Control device of infrared ray projector

Abstract

To control electric current which is supplied to an infrared ray projector 15 adequately.SOLUTION: A control device 17 of an infrared ray projector 15 acquires solar radiation information from prescribed time ago and stop time or travel time of a vehicle 1 and calculates temperature change by solar radiation from the acquired solar radiation information and the stop time or the travel time of the vehicle 1 and calculates limit time of continuous electrification for the infrared ray projector 15 when the sum of outdoor temperature and the temperature change by the solar radiation is a threshold value or greater and executes control which restrains electric current which is supplied to the infrared ray projector 15 when the continuous electrification time for the infrared ray projector 15 is the limit time or longer.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a control device for an infrared projector. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a technique for adjusting the illuminance of an infrared projector in response to changes in the driving conditions while the vehicle is being driven. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2008-055941 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The technology described in Patent Document 1 does not adjust the illuminance of the infrared projector (control the value of the current supplied to the infrared projector) to reflect temperature changes due to solar radiation. Therefore, the technology described in Patent Document 1 may not appropriately adjust the illuminance of the infrared projector (control the value of the current supplied to the infrared projector).

[0005] In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a control device for an infrared projector that can appropriately control the value of a current supplied to the infrared projector. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the present invention is a control device for an infrared floodlight that acquires solar radiation information and a vehicle's stopped time or running time from a predetermined time ago, calculates a temperature change due to solar radiation from the acquired solar radiation information and the vehicle's stopped time or running time, calculates a limit time for continuous power supply to an infrared floodlight if the sum of the outside air temperature and the temperature change due to solar radiation is equal to or greater than a threshold value, and performs control to suppress the current value supplied to the infrared floodlight if the continuous power supply time to the infrared floodlight is equal to or greater than the limit time. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, the value of the current supplied to the infrared projector can be appropriately controlled. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing an example of a vehicle 1 to which a control device 17 of an infrared projector 15 according to a first embodiment is applied. [Diagram 2] 5 is a flowchart for explaining an example of processing executed by a processor 173 of a control device 17 of an infrared projector 15 in the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] 5 is a flowchart for explaining an example of processing executed by a processor 173 of a control device 17 of an infrared projector 15 in the first embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a vehicle 1 to which a control device 17 for an infrared projector according to the first embodiment is applied. In the example shown in Fig. 1, the vehicle 1 includes a vehicle speed sensor 11A, a vehicle control ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 11B, a solar radiation sensor 12A, a solar radiation ECU 12B, an outside air temperature sensor 13A, an outside air temperature ECU 13B, a perimeter monitoring camera 14, an infrared floodlight 15, an LED (Light Emitting Diode) driver module 16, and a control device (ADU: ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) Domain Control Unit) 17. The vehicle control ECU 11B calculates the stopping time or running time of the vehicle 1 based on the detection result of the vehicle speed sensor 11A, and transmits information indicating the vehicle speed and the stopping time or running time of the vehicle 1 to the control device 17 as vehicle information. The solar radiation ECU 12B generates solar radiation information (information indicating whether the solar radiation sensor 12A is in an ON state) based on the detection result of the solar radiation sensor 12A, and transmits the solar radiation information to the control device 17. The outside air temperature ECU 13B generates outside air temperature information (information indicating the outside air temperature) based on the detection result of the outside air temperature sensor 13A, and transmits the outside air temperature information to the control device 17. The surroundings monitoring camera 14 photographs the surroundings of the vehicle 1, calculates the illuminance based on the image of the surroundings of the vehicle 1, and transmits illuminance information indicating the illuminance to the control device 17.

[0010] The infrared projector 15 projects infrared rays by emitting light from an infrared LED. The LED (Light Emitting Diode) driver module 16 has a drive circuit for emitting light from an infrared LED, and supplies power (current) to the infrared projector 15. The control device 17 generates a control signal for turning the infrared projector 15 ON / OFF based on information transmitted to the control device 17, and transmits the control signal to the LED driver module 16. The control device 17 also transmits a signal instructing the value of a current to be supplied from the LED driver module 16 to the infrared projector 15 to the LED driver module 16.

[0011] The control device 17 is configured by a microcomputer including a communication interface (I / F) 171, a memory 172, and a processor 173. The communication interface 171 has an interface circuit for connecting the control device 17 to an in-vehicle network. The memory 172 stores programs and various data used in the processing executed by the processor 173. The processor 173 has a function as an acquisition unit 173A and a function as a control unit 173B.

[0012] 2 and 3 are flowcharts for explaining an example of processing executed by the processor 173 of the control device 17 of the infrared projector 15 in the first embodiment. 2 and 3, in step S10, the acquisition unit 173A acquires illuminance information indicating illuminance from the surrounding monitoring camera 14. The control unit 173B determines whether or not the illuminance [lux] is equal to or less than a threshold B1 [lux] stored in the memory 172. If YES, the process proceeds to step S11, and if NO, the process proceeds to step S25. In step S11, the acquisition unit 173A acquires vehicle information indicating the vehicle speed and the like from the vehicle control ECU 11B. The control unit 173B determines whether the vehicle speed [km / h] is equal to or less than a threshold value V1 [km / h] stored in the memory 172. If YES, the process proceeds to step S12, and if NO, the process proceeds to step S25. In step S12, the acquisition unit 173A acquires the solar radiation information from the predetermined time t1 before that is transmitted from the solar radiation ECU 12B and stored in the memory 172, and the stopped time or traveling time of the vehicle 1 from the predetermined time t1 before that is transmitted from the vehicle control ECU 11B and stored in the memory 172. Next, the process proceeds to step S13. In step S13, the control unit 173B determines whether the solar radiation sensor 12A has been turned ON between a predetermined time t1 ago and the present based on the solar radiation information acquired in step S12. If YES, the process proceeds to step S14, and if NO, the process proceeds to step S20.

[0013] In step S14, the control unit 173B calculates the temperature change ΔT1 [° C.] due to solar radiation from the solar radiation information acquired in step S12 and the running state (parked time or running time) of the vehicle 1. Next, the process proceeds to step S15. In step S15, the acquisition unit 173A acquires outside air temperature information (information indicating the outside air temperature T2 [°C]) from the outside air temperature ECU 13B. The control unit 173B determines whether the sum of the outside air temperature T2 [°C] and the temperature change ΔT1 [°C] due to solar radiation calculated in step S14 is equal to or greater than the threshold value T3 [°C]. If YES, the process proceeds to step S16, and if NO, the process proceeds to step S24. In step S16, the control unit 173B calculates the limit time t2 [h] for continuous current supply to the infrared projector 15 from the sum of the outside air temperature T2 [°C] and the temperature change ΔT1 [°C] due to solar radiation calculated in step S15, and the current value supplied from the LED driver module 16 to the infrared projector 15. Then, the process proceeds to step S17. In step S17, the control unit 173B determines whether the continuous energization time [h] of the infrared projector 15 is equal to or longer than the limit time t2 [h] of continuous energization. If YES, the process proceeds to step S18, and if NO, the process proceeds to step S24. In step S18, the control unit 173B performs control to suppress the value of the current supplied to the infrared projector 15. Next, the process proceeds to step S19. In step S19, the control unit 173B determines whether or not the current value [A] supplied to the infrared projector 15 is equal to the minimum current value I1 [A] stored in the memory 172. If YES, the process proceeds to step S23, and if NO, the process proceeds to step S24.

[0014] In step S20, the acquisition unit 173A acquires outside air temperature information (information indicating the outside air temperature T2 [°C]) from the outside air temperature ECU 13B. The control unit 173B determines whether the outside air temperature T2 [°C] is equal to or higher than the threshold value T3 [°C]. If YES, the process proceeds to step S21, and if NO, the process proceeds to step S24. In step S21, the control unit 173B calculates a limit time t3 [h] for continuous current supply to the infrared projector 15 from the outside air temperature T2 [°C] and the current value supplied from the LED driver module 16 to the infrared projector 15. Then, the process proceeds to step S22. In step S22, the control unit 173B determines whether the continuous power supply time [h] for the infrared projector 15 is equal to or longer than the limit time t3 [h] for continuous power supply. If YES, the process proceeds to step S18, and if NO, the process proceeds to step S24.

[0015] In step S23, the control unit 173B turns off the infrared projector 15 for a predetermined time t4 [h]. In step S24, the control unit 173B turns on the infrared projector 15. In step S25, the control unit 173B turns the infrared projector 15 off.

[0016] 1 to 3, in addition to the vehicle information, outside temperature information, and solar radiation information, a current value control function specific to the infrared projector 15 is used to perform ON / OFF control of the infrared projector 15. Therefore, in the example shown in Fig. 1 to 3, it is not necessary to use a thermistor for ON / OFF control of the infrared projector 15.

[0017] <Second embodiment> As described above, in the example shown in FIG. 1 (an example of a vehicle 1 to which the infrared floodlight control device 17 of the first embodiment is applied), the vehicle 1 is equipped with a periphery monitoring camera 14, which photographs the surroundings of the vehicle 1, calculates the illuminance based on the image of the surroundings of the vehicle 1, and transmits illuminance information indicating the illuminance to the control device 17. On the other hand, in an example of a vehicle 1 to which the control device 17 of the infrared projector of the second embodiment is applied, the vehicle 1 is provided with an illuminance sensor that detects illuminance instead of the surroundings monitoring camera 14. The illuminance sensor transmits the detection result (information indicating the illuminance) to the control device 17. [Explanation of symbols]

[0018] 1...vehicle, 11A...vehicle speed sensor, 11B...vehicle control ECU, 12A...sun radiation sensor, 12B...sun radiation ECU, 13A...outside air temperature sensor, 13B...outside air temperature ECU, 14...periphery monitoring camera, 15...infrared floodlight, 16...LED driver module, 17...control device (ADU), 171...communication interface, 172...memory, 173...processor, 173A...acquisition unit, 173B...control unit

Claims

[Claim 1] Acquire solar radiation information and vehicle stop time or driving time from a predetermined time ago, Calculating a temperature change due to solar radiation from the acquired solar radiation information and the stop time or the running time of the vehicle; When the sum of the outside air temperature and the temperature change due to the solar radiation is equal to or greater than a threshold value, a limit time for continuous power supply to the infrared projector is calculated; A control device for an infrared projector that performs control to suppress a current value supplied to the infrared projector when a continuous current-flow time for the infrared projector is equal to or longer than the limit time.

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