Control unit

Abstract

To reduce the possibility that a vehicle door contacts with an obstacle present around a vehicle when the vehicle door is opened.SOLUTION: A control device 20 includes a control unit 21 which is configured to, upon acquirement of data indicating a door 11 of a vehicle 10 and its opening degree specified by a user via a user interface 30 provided on the vehicle 10 or a mobile terminal, control the door 11 to be opened to the opening degree, the control unit 21 being configured to set the minimum opening degree of the door 11 at which the door may come into contact with an obstacle present around the vehicle 10 as a threshold, and control the user interface 30 to accept the designation of an opening degree within a range below the threshold value.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a control device.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an opening / closing device that opens and closes a shielding body such as a back door provided in a vehicle by operating a switch provided inside the vehicle, and enables the opening / closing range of the shielding body to be freely set.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] There are cases where obstacles existing around the vehicle cannot necessarily be accurately recognized from the position of the user. In such a case, if the door is opened by operating the switch, the door may accidentally come into contact with an obstacle and be damaged.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to reduce the possibility that the door of a vehicle comes into contact with an obstacle existing around the vehicle when the door is opened.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The control device according to the present disclosure is a control unit that, when acquiring data indicating the door of the vehicle and its opening degree specified by the user via a user interface provided in the vehicle or a mobile terminal, controls the door to open to the opening degree, sets a minimum opening degree at which the door can come into contact with an obstacle existing around the vehicle as a threshold value, and controls the user interface to accept the specification of the opening degree within a range below the threshold value.

Effects of the Invention

[0007] According to the present disclosure, the possibility of contact with obstacles existing around the vehicle when the vehicle door is opened is reduced.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0010] In each figure, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the description of this embodiment, the description of the same or corresponding parts will be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0011] Referring to FIG. 1, the configuration of the vehicle 10 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0012] Vehicle 10 is any type of automobile, such as a gasoline vehicle, a diesel vehicle, a hydrogen vehicle, an HEV, a PHEV, a BEV, or an FCEV. "HEV" is an abbreviation for hybrid electric vehicle. "PHEV" is an abbreviation for plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. "BEV" is an abbreviation for battery electric vehicle. "FCEV" is an abbreviation for fuel cell electric vehicle. Vehicle 10 may be driven by a user or the driving may be automated at any level. The level of automation is, for example, any one of levels 1 to 5 in the SAE level classification. "SAE" is an abbreviation for Society of Automotive Engineers. Vehicle 10 may also be a vehicle dedicated to MaaS. "MaaS" is an abbreviation for Mobility as a Service.

[0013] Vehicle 10 includes a control device 20 and a user interface 30. The control device 20 can communicate with the user interface 30 and one or more doors 11 such as the back door of the vehicle 10 via a network such as a cable or CAN, or wirelessly. "CAN" is an abbreviation for Controller Area Network. The control device 20 may be able to communicate with a user's portable terminal such as a smart key, a mobile phone, a smartphone, or a tablet via a network such as the Internet. A digital key may be installed in the mobile phone, smartphone, or tablet.

[0014] The control device 20 is a computer mounted on the vehicle 10. The user interface 30 is a touch panel or a switch that provides a GUI. "GUI" is an abbreviation for graphical user interface. The user interface 30 is provided in the vehicle 10 in this embodiment, but may be provided in the user's portable terminal.

[0015] Referring to FIG. 1, the outline of this embodiment will be described.

[0016] When the control device 20 acquires, via the user interface 30, data indicating the door 11 specified by the user and its opening degree, the control device 20 controls the door 11 to open to the specified opening degree. When the specification of the door 11 by the user is received at the user interface 30, the control device 20 sets, as a threshold value, the minimum opening degree at which the door 11 can contact an obstacle existing around the vehicle 10. When the specification of the opening degree of the door 11 by the user is received at the user interface 30, the control device 20 does not accept a specification of an opening degree equal to or greater than the set threshold value, that is, controls the user interface 30 to accept a specification of an opening degree within a range below the threshold value.

[0017] According to the present embodiment, since the specification of the opening degree is accepted only within a range where the obstacle around the vehicle 10 and the door 11 do not come into contact, even when a user at a position where the obstacle cannot necessarily be recognized, such as the driver's seat, performs an operation to open the door 11, the possibility that the door 11 comes into contact with the obstacle is reduced.

[0018] When the specification of the opening degree of the door 11 by the user is received at the user interface 30, as shown in FIG. 2, the control device 20 may display an image 33 of the door 11 and an image 32 of the vehicle body on the screen 31, and control the user interface 30 to change the opening degree of the door 11 on the screen 31 by animation according to a user operation such as a drag operation. The opening degree of the door 11 on the screen 31 is changed only within a range of zero or more and less than the threshold value. The range equal to or greater than the threshold value is displayed as a restricted range 34 so as to be distinguishable from other ranges. For example, the restricted range 34 is displayed in red. Alternatively, when the opening degree of the door 11 on the screen 31 is equal to the threshold value, the control device 20 may control the user interface 30 to notify the user that the door 11 cannot be opened further. For example, the image 33 of the door 11 on the screen 31 may be highlighted in red so that it cannot be opened further.

[0019] Referring to FIG. 1, the configuration of the control device 20 according to the present embodiment will be described.

[0020] The control device 20 includes a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, and a communication unit 23.

[0021] The control unit 21 includes at least one processor, at least one programmable circuit, at least one dedicated circuit, or any combination thereof. The processor is a general-purpose processor such as a CPU or a GPU, or a dedicated processor specialized for specific processing. "CPU" is an abbreviation for central processing unit. "GPU" is an abbreviation for graphics processing unit. The programmable circuit is, for example, an FPGA. "FPGA" is an abbreviation for field-programmable gate array. The dedicated circuit is, for example, an ASIC. "ASIC" is an abbreviation for application specific integrated circuit. The control unit 21 executes processing related to the operation of the control device 20 while controlling each part of the control device 20.

[0022] The storage unit 22 includes at least one semiconductor memory, at least one magnetic memory, at least one optical memory, or any combination thereof. The semiconductor memory is, for example, RAM, ROM, or flash memory. "RAM" is an abbreviation for random access memory. "ROM" is an abbreviation for read only memory. RAM is, for example, SRAM or DRAM. "SRAM" is an abbreviation for static random access memory. "DRAM" is an abbreviation for dynamic random access memory. ROM is, for example, EEPROM. "EEPROM" is an abbreviation for electrically erasable programmable read only memory. The flash memory is, for example, SSD. "SSD" is an abbreviation for solid-state drive. The magnetic memory is, for example, HDD. "HDD" is an abbreviation for hard disk drive. The storage unit 22 functions as, for example, a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. Data used for the operation of the control device 20 and data obtained by the operation of the control device 20 are stored in the storage unit 22.

[0023] The communication unit 23 includes at least one communication module. The communication module is a module compatible with in-vehicle communication standards such as CAN, wired LAN communication standards such as Ethernet (registered trademark), wireless LAN communication standards such as IEEE802.11, mobile communication standards such as LTE, 4G standard, or 5G standard, or short-range wireless communication standards such as Bluetooth (registered trademark). "LAN" is an abbreviation for local area network. "IEEE" is an abbreviation for Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. "LTE" is an abbreviation for Long Term Evolution. "4G" is an abbreviation for 4th generation. "5G" is an abbreviation for 5th generation. The communication unit 23 receives data used for the operation of the control device 20 and transmits data obtained by the operation of the control device 20.

[0024] The functions of the control device 20 are realized by executing the program according to this embodiment on a processor as the control unit 21. That is, the functions of the control device 20 are realized by software. The program causes a computer to execute the operations of the control device 20, enabling the computer to function as the control device 20. That is, the computer functions as the control device 20 by executing the operations of the control device 20 according to the program.

[0025] The program can be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium. The non-transitory computer-readable medium is, for example, a flash memory, a magnetic recording device, an optical disk, a magneto-optical recording medium, or a ROM. The distribution of the program is performed, for example, by selling, transferring, or lending a portable medium such as an SD card, a DVD, or a CD-ROM that stores the program. "SD" is an abbreviation for Secure Digital. "DVD" is an abbreviation for digital versatile disc. "CD-ROM" is an abbreviation for compact disc read only memory. The program may be stored in the server's storage and distributed by transferring the program from the server to other computers. The program may be provided as a program product.

[0026] The computer temporarily stores, for example, a program stored in a portable medium or a program transferred from a server in the main memory device. Then, the computer reads the program stored in the main memory device with the processor and executes the processing according to the read program with the processor. The computer may directly read the program from the portable medium and execute the processing according to the program. The computer may sequentially execute the processing according to the received program each time a program is transferred from the server to the computer. The processing may be executed by a so-called ASP-type service that realizes the function only by execution instructions and result acquisition without transferring the program from the server to the computer. "ASP" is an abbreviation for application service provider. The program is information for use in processing by an electronic computer and includes things conforming to the program. For example, data that is not a direct instruction to the computer but has the property of defining the computer's processing corresponds to "things conforming to the program".

[0027] Some or all of the functions of the control device 20 may be realized by a programmable circuit or a dedicated circuit as the control unit 21. That is, some or all of the functions of the control device 20 may be realized by hardware.

[0028] With reference to FIG. 3, the operation of the vehicle 10 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0029] In S1, the vehicle 10 receives a designation of the door 11 of the vehicle 10 via the user interface 30. The control unit 21 of the control device 20 acquires data indicating the door 11 designated by the user from the user interface 30 via the communication unit 23.

[0030] In S2, the control unit 21 of the control device 20 determines whether there is an obstacle around the vehicle 10 using an in-vehicle camera or an in-vehicle sensor. If it is determined that there is no obstacle around the vehicle 10, that is, if no obstacle existing around the vehicle 10 is detected, the step of S3 is executed. On the other hand, if it is determined that there is an obstacle around the vehicle 10, that is, if an obstacle existing around the vehicle 10 is detected, the step of S4 is executed. Alternatively, the step of S4 may be executed only when an obstacle is detected in the vicinity of the door 11 specified in S1 and around the vehicle 10.

[0031] In S3, the vehicle 10 receives a designation of an arbitrary opening degree of the door 11 specified in S1 via the user interface 30. The control unit 21 of the control device 20 acquires data indicating the opening degree designated by the user from the user interface 30 via the communication unit 23. After S3, the step of S6 is executed.

[0032] In S4, the control unit 21 of the control device 20 sets, as a threshold value, the minimum opening degree at which the door 11 specified in S1 can come into contact with the obstacle detected in S2. The control unit 21 of the control device 20 controls the user interface 30 via the communication unit 23 to accept a designation of the opening degree within a range below the set threshold value. After S4, the step of S5 is executed.

[0033] In S5, the vehicle 10 receives, via the user interface 30, a designation of the opening degree of the door 11 designated in S1 within a range below the threshold value set in S4. The control unit 21 of the control device 20 acquires, from the user interface 30 via the communication unit 23, data indicating the opening degree designated by the user. After S5, the step of S6 is executed.

[0034] In S6, the control unit 21 of the control device 20 controls the door 11 designated by the user, indicated by the data acquired in S1, to open to the opening degree designated by the user, indicated by the data acquired in S3 or S5.

[0035] There may be cases where obstacles existing around the vehicle 10 cannot necessarily be accurately recognized from the position of the user, such as the driver's seat. As a modification, even when the user interface 30 is provided on the user's mobile terminal, there may be cases where obstacles existing around the vehicle 10 cannot necessarily be accurately recognized from the position where the user is operating the mobile terminal. However, according to the present embodiment or its modification, even if an operation to open the door is performed via the user interface 30, the door 11 will not accidentally come into contact with an obstacle and be damaged.

[0036] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, two or more blocks described in the block diagram may be integrated, or one block may be divided. Instead of executing two or more steps described in the flowchart in chronological order according to the description, they may be executed in parallel or in a different order according to the processing capabilities of the device that executes each step, or as necessary. In addition, changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0037] 10 Vehicle 11 Door 20 Control Device 21 Control Unit 22 Storage Unit 23 Communication Unit 30 User interface 31 Screen 32, 33 Image 34 Limitation range

Claims

Claim 1 A control device that, when acquiring data indicating a door of the vehicle and its opening degree specified by a user via a user interface provided in the vehicle or a mobile terminal, controls the door to open to the opening degree, and sets a minimum opening degree at which the door can come into contact with an obstacle existing around the vehicle as a threshold value, and includes a control unit that controls the user interface to accept a specification of the opening degree within a range below the threshold value.

Images