Electronic control device

Abstract

To provide an electronic control device that enables sound output checks according to the type of warning or notification to be performed easily.SOLUTION: A sound output unit 30 connects between a System On Chip (SoC) 20 and a speaker 31. A sound input unit 40 connects between the SoC 20 and a microphone 41. The SoC 20 is configured to: output, from the speaker 31 through the sound output unit 30, a sound pattern predetermined based on warning stages for a driver or vehicle models in a state after converting into an inaudible region; and perform an operation check for receiving the sound outputted from the microphone 41 through the sound input unit 40.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic control device. [Background technology]

[0002] Vehicles are equipped with many ECUs that work together to perform various controls within the vehicle. ECU stands for Electronic Control Unit, and refers to an electronic control device. In recent years, the use of integrated ECUs that integrate various functions has been considered. On the other hand, vehicles are equipped with ADAS functions. ADAS stands for Advanced Driving Assistant System. During autonomous driving using the ADAS function, if a malfunction or temporary suspension of autonomous driving occurs, the system must reliably transfer driving authority to the driver. At this time, visual or audible warnings and guidance are provided to inform the driver that manual driving will be performed. Audible warnings, which have the ability to be easily diffused, are particularly important as a notification method. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-2381 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The notification sounds and warning sounds for occupants come in a variety of types, ranging from minor to serious, and also vary depending on the vehicle model. For example, as exemplified in the Background Art section, if the warning sound is not reliably transmitted to the occupant, there is a possibility that driving authority will not be appropriately delegated. For this reason, it is advisable to perform a sound output test according to the type of warning or notification before issuing a notification sound or warning sound. However, if the test sound pattern is repeatedly played, the occupant may become confused and feel annoyed.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide an electronic control device that makes it easy to perform sound output checks according to the type of warning or notification. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The invention of claim 1 comprises a control unit, a sound output unit, and a sound input unit. The sound output unit connects the control unit and a speaker. The sound input unit connects the control unit and a microphone. The control unit converts a sound pattern determined based on the driver's warning level or vehicle model into an inaudible range and outputs the sound from the speaker via the sound output unit, and checks the reception operation from the microphone via the sound input unit. The control unit converts a sound pattern determined based on the driver's warning level or vehicle model into an inaudible range and performs a sound inspection via the sound output unit and sound input unit. This makes it easy to perform sound output inspections according to the type of warning or notification. Because the sound pattern is inspected after being converted into an inaudible range, occupants do not feel annoyed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] Electrical configuration diagram of an electronic control device in one embodiment [Figure 2] 1 is a flowchart outlining a processing operation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] An embodiment of an electronic control device will be described below. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an electronic control device 10. The electronic control device 10 constitutes an integrated ECU and integrates an HMI function and an ADAS function. HMI stands for Human Machine Interface, and indicates a function for executing operation input or image output and sound input / output. ADAS stands for Advanced Driving Assistant System, and indicates an advanced driving assistance system function, and indicates a driving assistance function that provides warnings and controls driving. Examples of driving assistance functions include various driving assistance functions such as automatic braking, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, and autonomous driving.

[0009] The electronic control unit 10 is equipped with an SoC 20, a sound output unit 30, and a sound input unit 40. SoC stands for System On Chip. The SoC 20 is configured by integrating a microprocessor, a memory 20a, and the like. The memory 20a is a non-volatile / volatile memory configured as a non-transient physical recording medium. The memory 20a stores programs executed by the SoC 20, and various functions are realized by the SoC 20 executing the programs. The memory 20a also stores test sound patterns in a non-volatile manner. The sound patterns referred to here are sound patterns for notification sounds or warning sounds having volume and frequency characteristics that can be used in all vehicle models that use the electronic control unit 10, or sound patterns that are a combination of such sound patterns. These sound patterns are stored in the memory 20a as digital data.

[0010] The sound output unit 30 is an interface circuit that connects the SoC 20 with a speaker 31 installed in the vehicle. The sound output unit 30 includes a drive control circuit for the speaker 31. The sound input unit 40 is an interface circuit that connects the SoC 20 with a microphone 41 installed in the vehicle. The sound input unit 40 includes a signal input circuit for the microphone 41 and a determination circuit.

[0011] SoC 20 is connected to a periphery monitoring system 50, an occupant monitor 60, and an operation input unit 80. SoC 20 is also connected to a vehicle control ECU 90 via an in-vehicle network. Periphery monitoring system 50 is configured with peripheral cameras 51, such as a front-view camera, a side-view camera, a corner-view camera, and a back-view camera, which capture images of the periphery of the vehicle, an electronic mirror, a laser radar 52, such as LiDaR, and / or a millimeter-wave radar 53, and monitors the situation around the vehicle and transmits the captured image information and monitoring information to SoC 20.

[0012] The occupant monitor 60 monitors the status of vehicle occupants using a driver status monitor (DSM) that captures an image of the driver using a camera and a passenger status monitor (PSM) that captures an image of the passenger in the front passenger seat using a camera to observe their status. The occupant monitor 60 is a high-performance recognition system that automatically recognizes the faces and bodies of vehicle occupants such as the driver using a camera to detect the driving status of the driver.

[0013] A display device (not shown) for displaying various types of information is also connected to the SoC 20. The operation input unit 80 receives operation input from the driver or vehicle occupants, for example, via a touch panel configured on the display screen of the display device or a mechanical switch provided beside the display screen. For example, the operation switch includes a switch for switching between manual driving mode, driving assistance mode, and autonomous driving mode. When an operation input is received by the operation input unit 80, the SoC 20 receives the operation input and executes control based on the operation signal from the operation input unit 80.

[0014] The SoC 20 can realize various ADAS functions using the state of the surrounding environment acquired by the periphery monitoring system 50 and the state of the vehicle occupants acquired by the occupant monitor 60. When the electronic control unit 10 is switched to manual driving mode, it communicates with a vehicle control ECU 90 connected to an in-vehicle network, and the vehicle control ECU 90 controls driving actuators through manual driving. When the electronic control unit 10 is switched to driving assistance mode or autonomous driving mode, it communicates with the vehicle control ECU 90, and the vehicle control ECU 90 controls driving actuators (not shown), thereby realizing predetermined driving assistance or autonomous driving according to the autonomous driving level.

[0015] Here, notification sounds and warning sounds for providing notifications within the vehicle cabin will be described. In recent years, when driving a vehicle, occupants can choose between manual driving, driving with driving assistance, and automatic driving. For example, if an in-vehicle system encounters some kind of impact during automatic driving and forces a switch to manual driving, the system alerts the driver by displaying a warning on a display device or sounding a warning sound. Conventionally, when a vehicle navigation function provides guidance on road directions or a destination, the route is displayed on a display device and road guidance is provided by voice. In particular, "sound" is an important means of transmitting information as this type of notification or warning method because it has a high diffusion property.

[0016] For example, as described above, when switching from autonomous driving to manual driving, if the occupant cannot confirm that a sound has been reliably emitted from the sound output unit 30 into the vehicle cabin through the speaker 31, there is a possibility that the ADAS function will not reliably transfer driving authority to the driver. For this reason, it is a very important function to diagnose whether a sound can be reliably used to notify the occupant before issuing a warning sound or the like. Therefore, in this embodiment, an output test for a notification sound or a warning sound is performed as shown in FIG. 2.

[0017] The process shown in FIG. 2 is executed immediately after the ignition switch is turned on and the electronic control device 10 is started up. When the ignition switch is turned on, power is supplied to the electronic control device 10. In S11, the SoC 20 performs an initial process, i.e., an initialization process, for the sound output unit 30 and the sound input unit 40. Immediately after startup, the SoC 20 outputs an inaudible sound pattern for initial operation confirmation from the speaker 31 via the sound output unit 30 in S12. The sound pattern is then input from the microphone 41 via the sound input unit 40. The frequency of the inaudible sound referred to here is a high-frequency sound that is inaudible to most humans, preferably 20,000 Hz or higher, but may also be 10,000 Hz or higher, or a high-frequency sound of several thousand Hz or higher. Conversely, it may be a low-frequency sound of a few Hz or lower, which is defined as inaudible to the human ear.

[0018] When the SoC 20 checks the operation of sound output / sound input, it is advisable to use sound patterns with a certain degree of complexity that vary in frequency and volume, and to check the consistency of the sound received from the microphone 41 by pattern matching in accordance with the sound patterns, thereby improving the reliability of the test.

[0019] The sound patterns of audible notification or warning sounds emitted during normal driving or while the vehicle is stopped vary depending on the level of warning given to the driver, the vehicle model, etc. For example, a minor warning sound such as drifting out of the driving lane will have a sound pattern of monotonous audible sounds such as "beep beep beep" sounded at regular intervals, while a sound pattern of more frequent, higher-frequency sounds at shorter intervals will indicate a more serious warning when preventing a collision with an obstacle.

[0020] Furthermore, the sound pattern of the warning sound differs depending on whether the vehicle is a luxury model or an affordable car. Therefore, the sound pattern of the inaudible sound to be output for inspection in S12 should be converted into a sound pattern that depends on the sound pattern of the audible warning sound. In this case, the relationship between the frequency range of the inaudible sound used for inspection and the frequency range of the audible sound should be determined in advance.

[0021] For example, it is advisable to convert a sound pattern of a frequency obtained by adding a certain predetermined frequency (for example, about several kHz to 10,000 Hz) to a sound pattern of an audible sound frequency used for a warning, so that the sound pattern corresponds to a sound pattern of an inaudible sound. Processing can be simplified by simply adding a predetermined frequency to a sound pattern of an audible sound frequency. Here, a form is described in which a sound pattern of a frequency obtained by simply adding a predetermined frequency is converted to correspond to a sound pattern of an inaudible sound, but the present invention is not limited to this, and any relationship is acceptable as long as the sound pattern of the inaudible sound corresponds to the sound pattern of the audible warning sound.

[0022] When the sound input unit 40 inputs a sound pattern of an inaudible sound through the microphone 41, the SoC 20 determines in S13 whether this sound pattern corresponds to an expected pattern. The SoC 20 compares the sound pattern input through the microphone 41 with the sound pattern stored in the memory 20a. If the SoC 20 determines in S13 that the sound pattern does not correspond to the expected pattern, it determines that there is a problem with the sound output system of the sound output unit 30 and the speaker 31, or the sound input system of the sound input unit 40 and the microphone 41 (NG in S13), and takes measures to deal with the abnormality in S20. In the measures to deal with the abnormality, the SoC 20 constantly displays a warning regarding the sound output and sound input to the driver on a display device or the like, urging the driver to have the problem repaired by a dealer or the like. At this time, the SoC 20 restricts the output function of the notification sound and the warning sound in S20, and maintains the restriction of the function until the power of the electronic control unit 10 is turned off in S21. Furthermore, when the SoC 20 determines in S13 that the sound pattern is the expected pattern (OK in S13), it determines that the startup inspection is clear.

[0023] Even after the vehicle is started, SoC20 determines in S14 whether it is time to perform the test. If it is time to perform the test in S14, SoC20 outputs a sound pattern of an inaudible sound for the test in S15, inputs the sound from microphone 41 via sound input unit 40, and determines in S16 whether this sound pattern is the expected pattern. If it is not time to perform the test, SoC20 postpones the test and proceeds to S17.

[0024] The "timing at which the test can be performed" in S14 may be determined to be when the processing load on the vehicle is lower than a predetermined value. For example, the condition may be when the vehicle is stopped immediately after the ignition switch is turned on, or when the vehicle is stopped even during manual or automatic driving. Furthermore, even during manual or automatic driving, the processing load on the vehicle is relatively low when the vehicle is stopped or parked on the side of the road, so this may be determined to be a timing at which the test can be performed. Therefore, when the processing load is higher than a predetermined value, such as during automatic driving or when driving assistance is being performed using an ADAS function, the SoC 20 may determine NG in S14.

[0025] While the vehicle is being driven after startup, the SoC 20 determines in S17 whether a warning is necessary, and if it determines that a warning is necessary, outputs a warning sound with an audible sound pattern in S18. The audible sound pattern that is output at this time is the sound pattern before being converted into the inaudible sound pattern for inspection described above, so that the warning sound with the audible sound pattern can be reliably output. Thereafter, while the vehicle is being driven after startup, the SoC 20 continues to repeat the processes of S14 to S18 until the power supply to the electronic control device 10 is turned off in S19. As a result, it is possible to check whether the speaker 31 of the HMI function is reliably sounding and whether the microphone 41 is reliably functioning between manual and automatic driving.

[0026] The above-described inspection is performed at startup and during operation, but is not limited to this. For example, the inspection may be performed only at startup as shown in S11 to S13, or may be performed only during operation as shown in S14 to S16.

[0027] <Sound pattern details> Examples of sound patterns for operation checks are shown below. The sound patterns used when the SoC20 performs an operation check should be selected according to the constraints of the test timing and the conditions of the vehicle model. Also, sound patterns should be selected and tested according to the vehicle's conditions. For example, the sound pattern used for driving assistance when starting to drive may differ from the sound pattern used for driving assistance to encourage the driver to look behind the vehicle when parking the vehicle. Because the volume and pitch of these patterns differ, it is recommended that the test be performed immediately before the sound pattern is actually used.

[0028] For example, a sound pattern with a volume and frequency characteristic predetermined based on each warning level to the driver, or a sound pattern that is a combination of these sound patterns, may be applied as the sound pattern when performing the operation check. The warning levels can be divided into minor warnings with low importance and serious warnings with high importance. For example, as the importance of the warning increases, the volume may be increased and a sound pattern with a higher frequency characteristic may be applied. This makes it easier for vehicle occupants to notice the notification or warning.

[0029] For example, a sound pattern with a volume and frequency characteristics predetermined based on the vehicle type may be applied. The sound patterns differ depending on the vehicle type, such as a low-cost car or a luxury car. Also, the sound patterns used differ between ordinary vehicles and emergency vehicles. In this case, it is advisable to apply a sound pattern with a volume and frequency characteristics predetermined based on the vehicle type.

[0030] Furthermore, if sound patterns for many vehicle types are stored in advance in memory 20a, SoC 20 may select a sound pattern that matches the vehicle type information of its own vehicle from the sound patterns for many vehicle types stored in memory 20a and perform the inspection. Furthermore, if sound patterns common to all vehicle types are stored in memory 20a, SoC 20 may select this sound pattern common to all vehicle types for the inspection.

[0031] The SoC20 may sequentially test a number of sound patterns one by one during each operation check. Alternatively, a test may be performed all at once by applying a combination of these sound patterns. By using a combination of patterns, warning sounds according to the warning level or vehicle model can be checked all at once, thereby shortening the test time.

[0032] If the memory 20a stores sound patterns for all vehicle types individually, the SoC 20 may selectively read out and output a sound pattern corresponding to the vehicle type from the memory 20a as the sound pattern when performing the operation check.

[0033] <Summary of this embodiment> When the warning sound is inspected by an audible sound, the inspection warning sound may be repeatedly sounded, which may confuse the occupants and cause annoyance to the occupants. Therefore, even during inspection, it is desirable to avoid sounding the warning sound that is actually audible to the driver in situations where it is not necessary.

[0034] According to this embodiment, the SoC 20 converts a sound pattern determined based on the warning level for the driver or the vehicle model into an inaudible range and outputs the converted sound from the speaker 31 via the sound output unit 30. The SoC 20 then checks the reception of the converted sound from the microphone 41 via the sound input unit 40. During the test operation, the speaker 31 outputs a sound pattern converted into an inaudible range for humans, which is then input to the microphone 41, where it is received and confirmed. This makes it easy to test the output of sounds according to the type of warning or notification. Furthermore, the operation of the sound output unit 30, speaker 31, sound input unit 40, and microphone 41 can be checked, ensuring that a warning is reliably conveyed to the driver in an emergency.

[0035] The SoC 20 determines the timing when the inspection can be performed even while driving, depending on the driver and vehicle conditions, and performs operation checks using sound patterns at the determined timing. By performing sound input / output inspections not only when the electronic control unit 10 is started but also while the electronic control unit 10 is driving, the reliability of sound input / output can be improved.

[0036] Since the sound output unit 30 and sound input unit 40 that have traditionally been used to use HMI functions are used, there is no need to provide a separate sound generation mechanism dedicated to the ADAS function, which reduces the circuit size and cuts costs.

[0037] The present disclosure includes the following disclosure content in addition to the disclosure content described in the claims. [1] A control unit (20); a sound output unit (30) connecting the control unit and a speaker; a sound input unit (40) that connects the control unit and a microphone; The control unit converts a sound pattern determined based on the warning level for the driver or the vehicle model into an inaudible range and outputs the sound from the speaker through the sound output unit, and confirms the operation of reception from the microphone through the sound input unit.

[0038] [2] The electronic control device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit applies, as a sound pattern when performing an operation check, a sound pattern with a volume and frequency characteristics that is predetermined based on each warning level to the driver or the vehicle model, or a sound pattern that is a combination of these sound patterns.

[0039] [3] The electronic control device according to [1] or [2], wherein the control unit outputs the sound patterns one by one in sequence when performing an operation check.

[0040] [4] A storage unit (20a) is provided for combining sound patterns of volume and frequency characteristics that can be used in common for all vehicle types, or for individually storing sound patterns for all vehicle types, The control unit outputs a sound pattern according to the vehicle model as a sound pattern when performing an operation check.

[0041] [5] The control unit determines the timing when an inspection can be performed even while driving, depending on the driver and vehicle conditions, and performs an operation check using the sound pattern at the determined timing. [1] to [4] An electronic control device.

[0042] The techniques described in this disclosure may be implemented by a special purpose computer configured with a processor and memory programmed to perform one or more functions embodied in a computer program. Alternatively, the techniques described in this disclosure may be implemented by a special purpose computer configured with a processor comprising one or more dedicated hardware logic circuits. Alternatively, the techniques described in this disclosure may be implemented by one or more special purpose computers configured with a processor comprising one or more hardware logic circuits in combination with a processor and memory programmed to perform one or more functions. Furthermore, a computer program may be stored as instructions executed by a computer on a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium.

[0043] Although the present disclosure has been described based on the above-described embodiment, it is understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiment or the structure described in the embodiment. The present disclosure also encompasses various modifications and modifications within the equivalent range. In addition, various combinations and forms, as well as other combinations and forms including only one element, more than one element, or less than one element, are also within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] In the drawing, 20 indicates an SoC, 20a indicates a memory (storage unit), 30 indicates a sound output unit, and 40 indicates a sound input unit.

Claims

1. A control unit (20); a sound output unit (30) connecting the control unit and a speaker; a sound input unit (40) that connects the control unit and a microphone; The control unit converts a sound pattern determined based on the warning level for the driver or the vehicle model into an inaudible range and outputs the sound from the speaker through the sound output unit, and confirms the operation of reception from the microphone through the sound input unit.

2. 2. The electronic control device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit applies, as a sound pattern when performing an operation check, a sound pattern having a volume and frequency characteristics predetermined based on each warning level to the driver or the vehicle model, or a sound pattern that is a combination of these sound patterns.

3. The electronic control device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit outputs the sound patterns one by one in sequence when performing the operation check.

4. A storage unit (20a) is provided for combining sound patterns of volume and frequency characteristics that can be used in common for all vehicle types, or for individually storing sound patterns for all vehicle types; 2. The electronic control device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit outputs a sound pattern corresponding to the vehicle model as a sound pattern when performing the operation check.

5. 2. The electronic control device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit determines a timing when an inspection can be performed even while driving, depending on the driver and vehicle conditions, and performs an operation check using the sound pattern at the determined timing.

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