such as a radar, a laser radar (LIDAR) in addition to the camera 1, the position and the motion of the irradiation control target can be grasped more accurately. Thereby, the reliability of detection of the irradiation control target can be improved, and the precision of the dimming control can be further improved.

[0089] The vehicle light control system 100 does not necessarily have to perform both the dimming mitigation processing and the brightening processing, and can be a mode in which only one of them is executed. In addition, the vehicle light control system 100 does not necessarily have to perform the determination processing of returning to the normal dimming control in the execution of the brightening processing. Further, the vehicle light control system 100 does not necessarily have to determine whether the decrease amount of the reliability calculated this time with respect to the reliability calculated last time is lower than the sudden decrease threshold.

Claims

1. A vehicle lighting control system that controls the illumination of vehicle lights on objects surrounding the vehicle, the vehicle lighting control system comprising: The camera takes pictures of the direction in which the light fixture illuminates. The object detection unit detects the illumination control object from the images captured by the camera; The reliability calculation unit calculates the reliability related to the detection of the illumination control object detected by the object detection unit, based on the images captured by the camera; and The lighting control unit controls the illumination provided by the lighting fixtures for the target object. The lighting control unit adjusts the amount of light emitted by the lighting fixture for the object to be illuminated based on the reliability.

2. The vehicle lighting control system according to claim 1, wherein, The target of the illumination control is pedestrians or bicycles. The lighting control unit performs dimming control to suppress glare on the object being illuminated.

3. The vehicle lighting control system according to claim 2, wherein, When the reliability of the illumination control object in the dimming control becomes lower than the dimming start threshold, or when the decrease in the reliability of the illumination control object in the dimming control relative to the reliability at the initial detection of the illumination control object, i.e., the initial reliability, becomes higher than the second dimming start threshold, the luminaire control unit increases the light amount of the luminaire for the illumination control object.

4. The vehicle lighting control system according to claim 2, wherein, When the reliability of the illumination control object in the dimming control becomes lower than the mitigation start threshold, or when the decrease in the reliability of the illumination control object in the dimming control relative to the reliability at the initial detection of the illumination control object, i.e., the initial reliability, becomes higher than the second mitigation start threshold, the luminaire control unit reduces the decrease in the amount of light intensity in the dimming control over time.

5. The vehicle lighting control system according to claim 2, wherein, If the decrease in reliability calculated in this operation relative to the reliability calculated in the previous operation becomes a sharp decrease threshold, the lighting control unit increases the amount of light emitted by the lighting fixture for the object to be illuminated.

6. The vehicle lighting control system according to claim 3, wherein, If the decrease in reliability calculated in this operation relative to the reliability calculated in the previous operation becomes a sharp decrease threshold, the lighting control unit increases the amount of light emitted by the lighting fixture for the object to be illuminated.

7. A vehicle comprising a vehicle lighting control system for controlling the illumination of the vehicle's lights for objects around the vehicle, the vehicle comprising: The camera takes pictures of the direction in which the light fixture illuminates. The object detection unit detects the illumination control object from the images captured by the camera; The reliability calculation unit calculates the reliability related to the detection of the illumination control object detected by the object detection unit, based on the images captured by the camera; and The lighting control unit controls the illumination provided by the lighting fixtures for the target object. The lighting control unit adjusts the amount of light emitted by the lighting fixture for the object to be illuminated based on the reliability.

8. A computer-readable storage medium, The storage medium contains computer programs for making the vehicle's computer work. When the computer program is executed by the computer, it causes the computer to perform the following: The step of detecting illumination control objects around the vehicle from images captured by a camera that captures images of the direction of illumination of the vehicle's lights; The steps of calculating the reliability related to the detection of the detected illumination control object based on the images captured by the camera; and The step of adjusting the amount of light from the luminaire to the object under illumination based on the reliability, thereby controlling the illumination of the object by the luminaire.

9. A control method for a vehicle lighting control system, wherein the vehicle's lights illuminate objects around the vehicle, wherein... The object to be controlled for illumination is detected from images captured by a camera that captures images of the direction in which the light fixture is illuminated. Based on the images captured by the camera, a reliability related to the detection of the illumination control object is calculated. The amount of light emitted by the luminaire for the object to be illuminated is adjusted based on the reliability.

Images