Vehicle control system

Abstract

To provide a vehicle control device that can improve the protection of occupant privacy. [Solution] When vehicle 2 is stopped, vehicle control device 1 determines whether or not there are people around vehicle 2 (S1). If vehicle control device 1 detects that there are people around the vehicle (S1: YES), it switches to stealth mode (S2). In stealth mode, vehicle control device 1 performs controls such as turning off the map lamp 19A inside the vehicle and reducing the transmittance of the dimmable glass 15A~15E, making it difficult to see inside vehicle 2 from outside. This ensures the protection of privacy inside the vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle control device for controlling a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 below describes a lighting device for a vehicle equipped with a sliding door. In the vehicle of Patent Document 1, an intermediate pillar is provided at the front edge of the boarding and alighting opening that is opened and closed by the sliding door. The lighting device is attached to the vehicle interior side of this intermediate pillar and is lit when passengers board and alight. The lighting device is covered with an interior member (pillar trim), and the irradiation direction is restricted so as to irradiate a region inside the vehicle below the belt line of the vehicle by irradiating light from an opening formed in the interior member.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, when the interior lighting of the vehicle is turned on in the evening or the like, there is a risk that passers-by passing by the vehicle can peek into the vehicle interior. In the technology according to Patent Document 1 above, the privacy of passengers is protected by restricting the irradiation direction in which the lighting device irradiates light. However, even if the directivity is restricted, there is a risk that the interior of the vehicle is illuminated inside the vehicle and passers-by can peek into the vehicle interior, and the privacy of passengers cannot be appropriately protected.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object thereof is to provide a vehicle control device capable of improving the protection of the privacy of passengers.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To achieve the above objective, the vehicle control device according to the present invention comprises: a person detection unit that detects people present around a vehicle; and a control unit that, when the vehicle is stopped or traveling at a predetermined speed or less, executes control to make it difficult to see inside the vehicle from outside, based on the detection by the person detection unit of the presence of people around the vehicle. Furthermore, in this specification, the concept of control that makes it difficult to see inside a vehicle from outside includes both control that makes it difficult to see inside the vehicle from outside, and control that makes it impossible to see inside the vehicle from outside. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the vehicle control device of the present invention having the above configuration, when the vehicle is stopped or traveling at a predetermined speed or less, if the presence of a person is detected around the vehicle, control is executed to make it difficult to see inside the vehicle from outside. As a result, even if pedestrians or others around the vehicle try to look inside when the vehicle is stopped or moving slowly, it is made difficult to see inside. This can deter pedestrians and others from looking into the vehicle and improve the protection of the occupants' privacy. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of the vehicle according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] This diagram shows the configuration of the vehicle control device according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a flowchart of the stealth mode control processing program according to this embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a diagram illustrating the transition to stealth mode. [Figure 5] This diagram illustrates the transition to normal mode. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the vehicle control device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. First, a vehicle 2 equipped with the vehicle control device 1 according to this embodiment will be described below. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the vehicle 2 according to this embodiment. Figure 2 is a block diagram of the vehicle control device 1 according to this embodiment. In the following description, the front-rear direction, the left-right direction, and the up-down direction of the vehicle 2 will be simply referred to as the front-rear direction, the left-right direction, and the up-down direction, respectively. In addition, the reference numeral R may be used for devices etc. on the right side of the vehicle 2, and the reference numeral L may be used for devices etc. on the left side of the vehicle 2. Furthermore, in addition to the components shown in Figures 1 and 2, the vehicle 2 is equipped with other basic components as a vehicle 2, but in the following description, the configuration related to the control that makes it difficult to see inside the vehicle 2 from outside the vehicle, and the control related to said configuration will be mainly described.

[0010] As shown in Figure 1, vehicle 2 is, for example, a vehicle with a steering wheel 3 on the right side, and comprises a body 11, a driver's side front door 12R, a passenger side front door 12L, a driver's side rear door 13R, a passenger side rear door 13L, and a back door 14. Hereafter, when the front doors 12R, 12L, rear doors 13R, 13L, and back door 14 are described collectively, they may be referred to as "each door." Each door is, for example, a swing-type door. Furthermore, dimmable glass 15A, 15B, 15C, 15D, and 15E are installed as window glass in this order to each of the front doors 12R, 12L, rear doors 13R, 13L, and back door 14. The dimmable glass 15A to 15E can be opened and closed according to the operation of the occupant.

[0011] Vehicle 2 also has dimming control devices 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D, and 16E that change the light transmittance of the dimming glass 15A to 15E. The dimming control devices 16A to 16E control the light transmittance of each of the dimming glass 15A to 15E in this order. The dimming glass 15A to 15E is glass that has dimming devices such as electrochromic elements or microcapsules containing liquid crystals. The dimming control devices 16A to 16E control the voltage applied to each of the dimming devices of the dimming glass 15A to 15E and change the transmittance of the dimming glass 15A to 15E. By lowering the transmittance of the dimming glass 15A to 15E, the dimming control devices 16A to 16E can make it difficult to see inside the vehicle from the outside. For example, the dimming control device 16A reduces the overall transmittance of the dimmable glass 15A, making it impossible to see inside the vehicle from outside through the front door 12R window. The dimming control devices 16A to 16E can individually control the transmittance of each of the dimmable glass panels 15A to 15E.

[0012] Furthermore, sunshades 17A, 17B, 17C, 17D, and 17E are provided in the following order for each of the front doors 12R, 12L, rear doors 13R, 13L, and back door 14. Each of the sunshades 17A to 17E is, for example, an openable and closable blind that covers each of the dimmable glass panels 15A to 15E. Note that the sunshades 17A to 17E are not limited to blinds; other components that cover the window glass to make it difficult to see inside the vehicle from the outside, such as folding curtains, may also be used. Vehicle 2 is also equipped with sunshade control devices 18A, 18B, 18C, 18D, and 18E that switch each of the sunshades 17A to 17E between a state where they cover the dimmable glass panels 15A to 15E to make them invisible from the outside, and a state where they do not cover them. The sunshade control devices 18A to 18E can individually control the opening and closing state of each sunshade 17A to 17E by, for example, driving the motors provided in each sunshade 17A to 17E.

[0013] Furthermore, the interior of vehicle 2 is equipped with a map lamp 19A and a room lamp 19B. The map lamp 19A is mounted, for example, at the front end of the roof, between the driver's seat and the passenger seat, with the light directed downwards. The room lamp 19B is mounted, for example, in the center of the roof in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions, with the light directed downwards. Vehicle 2 is also equipped with a lamp control device 20 (see Figure 2) that controls the brightness of the map lamp 19A and the room lamp 19B (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "each lamp"). The lamp control device 20 can control the brightness of each lamp collectively by, for example, changing the voltage and current supplied to each lamp.

[0014] Vehicle 2 also has door lock devices 21A, 21B, 21C, 21D, and 21E that control the locking of each door. Door lock devices 21A to 21E control the locking of the front doors 12R and 12L, the rear doors 13R and 13L, and the back door 14, in that order. For each door, door lock devices 21A to 21E switch between a locked state and an unlocked state.

[0015] Note that the configuration of vehicle 2 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is an example. For example, vehicle 2 is not limited to a vehicle with the steering wheel 3 on the right side, but may also be a vehicle with the steering wheel 3 on the left side. Also, each door is not limited to a swing-type door, but may be a door with other opening and closing methods such as a sliding door. Furthermore, vehicle 2 may be an internal combustion engine vehicle driven by an internal combustion engine (engine, etc.), an electric vehicle driven by an electric motor, a fuel cell vehicle, etc., or a hybrid vehicle having multiple such drive sources. Furthermore, there are no particular limitations on the type of vehicle 2, the number of wheels, etc. Also, vehicle 2 may be a vehicle capable of manual driving, an automated driving vehicle, or a vehicle capable of switching between both driving modes.

[0016] Furthermore, the dimmable glass 15A-15E is not limited to the windows of each door. For example, vehicle 2 may be configured to control the transmittance of glass other than the doors, such as the windshield and sunroof glass. Also, the dimming control devices 16A-16E do not have to reduce the overall light transmittance of the dimmable glass 15A-15E. For example, the dimming control devices 16A-16E may change the light transmittance of the dimmable glass 15A-15E to create a striped pattern, making it difficult to see inside the vehicle from the outside. Therefore, the dimming control devices 16A-16E do not have to make it so that the inside of the vehicle is not completely invisible, but can be configured to make it less visible than normal. The same applies to the other sunshade control devices 18A-18E and lamp control device 20.

[0017] Furthermore, the dimmable glass 15A to 15E is an example of the dimmable member of this application. The dimmable member of this application is not limited to dimmable glass, but may also be a dimmable film attached to the window glass. In this case, the dimmable control devices 16A to 16E may be configured to change the transmittance of the dimmable film attached to the window glass of each door. Also, the dimmable control devices 16A to 16E may be configured not to individually control the transmittance of the dimmable glass 15A to 15E. For example, vehicle 2 may be equipped with only one dimmable control device and control the dimmable control device to change the transmittance of all the dimmable glass 15A to 15E at once. Similarly, the sunshade control devices 18A to 18E may be configured not to individually control the opening and closing of the sunshades 17A to 17E. Also, the drive source for opening and closing the sunshades 17A to 17E is not limited to a motor, but may also be other drive sources such as an air cylinder.

[0018] In addition, the lamps provided in the vehicle 2 are not limited to the map lamp 19A and the room lamp 19B. For example, the vehicle 2 may include a rear room lamp provided on the roof of the rear seat, a foot lamp that illuminates the feet of the passengers, a luggage lamp that illuminates the luggage room, a lamp provided on the pillar, and the like. And the vehicle 2 may be configured to be able to control the brightness of these lamps. Also, the map lamp 19A and the room lamp 19B are an example of the lighting device of the present application. Each lamp may be an LED lamp or a halogen lamp. Therefore, as the lighting device of the present application, any device can be appropriately adopted as long as it includes a light source capable of illuminating the interior of the vehicle and can control the brightness. Also, the lamp control device 20 may be configured to be able to individually control the brightness of each lamp.

[0019] Also, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vehicle control device 1 includes a front camera 5, side cameras 6R and 6L, a rear camera 7, various sensors 8, and a vehicle control ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 10. Hereinafter, when collectively referring to the front camera 5, the side cameras 6R and 6L, and the rear camera 7, they may be described as each camera.

[0020] Each camera is, for example, an imaging device having a solid-state imaging device such as a CCD, and images the periphery of the vehicle. The front camera 5 is attached, for example, above the front bumper of the vehicle 2 or behind the rearview mirror, and is installed with the optical axis direction facing forward of the vehicle 2. The side cameras 6R and 6L are attached to the left and right side mirrors of the vehicle 2, respectively, and are installed with the optical axis direction facing the side of the vehicle 2. The rear camera 7 is attached, for example, above the license plate attached to the rear of the vehicle 2, and is installed with the optical axis direction facing the rear of the vehicle 2.

[0021] The various sensors 8 are sensors for realizing various functions of the vehicle 2. As the sensor 8, for example, an ultrasonic sensor, a millimeter-wave radar, a laser sensor, etc. can be adopted as sensors for detecting obstacles around the vehicle. Alternatively, as the sensor 8, a vehicle speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, a steering sensor, a shift position sensor, etc. can be adopted as sensors used for the traveling of the vehicle 2.

[0022] (Regarding the vehicle control ECU 10) The vehicle control ECU (hereinafter simply referred to as ECU) 10 is an electronic control unit that comprehensively controls the entire vehicle 2 including the vehicle control device 1, and includes a CPU 31 as an arithmetic unit and a control unit, a RAM 32 used as a working memory when the CPU 31 executes various arithmetic processes, a ROM 33 in which, in addition to a control program, a stealth mode control processing program (see FIG. 3) described later, etc. are recorded, and an internal storage device such as a flash memory 34 that stores programs and flag values read from the ROM 33.

[0023] The ECU 10 realizes various functional units by executing a program with the CPU 31. For example, the person detection unit 31A is a functional unit that detects a person existing around the vehicle 2. The control unit 31B is a functional unit that executes control to make it difficult to see from outside the vehicle into the vehicle when a person is detected by the person detection unit 31A to exist around the vehicle 2 in a state where the vehicle 2 is stopped or traveling at a speed below a predetermined speed. That is, the vehicle control ECU 10 is an example of the person detection unit and the control unit in this specification.

[0024] Furthermore, the ECU 10 is connected to the aforementioned dimming control devices 16A~16E, sunshade control devices 18A~18E, lamp control device 20, door lock devices 21A~21E, each camera (forward camera 5, etc.), and various sensors 8 via an in-vehicle network such as CAN. The ECU 10 performs various calculations based on the information input from each camera and each sensor 8 to control the vehicle 2. For example, based on the image data captured by each camera, the ECU 10 displays bird's-eye view images and overhead view images on the vehicle 2's monitor (not shown) to provide driving assistance.

[0025] Furthermore, ECU10 drives the dimming control devices 16A to 16E to individually change the light transmittance of each of the dimming glass panels 15A to 15E. ECU10 also drives the sunshade control devices 18A to 18E to individually open and close each of the sunshades 17A to 17E. ECU10 also controls the lamp control device 20 to change the brightness of each lamp. Finally, ECU10 drives the door lock devices 21A to 21E to control the lock (key) of each door. Note that the control of the dimming glass panels 15A to 15E, sunshades 17A to 17E, each lamp, and each door lock may be performed by a device other than ECU10, such as the navigation system.

[0026] (Regarding the stealth mode control processing program) Next, the stealth mode control processing program executed by the ECU 10 in the vehicle control device 1 having the above configuration will be described with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is a flowchart of the stealth mode control processing program according to this embodiment. Here, for example, when the vehicle 2 stops from a driving state and the shift lever is changed to parking after stopping, the ECU 10 starts the stealth mode control processing program. The vehicle 2 in this embodiment has two modes: stealth mode and normal mode. Stealth mode is a mode that makes it difficult to see inside the vehicle 2 from outside. Normal mode is a state in which stealth mode is deactivated, and the control that makes it difficult to see inside the vehicle from outside is deactivated. The stealth mode control processing program is a program that executes control to switch to stealth mode when it detects the presence of a person around the vehicle 2, and to switch to normal mode when it detects that the person is no longer present. For example, the ECU 10 starts the process shown in Figure 3 in normal mode.

[0027] The conditions for initiating the execution of the stealth mode control program are not limited to those described above. For example, the ECU 10 may start the process shown in Figure 3 when the speed of vehicle 2 falls below a predetermined speed. The predetermined speed here refers to a slow speed at which vehicle 2 can stop immediately by applying the brakes, such as 10 km / h. The ECU 10 starts the process shown in Figure 3 when vehicle 2 moves from a speed faster than the predetermined speed to a slow speed below the predetermined speed. This allows the vehicle to switch to stealth mode to make the interior less visible to pedestrians when its speed is slow and there is a possibility of them seeing inside. Alternatively, the ECU 10 may start the process shown in Figure 3 when it detects that the engine of vehicle 2 has stopped. The CPU 31 may also execute the process shown in Figure 3 when at least one of several conditions, such as slowing down and stopping, is met. Furthermore, the program shown in the flowchart in Figure 3 is stored in the RAM 32 and ROM 33 of the vehicle control device 1 and executed by the CPU 31.

[0028] First, in step 1 of Figure 3 (hereinafter abbreviated as S), the CPU 31 determines whether or not there are people around the vehicle 2. For example, the CPU 31 determines whether or not there are people around the vehicle 2 based on the image data captured by each camera. For example, the CPU 31 may perform image processing to extract image features and determine whether or not there are people by detecting the movement and shape of people from the image. Alternatively, the CPU 31 may use AI (artificial intelligence) technology to analyze the image and determine whether or not there are people around the vehicle. The people to be judged here are people who may be looking into the vehicle from outside, and are not limited to people walking, but may also be people on bicycles or in wheelchairs.

[0029] Furthermore, the method for determining whether or not a person is present around the vehicle is not limited to using the imaging data from each camera. For example, the CPU 31 may determine whether or not a person is present around the vehicle using the point cloud data from the millimeter-wave radar mounted on the vehicle 2. Therefore, the person detection unit in this specification may also be configured to use millimeter-wave radar. In addition, the CPU 31 may use both cameras and millimeter-wave radar to determine whether or not a person is present around the vehicle. Furthermore, special cameras such as infrared cameras or thermal cameras may be used as the cameras. This makes it possible to detect people around the vehicle even in conditions where it is difficult to detect people with ordinary cameras, such as in the evening or at night.

[0030] If CPU 31 cannot detect the presence of a person around the vehicle (S1: NO), it repeatedly executes the decision process in S1. Vehicle 2 maintains normal mode. For this reason, CPU 31 does not execute the control that is performed in stealth mode, as described later, i.e., the control that makes it difficult to see inside the vehicle from the outside. Furthermore, if, while CPU 31 is making a negative decision in S1, for example, the occupants get out of the vehicle and vehicle 2 is locked, i.e., the vehicle is unlocked and there are no occupants inside, CPU 31 terminates the process shown in Figure 3.

[0031] Furthermore, if the CPU 31 detects the presence of a person around the vehicle (S1: YES), it switches to stealth mode (S2). Once in stealth mode, the CPU 31 locks each door. The CPU 31 controls the door lock devices 21A to 21E to lock all doors. As will be described later, after executing S4, the CPU 31 repeats the process from S1. Therefore, when executing S2 for the second time or later, if all doors are already locked, the CPU 31 maintains the locked state.

[0032] Furthermore, when the CPU 31 switches to stealth mode, if any of the lamps are lit, it will turn them off. The CPU 31 controls the lamp control device 20 to turn off the map lamp 19A and the room lamp 19B. For example, suppose an occupant turns on the map lamp 19A to look at their smartphone after stopping the vehicle 2. If the CPU 31 detects a person in the vicinity of the vehicle in this state, it will turn off the map lamp 19A.

[0033] Furthermore, when the CPU 31 switches to stealth mode, if any of the lamps are off, it maintains that off state. Each lamp can be set to automatically turn on based on predetermined conditions. These predetermined conditions include, for example, the slide switch on the lamp being set to the position for automatic illumination, and the shift lever being changed to the parking position. In this case, for example, if the slide switch is set to automatically turn on the room lamp 19B, and the shift lever is changed to the parking position, the CPU 31 will control the lamp control device 20 to keep the room lamp 19B off if it detects a person around the vehicle. Alternatively, if the slide switch is set to automatically turn on the room lamp 19B, and the shift lever is changed to the parking position and the room lamp 19B is turned on, the CPU 31 will turn off the room lamp 19B if it detects a person around the vehicle.

[0034] Vehicle 2 may also be configured such that the automatic illumination settings for each lamp can be changed using a switch located in the driver's seat. In this case, the conditions for which the ON setting is made by the switch in the driver's seat are just one example of the predetermined conditions of this invention. Furthermore, the predetermined conditions are not limited to the condition in which the shift lever is changed to parking, but may also include the condition in which the door locks are released, the condition in which each door is opened or closed, or the condition in which the engine is turned off. For example, in normal mode, the CPU 31 may be configured to automatically illuminate each lamp when the locks on each door are released while each lamp is off. Then, when the CPU 31 switches to stealth mode, it may keep each lamp off even if the locks on each door are released. In this case, the CPU 31 does not need to perform the processing in S5 described later, specifically the control to release stealth mode in response to the release of the door locks.

[0035] Furthermore, when the CPU 31 switches to stealth mode, it controls the dimmable glass 15A-15E to reduce its light transmittance. The CPU 31 controls the dimming control devices 16A-16E to reduce the transmittance of all dimmable glass 15A-15E, making the interior of the car completely invisible.

[0036] Furthermore, when the CPU 31 switches to stealth mode, it executes a control to close the sunshades 17A to 17E. The CPU 31 controls the sunshade control devices 18A to 18E to close all the sunshades 17A to 17E installed on each door, making the interior of the vehicle invisible.

[0037] Figure 4 shows the state in which a parked vehicle 2 transitions to stealth mode. For example, when vehicle 2 is parked in a parking lot or at the edge of a roadway and the shift lever is changed to parking, the CPU 31 starts the process shown in Figure 3 and executes S1 to monitor people around the vehicle. Based on the image data from each camera, the CPU 31 detects people in the monitoring range 41 shown in Figure 4. This monitoring range 41 is, for example, an area at a predetermined distance L from vehicle 2. The shape of the monitoring range 41 may be an elliptical range that matches the shape of vehicle 2, or a circular range centered on the center of vehicle 2. Therefore, the position of the center of the monitoring range 41 and the predetermined distance L are appropriately changed according to the shape of vehicle 2, the image range of each camera, etc. Also, the monitoring range 41 may be the maximum range in which people can be detected based on the image data from each camera.

[0038] For example, if the CPU 31 finds that a person is already present within the monitoring range 41 when the process in Figure 3 begins, as shown by pedestrian 43A in Figure 4, it makes a positive judgment in S1 (S1: YES), switches to stealth mode, and executes the process in S2 described above. Also, if the CPU 31 finds that no person is present within the monitoring range 41 when the process in Figure 3 begins, as shown by pedestrian 43B in Figure 4, but a person enters the monitoring range 41 after the monitoring has started (S1: YES), it switches to stealth mode and executes the process in S2. This prevents pedestrians 43A and 43B from looking into the vehicle when they approach the vehicle 2.

[0039] Returning to Figure 3, after executing the process in S2, the CPU 31 determines in S3 whether or not there are no people around the vehicle. If there are no people within the monitoring range 41, the CPU 31 makes a positive determination in S3 (S3: YES) and transitions to normal mode (S4). The CPU 31 cancels the multiple controls executed in S2, namely the controls that make it difficult to see inside the vehicle. The CPU 31 maintains the locked state for each door.

[0040] If the CPU 31 turned off any of the lamps that were lit in S2, it will turn on those lamps in S4. Also, for lamps that are automatically turned on based on the fulfillment of predetermined conditions, if the predetermined conditions are met in S2 but the lamps remain off, the CPU 31 will turn on those lamps in S4 if the predetermined conditions are met. In addition, the CPU 31 will increase the transmittance of the dimmable glass 15A~15E in S4 by the amount that was reduced in S2, to the normal transmittance that allows the inside to be seen. Furthermore, the CPU 31 will execute control in S4 to open the sunshades 17A~17E that were closed in S2.

[0041] After executing S4, CPU 31 executes process S1 again. This allows switching between stealth mode and normal mode depending on whether or not there are people around the vehicle. For example, as shown in Figure 4, if pedestrian 43A is present before vehicle 2 stops, or if pedestrian 43B enters the monitoring range 41 after vehicle 2 stops, CPU 31 switches to stealth mode and makes the interior of the vehicle difficult to see. Also, as shown in Figure 5, if CPU 31 determines that both pedestrians 43A and 43B have moved outside the monitoring range 41 and that there are no people inside the monitoring range 41, it switches to normal mode and releases the control that makes the interior of the vehicle difficult to see. CPU 31 switches between stealth mode in Figure 4 and normal mode in Figure 5 depending on whether or not people are entering or leaving the monitoring range 41. Note that in stealth mode, if a new pedestrian enters the monitoring range 41 before all pedestrians 43A and 43B have left the monitoring range 41, CPU 31 maintains stealth mode.

[0042] Furthermore, in S3, if at least one person is present within the monitoring range 41, CPU 31 makes a negative judgment (S3:NO) and executes S5. In S5, CPU 31 determines whether or not it has received an operation to unlock each door. If CPU 31 has not received an operation to unlock all doors (S5:NO), it executes S3 again. CPU 31 maintains stealth mode.

[0043] On the other hand, if the CPU 31 receives an operation to unlock at least one of the doors (S5:YES), it unlocks the door for which the operation was received and exits stealth mode to return to normal mode (S6). After executing the process in S6, the CPU 31 terminates the process shown in Figure 3.

[0044] By performing the above process, when vehicle 2 is stationary, it can switch to stealth mode each time a person approaches vehicle 2. However, for example, if an occupant manually unlocks the door, there is a high probability that the occupant intends to get out of vehicle 2. In such cases, prioritizing the occupant's ability to get out by switching to normal mode is more important than prioritizing the protection of privacy inside the vehicle. Therefore, in S6, CPU 31 unlocks the target door based on the unlock instruction received and switches to normal mode.

[0045] An operation to unlock a door is an example of an "operation to perform control to open a vehicle door" as defined in this application. However, the "operation to perform control to open a vehicle door" as defined in this application is not limited to an operation to unlock a door, but may also be an operation to open a door. For example, if the CPU 31 does not lock any of the doors in S2 and detects in S5 that any door has been opened, it may deactivate stealth mode (S6). Furthermore, the conditions for deactivating stealth mode are not limited to the condition of "receiving an operation to perform control to open a vehicle door". For example, if the CPU 31 receives an operation to open a window (dimmable glass 15A~15E) in S5, it may open that window and switch to normal mode.Therefore, stealth mode may be deactivated when it is detected that the occupant does not have a strong intention to secure a private space inside the vehicle. Alternatively, the CPU 31 may deactivate stealth mode when the vehicle 2 starts moving or when its speed increases to a predetermined speed or higher.

[0046] Incidentally, the relationship between the content of this application and the terminology of the above embodiments is as follows: In the above embodiments, dimmable glass 15A to 15E are examples of dimmable members. Map lamp 19A and room lamp 19B are examples of lighting devices. Pedestrians 43A and 43B are examples of people. Monitoring range 41 is an example of a range.

[0047] (Effects of this embodiment) As described in detail above, this embodiment provides the following effects. (1) According to the vehicle control device 1 and the computer program executed by the vehicle control device 1 according to this embodiment, the CPU 31 of the ECU 10 detects a person present in the vicinity of the vehicle 2 (S1). Based on the detection that a person is present in the vicinity of the vehicle 2 when the vehicle 2 is stopped or traveling at a predetermined speed or less (S1:YES), the CPU 31 executes control to make it difficult to see inside the vehicle 2 from outside (S2).

[0048] According to this system, when vehicle 2 is stationary or otherwise in a state where it detects the presence of people around the vehicle, it makes it difficult to see inside the vehicle. If pedestrians 43A and 43B approach vehicle 2 and try to look inside, it makes it difficult to see inside the vehicle. This prevents pedestrians 43A and 43B from looking into the vehicle and improves the protection of the occupants' privacy.

[0049] (2) The CPU 31 also controls the following actions to make it difficult to see inside the vehicle: dimming each lamp that illuminates the interior of the vehicle 2 from an illuminated state; preventing each lamp from illuminating even when predetermined conditions are met, in a setting where each lamp is set to automatically illuminate when predetermined conditions are met; controlling the dimmable glass 15A to 15E provided in the vehicle 2 to reduce the light transmittance of the dimmable glass 15A to 15E; and closing the sunshades 17A to 17E provided in the vehicle 2.

[0050] According to this, by dimming each illuminated lamp or keeping each lamp off, the interior of the vehicle can be darkened, making it difficult to see inside from the outside. Also, by reducing the transmittance of the dimmable glass 15A, it is possible to make it difficult to see inside the vehicle through the windows. Similarly, by closing the sunshades 17A to 17E, it is possible to make it difficult to see inside the vehicle through the windows. It should be noted that the control of dimming the lighting device in this application includes not only control to reduce brightness but also control to turn off the lights.

[0051] (3) The CPU 31 also detects that a person is present within a monitoring range 41 at a predetermined distance L from the vehicle 2 (S1:YES) and starts control to make it difficult to see inside the vehicle 2 from outside (S2). The CPU 31 also detects that there is no longer a person within the monitoring range 41 at a predetermined distance L (S3:YES) and releases control to make it difficult to see inside the vehicle 2 from outside (S4).

[0052] According to this, the interior of the vehicle can be obscured only while people are present around vehicle 2. If pedestrians 43A and 43B move outside the monitoring range 41, the obscuration control can be deactivated, allowing them to see outside through the dimmable glass 15A to 15E. Alternatively, light can be taken in from outside the vehicle through the dimmable glass 15A to 15E. Furthermore, if pedestrians 43A and 43B re-enter the monitoring range 41, their privacy can be protected by obscuring the interior of the vehicle again.

[0053] (4) Also, based on the detection that there are people around the vehicle 2 (S1:YES), the CPU 31 starts control to make it difficult to see inside the vehicle 2 from outside (S2), and then, based on the operation to execute control to open each door of the vehicle 2 (S5:YES), stops the control to make it difficult to see inside the vehicle 2 from outside and executes the accepted control to open each door of the vehicle 2 (S6).

[0054] According to this, the control that makes it difficult to see inside the vehicle can be deactivated when the occupant intends to get out. For example, the interior light 19B can be turned on when the door lock is released, preventing luggage from being left inside the vehicle when getting out. Alternatively, the footwell lights can be turned on to illuminate the area around the feet of the occupant as they get out. In addition, by increasing the light transmission of the dimmable glass 15A-15E and opening the sunshades 17A-17E, the occupant can check the situation outside the vehicle before getting out.

[0055] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various improvements and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the processing content and order of processing in the flowchart of Figure 3 in the above embodiment are just one example. For example, the control details for stealth mode in S2 are just one example. The CPU 31 does not need to lock each door in stealth mode. In this case, the CPU 31 may terminate the process shown in Figure 3 based on the fact that the occupants have disembarked and vehicle 2 is locked. Whether or not the occupants have disembarked can be determined based on the position of the key on vehicle 2. Furthermore, while CPU 31 turns off each lamp in stealth mode, it is not limited to this. CPU 31 may also control the brightness of each lamp to be dimmer than normal, making it difficult to see inside the vehicle. For example, CPU 31 may dim each lamp when it detects pedestrians 43A and 43B. Furthermore, the CPU 31 may be configured to execute at least one of the following four controls: control to dim each lamp illuminating the interior of the vehicle 2 when it is lit; control to prevent each lamp from illuminating even when a predetermined condition is met, when the system is set to automatically turn on each lamp based on the meeting of predetermined conditions; control to reduce the light transmittance of the dimmable glass 15A to 15E provided in the vehicle 2; and control to close the sunshades 17A to 17E provided in the vehicle 2. For example, the CPU 31 may be configured to execute only the control to turn off each lamp when it detects a person around the vehicle. Alternatively, the CPU 31 may be configured to execute only the control to reduce the transmittance of the dimmable glass 15A to 15E when it detects a person around the vehicle. Also, the CPU 31 may be configured to execute only the control to close the sunshades 17A to 17E when it detects a person around the vehicle. Therefore, vehicle 2 may not be configured to include dimmable glass 15A-15E or sunshades 17A-17E. Furthermore, the control to make the interior of the vehicle less visible in stealth mode is not limited to the control content of the above embodiment. For example, if the CPU 31 detects a person around the vehicle, it may dim the brightness of the car navigation screen. Alternatively, if the CPU 31 detects a person in front of the vehicle 2, it may turn on the headlights to make the interior of the vehicle less visible.

[0056] Furthermore, in stealth mode, control may be performed according to the location of the detected person. For example, as shown by pedestrian 43A in Figure 4, if a person is detected on the right side of vehicle 2, control may be performed to make the interior of the vehicle less visible from the right side of vehicle 2. Specifically, the CPU 31 may, for example, lower the transmittance of only the dimmable glass 15A of the right front door 12R and the dimmable glass 15C of the right rear door 13R, without lowering the transmittance of the other dimmable glass 15B, 15D, and 15E. Alternatively, the CPU 31 may close only the right sunshades 17A and 17C, without closing the other sunshades 17B, 17D, and 17E. Also, if a pedestrian is present within the monitoring range 41 and behind vehicle 2, the CPU 31 may turn off only the room lamp 19B in the center of the vehicle, without turning off the map lamp 19A at the front of the vehicle. Therefore, the CPU 31 may perform control according to the location of the detected person so that the inside of the car is not easily visible from that person's location. Furthermore, if multiple people are present around the vehicle, the CPU 31 may perform control according to the position of each person. For example, as shown in Figure 5, if there are two pedestrians 43A and 43B, and only pedestrian 43B moves outside the monitoring range 41, and only pedestrian 43A on the right side of the vehicle remains within the monitoring range 41, the CPU 31 may perform control to make it difficult to see inside the vehicle from the right side of the vehicle 2. In this case as well, the CPU 31 can perform control according to the position of the person so that it is difficult to see inside the vehicle from the position of the detected person. In addition, if the position of a person around the vehicle changes, the CPU 31 may perform control according to the position of that person so that it is difficult to see inside the vehicle from the changed position. Furthermore, CPU31 does not have to execute process S5. For example, if CPU31 made a negative judgment in S3 (S3: NO), it may execute process S3 again. In this case, CPU31 may terminate the process shown in Figure 3, for example, on the condition that the vehicle 2 is locked while the key is outside the vehicle.

[0057] Furthermore, although the above embodiment performed processing on pedestrians 43A and 43B walking, it is not limited to this. For example, the CPU 31 may also switch to stealth mode if it detects a person riding a bicycle or a wheelchair around the vehicle. Therefore, the people present around the vehicle in this specification may also be people riding in vehicles. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the ECU 10 of the vehicle control device 1 executes the processing of the stealth mode control processing program (Figure 3), but the execution entity can be changed as appropriate. For example, the processing of Figure 3 may be executed by the control unit of the navigation device or other in-vehicle devices. Furthermore, the configuration of the vehicle control device 1 is not limited to the configuration of the embodiment described above. For example, the vehicle control device 1 may be configured to include only the ECU 10, or to include only the ECU 10 and each camera.

[0058] Next, we will describe the technical ideas derived from the above embodiment. (i) The control unit is The vehicle control device according to claim 1, which, in accordance with the location of a person present around the vehicle as detected by the person detection unit, performs control to make it difficult to see inside the vehicle from the location of the detected person. This system protects the privacy of the occupants while preventing the interior from becoming too dark or making it impossible to see outside. Furthermore, by limiting the control of lights, dimmable glass, sunshades, etc., power consumption can be reduced. [Explanation of symbols]

[0059] 1 Vehicle control device, 2 Vehicle, 10 Vehicle control ECU (person detection unit, control unit), 12R, 12L Front door (door), 13R, 13L Rear door (door), 14 Back door (door), 15A~15E Dimmable glass (dimmable component), 17A~17E Sunshade, 19A Map lamp (lighting device), 19B Room lamp (lighting device), 31A Person detection unit, 31B Control unit, 41 Monitoring range (range), 43A, 43B Pedestrian (person), L Determined distance.

Claims

1. A person detection unit that detects people present around the vehicle, A control unit that, based on the detection by the person detection unit that a person is present around the vehicle while the vehicle is stopped or traveling at a predetermined speed or less, executes control to make the interior of the vehicle less visible from outside the vehicle, A vehicle control device equipped with the following features.

2. The control unit, A vehicle control device according to claim 1, which performs a control to make it difficult to see inside the vehicle from outside the vehicle by performing at least one of the following four controls: a control to dim the lighting device that illuminates the interior of the vehicle from a state in which the lighting device is on; a control to prevent the lighting device from turning on even if the predetermined condition is met, when the device is set to turn on automatically based on the meeting of predetermined conditions; a control to reduce the light transmittance of a dimming member provided in the vehicle; and a control to close a sunshade provided in the vehicle.

3. The control unit, Based on the detection by the person detection unit that a person is present within a predetermined distance from the vehicle, control is initiated to make the interior of the vehicle less visible from outside the vehicle. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, based on the detection by the person detection unit that there are no longer any people within the predetermined distance range, the control that makes it difficult to see inside the vehicle from outside the vehicle is released.

4. The control unit, Based on the detection by the person detection unit that a person is present around the vehicle, control is initiated to make it difficult to see inside the vehicle from outside. A vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2, which, upon receiving an operation to perform control to open the door of the vehicle, stops the control that makes it difficult to see inside the vehicle from outside the vehicle and performs the received control to open the door of the vehicle.

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