In-vehicle environment control system

Abstract

The in-vehicle environment control device disclosed herein makes it easier for occupants to understand when the in-vehicle environment is being switched. [Solution] The in-vehicle environment control device includes: a reception unit that receives a request to switch the in-vehicle environment; an environment change unit that, upon receiving a request to switch the in-vehicle environment, changes the in-vehicle environment by controlling at least a lighting device and a sound device; a start notification unit that, when the environment change by the environment change unit begins, gives a predetermined start notification by controlling the lighting device and the sound device; and an end notification unit that, when the environment change ends, gives a predetermined end notification by controlling the lighting device and the sound device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to an in-vehicle environment control device.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for appropriately adjusting the in-vehicle environment according to the atmosphere created by a plurality of occupants. In Patent Document 1, an in-vehicle system is disclosed that estimates the in-vehicle atmosphere created by a plurality of occupants from the voices detected by a voice detection unit and adjusts the in-vehicle environment according to the estimated atmosphere.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the prior art, since the production of environmental changes is executed without prior notice, there is a problem that the in-vehicle environment is switched and it is difficult for the occupants to grasp that the production of environmental changes is being executed. Similarly, there is a problem that it is also difficult to grasp the switching to and the end of another environmental change.

[0005] An object of this disclosure is to provide an in-vehicle environment control device that makes it easy for occupants to grasp the switching of the in-vehicle environment.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The in-vehicle environment control device according to claim 1 includes: a reception unit that receives a request to switch the in-vehicle environment; an environment change unit that, upon receiving a request to switch the in-vehicle environment, changes the in-vehicle environment by controlling at least a lighting device and a sound device; a start notification unit that, when the environment change by the environment change unit begins, gives a predetermined start notification by controlling the lighting device and the sound device; and an end notification unit that, when the environment change ends, gives a predetermined end notification by controlling the lighting device and the sound device. In this way, the start and end notifications make it easier for the occupants to understand the switching of the in-vehicle environment.

[0007] The in-vehicle environment control device according to claim 2 is the in-vehicle environment control device according to claim 1, wherein the environment change unit has settings for changes in the in-vehicle environment corresponding to a plurality of modes, If the environmental change unit receives a request to switch the mode of the in-vehicle environment while performing a mode environmental change, it issues the start notification without issuing the end notification. According to the in-vehicle environment control device described in claim 2, the environment can be switched smoothly and the occupants can be notified.

[0008] The in-vehicle environment control device according to claim 3 is the in-vehicle environment control device according to claim 1, wherein the environment change unit has settings for changes in the in-vehicle environment corresponding to multiple modes, and only one type of start notification is set for the start notification unit and only one type of end notification for the end notification unit. According to the in-vehicle environment control device according to claim 3, by providing a unified type of start notification and end notification, it is made easier for occupants to recognize the start and end of environmental changes.

[0009] The in-vehicle environment control device according to claim 4 is the in-vehicle environment control device according to claim 1, wherein the environment change unit has settings for changes in the in-vehicle environment corresponding to a plurality of modes, and sets the type of start notification and the type of end notification for each of the plurality of modes, the start notification unit makes the start notification of the type corresponding to the mode that the environment change unit has accepted the switch for, and the end notification unit makes the end notification of the type corresponding to the mode that the environment change unit has accepted the switch for. According to the in-vehicle environment control device according to claim 3, by making start notifications and end notifications of the type set for each mode, it is made easier for the occupant to distinguish what kind of environment change is being performed.

[0010] The in-vehicle environment control device according to claim 5 is the in-vehicle environment control device according to claim 1, wherein when the environment change unit further changes the in-vehicle environment by controlling the seat device, it performs preparatory operation control at the start, and the start notification unit, in conjunction with the control of the preparatory operation of the seat device, notifies in the start notification that the control of the seat has started. According to the in-vehicle environment control device according to claim 5, the occupants can be given a sense of security by including a notification during the preparatory operation. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] The technology disclosed herein makes it easier for occupants to understand when the in-vehicle environment is being switched. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the vehicle's hardware configuration. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows the time duration of the operation of the modes that change the in-vehicle environment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a flowchart showing the flow of a specific process performed by the environmental control ECU. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of vehicle 10. As shown in Figure 1, vehicle 10 is equipped with an environmental control ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 20. Vehicle 10 is an example of a “vehicle” in this disclosure, and the environmental control ECU 20 is an example of an “in-vehicle environmental control device” in this disclosure.

[0014] The environmental control ECU 20 consists of a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 21, ROM (Read Only Memory) 22, RAM (Random Access Memory) 23, storage 24, in-vehicle communication interface (Interface) 25, input / output interface (I / F) 26, and wireless communication interface (I / F) 27. The CPU 21, ROM 22, RAM 23, storage 24, in-vehicle communication interface 25, input / output interface 26, and wireless communication interface 27 are interconnected via an internal bus 28 so that they can communicate with each other.

[0015] The CPU 21 is a central processing unit that executes various programs and controls various components. Specifically, the CPU 21 reads programs from the ROM 22 or storage 24 and executes them using the RAM 23 as a working area. The CPU 21 controls each of the above components and performs various calculations according to the programs recorded in the ROM 22 or storage 24.

[0016] ROM22 stores various programs and data. RAM23 temporarily stores programs or data as a working area.

[0017] The storage 24 is composed of a storage device such as an eMMC (embedded Multi Media Card) or UFS (Universal Flash Storage), and stores various programs and various data. The storage 24 stores a control program 24A and mode data 24B. The control program 24A is a program for causing the CPU 21 to execute a specific process (see FIG. 3) described later. The mode data 24B is setting data in which patterns of a plurality of modes for changing the indoor environment are stored. The plurality of modes will be described later.

[0018] The in-vehicle communication I / F 25 is an interface for connecting to other ECUs. The communication standard based on the CAN protocol is used for the interface. The in-vehicle communication I / F 25 is connected to the external bus 29. Although not shown, a plurality of ECUs are provided for each function of the vehicle 10.

[0019] The input / output I / F 26 is an interface for communicating with in-vehicle devices 40 mounted on the vehicle 10.

[0020] The wireless communication I / F 27 is a wireless communication module for communicating with external devices. The wireless communication module uses communication standards such as 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), and Bluetooth (registered trademark).

[0021] The in-vehicle devices 40 are various devices mounted on the vehicle 10. The vehicle 10 includes, as examples of the in-vehicle devices 40, a lighting device 41, an audio device 42, an air conditioning control device 43, an aroma device 44, and a seat device 45. Each device of the in-vehicle devices 40 is appropriately installed around the seat and on the roof in the vehicle interior as a plurality of devices necessary for environmental changes.

[0022] The lighting device 41 is a device that controls the lighting and extinguishing of the lighting in the vehicle interior. Also, the lighting device 41 can perform illumination effects by controlling the lighting of the lighting in a specific pattern. For example, effects such as switching between warm-color and cold-color patterns can be achieved. The audio device 42 is a device that plays music and navigation voices in the vehicle interior. The air conditioning control device 43 is a device that adjusts the temperature in the vehicle interior. The fragrance device 44 is a device that sprays fragrance in the vehicle interior. By spraying a specific fragrance specified in the mode around the seat, it promotes the relaxation effect of the passengers. The seat device 45 is a device that controls the behavior of the seat in the vehicle interior. The seat device 45 controls the preliminary operation at the start (A1) of the mode and the main operation during execution (A2). The preliminary operation is, for example, when performing control to recline the seat in the main operation, it performs a reclining behavior of about several percent in the reclining direction to make the passengers recognize that the seat will recline soon. Also, the seat device 45 may control the behavior of the seat so that it reclines in a way that matches the melody of the music and the spraying of the fragrance. Also, regardless of the physique of the passengers, the behavior of the seat may be controlled so that it reclines at a constant speed that is optimal in the mode. By controlling the inclination of the seat in this way, it induces relaxation and alleviation of tension of the passengers.

[0023] The sensor group 52 includes, for example, sensors for detecting the state of the vehicle 10 and the situation around the vehicle 10 such as 3D-LiDAR, millimeter-wave sensors, infrared sensors, wiper sensors, accelerator position sensors, vehicle speed sensors, steering angle sensors, angular velocity sensors, GPS (Global Positioning System) sensors, illuminance sensors, gyro sensors, and acceleration sensors, as well as a plurality of cameras for imaging the surroundings of the vehicle 10. The sensor group 52 outputs the detection results of each sensor and the captured images by each camera to the environmental control ECU 20 and other ECUs, etc.

[0024] The monitor 54 is a display located on the instrument panel in front of the driver's seat of the vehicle 10, and is used to display images, videos, etc., in response to changes in the in-vehicle environment. The monitor 54 is an example of the "display unit" in this disclosure. The monitor 54 is not limited to the instrument panel in front of the driver's seat, but may be located around the driver's seat or other seats.

[0025] Mode data 24B has settings for changes in the in-vehicle environment corresponding to multiple modes. An example of multiple modes in mode data 24B is described below. Figure 2 is a diagram showing the operating time of the modes that change the in-vehicle environment. As shown in Figure 2, the operating time is in chronological order, starting with the opening start (A1), followed by the main implementation (A2), and the operation of the series of modes is completed with the ending (A3). The operating time for start (A1) and end (A3) is set to 5 to 10 seconds. The operating time for implementation (A2) is set to a time appropriate according to the mode setting, such as 1 minute to 3 hours 59 minutes.

[0026] During the start (A1) and end (A3) operations, the lighting effects from the lighting device 41, the music from the sound device 42, and the preparatory movements of the seat device 45 are operated in conjunction to create effects for introducing, switching to, and ending environmental changes. In addition, opening and ending videos may be played on the monitor 54. Such effects create a multi-sensory experience of "immersion" and "ceremonialness." An operation with such an opening effect is an example of a commencement notice in this disclosure. Similarly, an operation with such an ending effect is an example of a termination notice in this disclosure.

[0027] During operation (A2), the effects of each device in the vehicle equipment 40 are repeated multiple times. Effects are created through the light of the lighting device 41, the music of the sound device 42, and the periodic fluctuation of the air conditioning temperature of the air conditioning control device 43, thereby creating a multi-sensory environmental change to induce states such as "falling asleep," "maintaining relaxation," and "exhilaration" in the occupants. In addition, the color and brightness of the lighting device 41, the air conditioning temperature of the air conditioning control device 43, and the dispersal of fragrance by the fragrance device 44 create a multi-sensory environmental change to induce a "level of alertness" in the occupants.

[0028] As described above, the musical, video, and lighting effects are divided into opening, main, and ending sections, and the overall length can be adjusted by the number of repetitions of the main section. In addition, by creating separate opening and ending sections, the start and end can be anticipated.

[0029] In addition to the normal mode, there are several other modes, including Lucidity mode, Revitalization mode, Inspiration mode, and an Arrange Tune mode that can be customized by the occupant. Lucidity mode is selected when concentration wanes during monotonous driving or when you want to change your mood immediately. The biological effect of Lucidity mode is to adjust the in-car environment by directing cool air and a cooling fragrance towards the face. Lucidity mode is executed by controlling the lighting system 41, sound system 42, air conditioning control system 43, and fragrance system 44. Revitalization mode is selected when you are stressed out by traffic jams or when you want to change your mood immediately or create a relaxing environment. The biological effect of Revitalization mode is to adjust the temperature environment to minimize sympathetic nervous system activity, adjust sound and light in sync with breathing, and adjust back stimulation by tilting the seat. Revitalization mode is executed by controlling all the devices of the in-car equipment 40. Inspiration mode is selected when you want to get in the mood before arriving at your destination. It should be noted that these mode types are merely examples, and it is certainly possible to set mode types for various scenarios and control methods for the in-vehicle equipment 40 that take into account the biological effects of each type.

[0030] The CPU 21 of the environmental control ECU 20 has a functional configuration that includes a reception unit 21A, an environmental change unit 21B, a start notification unit 21C, and a termination notification unit 21D. Each functional configuration is realized by the CPU 21 reading and executing a control program 24A stored in the storage 24.

[0031] When the environmental change unit 21B receives a mode for switching the in-vehicle environment, it changes the in-vehicle environment by controlling each device of the in-vehicle equipment 40 according to the mode for which the switch was received.

[0032] The start notification unit 21C performs the above-mentioned start notification by controlling the lighting device 41 and the sound device 42 when the environmental change unit initiates an environmental change.

[0033] Furthermore, when the air conditioning control device 43 is controlled, the start notification unit 21C may, in conjunction with the start of the air conditioning control, notify in the start notification that the air conditioning adjustment will begin before the start of said control. Notifications regarding air conditioning control may be made, for example, as a voice notification via the sound device 42 as navigation voice such as "The room temperature will now rise." Also, when the fragrance device 44 is controlled, the start notification unit 21C may, in conjunction with the start of the control of fragrance dispersal, notify in the start notification that fragrance dispersal will begin before the start of said control. Notifications regarding fragrance control may be made, for example, as a voice notification via the sound device 42 as navigation voice such as "The scent in the room will now change."

[0034] Furthermore, when the seat device 45 is controlled, the start notification unit 21C may, in conjunction with the preliminary operation for starting seat control, notify the start of seat control in the start notification at the start of said control. Notifications regarding seat control may be made, for example, via the sound device 42 as navigation voice notifications such as "The seat will now move slowly. Please be careful."

[0035] The termination notification unit 21D provides termination notification by controlling the lighting device 41 and the sound device 42 when the environmental change has ended.

[0036] (Control flow) Figure 3 is a flowchart showing the flow of a specific process executed by the environmental control ECU 20. The CPU 21 reads the control program 24A from the storage 24, loads it into the RAM 23, and executes it, thereby performing the specific process. As an example, the specific process is performed repeatedly and automatically at regular intervals.

[0037] In step S100, the reception unit 21A determines whether or not it has received a request for a mode to switch the in-vehicle environment. If the request is received, the process proceeds to step S102; otherwise, the process ends.

[0038] In step S102, the environmental change unit 21B starts controlling the in-vehicle equipment 40 according to the mode specified, thereby initiating environmental change control for the in-vehicle environment.

[0039] In step S104, the start notification unit 21C controls the lighting device 41 and the sound device 42 and issues a start notification when the environmental change unit initiates an environmental change.

[0040] In step S106, the environmental change unit 21B controls each device of the in-vehicle equipment 40 to repeatedly execute the main environmental change performance set in the mode.

[0041] In step S108, the environment change unit 21B determines whether or not it has received a mode switch request while executing the main environment change animation. If it has received a mode switch request while executing the animation, it proceeds to step S102; otherwise, it proceeds to step S110. In this way, if a mode switch request is received while executing the mode environment change animation, it starts the environment change animation for the switched mode and simultaneously issues a start notification, without issuing a termination notification. This allows for a smooth environment switch and notification to the crew.

[0042] In step S110, it is determined whether or not to terminate the main environmental change animation. If it is terminated, the program proceeds to step S110; otherwise, it returns to step S106 and repeats the main environmental change animation.

[0043] In step S112, the termination notification unit 21D controls the lighting device 41 and the sound device 42 and issues a termination notification when the environmental change has ended.

[0044] As described above, the in-vehicle environment control device of this embodiment makes it easier for occupants to understand the changes in the in-vehicle environment.

[0045] Furthermore, the embodiment is not limited to those described above and various modifications are possible. For example, the passenger's terminal and mode settings may be linked to control the system to automatically switch modes upon boarding. Alternatively, a video illustrating the lighting, sound, and seat movements that occur when a mode is switched may be made available for passengers to view in advance on their terminals. This allows passengers to understand the environmental changes produced by each mode beforehand, which can help eliminate psychological barriers and reduce stress before the environmental changes occur.

[0046] Alternatively, the environmental change unit may not use different notifications for each mode, but may set only one type of start notification for the start notification unit 21C and one type of end notification for the end notification unit 21D, so that they are unified for each mode. This makes it easier for the crew to recognize the start and end of environmental changes. On the other hand, the notification type may be set for each mode. In this case, the start notification unit 21C will issue a start notification of the type corresponding to the mode that the environmental change unit 21B has accepted the switch for. The end notification unit 21D will issue an end notification of the type corresponding to the mode that the environmental change unit 21B has accepted the switch for. This makes it easier for the crew to distinguish what kind of environmental change is being performed.

[0047] In addition, the various processes that the CPU 11 reads and executes in the above embodiment may be executed by various processors other than the CPU. Examples of such processors include PLDs (Programmable Logic Devices) such as FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays) whose circuit configuration can be changed after manufacturing, GPUs (Graphics Processing Units), and ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), which are dedicated electrical circuits that have a circuit configuration specifically designed to execute a particular process. Furthermore, each of the above processes may be executed by one of these various processors, or by a combination of two or more processors of the same or different types (for example, multiple FPGAs, and a combination of a CPU and an FPGA). More specifically, the hardware structure of these various processors is an electrical circuit that combines circuit elements such as semiconductor elements.

[0048] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the information processing program was described as being pre-stored (installed) on a computer-readable non-temporary recording medium. For example, the information processing program is pre-stored on ROM 12 or storage 14. However, it is not limited to this, and each program may be provided in a form recorded on a non-temporary recording medium such as CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory), DVD-ROM (Digital Versatile Disc Read Only Memory), and USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory. Alternatively, the information processing program may be downloaded from an external device via a network.

[0049] The processing flow described in the above embodiment is just one example, and unnecessary steps may be deleted, new steps added, or the processing order rearranged, as long as it does not deviate from the main purpose. [Explanation of symbols]

[0050] 10 vehicles 21A Reception Desk 21B Environmental Change Section 21C Start notification section 21D Termination Notification Section 40 In-vehicle equipment 41 Lighting equipment 42 Sound equipment 43 Air conditioning control system 44 Fragrance device 45 Sheet Device

Claims

1. A reception desk that accepts requests to switch the in-car environment, When the switching of the in-vehicle environment is received, the environment change unit changes the in-vehicle environment by controlling at least the lighting device and the sound device, A start notification unit controls the lighting device and the sound device to provide a predetermined start notification when the environmental change initiated by the environmental change unit, A termination notification unit provides a predetermined termination notification by controlling the lighting device and the sound device when the aforementioned environmental change ends. An in-vehicle environment control device having the following features.

2. The aforementioned environmental change unit has settings for changes in the in-vehicle environment corresponding to multiple modes, The vehicle interior environment control device according to claim 1, wherein if the environment change unit accepts a mode switch for the vehicle interior environment while the mode change is being performed, it performs the start notification without performing the end notification.

3. The vehicle interior environment control device according to claim 1, wherein the environment change unit has settings for changes in the vehicle interior environment corresponding to multiple modes, and only one type of start notification is set for the start notification unit and only one type of end notification is set for the end notification unit.

4. The environmental change unit has settings for changes in the in-vehicle environment corresponding to multiple modes, and sets the type of start notification and the type of end notification for each of the multiple modes. The start notification unit makes a start notification of a type corresponding to the mode that was switched to by the environment change unit. The vehicle interior environment control device according to claim 1, wherein the termination notification unit provides the termination notification of a type corresponding to the mode switched by the environment change unit.

5. When the aforementioned environmental change unit further changes the in-vehicle environment by controlling the seat device, it performs preparatory operation control at the start. The in-vehicle environment control device according to claim 1, wherein the start notification unit, in conjunction with the control of the preliminary operation of the seat device, notifies that control of the seat should be started in the start notification.

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