Enhanced light distribution control device

Abstract

The present invention provides an enhanced light distribution control device that can guide a vehicle to move to the left or right side of the planned route within the range of the planned route, based on information about the surrounding environment of the vehicle and the planned route. [Solution] An enhanced light distribution control device that, based on either or both information of the target planned driving route and the target surrounding environment corresponding to the target planned driving route, changes the reference line for enhanced light distribution in the left-right direction with respect to the center line of the target planned driving route, calculates an illumination range command value that defines the illumination range to be set on the reference line for enhanced light distribution, and commands the illumination range command value to the headlight device for enhanced light distribution.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This present disclosure relates to an enhanced lighting control device.

Background Art

[0002] In Patent Document 1, based on environmental information and road information around the host vehicle, the irradiation range of the main headlight is changed in the left - right direction.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the technology of Patent Document 1, in order to avoid other vehicles, drive along a curve, or turn left or right based on environmental information and road information around the host vehicle, the planned driving route itself is changed in the left - right direction. However, depending on the left - right surrounding environment of the planned driving route or the degree of curvature of the curve, etc., even within the range of the planned driving route, the driving position in the left - right direction that can further improve driving safety and comfort changes. However, in the technology of Patent Document 1, the irradiation range of the main headlight is set within a range centered on the center line of the planned driving route, and does not guide driving closer to the left side or the right side within the range of the planned driving route.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide an enhanced lighting control device that can guide driving closer to the left side or the right side within the range of the planned driving route according to the information on the surrounding environment of the host vehicle and the planned driving route.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The enhanced lighting control device according to the present disclosure is An information acquisition unit that acquires information about the surrounding environment of the vehicle, A light distribution reference line setting unit sets a reference line for enhanced light distribution on the target planned driving path, which is the portion of the vehicle's planned driving path that corresponds to the settable range of the illumination range of the headlight device for enhanced light distribution, The system includes an enhanced light distribution command unit that calculates an illumination range command value that defines the illumination range to be set on the aforementioned reference line for enhanced light distribution, and commands the illumination range command value to the headlight device for enhanced light distribution, The light distribution reference line setting unit changes the reference line for enhanced light distribution in the left-right direction relative to the center line of the target planned driving route, based on either or both of the information on the target planned driving route and the target surrounding environment which corresponds to the target planned driving route. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the enhanced light distribution control device described herein, within the range of the target planned driving route, the reference line for enhanced light distribution can be appropriately changed in the left-right direction relative to the center line of the target planned driving route, in accordance with either or both of the information of the target planned driving route and / or the target surrounding environment. Therefore, within the range of the target planned driving route, the vehicle can be appropriately guided to the left or right by enhanced light distribution, thereby improving driving safety and comfort. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a schematic block diagram of the enhanced light distribution control device according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2] This diagram illustrates the schematic hardware configuration of the enhanced light distribution control device according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 3] This diagram illustrates the illumination range of a headlight device for enhanced light distribution according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 4] This diagram illustrates the setting of the reference line and irradiation range for enhanced light distribution according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 5] This figure illustrates the change in the amount of change in the left-right direction according to the degree of curvature, according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 6] This diagram illustrates the setting of the amount of change of the reference line at the entrance, middle, and exit of the curve according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 7] This figure illustrates table data with multiple change patterns set according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 8] This figure illustrates the decrease in the distance to the center of the irradiation range in accordance with the increase in the degree of curvature and the increase in speed, as well as the decrease in the length of the irradiation range in the front-to-back direction in accordance with the decrease in the distance to the center of the irradiation range, according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 9] This figure illustrates the reduction in the width of the illumination range in the left-right direction in accordance with the reduction in lane width, according to Embodiment 2. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] 1. Embodiment 1 A headlight control device 1 for controlling a headlight device 36 for enhanced light distribution (hereinafter referred to as the enhanced light distribution headlight device 36) according to Embodiment 1 will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the enhanced light distribution control device 1 is installed in a vehicle (hereinafter referred to as the vehicle) equipped with the enhanced light distribution headlight device 36. In this embodiment, the enhanced light distribution control device 1 is incorporated into a vehicle control device 50.

[0010] As shown in Figure 1, the vehicle is equipped with a surrounding monitoring device 31, a position detection device 32, a vehicle status detection device 33, a map information database 34, a wireless communication device 35, a vehicle control device 50, a headlight distribution device 36, and a headlight device 37, among others.

[0011] The surrounding monitoring device 31 is a device such as a camera or radar that monitors the area around the vehicle. Millimeter-wave radar, laser radar, etc., are used for the radar. The wireless communication device 35 uses cellular wireless communication standards such as 4G and 5G to communicate wirelessly with base stations or peripheral equipment. The wireless communication device 35 also communicates wirelessly with roadside units that monitor road conditions and surrounding vehicles.

[0012] The position detection device 32 is a device that detects the current position (latitude, longitude, altitude) of the host vehicle, and a GPS antenna or the like that receives signals output from artificial satellites such as GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) is used. Note that various methods such as a map matching method, a dead reckoning method, and a method using detection information around the host vehicle may be used to detect the current position of the host vehicle.

[0013] The map information database 34 stores road information such as road shape (for example, number of lanes, position of each lane, shape of each lane, type of each lane, road type, speed limit, shape of intersection, etc.), road signs, road markings, roadside information, etc. The shape of each lane includes the center position of the lane, the width of the lane, the curvature or radius of curvature of the lane, the rate of change of the curvature of the lane, etc. The roadside information includes roadside information on the right side and the left side of the road or lane. The roadside information includes roadside auxiliary structures on the roadside (for example, guardrails, road shoulders, fences, poles, tree belts), road markings on the roadside (for example, white lines, etc.), structures on the roadside (for example, walls, buildings, etc.), and the terrain and ground features on the roadside (cliffs, rivers, waterways, farmland, height differences, protrusions, slopes, houses, buildings, parking lots, etc.).

[0014] The map information database 34 is mainly composed of a storage device. Note that the map information database 34 may be provided in an external server connected to a network, and the vehicle control device 50 may acquire necessary road information from the external server via the wireless communication device 35.

[0015] The vehicle state detection device 33 is a detection device that detects the state of the host vehicle such as the driving state and the running state of the host vehicle. In the present embodiment, the vehicle state detection device 33 detects the speed, acceleration, yaw rate, steering angle, lateral acceleration, etc. of the host vehicle as the running state of the host vehicle. For example, as the vehicle state detection device 33, a speed sensor that detects the rotational speed of the wheels, an acceleration sensor, an angular velocity sensor, a steering angle sensor, etc. are provided.

[0016] As the driving state of the host vehicle, acceleration / deceleration operations, steering angle operations, and lane change operations by the driver are detected. For example, as the vehicle state detection device 33, an accelerator position sensor, a brake position sensor, a steering angle sensor (steering wheel angle sensor), a steering torque sensor, a direction indicator position switch, and the like are provided.

[0017] The high-beam headlamp device 36 includes a light source 36a, an irradiation range changing mechanism 36b that changes the irradiation range of the light of the light source 36a, and a light control device 36c that controls the light source 36a and the irradiation range changing mechanism 36b. As shown in FIG. 3, the high-beam headlamp device 36 can irradiate light in a range having a width shorter than the width of the lane, and the irradiation range on the road surface has a vertically long shape (in this example, a vertically long elliptical shape) that is long in the longitudinal direction of the lane. The irradiation range changing mechanism 36b can change the length in the vertical direction, the width in the horizontal direction, the angle with respect to the host vehicle, and the central position of the vertically long shape with respect to the host vehicle. The irradiation range changing mechanism 36b can change the angles in the vertical and horizontal directions of the central axis of the irradiation light, and can also change the width in the horizontal and vertical directions of the irradiation light. Note that the irradiation range changing mechanism 36b only needs to be able to change at least the angle in the horizontal direction of the central axis of the irradiation light.

[0018] For example, the irradiation range changing mechanism 36b has an electric actuator that changes the angles in the vertical and horizontal directions of the central axes of the light source 36a and the lens, and an electric lens mechanism that changes the width in the horizontal and vertical directions of the irradiation light. Alternatively, the irradiation range changing mechanism 36b may have an electric lens mechanism that changes the angles in the vertical and horizontal directions of the central axis of the irradiation light, and the width in the horizontal and vertical directions of the irradiation light. Alternatively, the light source 36a may be composed of a plurality of light sources, and the irradiation range changing mechanism 36b may be a mechanism that changes the irradiation range by changing the light source to be emitted among the plurality of light sources.

[0019] The light control device 36c controls the illumination range changing mechanism 36b to change the illumination range of the illuminated light, based on the illumination range command value (in this example, the vertical angle and horizontal angle of the central axis of the illuminated light, and the horizontal width and vertical width of the illuminated light) commanded by the enhanced light distribution command unit 54 of the vehicle control device 50, which will be described later.

[0020] The headlight unit 37 is the normal main headlight for driving, illuminating a relatively wide area necessary for driving and illuminating the entire width of the lane. The headlight unit 37 switches between low beam and high beam illumination. The headlight unit 37 may also have a mechanism to change the illumination range in the left-right direction. The headlight unit 37 may be turned on and off by the vehicle control device 50 described later, or it may be turned on and off by the driver.

[0021] 1-1. Vehicle control device 50 The enhanced light distribution control device 1 is incorporated into the vehicle control device 50. The vehicle control device 50 includes processing units such as an information acquisition unit 51, a planned travel route calculation unit 52, a light distribution reference line setting unit 53, and an enhanced light distribution command unit 54. Each process of the vehicle control device 50 is realized by the processing circuits provided in the vehicle control device 50. Specifically, as shown in Figure 2, the vehicle control device 50 includes a arithmetic processing unit 90 such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a storage device 91, and an input / output device 92 that inputs and outputs external signals to and from the arithmetic processing unit 90.

[0022] The arithmetic processing unit 90 may include an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an IC (Integrated Circuit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), an AI (Artificial Intelligence) chip, various logic circuits, and various signal processing circuits. Furthermore, multiple arithmetic processing units 90 of the same or different types may be provided, with each processing unit being assigned to a specific task. The storage device 91 may include various storage devices such as RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), a hard disk, or an SSD (Solid State Drive).

[0023] The input / output device 92 is equipped with a communication device, an A / D converter, input / output ports, a drive circuit, etc. The input / output device 92 is connected to the surrounding monitoring device 31, the position detection device 32, the vehicle status detection device 33, the map information database 34, the wireless communication device 35, the enhanced light distribution headlight device 36, and the headlight device 37, etc., and communicates with these devices.

[0024] The processing units 51 to 54 and other units of the vehicle control device 50 are realized by the arithmetic processing unit 90 executing software (programs) stored in the storage device 91 and cooperating with other hardware of the vehicle control device 50, such as the storage device 91 and the input / output device 92. The setting data, such as correction patterns, used by each of the processing units 51 to 54 is stored in the storage device 91, such as an EEPROM.

[0025] 1-1-1. Information acquisition section 51 The information acquisition unit 51 acquires information about the surrounding environment of the vehicle. In particular, the information acquisition unit 51 acquires information about the surrounding environment of the planned driving route, which will be described later.

[0026] The information acquisition unit 51 acquires road information around the vehicle from the map information database 34 based on the vehicle's position information acquired from the position detection device 32. The road information to be acquired includes road shape (e.g., number of lanes, center position of each lane, shape of each lane, type of each lane, road type, speed limit, intersection shape, etc.), road signs, road markings, and roadside information. The shape of each lane includes the center position of the lane, the width of the lane, the curvature or radius of curvature of the lane, and the rate of change of curvature of the lane. The roadside information includes roadside information on the right and left sides of the road or lane. Roadside information includes roadside structures (e.g., guardrails, shoulders, fences, poles, planting areas), roadside markings (e.g., lane markings such as white lines), roadside structures (e.g., walls, buildings, etc.), and roadside topography and land use (cliffs, rivers, waterways, farmland, elevation differences, protrusions, slopes, houses, buildings, parking lots).

[0027] Furthermore, the information acquisition unit 51 detects the shape and position of the road and each lane based on detection information of white lines and roadside objects acquired from the surrounding monitoring device 31. The shape of each lane includes the lane's center position, lane width, lane curvature or radius of curvature, and lane curvature change rate. The information acquisition unit 51 also detects the roadside conditions on the right and left sides of the road and lanes based on detection information acquired from the surrounding monitoring device 31. Roadside conditions include road-related structures, structures, terrain, and land use.

[0028] The information acquisition unit 51 may acquire information on the surrounding environment via wireless communication from roadside units that monitor road conditions, and from surrounding vehicles, etc.

[0029] The information acquisition unit 51 acquires the driving status of the vehicle. The information acquisition unit 51 acquires the vehicle's position information from the position detection device 32 and the vehicle's direction of movement, speed, and acceleration from the vehicle state detection device 33. The information acquisition unit 51 also acquires the vehicle's driving status from the vehicle state detection device 33. The driving status of the vehicle is detected as the driver's acceleration / deceleration operations, steering angle operations, lane change operations, etc.

[0030] 1-1-2. Driving route calculation unit 52 The planned route calculation unit 52 sets the planned route, which is the route the vehicle is scheduled to travel. If the navigation function has set a target route to the destination, the planned route calculation unit 52 sets the target route as the planned route. Also, if the driver is operating the turn signal and making a lane change or turning right or left manually, the planned route calculation unit 52 sets the normal route for the route change as the planned route. If the lane change is being made with driving assistance, the planned route calculation unit 52 sets the target route for the lane change as the planned route. The planned route calculation unit 52 sets the lane after the lane change as the planned route. If the navigation function has not set a target route and no lane change or right or left turn has been made, the planned route calculation unit 52 sets the area ahead of the currently driven lane as the planned route. The planned route is set to the planned lane or the planned route for the route change. The planned route for route changes is defined as an area with a width similar to the lane width, centered on the centerline of the planned route.

[0031] 1-1-3. Light distribution reference line setting section 53 The light distribution reference line setting unit 53 sets a reference line for enhanced light distribution on the target planned travel route, which is the planned travel route corresponding to the settable range of the illumination range of the enhanced light distribution headlight device 36. As shown in Figure 4, the light distribution reference line setting unit 53 changes the reference line for enhanced light distribution in the left-right direction with respect to the center line of the target planned travel route, based on either or both of the information of the target planned travel route and the target surrounding environment, which is the surrounding environment corresponding to the target planned travel route. Then, as will be described later, the enhanced light distribution command unit 54 calculates an illumination range command value that defines the illumination range to be set on the reference line for enhanced light distribution, and commands the illumination range command value to the enhanced light distribution headlight device 36.

[0032] Even within the range of the planned driving lane or the target driving route, the lateral driving position changes depending on the information of the target driving route or the target surrounding environment, thereby improving driving safety and comfort. With the above configuration, within the range of the target driving route, the reference line for enhanced light distribution can be appropriately changed in the lateral direction relative to the center line of the target driving route, in accordance with either or both of the information of the target driving route and the target surrounding environment. Therefore, within the range of the target driving route, the vehicle can be appropriately guided to the left or right by enhanced light distribution, thereby improving driving safety and comfort.

[0033] As shown in Figure 3, the configurable illumination range is the maximum range in which the enhanced light distribution headlight device 36 can set the illumination range (for example, the center position of the illumination range), and is the superposition of all configurable illumination ranges. In this embodiment, the configurable illumination range is set to the distance range in front of the vehicle along the planned travel route (for example, from the minimum forward illumination distance to the maximum forward illumination distance), and is preset based on the enhanced light distribution headlight device 36 and design specifications. The light distribution reference line setting unit 53 extracts the portion of the planned travel route in which the distance range in front of the vehicle along the planned travel route falls within the configurable illumination range as the target planned travel route.

[0034] In this embodiment, the light distribution reference line setting unit 53 sets a position obtained by changing the reference line of the target planned driving route in the left-right direction as the reference line for enhanced light distribution, and sets the amount of change in the left-right direction based on the information of the target planned driving route and / or the target surrounding environment. In this embodiment, the reference line of the target planned driving route is the center line of the target planned driving route. The reference line of the target planned driving route may also be the right or left boundary line of the target planned driving route. If the target planned driving route does not include a section of route change such as a lane change, the target planned driving route is set as a lane, or if there is no lane, as a planned driving area. If the target planned driving route includes a section of route change such as a lane change, the target planned driving route is set as a planned driving area for route change. The planned driving area is an area with a width similar to the lane width, centered on the center line of the planned driving route.

[0035] The light distribution reference line setting unit 53 sets the amount of change in the left-right direction relative to the center line of the target planned travel route based on either or both of the information of the target travel route and the target surrounding environment, and sets a reference line for enhanced light distribution by changing the center line of the target planned travel route by the amount of change in the left-right direction.

[0036] In this embodiment, the amount of change in the left-right direction is set as a rate of change in the left-right direction, normalized by the width of the target planned driving route (in this example, the width of the lane or the width of the planned driving area). The light distribution reference line setting unit 53 sets the rate of change in the left-right direction based on either or both of the information of the target planned driving route and the target surrounding environment, and sets the value obtained by multiplying the rate of change in the left-right direction by the actual width of the target planned driving route as the amount of change in the left-right direction.

[0037] In this embodiment, the light distribution reference line setting unit 53 changes the reference line for enhanced light distribution to the left or right based on the state of the left and right sides of the target surrounding environment, which is the state of the target planned driving route.

[0038] With this configuration, the reference line for enhanced light distribution can be appropriately changed to the left or right depending on the state of the left and right sides, respectively.

[0039] <Changes in the reference line for enhanced light distribution according to the level of danger> The light distribution reference line setting unit 53 calculates the degree of danger on the left side and the degree of danger on the right side based on the conditions on the left and right sides of the target planned driving route. If the degree of danger on the left side is higher than the degree of danger on the right side, it shifts the reference line for enhanced light distribution to the right compared to when the degrees of danger on the left side and the right side are the same. If the degree of danger on the right side is higher than the degree of danger on the left side, it shifts the reference line for enhanced light distribution to the left compared to when the degrees of danger on the left side and the right side are the same.

[0040] With this configuration, by changing the reference line for enhanced light distribution to the right or left side, where the risk is lower, and thereby changing the illumination range of the enhanced light distribution, it is possible to guide the vehicle to travel on the side with the lower risk.

[0041] The light distribution reference line setting unit 53 increases the amount of change in the reference line to the left or right as the difference between the risk level on the left and the risk level on the right increases.

[0042] The light distribution reference line setting unit 53 uses right-side roadside information and left-side roadside information as the conditions of the left and right sides of the target planned driving route. Based on the right-side roadside information, the light distribution reference line setting unit 53 determines the degree of danger on the right side, and based on the left-side roadside information, determines the degree of danger on the left side. As described above, the roadside information includes road-related structures on the roadside (e.g., guardrails, shoulders, fences, poles, planting strips), road markings on the roadside (e.g., white lines, etc.), structures on the roadside (e.g., walls, buildings, etc.), and the topography and land use of the roadside (cliffs, rivers, waterways, farmland, elevation differences, protrusions, slopes, houses, buildings, parking lots).

[0043] For example, the light distribution reference line setting unit 53 determines that if there are objects that restrict the vehicle's movement, such as roadside structures and other structures, on the left or right side of the road, the risk of driving on the left or right side is low because the vehicle's movement is restricted by the roadside structures or other structures, and there is a low possibility that the vehicle will deviate from its lane. The light distribution reference line setting unit 53 determines that if there are no roadside structures and other structures on the left or right side of the road, but there are dangerous terrain and land use such as cliffs, rivers, waterways, farmland, or differences in elevation on the left or right side of the road, the risk of driving on the left or right side is high because there is a possibility that the vehicle will deviate from its lane and fall off. The light distribution reference line setting unit 53 determines that if there are no roadside structures and other structures on the left or right side of the road, but there are protruding objects such as rocks or obstacles on the left or right side of the road, the risk of driving on the left or right side is high because there is a possibility that the vehicle will collide with the protruding object. Furthermore, the light distribution reference line setting unit 53 determines that if there is a road marking on the left or right side of the road, the risk of driving on the left or right side is lower than under other equal conditions, because drivers usually use the road marking as a guide and drive inside the road marking. The degree of risk changes in stages depending on the type of road-related structure, the type of structure, the type of terrain and land use, and the type of road marking.

[0044] <Changes in the baseline according to the curve> The light distribution reference line setting unit 53 uses curvature information of the target planned travel route as information of the target planned travel route, and if the target planned travel route is curved, it changes the reference line for enhanced light distribution to be closer to the inside of the curve than when the target planned travel route is straight. In this embodiment, curvature or radius of curvature is used as curvature information. The radius of curvature is the reciprocal of curvature. Alternatively, the degree of curvature, such as the radius of curvature, may be calculated from the position information of the target planned travel route.

[0045] When driving on a curve, centrifugal force acts on the outside of the curve, so it is safer to drive closer to the inside of the curve. By changing the reference line for enhanced light distribution on the inside of the curve, the range of the enhanced light distribution can be changed, thereby guiding the vehicle to drive closer to the safer inside of the curve.

[0046] As shown in Figure 5, the light distribution reference line setting unit 53 increases the amount of change in the reference line for emphasized light distribution towards the inside of the curve as the degree of curvature of the target planned travel route increases. In this embodiment, curvature or radius of curvature is used as the degree of curvature, but other indicators may be used.

[0047] This configuration allows for increased safety and comfort during curved driving by increasing the amount of change in the reference line for emphasized light distribution towards the inside of the curve as the degree of curvature increases and the centrifugal force increases.

[0048] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 6, the light distribution reference line setting unit 53 changes the amount of change in the reference line for emphasized light distribution towards the inside of the curve at the entrance, middle, and exit of the curve if the target planned travel route includes a curve.

[0049] With this configuration, the centrifugal force changes at the entrance, middle, and exit of the curve, and the desired driving line changes, so it is possible to set the amount of change towards the inside of the curve that is appropriate for each of the entrance, middle, and exit of the curve.

[0050] For example, the light distribution reference line setting unit 53 sets the amount of change in the central part to be greater than the amount of change in the inlet and outlet parts. With this configuration, since the centrifugal force is usually greater in the central part than in the inlet and outlet parts, it is possible to set an appropriate amount of change towards the inside of the curve in response to the change in centrifugal force.

[0051] <Multiple change patterns> In this embodiment, the light distribution reference line setting unit 53 selects one change pattern from a plurality of pre-set change patterns based on either or both of the target planned travel route and the target surrounding environment, and sets a reference line for enhanced light distribution using the selected change pattern.

[0052] This configuration reduces the computational load by using a simple process to select one change pattern from several pre-set change patterns.

[0053] In this embodiment, the light distribution reference line setting unit 53 uses table data in which a relationship is set between a plurality of pre-set parameters and a plurality of change patterns, representing either or both of the target planned travel route and the target surrounding environment. For example, as shown in Figure 7, the plurality of parameters used are curve direction, radius of curvature, width of the target planned travel route, degree of danger on the left side, and degree of danger on the right side. As change patterns, if the target planned travel route is a curve, one change pattern is set with change rates in the left and right directions for the entrance, middle, and exit of the curve. If the target planned travel route is not a curve, one change pattern is set with one change rate in the left and right directions. For each parameter other than the curve direction, whose value changes continuously, a plurality of stepped ranges are set. One change pattern is set for each combination of multiple ranges of multiple parameters.

[0054] When the reference line for enhanced light distribution is aligned with the right boundary line of the planned travel route, the rate of change in the left-right direction is set to 0%. When the reference line for enhanced light distribution is aligned with the left boundary line of the planned travel route, the rate of change in the left-right direction is set to 100%. When the reference line for enhanced light distribution is aligned with the center line of the planned travel route, the rate of change in the left-right direction is set to 50%. The rate of change in the left-right direction changes continuously from 0% to 100% as the reference line for enhanced light distribution gradually moves from the right boundary line to the left boundary line of the planned travel route.

[0055] The light distribution reference line setting unit 53 calculates (rate of change in the left-right direction - 50%) / 100% × width of the target planned travel route as the amount of change in the left-right direction from the center line of the target planned travel route. Then, the light distribution reference line setting unit 53 changes the center line of the target planned travel route by the amount of change in the left-right direction to set a reference line for enhanced light distribution. Here, the amount of change in the right direction is a positive value, and the amount of change in the left direction is a negative value.

[0056] Furthermore, if the planned route is a curve, the light distribution reference line setting unit 53 interpolates (for example, linearly interpolates) the amount of change in the left-right direction at the entrance, the amount of change in the left-right direction at the center, and the amount of change in the left-right direction at the exit, thereby continuously changing the amount of change in the left-right direction from the entrance to the exit of the curve and setting a reference line for enhanced light distribution.

[0057] 1-1-4. Light distribution reference line setting section 53 The light distribution reference line setting unit 53 corrects the reference line for enhanced light distribution to avoid obstacles if there are obstacles on the target planned driving route. For example, obstacles are parked vehicles, fallen objects, construction sites, etc., that the vehicle must avoid when driving along the target planned driving route. Obstacles are detected by the information acquisition unit 51 using the surrounding monitoring device 31, roadside units, and surrounding vehicles. If the planned driving route is set taking obstacle avoidance into consideration, the reference line for enhanced light distribution does not need to be corrected.

[0058] 1-1-5. Enhanced Light Distribution Command Unit 54 The enhanced light distribution command unit 54 calculates an illumination range command value that defines the illumination range to be set on the reference line for enhanced light distribution, and commands the illumination range command value to the enhanced light distribution headlight device 36.

[0059] The enhanced light distribution command unit 54 calculates command values ​​for the left-right illumination angle of the enhanced light distribution headlight device 36 so that the center position of the illumination range is positioned on the reference line for enhanced light distribution. In this embodiment, the enhanced light distribution command unit 54 sets the position on the reference line for distance-enhanced light distribution, where the distance from the vehicle is a preset target distance, as the target center position, and calculates command values ​​for the left-right illumination angle and the up-down illumination angle of the enhanced light distribution headlight device 36 so that the center position of the illumination range coincides with the target center position. If the up-down illumination angle is not variable, the target distance is set to the distance corresponding to a fixed up-down illumination angle.

[0060] The enhanced light distribution command unit 54 calculates a command value for the width of the illumination light in the left-right direction so that the width of the illumination range in the left-right direction becomes a preset target width. The enhanced light distribution command unit 54 also calculates a command value for the width of the illumination light in the up-down direction so that the length of the illumination range in the front-back direction becomes a preset target length. If the width of the illumination light in the left-right direction is not variable, the command value for the width in the left-right direction is not calculated, and if the width of the illumination light in the up-down direction is not variable, the command value for the width in the up-down direction is not calculated.

[0061] The enhanced light distribution command unit 54 transmits the calculated command values ​​for each illumination range to the enhanced light distribution headlight device 36. The enhanced light distribution headlight device 36 (light control device 36c) controls the illumination range changing mechanism 36b based on the command values ​​for each illumination range to change the illumination range of the emitted light.

[0062] 2. Embodiment 2 Next, the enhanced light distribution control device 1 according to Embodiment 2 will be described. The same components as in Embodiment 1 will not be described. The basic configuration of the enhanced light distribution control device 1 according to this embodiment is the same as in Embodiment 1, but it differs from Embodiment 1 in that the irradiation range is changed.

[0063] In this embodiment, the high-beam control command unit 54 calculates an irradiation range command value such that the irradiation range set on the reference line for high-beam lighting changes based on one or both of the information on the target planned travel route and the travel state of the host vehicle.

[0064] According to this configuration, it is possible to change the irradiation range suitable for one or both of the target planned travel route and the travel state of the host vehicle, and improve the safety and comfort of driving.

[0065] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, as the speed of the host vehicle increases, the high-beam control command unit 54 increases the distance from the host vehicle to the center position of the irradiation range, and as the degree of curvature of the target planned travel route increases, the distance from the host vehicle to the center position of the irradiation range is decreased.

[0066] As the speed increases, more distant information is required to enhance the safety and comfort of driving. As the speed of the host vehicle increases, the distance to the center position of the irradiation range is increased, so that a more distant range can be highlighted for high-beam lighting to improve the safety and comfort of driving. Also, in order to drive safely along a curve, as the degree of curvature increases, it is necessary to drive while paying attention to the position of a closer curve. As the degree of curvature of the target planned travel route increases, the distance from the host vehicle to the center position of the irradiation range is decreased, so that a closer range can be highlighted for high-beam lighting to improve the safety and comfort of driving.

[0067] For example, as shown in the following formula, the high-beam control command unit 54 adds a value obtained by multiplying the vehicle speed of the host vehicle by a positive coefficient a and a value obtained by multiplying the radius of curvature of the target planned travel route by a positive coefficient b to calculate the target distance D from the host vehicle to the center position of the irradiation range. D = a × vehicle speed + b × radius of curvature (1)

[0068] The high-beam control command unit 54 upper and lower limits the target distance D of the center position with upper and lower limit values. Lower limit value < D < upper limit value. For example, the lower limit value is set to vehicle speed × a predetermined time (for example, 3 seconds). The upper limit value is set to a predetermined distance.

[0069] Alternatively, the enhanced light distribution command unit 54 may calculate the target distance to the center of the illumination range corresponding to the current speed of the vehicle and the radius of curvature of the current planned route, using a distance setting function in which the relationship between the speed and radius of curvature and the target distance to the center of the illumination range from the vehicle is predetermined. The distance setting function may be map data or a higher-order function (e.g., a polynomial).

[0070] The enhanced light distribution command unit 54 sets a position on the reference line for enhanced light distribution where the distance from the vehicle is the target distance as the target center position, and calculates command values ​​for the vertical illumination angle and the horizontal illumination angle of the enhanced light distribution headlight device 36 so that the center position of the illumination range coincides with the target center position.

[0071] As shown in Figure 8, the enhanced light distribution command unit 54 increases the length of the illumination range in the front-to-back direction as the distance from the vehicle to the center of the illumination range increases.

[0072] With this configuration, the illumination area becomes more difficult to see as the distance to the center of the illumination area increases, but visibility can be improved by increasing the length of the illumination area in the front-to-back direction.

[0073] For example, the enhanced light distribution command unit 54 calculates the target length L in the front-to-back direction by multiplying the target distance D at the center position by a positive coefficient c, as shown in the following equation. L = c × D (2)

[0074] Alternatively, the enhanced light distribution command unit 54 may calculate the target length in the front-to-back direction corresponding to the current target distance at the center position using a length setting function in which the relationship between the target distance at the center position and the target length in the front-to-back direction is predetermined. The length setting function may be map data or a higher-order function (e.g., a polynomial).

[0075] The enhanced light distribution command unit 54 calculates a command value for the vertical width of the illuminated light so that the length of the illumination range in the front-to-back direction becomes the target length. In this case, the distance to the center position of the illumination range may also be taken into consideration.

[0076] As shown in FIG. 9, as the lane width of the target planned travel route decreases, the width of the irradiation range in the left-right direction is decreased by the enhanced lighting command unit 54.

[0077] According to this configuration, as the lane width decreases, by decreasing the width of the irradiation range in the left-right direction, it is possible to suppress the irradiation range from protruding outside the lane, accurately illuminate the travel route, and improve the safety and comfort of travel.

[0078] For example, as shown in the following formula, the enhanced lighting command unit 54 multiplies the value obtained by dividing the lane width of the target planned travel route by the vehicle width by a positive coefficient d to calculate the target width W in the left-right direction of the irradiation range. The vehicle width is preset according to the specifications of the host vehicle. W = c × lane width / vehicle width (3)

[0079] The enhanced lighting command unit 54 upper and lower limits the target width W in the left-right direction with an upper limit value and a lower limit value. Lower limit value < W < upper limit value. For example, the lower limit value is the minimum width that can be visually recognized by the driver, and the upper limit value is the average left-right direction width preset based on the average lane width and the average vehicle width.

[0080] Alternatively, the enhanced lighting command unit 54 may calculate the target width in the left-right direction corresponding to the current lane width and vehicle width using a width setting function in which the relationship between the lane width and vehicle width and the target width in the left-right direction of the irradiation range is preset. The width setting function is map data or a higher-order function (for example, a polynomial).

[0081] The enhanced lighting command unit 54 calculates a command value for the width in the left-right direction of the irradiation light whose width in the left-right direction of the irradiation range becomes the target width. At this time, the distance of the center position of the irradiation range may also be considered.

[0082] The enhanced lighting command unit 54 transmits the calculated command value for each irradiation range to the enhanced lighting headlamp device 36. The enhanced lighting headlamp device 36 (light control device 36c) controls the irradiation range changing mechanism 36b based on the command value for each irradiation range to change the irradiation range of the irradiation light.

[0083] 3. Embodiment 3 Next, the enhanced light distribution control device 1 according to Embodiment 3 will be described. The same components as those in Embodiments 1 or 2 described above will be omitted from the description. The basic configuration of the enhanced light distribution control device 1 according to this embodiment is the same as that of Embodiments 1 or 2, but it differs from Embodiments 1 or 2 in that the irradiation range is changed based on the tracking error.

[0084] In this embodiment, the enhanced light distribution command unit 54 calculates a tracking error, which is the deviation between the center position of the actual illumination range and the actual driving position of the vehicle. Based on this tracking error, it changes the illumination range set on the reference line for enhanced light distribution. Here, the tracking error is the absolute value of the deviation.

[0085] Normally, if the driver's visibility of the enhanced light distribution is poor, the tracking error increases, and if the driver's visibility of the enhanced light distribution is good, the tracking error decreases. Therefore, by changing the illumination range set on the reference line for the enhanced light distribution based on the tracking error, the visibility of the enhanced light distribution can be appropriately changed, thereby improving the safety and comfort of driving with enhanced light distribution.

[0086] The enhanced light distribution command unit 54 decreases the distance from the vehicle to the center of the illumination range if the tracking error is greater than a reference value, and increases the distance from the vehicle to the center of the illumination range if the tracking error is less than a reference value.

[0087] The enhanced light distribution command unit 54 stores time-series data of the center position of the set actual illumination range in a storage device 91 such as RAM, and calculates the shortest distance between the line of center positions formed by connecting the center positions of multiple past illumination ranges and the current position of the vehicle as the tracking error. The enhanced light distribution command unit 54 may also use the value obtained by performing statistical processing (moving average processing, filtering processing, standard deviation) on the calculated tracking error to control the change in the illumination range.

[0088] If the visibility of the enhanced light distribution is poor and the tracking error is greater than the standard value, the distance to the center of the illumination range can be reduced to improve visibility. On the other hand, if the visibility of the enhanced light distribution is good and the tracking error is smaller than the standard value, visibility can be maintained even if the distance to the center of the illumination range is increased.

[0089] Since tracking errors cannot be zero, the reference value is set to a value that prevents the distance to the center of the irradiation range from decreasing or increasing too much.

[0090] In this embodiment, the enhanced light distribution command unit 54 changes the amount of change in the distance of the center position based on the tracking error. For example, if the tracking error is greater than a reference value, the enhanced light distribution command unit 54 decreases the amount of change in the distance of the center position by an update amount, and if the tracking error is less than a reference value, it increases the amount of change in the distance of the center position by an update amount. Thus, the amount of change in the distance of the center position is updated by integral action, and the tracking error approaches the reference value. The update amount may be changed according to the deviation between the tracking error and the reference value. The amount of change in the distance of the center position is limited by upper and lower limits to prevent the distance of the center position from becoming too small or too large.

[0091] The enhanced light distribution command unit 54 changes the target distance of the center position of the irradiation range before the change by the amount of change in the distance of the center position, and calculates the final target distance of the center position of the irradiation range. The target distance of the center position of the irradiation range before the change is the target distance of the center position of the irradiation range calculated in Embodiment 1 or 2.

[0092] Furthermore, the enhanced light distribution command unit 54 increases the width of the illumination range in the left-right direction if the tracking error is greater than the reference value, and decreases the width of the illumination range in the left-right direction if the tracking error is smaller than the reference value.

[0093] If the visibility of the enhanced light distribution is poor and the tracking error is greater than the standard value, the width of the illumination range in the left-right direction can be increased to improve visibility. On the other hand, if the visibility of the enhanced light distribution is good and the tracking error is smaller than the standard value, visibility can be maintained even if the width of the illumination range in the left-right direction is reduced.

[0094] In this embodiment, the enhanced light distribution command unit 54 changes the amount of change in the width in the left-right direction based on the tracking error. For example, if the tracking error is greater than a reference value, the enhanced light distribution command unit 54 increases the amount of change in the width in the left-right direction by the update amount, and if the tracking error is less than a reference value, it decreases the width in the left-right direction by the update amount. Thus, the amount of change in the width in the left-right direction is updated by integral action, and the tracking error approaches the reference value. The update amount may be changed according to the deviation between the tracking error and the reference value. The amount of change in the width in the left-right direction is limited by upper and lower limits to prevent the width in the left-right direction from becoming too small or too large.

[0095] The enhanced light distribution command unit 54 changes the target width in the left-right direction of the irradiation range before the change by the amount of change in the left-right width, and calculates the final target width in the left-right direction of the irradiation range. The target width in the left-right direction of the irradiation range before the change is the target width in the left-right direction of the irradiation range calculated in the same manner as in Embodiment 1 or 2.

[0096] In this embodiment, the enhanced light distribution command unit 54 maintains and updates the amount of change in the illumination range in correspondence with either or both of the target planned travel route information and the target surrounding environment used to set the reference line for enhanced light distribution. In this embodiment, the amount of change in the illumination range is the amount of change in the distance to the center position and the amount of change in the width in the left-right direction.

[0097] For example, the range of change of either or both of the target travel route information and the target surrounding environment used to set the reference line for enhanced light distribution is divided into multiple regions, and a change in the distance of the center position and a change in the width in the left-right direction are provided for each region. The change in the distance of the center position and the change in the width in the left-right direction for each region are stored in a non-volatile storage device 91 such as backup RAM. The light distribution reference line setting unit 53 updates the change in the distance of the center position and the change in the width in the left-right direction for the corresponding region based on the calculated tracking error.

[0098] The light distribution reference line setting unit 53 reads from the storage device 91 the change in distance and width in the left-right direction of the area corresponding to one or both of the target surrounding environment and the target route information used to set the current reference line for enhanced light distribution. It then changes the target distance of the center position of the irradiation range before the change and the target width in the left-right direction of the irradiation range before the change, which were calculated in the same manner as in Embodiment 1 or 2, to calculate the final target distance of the center position of the irradiation range and the final target width in the left-right direction of the irradiation range.

[0099] As described in Embodiment 1, the case in which a reference line for enhanced light distribution is set using multiple change patterns will be described. The light distribution reference line setting unit 53 maintains and updates the amount of change in the irradiation range in accordance with the change pattern used to set the reference line for enhanced light distribution. In this embodiment, the amount of change in the irradiation range is the amount of change in the distance to the center position and the amount of change in the width in the left-right direction.

[0100] For example, each change pattern is provided with a change in the distance to the center position and a change in the width in the left-right direction. The change in the distance to the center position and the change in the width in the left-right direction for each change pattern are stored in a non-volatile storage device 91 such as backup RAM. The light distribution reference line setting unit 53 updates the change in the distance to the center position and the change in the width in the left-right direction for the corresponding change pattern based on the calculated tracking error.

[0101] The light distribution reference line setting unit 53 reads from the storage device 91 the amount of change in the distance of the center position and the amount of change in the width in the left-right direction of the change pattern used to set the current reference line for enhanced light distribution, and changes the target distance of the center position of the irradiation range before the change and the target width in the left-right direction of the irradiation range before the change, which were calculated in the same manner as in Embodiment 1 or 2, to calculate the final target distance of the center position of the irradiation range and the final target width in the left-right direction of the irradiation range.

[0102] If a rate of change in the left-right direction is set for the entrance, middle, and exit of the curve in each change pattern, then the amount of change in the distance of the center position and the amount of change in the left-right width are provided for each of the entrance, middle, and exit of the curve, and the tracking error is calculated for each of the entrance, middle, and exit of the curve. The amount of change in the distance of the center position and the amount of change in the left-right width of the entrance, middle, and exit are updated and used in the calculation. The average tracking error for the entrance, middle, and exit, and the average amount of change in the distance of the center position and the average amount of change in the left-right width are calculated and used in the change.

[0103] The enhanced light distribution command unit 54 sets the position on the reference line for enhanced light distribution, which is the target distance of the final center position after the distance from the vehicle has changed, as the target center position, and calculates the command values ​​for the vertical illumination angle and the horizontal illumination angle of the enhanced light distribution headlight device 36 so that the center position of the illumination range coincides with the target center position.

[0104] The enhanced light distribution command unit 54 calculates a command value for the vertical width of the irradiated light such that the length of the irradiated range in the front-to-back direction becomes the target length in the front-to-back direction, calculated in the same manner as in Embodiment 1 or 2. In this case, the target distance of the center position of the final irradiated range after the change may also be taken into consideration.

[0105] The enhanced light distribution command unit 54 calculates a command value for the width of the illumination light in the left-right direction so that the width of the illumination range in the left-right direction becomes the final target width in the left-right direction after the change. In this case, the target distance to the center position of the final illumination range after the change may also be taken into consideration.

[0106] The enhanced light distribution command unit 54 transmits the calculated command values ​​for each illumination range to the enhanced light distribution headlight device 36. The enhanced light distribution headlight device 36 (light control device 36c) controls the illumination range changing mechanism 36b based on the command values ​​for each illumination range to change the illumination range of the emitted light.

[0107] While this disclosure describes various exemplary embodiments and examples, the various features, aspects, and functions described in one or more embodiments are not limited to the application of a particular embodiment, but are applicable individually or in various combinations to the embodiments. Accordingly, countless variations not illustrated herein are conceivable within the scope of the art disclosed herein. For example, these include modifying, adding or omitting at least one component, or even extracting at least one component and combining it with a component from another embodiment. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0108] 1: Enhanced light distribution control device, 36: Headlight device for enhanced light distribution (enhanced light distribution headlight device), 50: Vehicle control device, 51: Information acquisition unit, 52: Driving route calculation unit, 53: Light distribution reference line setting unit, 54: Enhanced light distribution command unit

Claims

1. An information acquisition unit that acquires information about the surrounding environment of the vehicle, A light distribution reference line setting unit sets a reference line for enhanced light distribution on the target planned driving path, which is the portion of the vehicle's planned driving path that corresponds to the settable range of the illumination range of the headlight device for enhanced light distribution, The system includes an enhanced light distribution command unit that calculates an illumination range command value that defines the illumination range to be set on the aforementioned reference line for enhanced light distribution, and commands the illumination range command value to the headlight device for enhanced light distribution, The aforementioned light distribution reference line setting unit is an enhanced light distribution control device that changes the reference line for enhanced light distribution in the left-right direction with respect to the center line of the target planned travel route, based on either or both of the information of the target planned travel route and the target surrounding environment which is the surrounding environment corresponding to the target planned travel route.

2. The enhanced light distribution control device according to claim 1, wherein the light distribution reference line setting unit changes the reference line for enhanced light distribution to the left or right based on the state of the left and right sides of the target planned travel route as the target surrounding environment.

3. The enhanced light distribution control device according to claim 2, wherein the light distribution reference line setting unit calculates the risk level on the left and the risk level on the right based on the state of the left and the state of the right, and if the risk level on the left is higher than the risk level on the right, it changes the reference line for enhanced light distribution to the right more than when the risk levels on the left and the risk levels on the right are the same, and if the risk level on the right is higher than the risk level on the left, it changes the reference line for enhanced light distribution to the left more than when the risk levels on the left and the risk levels on the right are the same.

4. The enhanced light distribution control device according to claim 1, wherein the light distribution reference line setting unit uses curvature information of the target planned travel route as information of the target planned travel route, and if the target planned travel route is curved, changes the reference line for enhanced light distribution to be further inside the curve than when the target planned travel route is straight.

5. The enhanced light distribution control device according to claim 4, wherein the light distribution reference line setting unit increases the amount of change of the reference line for enhanced light distribution towards the inside of the curve as the degree of curvature of the target planned travel route increases.

6. The enhanced light distribution control device according to claim 4, wherein the light distribution reference line setting unit changes the amount of change of the reference line for enhanced light distribution toward the inside of the curve at the entrance, middle, and exit of the curve if the target planned travel route includes a curve.

7. The enhanced light distribution control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the light distribution reference line setting unit selects one of a plurality of pre-set change patterns based on either or both of the information of the target planned travel route and the target surrounding environment, and sets the reference line for enhanced light distribution using the selected change pattern.

8. The enhanced light distribution control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the enhanced light distribution command unit calculates the irradiation range command value so that the irradiation range set on the reference line for enhanced light distribution changes based on either or both the information of the target planned driving route and the driving status of the vehicle itself.

9. The enhanced light distribution control device according to claim 8, wherein the enhanced light distribution command unit increases the distance from the vehicle to the center of the illumination range as the vehicle's speed increases, and decreases the distance to the center as the curvature of the target planned travel path increases.

10. The enhanced light distribution control device according to claim 9, wherein the enhanced light distribution command unit increases the length of the illumination range in the front-rear direction as the distance from the vehicle to the center of the illumination range increases.

11. The enhanced light distribution control device according to claim 8, wherein the enhanced light distribution command unit reduces the width of the illumination range in the left-right direction as the lane width of the target planned driving route decreases.

12. The enhanced light distribution control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the enhanced light distribution command unit calculates a tracking error which is the deviation between the actual center position of the illumination range and the actual driving trajectory of the vehicle, and changes the illumination range set on the reference line for enhanced light distribution based on the tracking error.

13. The enhanced light distribution control device according to claim 12, wherein the enhanced light distribution command unit reduces the distance from the vehicle to the center position of the illumination range when the tracking error is greater than a reference value, and increases the distance from the vehicle to the center position of the illumination range when the tracking error is less than a reference value.

14. The enhanced light distribution control device according to claim 12, wherein the enhanced light distribution command unit increases the width of the irradiation range in the left-right direction when the tracking error is greater than a reference value, and decreases the width of the irradiation range in the left-right direction when the tracking error is less than a reference value.

15. The enhanced light distribution control device according to claim 12, wherein the enhanced light distribution command unit maintains and updates the amount of change in the irradiation range in correspondence with one or both of the information of the target planned travel route and the target surrounding environment used to set the reference line for enhanced light distribution.

16. The light distribution reference line setting unit selects one of a plurality of pre-set change patterns based on either or both of the information of the target planned travel route and the target surrounding environment, and sets the reference line for enhanced light distribution using the selected change pattern. The enhanced light distribution control device according to claim 12, which maintains and updates the amount of change in the irradiation range in accordance with the change pattern used to set the reference line for enhanced light distribution.

Images