Method and control device for controlling an acoustic horn and a headlight flashing function of a motor vehicle

Abstract

A method for controlling an acoustic horn (10) and a flash-to-pass function of a motor vehicle, wherein the flash-to-pass function is provided by two headlights (11, 12) of a lighting device of the motor vehicle, wherein a control device (15) detects the actuation time t of a horn trigger (14) of the acoustic horn (10) and, upon exceeding a threshold value ts of the actuation time t, the flash-to-pass function of the headlights (11, 12) is activated in addition to the acoustic horn (10), characterized in that the value of the threshold value ts of the actuation time t of the horn trigger (14) is adjusted by the control device (15) depending on the driving situation, wherein the value of the threshold value ts of the actuation time t of the horn trigger (14) is selected depending on the driving situation such that: ts = 0s when the motor vehicle is on a motorway and / or in a construction zone is locatedand that applies: ts ≥ 2s if the motor vehicle is not on a motorway and / or in a construction zone.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for controlling an acoustic horn and a headlight flasher function of a motor vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a control device for controlling an acoustic horn and a headlight flasher function of a motor vehicle.

[0002] Motor vehicles are equipped with a lighting system that includes two headlights to illuminate the area in front of the vehicle. To visually warn other road users in dangerous situations, the lighting system has a flash-to-pass function. This function is activated by pressing a trigger, such as pulling a lever (possibly repeatedly), particularly a steering column lever. This briefly activates the headlights and then deactivates them again.

[0003] Furthermore, motor vehicles are equipped with an audible horn to generate acoustic warning signals when hazardous situations arise in the vicinity of the vehicle. The horn is activated by pressing a corresponding horn trigger. For example, the horn trigger may be located in the center of a steering wheel hub or on a steering column stalk.

[0004] In dangerous situations, both the headlight flasher and the horn may be used as warning signals for other road users. Since the headlight flasher function and the horn are usually activated by two physically separate triggers (headlight flasher and horn trigger), simultaneous activation of both warning signals is generally not possible.

[0005] In certain dangerous situations, the driver may want to alert other road users to the hazard both audibly and visually. Furthermore, in alarming situations, drivers are more likely to reflexively activate the horn. However, it cannot always be guaranteed that other road users will actually hear the horn. This can happen, for example, if other vehicles are too far away on a motorway, if roadworks create too much ambient noise that masks the horn, or if the horn is not heard by the occupants of other vehicles due to music or telephone conversations.

[0006] Solutions combining the acoustic horn function with the optical headlight flasher function are already known from the state of the art.

[0007] DE 203 020 83 U1 discloses a warning signal control system for a motor vehicle in which an acoustic horn and a flashing headlight are activated together when a switching element is actuated.

[0008] From DE 10 2014 215 900 A1 a warning signal control system for motor vehicles is known, wherein when a headlight flasher switch is activated at high driving speeds a headlight flasher and an acoustic horn are activated and at low driving speeds the acoustic horn is activated or the headlight flasher and the acoustic horn are activated.

[0009] The KR 10 1998 056 201 A, the KR 10 1 912 172 B1, the KR 10 2021 102 009 A, the JP 2023 - 31 776 A and the KR 10 2 634 969 B1 disclose systems for vehicles for controlling a light function depending on the duration of operation of a horn function and corresponding generic methods for controlling an acoustic horn and a headlight flasher function of a motor vehicle.

[0010] From CN 109 733 278 A a system for a vehicle for controlling a light function depending on the duration of operation of a horn function, taking into account a driving situation, is known.

[0011] US 2017 / 0 151 905 A1 discloses a system for a vehicle to control a flashing headlight function and a horn function depending on the vehicle speed and the vehicle position.

[0012] The invention aims to provide a method and a control device for controlling an acoustic horn and a flashing headlight function of a motor vehicle, which have further improved properties compared to the prior art.

[0013] The solution to this problem is provided by a method for controlling an acoustic horn and a headlight flasher function of a motor vehicle with the features of claim 1, and by a control device for controlling an acoustic horn and a headlight flasher function of a motor vehicle with the features of claim 3. The dependent claims relate to advantageous embodiments of the invention.

[0014] A method for controlling an acoustic horn and a headlight flasher function of a motor vehicle is provided, wherein the headlight flasher function is provided by two headlights of a lighting device of the motor vehicle, wherein a control device detects the actuation duration t of a horn trigger of the acoustic horn and, if a threshold value ts of the actuation duration t is exceeded, the headlight flasher function of the headlights is activated in addition to the acoustic horn. According to the invention, it is provided that the magnitude of the threshold value t sThe duration t of the horn trigger is adjusted by means of the control device depending on the driving situation, whereby the size of the threshold value ts of the duration t of the horn trigger is chosen depending on the driving situation such that: ts = 0s if the motor vehicle is on a motorway and / or in a construction zone, and that: ts ≥ 2s if the motor vehicle is not on a motorway and / or in a construction zone.

[0015] The method presented here advantageously enables the automatic activation of the headlight flasher function of the vehicle's headlights when the horn is used intensively. Intensive use is detected by the driver not simply tapping the horn trigger briefly. Therefore, the duration t of the horn trigger is used as the criterion for activating the headlight flasher function.

[0016] Practical experience shows that situations can arise in which it is not always guaranteed that other road users will actually hear the horn's acoustic signal. For example, other road users on highways may be too far away. Furthermore, ambient noise may occur when driving through construction zones, which can mask the horn's acoustic signals. Therefore, the present invention proposes that the threshold value ts of the horn's activation duration t is adjusted by the control device depending on the driving situation, wherein the threshold value ts of the horn's activation duration t is selected such that ts ≥ 2 s when the vehicle is not on a highway and / or in a construction zone.

[0017] In one embodiment, it is proposed that by determining the position of the motor vehicle in combination with map data from a vehicle navigation device and / or by means of a camera device of the motor vehicle, it is checked whether the motor vehicle is on a motorway and / or in a construction site area.

[0018] A control device according to the invention for controlling an acoustic horn and two front headlights of a lighting device of a motor vehicle, which are designed to provide a flashing headlight function, is characterized in that the control device is configured to perform a method according to one of claims 1 or 2.

[0019] According to claim 4, a motor vehicle according to the invention comprises a control device according to claim 3.

[0020] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the enclosed Fig. 1, which shows a system 1 for carrying out a procedure for controlling an acoustic horn 10 and a flashing light function of a motor vehicle which is not shown in detail here, in a highly simplified schematic form.

[0021] The vehicle is equipped with a lighting system comprising two headlights 11 and 12, which illuminate the area in front of the vehicle. These headlights 11 and 12 also provide a flash-to-pass function to visually warn other road users of hazardous situations. The flash-to-pass function is activated by pressing a flash-to-pass trigger 13, such as by pulling a control lever, particularly a steering column lever, possibly repeatedly. Pressing the flash-to-pass trigger 13 briefly activates the headlights 11 and 12, after which they are deactivated.

[0022] In addition, the motor vehicle includes an acoustic horn 10, which generates an acoustic signal by the activation of a horn trigger 14, which is perceptible in the vicinity of the vehicle by other road users.

[0023] System 1 for implementing a method for controlling the acoustic horn 10 and the headlight flasher function comprises a control device 15, which is connected to the headlights 11, 12 and is configured to detect activation of the headlight flasher trigger 13. When activation of the headlight flasher trigger 13 is detected, the headlights 11, 12 are controlled such that their illumination function is briefly activated and then deactivated. If the headlight flasher trigger 13 is activated several times in succession, the illumination function of the headlights 11, 12 is therefore also briefly activated and deactivated several times in succession.

[0024] Furthermore, the control device 15 is designed to activate the acoustic horn 10 when the horn trigger 14 is operated by the driver of the vehicle.

[0025] Furthermore, the control device 15 is configured to activate the acoustic horn 10 only when the horn trigger 14 is actuated by the driver of the vehicle for a duration t that does not exceed a fixed or definable threshold ts. Moreover, the control device 15 is configured to activate the flash-to-pass function in addition to the acoustic horn 10 by correspondingly controlling the illumination function of the headlights 11, 12, if the duration t of the horn trigger 14 actuates exceeds the threshold ts.

[0026] Intensive use of the acoustic horn 10 automatically activates the flash-to-pass function of the headlights 11, 12. Intensive use can be recognized in particular by the fact that the horn trigger 14 is not merely tapped briefly and lightly to activate the acoustic horn 10. Thus, the duration t of the horn trigger 14 of the acoustic horn 10 is used as a decision criterion for activating the flash-to-pass function of the headlights 11, 12 in the method presented here.

[0027] For example, it is possible that the size of the threshold value ts of the activation duration t of the horn trigger is chosen independently of the driving situation such that: ts ≥ 1s.

[0028] It may also be provided that the size of the threshold value ts of the activation duration t of the horn trigger is chosen independently of the driving situation such that: ts ≥ 2s.

[0029] The method presented here utilizes the finding that in frightening situations, drivers tend to activate the horn trigger 14 more frequently and almost reflexively to trigger the acoustic horn 10, but not the headlight flash trigger 13.

[0030] Practical experience shows that exceeding the threshold t sThe duration t of the horn trigger 14 cannot always be the decisive criterion in all driving situations for activating the flash-to-pass function of the headlights 11, 12 when the horn trigger 14 is activated. Situations can arise in which it is not always guaranteed that other road users will actually hear the acoustic signal of the horn 10. For example, other road users on highways may be too far away to perceive the acoustic horn signal. Furthermore, ambient noise can be generated when driving through construction zones, which can mask the acoustic horn signals. It is therefore advantageous that the threshold value ts of the duration t of the horn trigger 14 can be adjusted by the control unit 15 depending on the driving situation.

[0031] In an advantageous embodiment, the control device 15 can therefore be configured to detect a motor vehicle's journey on a motorway. For this purpose, the control device 15 can, for example, use vehicle position data, in particular GPS data, in combination with map data from a vehicle navigation system 16, or it can also use a camera system 17 of the motor vehicle, by means of which, for example, motorway signage can be detected. In a further advantageous embodiment, the control device 15 can also be configured to detect a motor vehicle's journey in a construction zone. For this purpose, the control device 15 can, in particular, use the camera system 17 of the motor vehicle, by means of which a construction zone situation can be detected.

[0032] According to the invention, the size of the threshold value ts of the actuation duration t of the horn triggering device 14 is selected by the control device 15 depending on the driving situation such that: ts = 0s if the motor vehicle is on a motorway and / or in a construction zone, and that: ts ≥ 2s if the motor vehicle is not on a motorway and / or in a construction zone.

[0033] In other words, the control device 15 is designed to activate the headlight flasher function when a motorway journey and / or a construction site situation is detected, regardless of the duration t of the horn trigger 14, since in these cases the threshold value ts of the duration t of the horn trigger 14 is ts = 0s. This measure contributes to increased safety when the motor vehicle is in a driving situation in which the acoustic horn signal might not be perceived by other road users.

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