Vehicle control device

Abstract

To provide a vehicle control device capable of reducing the influence of a camera provided on a vehicle on imaging.SOLUTION: A vehicle control device 10 is equipped with a control unit 12 for controlling a wiper device 4 for wiping the outer surface side of a window part W of a vehicle 1, wherein the wiper device wipes a predetermined region R1 of the window part corresponding to an imaging range of a camera 2 that captures the external environment from an inner surface side of the window part toward outside, and a control unit controls the wiper device based on a periodic first schedule including a first timing and a wiping time for wiping the predetermined region by the wiper device, calculates the first schedule in which the first timing is adjusted so as not to cause an overlap period in which the imaging time and the wiping time overlap in the relationship between a periodic second schedule including a second timing for capturing an external environment by a camera and an imaging time and the first schedule, and controls a wiper device based on the adjusted first schedule.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle control device capable of controlling a wiper device. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, a camera may be provided in a vehicle to provide driving assistance. Such a camera is installed, for example, on the inside of a window provided in the vehicle. A predetermined area corresponding to the imaging range of the camera is provided on the outside of the window. The predetermined area of ​​the window is wiped by the blade of the wiper device when it rains. The camera captures images at a predetermined cycle. In order to reduce the influence on the driving assistance of the vehicle, it is desirable that the blade is not wiping the predetermined area at the timing when the camera captures the image. Patent Document 1 describes a wiper device that can automatically adjust the wiping speed and operation interval of the blade provided in the wiper device according to the speed of the vehicle. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2001-347926 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The technology described in Patent Document 1 does not adjust the operation of the wiper device in relation to the timing of capturing an image by the camera.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle control device that can reduce the influence on image capture by a camera installed in the vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the present invention is a vehicle control device that includes a control unit that controls a wiper device that wipes the outer side of a window of a vehicle, the wiper device wiping a predetermined area of ​​the window that corresponds to an imaging range of a camera that images the external environment from the inner side of the window outward, the control unit controls the wiper device based on a periodic first schedule that includes a first timing and a wiping time at which the wiper device wipes the predetermined area, and when an overlap period in which the imaging time and the wiping time overlap is calculated in a relationship between the first schedule and a periodic second schedule that includes a second timing and an imaging time at which the camera images the external environment, the control unit calculates an adjusted first timing so that the overlap period does not occur, and controls the wiper device based on the adjusted first schedule. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the influence on image capture by a camera provided in a vehicle. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a vehicle provided with a vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a wiper device 4 provided on a window of a vehicle. [Diagram 3] 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating a state in which the wiping unit wipes a predetermined area corresponding to the imaging range of the camera. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the relationship between a first schedule and a second schedule. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a method for adjusting the first schedule. [Figure 6] 4 is a flowchart showing a process flow of a vehicle control method. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the vehicle 1 includes a camera 2 that captures an image of the external environment of the vehicle 1, a wiper device 4 provided on the vehicle 1, and a vehicle control device 10 that controls the wiper device 4. The camera 2 is provided, for example, in the interior space of the vehicle 1. The camera 2 is attached so as to capture an image of the external environment from the inner surface of the window on the front side toward the outside in the interior space. The camera 2 may be attached so as to capture an image not only of the front side of the window in the interior space, but also of other directions, such as the rear side. The camera 2 is controlled by the vehicle control device 10.

[0010] The wiper device 4 includes, for example, a wiper 8 that wipes a window provided in the vehicle 1, and a drive unit 6 that rotates the wiper 8. The wiper device 4 operates based on the operation content of an operation unit 20 operated by the driver of the vehicle 1. The wiper 8 includes a main body unit 8A formed in a rod shape, and a wiping unit 8G provided on the main body unit 8A.

[0011] The base end 8B side of the main body 8A is rotatably attached to the vehicle 1 main body. The main body 8A rotates around the base end 8B within a range of a predetermined rotation angle θ. A rod-shaped wiping part 8G is attached to the tip 8C side of the main body 8A. The longitudinal center of the wiping part 8G is supported by the main body 8A. The cross section of the wiping part 8G in the short direction is spatula-shaped. The wiping part 8G is formed of an elastic member such as rubber. The wiping part 8G operates in conjunction with the rotation of the main body 8A and wipes the outer surface side of the window part W. The wiping part 8G wipes the wiping area R on the outer surface side of the window part W.

[0012] The wiping area R includes a predetermined area R1 corresponding to the imaging range of the camera 2. The imaging range of the camera 2 may be not only the entire range of the actual captured image, but also a range set in the captured image used for driving assistance. The predetermined area R1 may be set according to a range set in the captured image used for driving assistance.

[0013] The predetermined area R1 is wiped within a range of rotation angles θ1 to θ2 of the main body 8A. The drive unit 6 is configured to rotate the base end 8B of the main body 8A. The drive unit 6 reciprocates the main body 8A within a range of a predetermined rotation angle θ. The drive unit 6 rotates the main body 8A, causing the wiping part 8G to wipe the wiping area R of the window W. The rotation speed and downtime of the drive unit 6 change depending on the operation content of the operation unit 20. The drive unit 6 is controlled by the vehicle control device 10.

[0014] The vehicle control device 10 is configured by a computer device mounted on the vehicle 1. The vehicle control device 10 is configured by a control unit 12 that executes calculations and control necessary for the vehicle 1, and a storage unit 14 in which data and programs necessary for control are stored. The control unit 12 controls, for example, the camera 2 and the wiper device 4. The control unit 12 is configured by at least one hardware processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The storage unit 14 is configured by a non-transitory storage medium such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid state disk (SSD). The storage unit 14 stores computer programs and data necessary for control.

[0015] The control unit 12 controls the drive unit 6 based on the operation content of the operation unit 20 to operate the wiper device 4. The control unit 12 periodically operates the wiper device 4 based on the operation content selected by the operation unit 20. The operation content may be, for example, a speed adjustment mode in which the speed of the wiping operation of the wiper 8 is selected in stages, or an intermittent adjustment mode in which the periodic pause time of the wiper 8 is arbitrarily adjusted. The speed of the wiping operation of the wiper 8 is set to, for example, three stages. The control unit 12 reciprocates the wiper 8 to wipe the window W at the wiping operation speed and pause time according to the mode selected by operation of the operation unit 20.

[0016] The control unit 12 controls the operation of the camera 2, which captures an image of the external environment from the inner surface side of the window W toward the outside. The control unit 12 causes the camera 2 to capture an image at each timing of a predetermined imaging cycle. The control unit 12 does not necessarily need to control the camera 2, and may instead detect the timing at which the camera 2 captures an image in the predetermined imaging cycle.

[0017] As shown in Fig. 3(A), if the wiping part 8G is outside the predetermined area R1 at the time of capturing an image by the camera 2, the wiping part 8G is not captured in the captured image M. As shown in Fig. 3(B), if the wiping part 8G is within the predetermined area R1 at the second timing of the camera 2, the wiping part 8G is captured in the captured image M. If the wiping part 8G is captured in the captured image M, this may affect the driving assistance of the vehicle 1 that is controlled based on the captured image. The control unit 12 controls the wiper device 4 so that the wiper 8 is not captured at the second timing of the camera 2, as described below.

[0018] 4A, the camera 2 repeatedly captures an image based on a periodic second timing H and an image capturing time Δt2. The control unit 12 causes the camera 2 to capture an image at the second timing H and the image capturing time Δt2 of the second period, for example.

[0019] 4(B), the wiper device 4 repeats a wiping operation in which the wiper device 4 performs one reciprocating wiping action and then pauses during a pause time. The control unit 12 controls the wiper device 4 to perform a plurality of wiper actions in a first cycle. The control unit 12 causes the wiper device 4 to perform a wiper action based on a first cycle in which the speed of the wiping action and the pause time are changed according to the operation content selected on the operation unit 20.

[0020] The wiping operation includes a first timing G at which the wiping part 8G starts wiping the predetermined area R1, and a wiping time Δt1 for wiping the predetermined area R1. There are two timings at which the wiping part 8G starts wiping the predetermined area R1 in one reciprocating wiping operation. In this embodiment, the first timing is the timing at which the wiping part 8G starts wiping the predetermined area R1 for the first time in one wiping operation.

[0021] As shown in Fig. 5(A), the control unit 12 controls the camera 2 based on a second schedule that repeats the second timing H of a second period. The second schedule includes, for example, a plurality of second timings H of the camera 2 in the future from the current time. In the example of Fig. 5(A), the second schedule shows four second timings H.

[0022] 5(B), the control unit 12 controls the wiper device 4 based on a first schedule that repeats a first period of wiper operation. The control unit 12 controls the wiper device 4 based on a periodic first schedule that includes a first timing G at which the wiper device 4 wipes a predetermined area and a wiping time Δt1. The first schedule includes, for example, a plurality of wiper operations of the wiper device 4 from the current time into the future.

[0023] The control unit 12 monitors a first schedule including a plurality of wiper operations of the wiper device 4 from the current time. The control unit 12 monitors a second schedule including a plurality of second timings H of the camera 2 in the future from the current time based on the relationship with the first schedule. The control unit 12 determines whether or not there is an overlapping period in which the imaging time and the wiping time overlap in the relationship between the periodic second schedule including the second timings at which the camera 2 images the external environment and the imaging time and the first schedule. When an overlapping period is calculated between the first schedule and the second schedule, the control unit 12 calculates an adjusted first timing so that no overlapping period occurs.

[0024] The control unit 12 may monitor the first schedule and the second schedule by setting a time threshold at which the image capturing time and the first timing are close to each other, and automatically adjust the first schedule in advance so that the image capturing time and the first timing are equal to or greater than the threshold. The control unit 12 controls the wiper device 4 based on the first timing of the first schedule after the adjustment.

[0025] In the example of FIG. 5(B), the control unit 12 adjusts the first schedule by changing the pause time included in the wiper operation. The control unit 12 may change not only the pause time but also the speed of the wiping operation, i.e., the operation time of the wiping operation. The control unit 12 may change either the pause time or the speed of the wiping operation, or both. In adjusting the first timing, the control unit 12 may adjust the speed or pause time of the wiping operation included in the wiper operation so as to increase or decrease it evenly in the first schedule. In adjusting the first timing, the control unit 12 may adjust the speed or pause time of the wiping operation included in the wiper operation so as to increase or decrease it stepwise in the first schedule.

[0026] By using the above-mentioned adjustment method, the vehicle control device 10 can reduce the driver's discomfort based on the wiper operation based on the adjusted first schedule. It is desirable to adjust the pause time and the wiping operation to make the difference as small as possible compared to before the adjustment so as not to cause the driver to feel uncomfortable. The vehicle control device 10 may be applied to the control of one or more wiper devices 4 by monitoring the first schedule and the second schedule and adjusting the first timing.

[0027] 6 shows a process flow of a vehicle control method executed in the vehicle control device 10. The vehicle control method is executed based on a program installed in a computer mounted on the vehicle control device 10. The control unit 12 monitors a periodic first schedule including a first timing and a wiping time when the wiper device 4 starts wiping a predetermined area, and a periodic second schedule including a second timing and an imaging time when the camera 2, which images the external environment from the inner surface side of the window part W toward the outside, images the external environment (step S100).

[0028] The control unit 12 determines whether or not there is an overlapping period in which the imaging time and the wiping time overlap in the relationship between the first schedule and the second schedule (step S102). If there is an overlapping period, the control unit 12 calculates a first schedule in which the first timing is adjusted so that no overlapping period occurs (step S104). The control unit 12 controls the wiper device 4 based on the adjusted first schedule (step S106).

[0029] As described above, the vehicle control device 10 can prevent the wiping portion 8G of the wiper device 4 from being captured in the image M captured by the camera 2 installed on the vehicle 1, thereby reducing the impact on the image captured by the camera 2.

[0030] In the above-described embodiment, the computer program executed in each component of the vehicle control device 10 may be provided in a form recorded on a computer-readable portable recording medium such as a semiconductor memory, a magnetic recording medium, or an optical recording medium. The vehicle control device 10 may be applied to a wiper device 4 provided in an autonomous vehicle. The vehicle control device 10 may be applied to a wiper device 4 provided in a manually driven vehicle. [Explanation of symbols]

[0031] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 vehicle, 2 camera, 4 wiper device, 6 drive unit, 8 wiper, 8G wiping unit, 10 vehicle control device, 12 control unit, 14 memory unit, 20 operation unit, G first timing, H second timing, M captured image, R wiping area, R1 predetermined area, W window unit

Claims

[Claim 1] A control unit is provided to control a wiper device that wipes an outer surface side of a window of a vehicle, The wiper device wipes a predetermined area of ​​the window portion that corresponds to an imaging range of a camera that images an external environment from an inner surface side of the window portion toward an outer side, The control unit is controlling the wiper device based on a first periodic schedule including a first timing at which the wiper device wipes the predetermined area and a wiping time; calculating the first schedule by adjusting the first timing in a relationship between the first schedule and a periodic second schedule including a second timing and an imaging time at which the camera captures an image of the external environment, so that an overlapping period in which the imaging time and the wiping time do not overlap occurs; controlling the wiper device based on the adjusted first schedule; Vehicle control device.

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