Vehicle light control device

Abstract

To prevent a driver of a vehicle ahead from feeling dazzled. [Solution] A vehicle light control device 100 that controls vehicle lights mounted on a vehicle, comprising: a vehicle height acquisition means 101 that acquires the vehicle height h2 of a preceding vehicle 2 that is a vehicle located in front of the host vehicle 1; and a control means 103 that, when the headlights 201 of the host vehicle 1 are on and the vehicle speed of the host vehicle 1 drops below a predetermined vehicle speed, switches the headlights 201 off and turns on the position lights 202 of the host vehicle 1 according to the vehicle height h2 of the preceding vehicle 2.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a control device for a vehicle light. [Background technology]

[0002] There is known a technology that detects the presence of a vehicle ahead or an oncoming vehicle and switches the headlights between high beam and low beam so as not to dazzle the drivers of the vehicle ahead or oncoming vehicle (see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-38826 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] For example, if the vehicle ahead is stopped or about to stop and the driver's vehicle is approaching the vehicle ahead and stopping, if the vehicle's height is higher than the vehicle ahead, even if the headlights of the vehicle ahead are on low beam, the light from the headlights may shine into the rearview mirror or side mirror of the vehicle ahead, and the driver of the vehicle ahead may feel dazzled by the reflected light.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to prevent the driver of a vehicle ahead from feeling dazzled by light. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The vehicle light control device of the present invention is a vehicle light control device that controls vehicle lights, and is characterized by comprising: a vehicle height acquisition means that acquires the vehicle height of a preceding vehicle that is a vehicle located in front of the host vehicle; and a control means that, when the headlights of the host vehicle are on and the vehicle speed of the host vehicle falls below a predetermined vehicle speed, switches the headlights off and turns on the position lights of the host vehicle according to the vehicle height of the preceding vehicle. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the driver of the vehicle ahead from feeling dazzled. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle light control device and its peripheral components according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a relationship between a host vehicle and a preceding vehicle. [Figure 3] 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process executed by the vehicle light control device according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] A vehicle light control device (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention is a vehicle light control device that controls vehicle lights mounted on a vehicle, and includes a vehicle height acquisition means (101) that acquires the vehicle height (h2) of a preceding vehicle (2) that is a vehicle located in front of the host vehicle (1), and a control means (103) that switches the headlights (201) of the host vehicle (1) to off and the position lights (202) of the host vehicle (1) to on in accordance with the vehicle height (h2) of the preceding vehicle (2) when the headlights (201) of the host vehicle (1) are on and the vehicle speed of the host vehicle (1) becomes equal to or lower than a predetermined vehicle speed. This makes it possible to prevent the driver of the vehicle (2) ahead from feeling dazzled. [Example]

[0010] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a vehicle light control device 100 (hereinafter simply referred to as "control device") according to an embodiment and its peripheral components. The control device 100 and its peripheral components are mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile. FIG. 2 shows an example of the relationship between a host vehicle 1 and a preceding vehicle 2, which is a vehicle located in front of the host vehicle 1. The host vehicle 1 is mounted with the control device 100 and its peripheral components.

[0011] 1, the control device 100 controls vehicle lights, that is, headlights 201 (headlamps) and position lights 202. The position lights 202 are also called position lamps, sidelights, small lamps, etc.

[0012] In addition, the control device 100 is connected to an on-board camera 301 that captures an image in front of the vehicle and a vehicle speed sensor 302 that detects the vehicle speed, and the captured image is input from the on-board camera 301 and the vehicle speed is input from the vehicle speed sensor 302.

[0013] The control device 100 includes a vehicle height acquisition unit 101 , a distance acquisition unit 102 , a control unit 103 , and a storage unit 104 . The vehicle height acquisition unit 101 acquires the vehicle height h2 of the forward vehicle 2 by image analysis based on the captured image input from the vehicle-mounted camera 301. The distance acquisition unit 102 acquires the distance between the host vehicle 1 and the preceding vehicle 2 by image analysis based on the captured image input from the vehicle-mounted camera 301. Although the vehicle-mounted camera 301 is used in the above embodiment, if the host vehicle 1 is equipped with a rangefinder such as a radar rangefinder, the distance acquired may be the distance measured by the rangefinder.

[0014] As will be described in detail later, when the headlights 201 of the vehicle 1 are on and the vehicle speed of the vehicle 1 falls below a predetermined speed, the control unit 103 switches the headlights 201 to off and the position lights 202 of the vehicle 1 to on, depending on the vehicle height h2 of the vehicle 2 in front. The storage unit 104 stores information such as the vehicle height h1 of the host vehicle 1.

[0015] The control device 100 is implemented as one function of an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that is mounted on, for example, an automobile and electronically controls various functions. The ECU is configured by a computer unit that includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), a flash memory that stores backup data, etc., an input port, and an output port.

[0016] The process executed by the control device 100 will be described below with reference to FIGS. As shown in Figure 2(a), assume that a vehicle 2 ahead is stopped or about to stop due to waiting at a traffic light or in a traffic jam, and that the subject vehicle 1 is in a situation where it stops while approaching the vehicle ahead 2, as indicated by arrow A. In this situation, if the vehicle height h1 of the subject vehicle 1 is higher than the vehicle height h2 of the vehicle ahead 2, even if the headlights 201 of the subject vehicle 1 are on low beam, the light from the headlights may shine into the rearview mirror or side mirror of the vehicle ahead 2, and the driver of the vehicle ahead 2 may feel dazzled by the reflected light.

[0017] To prevent this, the control device 100 executes the process of the flowchart in Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the process executed by the control device 100. The flowchart in Fig. 3 is repeatedly executed while the headlights 201 of the host vehicle 1 are turned on during nighttime driving.

[0018] In step S1, the control unit 103 determines whether the vehicle speed of the host vehicle 1 input from the vehicle speed sensor 302 is equal to or less than a predetermined vehicle speed. The flowchart in FIG. 3 shows a process for switching the headlights 201 to be turned off and the position lights 202 to be turned on. Since turning off the headlights 201 when driving at night is a violation of the obligation, the predetermined vehicle speed is set to 0 or an extremely low speed close to 0 to determine whether the host vehicle 1 is stopped or is traveling at an extremely low speed just before stopping. If the vehicle speed of the host vehicle 1 is equal to or less than the predetermined vehicle speed, the process proceeds to step S2, and if the vehicle speed of the host vehicle 1 is not equal to or less than the predetermined vehicle speed, the process exits this flowchart (i.e., the headlights 201 remain turned on).

[0019] In step S2, the control unit 103 determines whether the vehicle height h1 of the host vehicle 1 is higher than the vehicle height h2 of the forward vehicle 2 and whether the vehicle height difference h1-h2 between the host vehicle 1 and the forward vehicle 2 is equal to or greater than a predetermined vehicle height difference, based on the vehicle height h1 of the host vehicle 1 stored in the memory unit 104 and the vehicle height h2 of the forward vehicle 2 acquired by the vehicle height acquisition unit 101. If this condition is met, the process proceeds to step S3, and if this condition is not met, the process exits this flowchart (i.e., the headlights 201 remain on).

[0020] In step S3, the control unit 103 determines whether the distance between the host vehicle 1 and the preceding vehicle 2 acquired by the distance acquisition unit 102 is equal to or less than a predetermined distance. If the distance between the host vehicle 1 and the preceding vehicle 2 is equal to or less than the predetermined distance, the process proceeds to step S4, and if the distance between the host vehicle 1 and the preceding vehicle 2 is not equal to or less than the predetermined distance, the process exits from this flowchart (i.e., the headlights 201 remain on).

[0021] In step S4, the control unit 103 switches the headlights 201 to off and the position lights 202 to on, as shown in FIG. 2(b).

[0022] In step S5, the control unit 103 determines whether the vehicle speed of the host vehicle 1 input from the vehicle speed sensor 302 is equal to or greater than a predetermined vehicle speed, i.e., whether the host vehicle 1 has started to move again or has started to accelerate from a stopped or extremely slow traveling state. Note that the predetermined vehicle speed here may be the same as the predetermined vehicle speed in step S1, or may be a different vehicle speed. After waiting until the vehicle speed of the host vehicle 1 becomes equal to or greater than the predetermined vehicle speed, the control unit 103 proceeds to step S6.

[0023] In step S6, the control unit 103 switches the position lights 202 off and turns the headlights 201 on again. When turning the headlights 201 on again, the lighting state is returned to the state before the switching in step S4. That is, if the headlights were on low beam before the switching, they are turned on again in low beam, and if the headlights were on high beam before the switching, they are turned on again in high beam. Note that even if the headlights were on high beam before the switching, they may be turned on again in low beam first, and then changed to high beam after certain conditions are met (for example, after the host vehicle 1 reaches a certain vehicle speed, or after the preceding vehicle 2 has moved a certain distance away from the host vehicle 1, etc.). Alternatively, the headlights may always be turned on again in low beam regardless of the state before the switching in step S4.

[0024] It is also possible to configure the automatic light function to be set to on or off, and to execute the flowchart of FIG. 3 only when the automatic light function is set to on.

[0025] Furthermore, recent improvements in image analysis technology for images captured by the in-vehicle camera 301 have made it possible to capture reflected light from the rearview mirror and side mirrors of the vehicle ahead 2. Based on the captured image input from the in-vehicle camera 301, the reflected light from the rearview mirror and side mirrors of the vehicle ahead 2 can be captured by image analysis, and the headlights 201 may be switched off and the position lights 202 may be switched on using a determination criterion such as whether the driver of the vehicle ahead 2 feels dazzled.

[0026] As described above, when the headlights 201 of the vehicle 1 are on and the vehicle speed of the vehicle 1 drops below a predetermined speed, the headlights 201 are switched off and the position lights 202 of the vehicle 1 are switched on according to the vehicle height h2 of the vehicle ahead 2, thereby making it possible to prevent the driver of the vehicle ahead 2 from feeling dazzled.

[0027] Specifically, when the vehicle height h1 of the host vehicle 1 is higher than the vehicle height h2 of the forward vehicle 2 and the vehicle height difference h1-h2 between the host vehicle 1 and the forward vehicle 2 is equal to or greater than a predetermined vehicle height difference, the system switches the headlights 201 off and the position lights 202 on (step S2 in FIG. 3). This is because when this condition is met, the light from the headlights 201 of the host vehicle 1 shines on the rearview mirror or side mirror of the forward vehicle 2, and the driver of the forward vehicle 2 is likely to feel dazzled by the reflected light. Conversely, when the vehicle height h1 of the host vehicle 1 is lower than the vehicle height h2 of the forward vehicle 2 or when the vehicle heights h1 and h2 are approximately the same, the light from the headlights 201 of the host vehicle 1 does not shine on the rearview mirror or side mirror of the forward vehicle 2. In this situation, the system does not switch the headlights 201 off and the position lights 202 on, thereby avoiding unnecessary activation of the automatic light function.

[0028] Furthermore, if the distance between the host vehicle 1 and the preceding vehicle 2 is equal to or less than a predetermined distance, the headlights 201 are switched off and the position lights 202 are switched on (step S3 in FIG. 3). As a result, in a situation where, for example, the host vehicle 1 and the preceding vehicle 2 are far apart and the light from the headlights 201 of the host vehicle 1 does not shine on the rearview mirror or side mirror of the preceding vehicle 2, the headlights 201 are not switched off and the position lights 202 are not switched on, and it is possible to avoid using the auto light function unnecessarily.

[0029] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, each embodiment merely shows a specific example of how the present invention can be implemented. The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to each embodiment. Various modifications of the present invention are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention, and these modifications are also included within the technical scope of the present invention. It goes without saying that the preceding vehicle referred to in this invention includes a vehicle that is in front of the vehicle in the same lane as the vehicle's lane of travel, but it may also include a vehicle that is in front of the vehicle in a lane adjacent to the lane the vehicle is traveling in. [Explanation of symbols]

[0030] 1: host vehicle, 2: forward vehicle, 100: control device, 101: vehicle height acquisition unit, 102: distance acquisition unit, 103: control unit, 104: storage unit, 201: headlight, 202: position light, 301: vehicle-mounted camera, 302: vehicle speed sensor

Claims

1. A vehicle light control device that controls a vehicle light, a vehicle height acquisition means for acquiring the vehicle height of a forward vehicle that is a vehicle present in front of the host vehicle; and a control means for switching the headlights of the subject vehicle to turn off and the position lights of the subject vehicle to turn on in accordance with the vehicle height of the preceding vehicle when the vehicle speed of the subject vehicle becomes equal to or lower than a predetermined vehicle speed while the headlights of the subject vehicle are turned on.

2. 2. The vehicle light control device according to claim 1, wherein the control means switches the headlights off and the position lights of the vehicle on when the vehicle height of the vehicle is higher than the vehicle height of the vehicle ahead and the vehicle height difference between the vehicle height of the vehicle ahead is equal to or greater than a predetermined vehicle height difference.

3. a distance acquisition means for acquiring a distance between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle, 3. The vehicle light control device according to claim 1, wherein the control means switches the headlights off and the position lights on when the distance is equal to or less than a predetermined distance.

4. 3. The vehicle light control device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle height acquisition means acquires the vehicle height of the forward vehicle based on an image captured by an on-board camera.

5. 3. The vehicle light control device according to claim 1, wherein the control means switches the headlights off and the position lights of the vehicle on, and then switches the position lights off and the headlights on when the vehicle speed reaches or exceeds a predetermined vehicle speed.

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