Environmental control devices

Abstract

To provide an environmental control device that can suppress discomfort for the occupants. [Solution] In the environmental control system 10, when an environmental mode is set, the control ECU 20 operates the vehicle seat 16, lighting device 30, audio device 32, and air conditioning device 34, etc., according to the environmental mode, and controls the passenger space to be in an environmental state corresponding to the environmental mode. In addition, prior to the movement of the vehicle seat 16 to change the seating posture of the occupant, the control ECU 20 uses the audio device 32 to output music, etc., according to the environmental mode from the speaker 42. As a result, the environmental control system 10 can suppress the abruptness of the movement of the vehicle seat 16 when transitioning to an environmental mode, thereby suppressing discomfort to the occupant.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an environmental control device.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an in-vehicle system that estimates the atmosphere in the vehicle interior based on the voices of passengers detected by a voice detection unit provided in the vehicle interior, and adjusts the temperature, music, lighting, fragrance, and the posture of the passengers in the vehicle interior according to the estimated atmosphere. In the in-vehicle system, when the atmosphere in the vehicle interior is estimated to be a relaxed state, it shifts to the sleep mode, and in the sleep mode, it is proposed to operate the slide mechanism and reclining mechanism of the vehicle seat so that it becomes easier for the passengers to sleep.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, in a vehicle seat, when the slide mechanism or reclining mechanism operates, the riding posture of the passenger changes. If the slide mechanism or reclining mechanism of the vehicle seat on which the passenger is sitting operates at an unintended timing, the passenger will feel that the vehicle seat has moved unexpectedly. For this reason, there is a concern that in a vehicle, the operation such as the movement of the vehicle seat may cause discomfort to the sitting passenger.

[0005] In view of the above facts, the present invention has been made, and an object thereof is to provide an environmental control device that can suppress causing discomfort to passengers when controlling the environmental state in the vehicle interior.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To achieve the above objective, the environmental control device according to the first embodiment includes a control target unit which includes at least an acoustic device that provides sound into the vehicle interior, an illumination device that illuminates the vehicle interior, and a vehicle seat which, when operated, changes the seating posture of an occupant, and an environmental control unit which controls the vehicle interior environment by controlling the operation of each of the control target devices, wherein the environmental control unit includes notifying the occupant of the start of the change in seating posture using at least the acoustic device when changing the seating posture of an occupant in the vehicle seat.

[0007] The environmental control device according to the first embodiment includes, as controlled devices of the controlled unit, an acoustic device that provides sound to the vehicle interior, an illumination device that lights up the vehicle interior, and a vehicle seat that changes the seating posture of the occupants when operated. The environmental control unit controls the vehicle interior environment by controlling the operation of each of the controlled devices.

[0008] Furthermore, when the environmental control unit changes the seating posture of an occupant in the vehicle seat, it notifies the occupant of the start of the change in seating posture at least by an audible device. This allows the occupant to anticipate the vehicle seat's movement and prevent discomfort caused by an unexpected change in seating posture.

[0009] The environmental control device according to the second embodiment, in the first embodiment, includes a vehicle seat that, when operated, tilts a seat back that supports the occupant's back toward the rear of the vehicle relative to a seat cushion that supports the occupant's waist, and the environmental control device, when operating the reclining mechanism of the vehicle seat, tilts the seat back in accordance with the changes in sound caused by the sound device.

[0010] In the environmental control device according to the second embodiment, the vehicle seat includes a reclining mechanism, and when the reclining mechanism is activated, the seat back, which supports the occupant's back, is tilted toward the rear of the vehicle relative to the seat cushion, which supports the occupant's lumbar region. When the environmental control unit activates the reclining mechanism of the vehicle seat, it tilts the seat back in accordance with the changes in sound produced by the sound device.

[0011] In the third embodiment, the environmental control device includes, in the second embodiment, that when the reclining mechanism of the vehicle seat is activated, the environmental control unit tilts the seat back at a preset tilting speed regardless of the load on the seat back.

[0012] In the third embodiment of the environmental control device, when operating the reclining mechanism of a vehicle seat, the seat back is tilted at a preset tilting speed regardless of the load on the seat back. This suppresses the feeling that there is a discrepancy between the change in the riding posture and the music output from the sound system.

[0013] The environmental control device according to the fourth embodiment, in the second or third embodiment, includes an aroma device that, when activated, releases an aroma from an aroma port located in the front of the passenger compartment, and the environmental control unit activates the aroma device prior to the activation of the reclining mechanism.

[0014] In the fourth embodiment of the environmental control device, the controlled device of the controlled unit includes an aroma diffuser, which, when activated, releases fragrance from an aroma vent located at the front of the vehicle interior. When the environmental control unit activates the reclining mechanism of the vehicle seat, it activates the aroma diffuser prior to the activation of the reclining mechanism. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, an acoustic device, a lighting device, and a vehicle seat are used to control the environmental conditions inside the vehicle cabin along with the occupant's seating posture. Furthermore, in this invention, since the acoustic device is used to notify the occupant of the start of the vehicle seat's movement, it has the effect of suppressing the discomfort caused to the occupant by the sudden movement of the vehicle seat and the resulting change in their riding posture. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1] This is a plan view showing the main parts of the vehicle according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] This block diagram shows the schematic configuration of the environmental control system according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a side view, taken from the vehicle's width direction, showing an example of a vehicle seat. [Figure 4] This flowchart shows an example of the transition process to the environment mode according to this embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0017] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The environmental control system 10, as an environmental control device according to this embodiment, is mounted on the vehicle 12 and controls the environmental state of the passenger compartment 14, which is the passenger space where the occupants are seated.

[0018] Figure 1 shows a schematic block diagram of the environmental control system 10, and Figure 2 shows a schematic plan view of the interior of the passenger compartment 14 in the vehicle 12 equipped with the environmental control system 10. In the drawings, the front side in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is indicated by arrow FR, the right side in the vehicle width direction is indicated by arrow HR, and the upper side (upper part) in the vertical direction is indicated by arrow UP.

[0019] The vehicle 12 according to this embodiment may be a vehicle equipped with an engine (ICE: Internal Combustion Engine) that uses gasoline or the like as fuel as a driving source for traveling, or an electric vehicle (BEV: Battery Electric Vehicle) equipped with an electric motor. Further, the vehicle 12 may be a hybrid vehicle (HEV: Hybrid Electric Vehicle) equipped with an engine and an electric motor, a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV: Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle), a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV: Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle), or the like.

[0020] In this embodiment, the vehicle 12 may be provided with a driving assistance function for assisting the driver's driving operation. Further, the driving mode (operation mode) of the vehicle 12 may be a manual driving mode in which the vehicle travels according to the driver's driving operation, an automatic driving mode in which the vehicle can travel without the driver's driving operation, or it may be possible to switch between the manual driving mode and the automatic driving mode.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 1, in the passenger compartment 14 of the vehicle 12, a vehicle seat 16 on which the passenger sits is installed. The vehicle seat 16 includes a vehicle seat 16A as a driver's seat, a vehicle seat 16B as a passenger seat, and left and right vehicle seats 16C and 16D as rear seats. In this embodiment, the vehicle seats 16A to 16D have substantially the same basic configuration, and hereinafter, the vehicle seat 16A will be mainly described as the vehicle seat 16.

[0022] The environmental state (environment) of the passenger space includes the atmosphere that the passenger visually or aurally feels. The environmental state includes lighting effects such as the brightness and color tone of light in the passenger compartment 14, and acoustic effects by sounds such as music and voices. Further, the atmosphere (environmental state) that the passenger feels is affected by the position of the vehicle seat 16 (position in the vehicle longitudinal direction) and the passenger's seating posture. The environmental control system 10 controls the environmental state in the passenger space by controlling (adjusting) the lighting effect, the acoustic effect, and the seating posture.

[0023] The environmental state (environment) of the passenger space controlled by the environmental control system 10 may include the air conditioning state perceived by the passengers and the atmosphere perceived by the passengers' sense of smell, and the environmental control system 10 may control the air conditioning state and aroma (scent, smell) of the passenger space. The environmental state of the passenger space as perceived by the passengers is influenced by images and videos displayed on monitors placed in the passenger compartment 14, and the scenery outside the vehicle visible from the windows. The environmental state controlled by the environmental control system 10 may include images and videos displayed on monitors, and may also include the scenery outside the vehicle visible from windows, etc. (whether or not the scenery is visible).

[0024] As shown in Figure 2, the environmental control system 10 includes a control ECU 20 as an environmental control unit and an operation panel 22 as an input / output unit. The control ECU 20 includes a microcomputer containing a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), and non-volatile storage such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or SSD (Solid State Drive), as well as necessary functional circuits (all of which are not shown). In the control ECU 20, the CPU reads environmental control programs stored in the ROM and storage, and executes them while expanding them into the RAM, thereby realizing environmental control functions.

[0025] The control panel 22 uses a touch-sensitive display or the like. The control ECU 20 displays various information on the control panel 22 and presents it to the occupant, and accepts input such as various instructions and settings through the occupant's touch operation on the control panel 22.

[0026] The control panel 22 is installed in a position on the instrument panel (dashboard) 12A at the front of the passenger compartment 14 that is easily visible to the occupant and easy for the occupant to operate by touch (not shown in Figure 1). The control panel 22 may also consist of a separate display unit and a switch unit, allowing the occupant to operate the switch unit located on the steering wheel (not shown) while viewing the display on the instrument panel 12A or the like.

[0027] The environmental control system 10 has multiple environmental modes, each with a different environmental state (atmosphere) within the passenger compartment. As an example of the multiple environmental modes, the environmental control system 10 has Focus Mode, Inspire Mode, Relax Mode, and Dream Mode.

[0028] Focus Mode is described as a concentration mode, and it is an environment (atmosphere) set up in the cabin that allows the occupants (mainly the driver) to concentrate on driving operations, or in other words, an environment that allows them to enjoy driving. Inspire Mode is described as an exhilaration or arousal mode, and it is an environment set up in the cabin that elevates the mood of the occupants.

[0029] Relax Mode is defined as a rest mode, and in Relax Mode, the cabin space is set to an environment that allows the occupants to relax. Dream Mode is defined as a sleep mode, and in Dream Mode, the cabin space is set to an environment that allows the occupants to relax even more than in Relax Mode, and the cabin space is set to an environment that makes it easier for the occupants to fall asleep. In addition, the environment modes may include an Original Mode (My Mode), which is an environment set arbitrarily (individually) by the occupants as an individual mode.

[0030] The environmental control system 10 utilizes multiple controlled devices. Furthermore, the environmental control system 10 employs multiple information acquisition units. The environmental control system 10 controls (adjusts) the passenger space (inside the passenger compartment 14) to match the environmental state (atmosphere) of the environmental mode by controlling the operation of each controlled device according to the environmental mode. Additionally, the environmental control system 10 enables the selection of an environmental mode to be presented to the occupant from among multiple environmental modes based on information acquired by the control ECU 20 from each of the information acquisition units.

[0031] The information acquisition unit includes a navigation device 24, an environmental information acquisition device 26, and a vehicle ECU 28 as a driving control device. The navigation device 24, the environmental information acquisition device 26, and the vehicle ECU 28 are each mounted on the vehicle 12 and connected to the control ECU 20.

[0032] The navigation device 24 is equipped with a GPS function for acquiring the vehicle's position and also stores map information. The navigation device 24 displays a map image corresponding to the map information on a monitor (not shown) and clearly indicates the vehicle's position acquired by the GPS function on the map image. Furthermore, when a destination is set, the navigation device 24 sets a driving route to the destination and guides the vehicle 12 to travel along the set driving route.

[0033] The environmental information acquisition device 26 includes multiple cameras (imaging means) mounted on the vehicle body, and millimeter-wave radar and laser radar for detecting objects and the distance to those objects (neither of which are shown in the diagram). The environmental information acquisition device 26 detects the road surface conditions on which the vehicle 12 is traveling, and objects such as pedestrians and other vehicles around the vehicle 12. The environmental information acquisition device 26 also informs the occupants of the detected road surface conditions and objects as environmental information around the vehicle 12, thereby supporting the occupants' visibility of the surroundings and driving operations. Furthermore, the environmental information acquisition device 26 uses the acquired environmental information to control the driving of the vehicle 12 in automatic driving mode.

[0034] The vehicle ECU 28 is responsible for driving control of the vehicle 12, including steering control, vehicle speed control, and braking control. Specifically, in manual driving mode, the vehicle ECU 28 controls the vehicle 12's driving in accordance with the occupant's driving operations by performing steering control, speed control, and braking control. In addition, in automatic driving mode, the vehicle ECU 28 controls the vehicle 12's driving toward its destination in accordance with driving route information acquired from the navigation device 24 and environmental information around the vehicle 12 acquired from the environmental information acquisition device 26.

[0035] The control ECU 20 acquires destination information and route information when the destination and route are set in the navigation device 24. Destination information includes whether the destination is a tourist spot, leisure destination, or business destination. Route information includes various types of information, such as whether the route includes roads that offer enjoyable driving experiences, such as winding mountain roads, or roads that offer scenic views, such as roads along mountains or coastlines. Such destination and route information may be stored in the navigation device 24 or acquired via a network.

[0036] Furthermore, the control ECU 20 acquires environmental information about the vehicle 12 from the environmental information acquisition device 26 and acquires driving information (driving status information) indicating the driving status of the vehicle 12 from the vehicle ECU 28. The control ECU 20 selects an environmental mode from a plurality of environmental modes to present to the occupants, according to the information acquired from the navigation device 24, the environmental information acquisition device 26, and the vehicle ECU 28.

[0037] The control ECU 20 enables the occupant to set the environment mode by displaying the selected environment mode on the display of the operation panel 22. Furthermore, when the environment mode is set (executed) by operation on the operation panel 22, the control ECU 20 switches to the set environment mode.

[0038] The environmental control system 10 includes a vehicle seat 16 as a controlled device. The environmental control system 10 can also include a lighting device 30, an audio device (sound device) 32, and an air conditioning device (air conditioner) 34 as controlled devices. Furthermore, the environmental control system 10 may include a fragrance device 36 that emits a fragrance as a controlled device.

[0039] The control ECU 20 switches to environmental mode, thereby controlling the operation of each of the controlled devices: the vehicle seat 16, lighting device 30, audio device 32, air conditioning device 34, and fragrance device 36, to create an environmental state in the vehicle compartment 14 (passenger space) according to the environmental mode. The control ECU 20 then exits environmental mode at a preset timing and switches to normal mode, in which the controlled devices can operate individually.

[0040] The lighting system 30 includes multiple lighting fixtures (lamps) 40 installed in the passenger compartment 14. The lamps 40 use LEDs as light sources, which allow for changes in brightness and color tone. In the lighting system 30, the lamps 40 include a dome lamp (ceiling light) 40A installed on the ceiling surface of the passenger compartment 14, and map lamps (task lights) 40B installed in the driver's seat and passenger seat.

[0041] The control ECU 20, by switching to environmental mode, controls the lighting of the lamp 40 in the lighting device 30, thereby using the lamp 40 as illumination and providing lighting effects such as brightness and color tone inside the vehicle interior 14 according to the environmental mode. Various configurations capable of providing lighting effects can be applied to the lighting device 30 controlled by the control ECU 20.

[0042] For example, the lighting effect inside the passenger compartment 14 can be improved by allowing outside light to enter the passenger compartment 14. Although not shown in the diagram, the lighting device 30 controlled by the control ECU 20 may include a sunshade (blind, not shown) as a shielding means to suppress the intrusion and leakage of light. Examples of sunshades include a rear sunshade that covers the rear window glass, sunshades that cover the left and right door windows of the rear seats, and a roof sunshade that covers the sunroof.

[0043] Furthermore, the illumination controlled by the control ECU 20 can include meter illumination (meter surrounding illumination) using the meter panel installed on the instrument panel 12A, door illumination using lamps installed on the left and right door panels of the front and rear seats, and footwell illumination using lamps installed in the footwells of the front seats (driver and passenger seats) and the rear seats (all not shown). In addition, as illumination, a monitor (not shown) installed in the middle of the instrument panel 12A in the vehicle width direction to display various information in the vehicle 12 may be used (for example, the monitor for the navigation device 24 or the monitor used for the audio device 32).

[0044] The audio device 32 is equipped with a speaker 42 installed inside the passenger compartment 14, and the audio device 32 provides acoustic effects to the passenger space by emitting (outputting) voices, sounds, or music from the speaker 42.

[0045] In the audio device 32, various types and arrangements of speakers 42 can be applied. Speakers 42 can include speakers 42A positioned on both sides in the vehicle width direction on the instrument panel 12A, a speaker (center speaker) 42B positioned in the center of the instrument panel 12A in the vehicle width direction, and speakers (not shown) positioned on the door trims of the left and right front doors and rear doors.

[0046] Furthermore, the speaker 42 may include speakers (not shown) positioned on the driver's side and passenger's side of the center console between the driver's seat (vehicle seat 16A) and the passenger seat (vehicle seat 16B). In addition, the speaker 42 may include satellite speakers (ceiling-mounted speakers) suspended from the ceiling of the passenger compartment 14, footwell speakers positioned at the feet of the front and rear seats (below the front seats), rear side speakers positioned on the left and right behind the rear seats, and a rear center speaker positioned in the center (all not shown).

[0047] The air conditioning unit 34 generates conditioned air (warm or cold air) according to the set air conditioning conditions, such as the set temperature and airflow rate. The air conditioning unit 34 also provides an air conditioning effect by blowing the conditioned air from the outlet 44, thereby creating an air-conditioned state in the vehicle compartment 14 according to the set air conditioning conditions.

[0048] The air outlets 44 in the air conditioning unit 34 include side defrosters 44A on both sides of the instrument panel 12A in the vehicle width direction, a center defroster 44B in the center in the vehicle width direction, front footwell air outlets (not shown), and rear footwell air outlets (not shown). Furthermore, the air outlets 44 may also include air outlets (not shown) located on the rear-seat side of the center console.

[0049] The fragrance device 36 includes, for example, a fragrance port 46 installed in the center of the instrument panel 12A in the vehicle width direction. The fragrance device 36 releases a predetermined fragrance from the fragrance port 46. The fragrance device 36 provides a fragrance effect to the occupants through the fragrance released from the fragrance port 46. The fragrance device 36 has fragrances (fragrance liquids) set for each environmental mode.

[0050] The environmental control system 10 is configured to provide lighting effects, sound effects, air conditioning effects, and fragrance effects for each environmental mode. The control ECU 20 switches to an environmental mode and controls the operation of the lighting device 30, audio device 32, air conditioning device 34, and fragrance device 36 according to the environmental mode. In this way, the control ECU 20 provides lighting effects, sound effects, air conditioning effects, and fragrance effects in the passenger space according to the environmental mode.

[0051] On the other hand, Figure 3 shows a schematic of the vehicle seat 16 in a side view in the vehicle width direction (left view). As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the vehicle seat 16 (16A to 16D) includes a seat cushion 50 that supports the lumbar region and buttocks of the seated occupant, a seat back 52 that supports the occupant's back, and a headrest 52A (which may be integrated with the seat back 52) that supports the occupant's head.

[0052] As shown in Figure 3, the vehicle seat 16 is installed so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle relative to the floor surface 12B of the passenger compartment 14. Furthermore, the lower end of the seat back 52 of the vehicle seat 16 is rotatable around a pivot shaft (reclining rod) 50A located at the rear of the seat cushion 50 and connected to the seat cushion 50. As a result, in the vehicle seat 16, the seat cushion 50 and the seat back 52 can move together in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and the seat back 52 can be tilted backward (tilted towards the rear of the vehicle) from an upright position.

[0053] In the vehicle seat 16, the occupant is in an upright position when the seat back 52 is in an upright position, and in a supine position when the seat back 52 is tilted backward to a nearly horizontal position. As a result, the vehicle seat 16 changes the front-to-rear position of the seated occupant in the vehicle, as well as the occupant's seating posture.

[0054] As shown in Figure 2, the vehicle seat 16 is equipped with a seat ECU 58, a slide mechanism 54 for moving it in the front-rear direction, and a reclining mechanism 56 for tilting the seat back 52. In the vehicle seat 16, the slide mechanism 54 and the reclining mechanism 56 are each provided with an actuator such as a motor (not shown). The seat ECU 58 operates the actuators of the slide mechanism 54 and the reclining mechanism 56 in response to a switch operation (not shown), thereby moving the vehicle seat 16 in the front-rear direction of the vehicle and reclining the seat back 52.

[0055] The control ECU 20, by switching to an environmental mode, performs slide control to control the operation of the slide mechanism 54 and reclining control to control the operation of the reclining mechanism 56, providing the occupant with a riding posture appropriate to the environmental mode. The vehicle seat 16 may also be equipped with a lift mechanism for moving the seat cushion 50 and seat back 52 up and down together, a tilt mechanism for moving the front part of the seat cushion 50 up and down, and a lumbar mechanism for adjusting the support position of the occupant's waist in the seat back 52 (none of which are shown in the illustration). Furthermore, although the operation of the vehicle seat 16 will be mainly described below using the slide mechanism 54 and reclining mechanism 56 as examples, the vehicle seat 16 may also perform lift control, tilt control, and lumbar control on the vehicle seat 16 by controlling the lift mechanism, tilt mechanism, and lumbar mechanism according to the environmental mode.

[0056] The vehicle seat 16 is equipped with a position detection sensor for detecting its position in the front-rear direction, and an angle sensor for detecting an angle α (see Figure 3) as the tilt angle of the seat back 52 with respect to the vertical direction (neither of which are shown). In the environmental control system 10, the occupant's riding posture is set for each environmental mode, and the environmental control system 10 sets the slide position and recline angle (angle α) according to the riding posture for each environmental mode.

[0057] As shown in Figure 3, in Dream Mode, the riding position is set to a supine position in which the occupant's upper body is tilted significantly backward towards the rear of the vehicle, and in Dream Mode, the reclining angle of the seat back 52 is set to angle α1. Angle α1 is defined as an angle in which the seat back 52 is close to horizontal (angle α1 is close to 90°).

[0058] Furthermore, in Relax Mode, the riding position is set so that the occupant's upper body is reclined towards the rear of the vehicle, and in Relax Mode, the recline angle of the seat back 52 is set to angle α2. Angle α2 is set to be smaller (shallower) than angle α1 (0° < α2 < α1 < 90°). Although not shown in the diagram, for example, in Inspire Mode, the riding position is set so that the occupant's upper body is more upright than in Relax Mode. In Focus Mode, the riding position is set so that the occupant's upper body is even more upright than in Inspire Mode.

[0059] In the vehicle seat 16, sliding (moving) it towards the rear of the vehicle increases the legroom for the occupant, and sliding it towards the front of the vehicle moves the occupant's body towards the front of the vehicle (closer to the steering wheel, etc., which are not shown). In the environmental control system 10, the sliding position is set along with the reclining angle (angle α) for each environmental mode.

[0060] The slide position and recline angle corresponding to the environmental mode are set individually for each of the vehicle seats 16A to 16D. In addition, the environmental control system 10 may be equipped with seating sensors on each of the vehicle seats 16 (16A to 16D) to detect when an occupant is seated, and the vehicle seat 16 in which an occupant is detected by the seating sensor may be operated according to the environmental mode.

[0061] On the other hand, the environmental control system 10 is configured to perform a notification process (pre-announcement process) that uses the audio device 32 to inform the occupants that the vehicle seat 16 will be operated when it is operated according to the environmental mode. The control ECU 20 is configured to operate the audio device 32 in the pre-announcement process, prior to the operation of the vehicle seat 16, to output music (melody), sound (a predetermined pitch), or voice (message) according to the environmental mode from the speaker 42.

[0062] Furthermore, the environmental control system 10 operates the reclining mechanism 56 in the vehicle seat 16 so that the reclining angle changes in accordance with the music (melody, etc.) output from the audio device 32.

[0063] Next, the operation of the environmental control system 10 will be described as an example of the operation of this embodiment. Vehicle 12 is equipped with a navigation system 24, an environmental information acquisition device 26, and a vehicle ECU 28. The navigation system 24 sets the driving route to the destination when the occupant sets the destination.

[0064] As a result, when the driving mode of the vehicle 12 is manual driving mode, the navigation system 24 displays the driving route on the monitor and guides the vehicle 12 to follow the driving route. At this time, the vehicle ECU 28 controls the driving of the vehicle 12 according to the driver's operation. In addition, the environmental information acquisition device 26 detects the environmental conditions around the vehicle 12 and assists the driver's operation.

[0065] Furthermore, when the driving mode is set to automatic driving mode, the vehicle ECU 28 acquires environmental information from the environmental information acquisition device 26 and controls the vehicle 12's driving along the route set by the navigation device 24. As a result, the vehicle 12 travels towards its destination without any driver intervention from the occupants.

[0066] On the other hand, the environmental control system 10 has multiple environmental modes set. When an environmental mode is set by the occupant, the environmental control system 10 controls the operation of the vehicle seats 16, lighting device 30, audio device 32, air conditioning device 34, and fragrance device 36 so that the passenger space (inside the passenger compartment 14) becomes an environmental state corresponding to the set environmental mode.

[0067] Furthermore, the environmental control system 10 selects an environmental mode to present to the occupants based on destination information, driving route information, environmental information around the vehicle 12, and driving information of the vehicle 12. The system then switches to the selected environmental mode once it is set (specified) by the occupants.

[0068] The environmental mode selection process in the control ECU 20 is performed, for example, at a pre-set timing or by the occupant operating a switch on the control panel 22. In the environmental mode selection process, the control ECU 20 acquires destination information and driving route information from the navigation device 24, driving information of the vehicle 12 from the vehicle ECU 28, and environmental information of the area around the vehicle 12 from the environmental information acquisition device 26.

[0069] The control ECU 20 selects environmental information to present to the occupant from multiple environmental modes according to destination information, driving environment information, external environment information, and driving information. After this, the control ECU 20 presents the selected environmental mode to the occupant by displaying it on the operation panel 22, etc. As a result, the environmental control system 10 sets the environmental mode that was presented to the occupant as the environmental mode, switches to the set environmental mode, and operates the vehicle seats 16, lighting device 30, audio device 32, air conditioning device 34, and fragrance device 36 respectively according to the environmental mode.

[0070] As a result, the interior of the passenger compartment 14 in the vehicle 12 is set to an environmental state corresponding to the environmental mode. The control ECU 20 then terminates the environmental mode at a preset timing and transitions from the environmental mode to the normal mode. The preset timings include when the occupant instructs (sets) the termination of the environmental mode, when a preset time has elapsed, when a preset time has been reached, or when a predetermined section on the driving route has been passed.

[0071] The control ECU 20 selects Inspire mode as the environmental mode if the destination indicated in the destination information is a tourist spot or recreation area. The control ECU 20 also selects the environmental mode corresponding to the section of the route if the route information includes scenic information such as good scenery along the route.

[0072] In Inspire Mode, the control ECU 20 operates the vehicle seat 16 so that a riding position set to enhance the occupant's mood is obtained. In Inspire Mode, the control ECU 20 also operates the lighting device 30 so that the illumination state (brightness and color) of the lamp 40 is set to enhance the occupant's mood.

[0073] Furthermore, in Inspire Mode, the control ECU 20 operates the audio device 32 so that music (melody, volume, etc.) set to uplift the occupant's mood is output from the speaker 42. Also, in Inspire Mode, the control ECU 20 operates the air conditioning device 34 so that the air conditioning conditions (temperature and airflow) set to uplift the occupant's mood are obtained, and operates the fragrance device 36 so that a fragrance that uplifts the occupant's mood is released.

[0074] This allows occupants to enjoy (anticipate) arriving at their destination when switching to Inspire Mode based on destination information. Furthermore, when switching to Inspire Mode based on driving route information, occupants can enjoy the scenery outside the vehicle when the vehicle 12 is traveling along coastal roads or open roads such as plateaus.

[0075] Furthermore, if the control ECU 20 detects that the driving route includes sections such as winding roads (hairpin roads) based on the driving route information, it selects Focus Mode as the environmental mode for those sections.

[0076] In focus mode, the control ECU 20 operates the vehicle seat 16 so that the occupant can concentrate on driving operations, that is, the seating position inside the vehicle 14 is set to enhance the occupant's concentration. In addition, in focus mode, the control ECU 20 operates the lighting device 30 so that the lighting conditions (brightness and color) are set to allow the occupant to concentrate, and operates the audio device 32 so that the sound conditions (music and volume) are set to allow the occupant to concentrate.

[0077] Furthermore, in focus mode, the control ECU 20 operates the air conditioning unit 34 to obtain air conditioning conditions (temperature and airflow) set to allow the occupants to concentrate, and operates the fragrance unit 36 ​​to release a fragrance (a scent that provides a concentration effect) set to allow the occupants to concentrate.

[0078] As a result, when switching from route information to focus mode, the occupants can enjoy driving the vehicle 12 when driving on winding roads or other sections of the route; in other words, they can enjoy driving while heading towards their destination.

[0079] Furthermore, the control ECU 20 selects Relax Mode as the environmental mode if it determines from the destination information that the destination is a business-related area (location) such as a workplace or business trip location. Also, the control ECU 20 selects Relax Mode as the environmental mode if it determines from the surrounding environmental information of the vehicle 12 and the driving information of the vehicle 12 that the occupants need to relax, or if it determines that the occupants are in a state where they can relax (for example, the driving state of the vehicle 12).

[0080] In relaxation mode, the control ECU 20 operates the vehicle seat 16 so that the recline angle is set to angle α2, which is a seating position set to allow the occupant to relax. In addition, in relaxation mode, the control ECU 20 operates the lighting device 30 so that the lighting conditions (brightness and color) are set to allow the occupant to relax (rest), and operates the audio device 32 so that the sound conditions (music and volume) are set to allow the occupant to relax.

[0081] Furthermore, in relaxation mode, the control ECU 20 operates the air conditioning unit 34 to obtain air conditioning conditions (temperature and airflow) set to allow the occupants to relax, and operates the fragrance unit 36 ​​to release a fragrance set to allow the occupants to relax (to obtain a relaxing effect). This allows the crew to relax (rest) until they reach their destination and then focus on their purpose upon arrival (for example, business).

[0082] The control ECU 20 selects Dream Mode as the environmental mode if it is possible to switch to Dream Mode as the environmental mode based on the surrounding environmental information of the vehicle 12 and the driving information of the vehicle 12.

[0083] In Dream Mode, the control ECU 20 operates the vehicle seat 16 to a riding position that is comfortable for the occupant and facilitates falling asleep, specifically, to a reclining angle of angle α1. In Dream Mode, the control ECU 20 also operates the lighting device 30 to obtain a lighting state (brightness and color) that is set to further soothe the occupant compared to Relax Mode. Furthermore, the control ECU 20 operates the audio device 32 to output music (melody, volume, etc.) that is set to further soothe the occupant.

[0084] Furthermore, in Dream Mode, the control ECU 20 operates the air conditioning unit 34 to obtain an air conditioning state (temperature and airflow) that can further soothe the occupant's mood, that is, to make it easier for the occupant to fall asleep, and operates the fragrance unit 36 ​​to release an aroma that has a sleep-inducing effect (a fragrance that promotes sleep). This allows the crew to fall asleep effectively and rest efficiently (recover from fatigue).

[0085] Furthermore, the control ECU 20 may display videos or images set according to the target (purpose) environmental state in each of the Inspire Mode, Focus Mode, Relax Mode, and Dream Mode on various monitors, and the monitor display may assist the illumination. In this case, for example, when the vehicle 12 is stopped, videos may be displayed, and when the vehicle 12 is moving, images may be displayed instead of videos. Also, if My Mode is set as the environmental mode, the environmental state corresponding to My Mode should be defined, as well as the conditions for selecting My Mode.

[0086] Incidentally, when transitioning to a set environmental mode, the environmental control system 10 performs slide and recline control on the vehicle seat 16 so that the occupant assumes a riding posture appropriate to the environmental mode. Figure 4 shows a flowchart illustrating the general flow of the environmental mode transition process in the environmental control system 10.

[0087] The flowchart shown in Figure 4 is executed at pre-set time intervals, and in the first step 100, the control ECU 20 checks whether or not the environment mode has been set. If the environment mode is set, the control ECU 20 makes a positive determination in step 100 and proceeds to step 102, where it starts processing according to the environment mode. If the environment mode is not set, the control ECU 20 makes a negative determination in step 100 and terminates the process.

[0088] In step 102, the control ECU 20 detects the sliding position and reclining angle (angle α) of the vehicle seat 16, and in step 104, it checks whether or not operation of the vehicle seat 16 is necessary. That is, it checks whether or not the current sliding position and reclining angle (angle α) of the vehicle seat 16 in normal mode differ from the sliding position and reclining angle in the set environment mode.

[0089] If it is determined that the vehicle seat 16 needs to be operated, the control ECU 20 makes a positive determination in step 104 and proceeds to step 106, transitioning to the set environment mode. In step 106, the control ECU 20 activates the audio device 32 and outputs music or other content set in the environment mode (for example, Dream Mode).

[0090] After a few seconds (a predetermined time, for example, 1 to 2 seconds), the control ECU 20 moves to step 108 and starts the operation of the vehicle seat 16 (slide control and recline control). The control ECU 20 also performs recline control so that the seat back 52 tilts at a tilting speed that matches the rhythm of the music (melody) output from the speaker 42.

[0091] As a result, after music or other content corresponding to the environmental mode begins to play in the vehicle compartment 14, the seat back 52 of the vehicle seat 16 begins to tilt, and the seat back 52 tilts at a tilting speed corresponding to the rhythm of the music playing in the vehicle compartment 14. For example, if the environmental mode is set to Dream Mode, the vehicle seat 16 is tilted until the seat back 52 reaches an angle α1, and the occupant's seating posture becomes a supine position that makes it easier to fall asleep. In conjunction with this, in step 110, the control ECU 20 operates the lighting device 30, the air conditioning device 34, the fragrance device 36, etc., so that the passenger space is in an environmental state corresponding to the environmental mode.

[0092] As a result, the interior of the vehicle compartment 14 becomes an environment conducive to the occupants falling asleep. If the current sliding position and reclining angle of the vehicle seat 16 are the same as the sliding position and reclining angle set in the environmental mode, the control ECU 20 makes a negative determination in step 104 and proceeds to step 110.

[0093] In this way, when the vehicle seat 16 is moved in the environmental control system 10, music or other sounds are output from the speaker 42 by the audio device 32 prior to the movement of the vehicle seat 16. This gives the occupant advance notice of the movement of the vehicle seat 16, allowing them to recognize that they are transitioning to the set environmental mode and understand that the vehicle seat 16 will recline.

[0094] Therefore, it is possible to prevent occupants from feeling that the vehicle seat 16 they are sitting in has moved unexpectedly or suddenly, thereby preventing discomfort from occurring to the occupants. In particular, in Relax Mode and Dream Mode, the seat back 52 of the vehicle seat 16 is tilted significantly. As a result, occupants may be surprised if they are not aware of the movement of the vehicle seat 16, but discomfort can be prevented by being warned (notified) of the movement of the vehicle seat 16.

[0095] Furthermore, the environmental control system 10 operates the vehicle seats 16 along with the lighting device 30, audio device 32, air conditioning device 34, and fragrance device 36 according to the environmental mode, thereby creating an environmental state in the passenger space that corresponds to the environmental mode.

[0096] In this embodiment, the start of the vehicle seat 16's operation was announced by starting the output of music or the like from the audio device 32 prior to the operation of the vehicle seat 16. However, the announcement of the start of the vehicle seat 16's operation is not limited to music; any expression (voice or sound of a predetermined tone) can be used as long as it informs the seated occupant that the vehicle seat 16 is moving.

[0097] Furthermore, the control ECU 20 may perform fade-in control on the audio device 32 to gradually increase the volume of music or other sounds output from the speaker 42. This prevents the occupants from feeling that music or other sounds have suddenly started being output from the speaker 42 when transitioning to the environment mode.

[0098] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the audio device 32 was used to announce the transition to the environmental mode (start of operation of the vehicle seat 16), but instead of the audio device 32, or in addition to the audio device 32, the lighting device 30, the air conditioning device 34, and the fragrance device 36 may be activated. For example, the fragrance emitted from the fragrance nozzle 46 of the fragrance device 36 may take some time to reach the occupants. In this case, by activating the fragrance device 36 together with the audio device 32, the interior of the vehicle 14 can be efficiently brought to an environmental state corresponding to the environmental mode.

[0099] On the other hand, in a vehicle seat 16, the tilting speed of the seat back 52 may change depending on the load applied to the seat back 52. For example, when a large (heavy) occupant is seated, the tilting speed when reclining the seat back 52 may increase, and the tilting speed when raising the seat back 52 may decrease.

[0100] In this case, the control ECU 20 (or seat ECU 58) may use an angle sensor to detect changes in the angle α of the seat back 52 (amount of change per unit time, i.e., tilting speed) and perform feedback control to control the output (torque) of the actuator so that the detected change becomes a preset value. This allows the seat back 52 to tilt at a preset tilting speed regardless of the occupant's physique while in the vehicle seat 16, thereby suppressing feelings of anxiety or discomfort caused to the occupant due to changes in tilting speed.

[0101] Furthermore, the tilting speed of the seatback 52 may differ depending on the environment mode. For example, in Relax mode and Dream mode, the tilting speed may be lower compared to Active mode and Inspire mode. [Explanation of symbols]

[0102] 10. Environmental control system (environmental control device) 12 vehicles 14 Cabin 16 (16A~16D) Vehicle Seats 20 Control ECU (Environmental Control Unit) 22 Control Panel 24 Navigation device (information acquisition unit) 26 Environmental information acquisition device (information acquisition unit) 28. Vehicle ECU (Information Acquisition Unit) 30 Lighting devices (controlled equipment, controlled parts) 32. Audio equipment (sound equipment, controlled devices, controlled units) 34. Air conditioning equipment (controlled devices, controlled parts) 36. Fragrance device (controlled equipment, controlled unit) 50 Seat Cushions 52 Seatback 54. Slide mechanism 56 Reclining mechanism

Claims

1. The controlled unit includes, as controlled equipment, at least an acoustic device that provides sound to the vehicle interior, an illumination device that lights up the vehicle interior, and a vehicle seat that changes the seating posture of the occupants when operated, An environment control unit controls the in-vehicle environment by controlling the operation of each of the aforementioned controlled devices, Equipped with, The environmental control unit includes, when changing the seating posture of an occupant in the vehicle seat, notifying the occupant of the start of the change in seating posture using at least the sound device.

2. The aforementioned vehicle seat includes a reclining mechanism that, when operated, tilts the seatback, which supports the occupant's back, toward the rear of the vehicle relative to the seat cushion, which supports the occupant's lumbar region. The environmental control device according to claim 1, further comprising the environmental control unit tilting the seat back in accordance with the acoustic changes caused by the acoustic device when the reclining mechanism of the vehicle seat is activated.

3. The environmental control device according to claim 2, further comprising the environmental control unit tilting the seat back at a preset tilting speed regardless of the load on the seat back when operating the reclining mechanism of the vehicle seat.

4. The controlled unit includes an aroma device that, when activated, releases fragrance from an aroma vent located at the front of the vehicle interior. The environmental control device according to claim 2, further comprising the environmental control unit activating the fragrance device prior to the operation of the reclining mechanism.

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