Road surface drawing system

Abstract

To provide a road surface drawing system which can grasp a status of a pedestrian with good visibility.SOLUTION: A road surface drawing system includes a camera for photographing a front space of a vehicle, a controller which detects a pedestrian 100 existing in the front space and white lines of a road in front of the vehicle on the basis of image data obtained by the camera, and performs control so as to irradiate the road with light on the basis of the respective detection results, and a lamp unit which is controlled by the controller and irradiates the road with light, wherein the controller controls the lamp unit so that a position on the road corresponding to a position of the pedestrian 100 is irradiated with a first bright line, when the pedestrian 100 exists and a relative distance between the pedestrian 100 and the vehicle is a threshold or less, and the first bright line is linear light in an extension direction of white lines 110, 111 and 112 provided on an end of a travel line of the vehicle or an oncoming lane on the road, and is emitted while overlapping the white lines 110, 111 and 112.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a road surface drawing system. [Background technology]

[0002] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2008-143510 (Patent Document 1) describes an attention-calling illumination device that illuminates the road surface with light indicating the direction of a person estimated to be a danger from the vehicle and the distance to the person, thereby alerting both the driver and the person regardless of the color of the person's clothing. The light illuminated on the road surface is described to be T-shaped, Y-shaped, arrow-shaped, or other light (road surface drawing) that is illuminated so as to extend toward the person. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-143510 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When complex character drawings such as T-shapes are projected as in the conventional technology described in Patent Document 1, the character drawings are angled or large in size, making it difficult for the driver of the vehicle to narrow down the area to focus on, making it difficult to recognize the exact location of the pedestrian. Furthermore, as the vehicle approaches the pedestrian, the complex character drawings such as T-shapes also move, but since only the angle of the character drawings changes, it is difficult for the driver to recognize the sense of distance to the pedestrian. One objective of a specific aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a road surface drawing system that allows the driver of the vehicle to easily grasp the situation of pedestrians. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A road surface drawing system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes: (a) a camera that photographs the space ahead of a vehicle; (b) a controller that detects pedestrians present in the space ahead based on image data obtained by the camera and detects white lines on the road ahead of the vehicle, and performs control to illuminate the road based on the detection results; and (c) a lamp unit that illuminates the road under the control of the controller, wherein (d) when the pedestrian is present and the relative distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle is equal to or less than a threshold, the controller controls the lamp unit so that a first bright line is illuminated at a position on the road corresponding to the position of the pedestrian; and (e) the first bright line is a linear light that extends in the direction of extension of the white line located at the end of the vehicle's driving lane or the oncoming lane on the road, and is illuminated so as to be superimposed on the white line.

[0006] According to the above configuration, a road surface drawing system is provided that can grasp the situation of pedestrians (accurate positions and sense of distance) with good visibility. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a road surface drawing system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] Fig. 2(A) is a diagram showing a typical example of the installation of each lamp unit, and Fig. 2(B) is a diagram showing a typical example of the configuration of the lamp unit. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a computer system. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation procedure of the road surface drawing system. [Figure 5] 5(A) to 5(C) are diagrams for explaining the manner in which bright lines are drawn. [Figure 6] 6(A) to 6(C) are diagrams for explaining the manner in which bright lines are drawn. [Figure 7] 7(A) to 7(C) are diagrams for explaining the manner in which bright lines are drawn. [Figure 8] 8(A) to 8(C) are diagrams for explaining the manner in which bright lines are drawn. [Figure 9] 9(A) and 9(B) are diagrams for explaining the manner in which bright lines are drawn. [Figure 10] 10(A) to 10(C) are diagrams for explaining the manner in which bright lines are drawn. [Figure 11] 11(A) to 11(C) are diagrams for explaining the manner in which bright lines are drawn. [Figure 12] 12(A) to 12(C) are diagrams for explaining the manner in which bright lines are drawn. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the operation procedure of the road surface drawing system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a road surface drawing system according to one embodiment. The road surface drawing system 1 of this embodiment includes a controller 10, a camera 11, a raindrop sensor 12, a vehicle speed sensor 13, and a pair of lamp units 30L and 30R. This road surface drawing system 1 is mounted on the front of a vehicle and draws bright lines (line-shaped lights) on the road surface ahead of the vehicle according to the status of pedestrians present in front of the vehicle. Pedestrians include not only people walking but also people riding bicycles.

[0009] The controller 10 controls the light irradiation by each of the headlamp units 30L, 30R. The controller 10 can be configured using a computer system including, for example, a processor (CPU: Central Processing Unit), a storage device such as a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), or a flash memory, an input / output interface, etc. The controller 10 of this embodiment is enabled to perform a predetermined function by the processor reading and executing a program stored in advance in the storage device (or ROM).

[0010] The camera 11 captures an image of the space ahead of the vehicle and generates image data. Based on this image data, the image processing unit 20 of the controller 10 detects the position of pedestrians and other conditions. Note that the function of the image processing unit 20 may be provided on the camera 11 side.

[0011] The raindrop sensor 12 detects the amount of rainfall at the location where the vehicle is located and outputs a signal (or data) indicating changes in the amount of rainfall. Various known raindrop sensors can be used as the raindrop sensor 12. One example is a sensor that is installed on the inside of the vehicle's windshield and detects raindrops adhering to the outer surface of the windshield using an optical method, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-29807.

[0012] The vehicle speed sensor 13 detects the speed of the host vehicle and outputs a vehicle speed signal (vehicle speed pulse). If the host vehicle has a vehicle speed sensor that is provided in advance for another purpose, that vehicle speed sensor may be used as the vehicle speed sensor 13.

[0013] The vehicle position data 14 is generated by a position detection means (not shown) such as a car navigation system or a GPS sensor provided in the vehicle, and is input to the vehicle position detection unit 221 of the controller 10.

[0014] The pair of lamp units 30L, 30R are mounted at predetermined positions on the left and right sides of the front of the vehicle, and operate in response to control signals given from the controller 10 to irradiate a linear (line-shaped) light onto a desired position in front of the vehicle. Each lamp unit 30L, 30R includes a driver 31 and an LED array 32 driven by the driver 31.

[0015] The above-mentioned controller 10 is configured to include an image processing unit 20, a vehicle position detection unit 21, a weather detection unit 22, a relative position calculation unit 23, a relative distance calculation unit 24, a boundary line calculation unit 25, and a road surface drawing control unit 26 as functional blocks realized by program execution.

[0016] The image processing unit 20 performs image recognition processing on the image data generated by the camera 11 to detect the situation ahead of the vehicle, such as the position of pedestrians, the position of a preceding vehicle (a preceding vehicle or an oncoming vehicle), and white lines on the road.

[0017] The vehicle position detection unit 21 detects the position of the vehicle based on the vehicle position data 14. To know the position of the vehicle, the vehicle position data 14 may be configured to include a car navigation system, and the map information of the car navigation system can be used to calculate whether the vehicle is located in a city, on a road with a straight line of 100 meters or more, or on a road with a straight line of less than 100 meters. The definition of a road in this disclosure is a road with good visibility that the driver can see, and therefore includes not only straight roads but also curves as long as they are visible. In other words, intersections and S-curves where the road is visible ahead are also included as roads.

[0018] The weather detection unit 22 detects the weather conditions, specifically the amount of rain, based on the output of the raindrop sensor 13. If the amount of rain exceeds a predetermined value, the weather detection unit 22 outputs a message to that effect to the road surface drawing control unit 26.

[0019] Based on the image recognition results from the image processing unit 20, the relative position calculation unit 23 detects the position and shape of the white line present ahead of the vehicle.

[0020] The relative distance calculation unit 24 calculates the relative distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle based on the current position detected by the vehicle position detection based on the vehicle position data and the image recognition result by the image processing unit 20.

[0021] When there are no white lines on the road surface, the boundary line calculation unit 25 calculates boundary lines, which are virtual lines that can substitute for white lines, based on the image recognition results from the image processing unit 20.

[0022] The road surface drawing control unit 26 generates a control signal for drawing a bright line on the road surface based on the position and shape of the white line determined by the relative position calculation unit 23, the relative distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle determined by the relative distance calculation unit 24, the boundary line determined by the boundary line calculation unit 25, the weather conditions detected by the weather detection unit 22, etc., and outputs the control signal to each lamp unit 30L, 30R.

[0023] 2(A) is a diagram showing a schematic example of the installation of each lamp unit. Each lamp unit 30L, 30R is disposed at a predetermined position on each of the left and right sides in the front of the vehicle 50. In the example shown, the lamp units 30L, 30R are disposed adjacent to lamp units 40L, 40R for emitting high beams and low beams, respectively.

[0024] FIG. 2(B) is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a lamp unit. The lamp unit 30L (30R) in the illustrated example includes an LED array 32 having multiple LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) arranged in two directions, and a lens 33 that projects light emitted from the LED array 32. The LED array 32 is positioned so that its center substantially coincides with the focal point of the lens 33. By individually controlling the lighting state of each LED in the LED array 32 using a driver 31, a bright line can be projected onto a desired location on the road surface. The area where the road marking is projected is an area that includes at least the high beam area and the low beam area in the longitudinal direction (within 100 m from the vicinity in front of the vehicle, or even more than 100 m), and an area that includes at least the driving lane (including the white lines on the driving lane side and the center white line) and also the oncoming lane (including the white lines on the oncoming lane side). In this embodiment, the longitudinal direction is 100 m from the front of the vehicle, and the lateral direction is an area including both the driving lane and the oncoming lane.

[0025] The configuration of the lamp unit 30L, etc. is not limited to this, and various known configurations can be adopted. For example, a lamp unit configured by combining a light source bulb with a reflecting mirror or a shielding plate may be used. Alternatively, a lamp unit may be used that includes a light source and a liquid crystal element, etc., and that can individually control the light transmission state of each pixel of the liquid crystal element. Alternatively, a lamp unit may be used that includes a light-emitting element such as a laser diode, and a scanning element such as a mirror device that scans the light emitted from the light-emitting element, and that can control the timing of turning on and off the light-emitting element and the scanning timing of the scanning element.

[0026] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a computer system. The controller 10 described above can be configured using, for example, a computer system as shown in the figure. The CPU (Central Processing Unit) 201 performs information processing by reading and executing a program 207 stored in a storage device 204. The ROM (Read Only Memory) 202 stores basic control programs and other programs required for the operation of the CPU 201. The RAM (Temporary Storage Memory) 203 temporarily stores data required for the information processing of the CPU 201. The storage device 204 is a large-capacity storage device for storing data, and is configured using a hard disk drive, solid-state drive, or the like. The communication device 205 performs processing related to data communication with other external devices. The input / output unit 206 is an interface for connecting to external devices, and in this embodiment is used for connecting the camera 11, raindrop sensor 12, vehicle speed sensor 13, and each lamp unit 30L, 30R. The CPUs 201 and other components are connected to each other via a bus so that they can communicate with each other.

[0027] 4 is a flowchart showing the operation procedure of the road surface drawing system. Note that the order of each process can be changed as long as no inconsistency occurs in the control results, and other processes not described may be added, and these embodiments are not excluded. First, as a basic drawing embodiment, the operation procedure of the road surface drawing system 1 will be described with reference to an embodiment in which a short bright line (first bright line) 113, the drawing position of which changes depending on the position of a pedestrian 100, is drawn superimposed on a white line 111, as shown in the examples of the road ahead as seen from the vehicle in FIGS. 5(A) to 5(C) and 6(A) to 6(C), and the bright point 113 is drawn by blinking when the pedestrian 100 is inside (on the road side of) the white line 111.

[0028] If the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor 13 is 10 km / h or higher (step S10; YES), and if a pedestrian is detected ahead of the vehicle by the image processing unit 20 based on image data obtained by the camera 11 (step S11; YES), the relative distance calculation unit 24 calculates the relative distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle based on the current position detected by the vehicle position detection and the image processing results (step S12). Furthermore, the relative position calculation unit 23 detects the positions and shapes of the white lines 110, 111, 112 present ahead of the vehicle based on the image recognition results by the image processing unit 20 (step S13). The calculated relative distance, position, and shape data are temporarily stored in memory.

[0029] If the relative distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle is greater than a predetermined threshold (for example, 100 m) (step S14; NO), no bright line is drawn on the road surface, and the process returns to step S10. In the embodiment, the predetermined threshold is set to 100 m because monitoring is assumed to start within the high beam area. However, in urban areas, roads with good visibility are short, so there may be no roads 100 m away. In this case, monitoring may be assumed to start near the low beam area, and the predetermined threshold may be set to between 30 m and 50 m (for example, 40 m). If it is known in advance from map information such as a car navigation system that the vehicle's location is in an urban area or in a road section with good visibility less than 100 m away, the predetermined threshold may be automatically changed.

[0030] If the relative distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle is equal to or less than the threshold value (step S14; YES) and the pedestrian is located outside the white line (step S15; YES), the road surface drawing control unit 26 generates a control signal to draw a bright line of a predetermined length on the white line corresponding to the pedestrian's position, and outputs this control signal to each lamp unit 30L, 30R (step S16). The bright line (short bright line) 113 here is made up of a linear light that is approximately parallel to the white line 111, i.e., approximately parallel to the direction in which the road extends. The width of the bright line (short bright line) 113 is preferably set to be approximately the same as or slightly wider than the white line 111 at each position where it is drawn. This is because if the white line 111 becomes the same or similar color as the drawn bright line 113 due to deterioration or dirt, or if the brightness of the bright line (short bright line) 113 is insufficient, the drawn bright line 113 will be more easily visible to the driver of the vehicle or a pedestrian by the amount that extends beyond the white line 111 if the bright line (short bright line) is wider than the width of the white line 111. Furthermore, the length of the bright line (short bright line) 113 is a length that is necessary and sufficient to allow the pedestrian's position to be seen (a length that is 0.5 m to 2 m wider than the width of a human), and is preferably, for example, approximately 1.5 m, which is about the height of a human or the length of an outstretched hand. If the drawing position is far away, such as 100 m, a bright line size that is the same width as or slightly wider than the white line and 1.5 m long may be difficult for the driver of the vehicle to see. Therefore, the width or length may be increased, for example, by 1.5 to 2 times to improve visibility. When the relative distance becomes shorter (for example, 50 m or less), the width and length may be shortened and returned to the predetermined width and length (the width and length may be adjusted gradually or in stages). This can be achieved by having the road surface drawing control unit 26 generate a control signal to draw the bright line (short bright line) 113 with the width and length adjusted when the relative distance calculation unit 24 detects that the relative distance is long, and outputting this control signal to each lamp unit 30L, 30R.

[0031] For example, as shown in Figure 5(A), when the position of pedestrian 100 is relatively far from the vehicle, a bright line 113 is drawn so as to overlap the portion of the white line 111 corresponding to the position of the pedestrian 100. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 5(B) and 5(C), when the position of pedestrian 100 and the position of the vehicle become relatively close, a bright line (short bright line) 113 is drawn so as to overlap the portion of the white line 111 corresponding to the position of each pedestrian 100. By illuminating the short bright line, the driver can intuitively recognize the position of the pedestrian, and furthermore, because the short bright line is illuminating and overlapping the white line, the short bright line appears to shine on successive white lines, allowing the driver to recognize the relative distance between the vehicle and the pedestrian, i.e., the accurate position of the pedestrian.

[0032] If the relative distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle is equal to or less than the threshold (step S14; YES) and the pedestrian is located inside the white line, i.e., inside the road (step S15; NO), the road surface drawing control unit 26 generates a control signal to flash a bright line of a predetermined length (a short bright line) on the white line corresponding to the pedestrian's position, and outputs this control signal to each lamp unit 30L, 30R (step S17). This allows the driver to intuitively recognize a change in the pedestrian's situation (in this case, whether or not the pedestrian has entered the road) based on the change in the way the bright line shines, enabling the driver to drive while paying attention to pedestrians.

[0033] For example, as shown in Fig. 6(A), when the position of the pedestrian 100 is relatively far from the vehicle, a bright line 113 is drawn blinking so as to overlap the portion of the white line 111 corresponding to the position of the pedestrian 100. Also, as shown in Fig. 5(B) and Fig. 5(C), when the position of the pedestrian 100 and the position of the vehicle become relatively close, a bright line 113 is drawn blinking so as to overlap the portion of the white line 111 corresponding to the position of each pedestrian 100.

[0034] Then, the process returns to step S10. By repeating the processes from step S10 onwards, the drawing position of the bright line 113 is changed in accordance with changes in the relative position of the pedestrian 100. Furthermore, when the pedestrian moves from outside the white lines to inside the white lines, the bright line 113 is switched to flashing illumination. For example, if the pedestrian 100 is located outside the white lines far from the host vehicle at one timing, and then inside the white lines at the next timing, the drawing mode transitions from the drawing mode (continuous illumination) shown in FIG. 5(A) to the drawing mode (flashing illumination) shown in FIG. 6(A). Furthermore, if the pedestrian 100 is located far from the host vehicle and outside the white lines at one timing, but then moves relatively closer to the host vehicle at the next timing, and then moves inside the white lines at the next timing, the drawing mode transitions from the drawing mode (continuous illumination) shown in FIG. 5(A) to the drawing mode (continuous illumination) shown in FIG. 5(B) to the drawing mode (flashing illumination) shown in FIG. 6(B). As a result, short bright lines are projected onto the white lines, making them appear to move closer and closer as they move along the successive white lines (and they move in one direction), allowing the driver to intuitively recognize the distance between them and pedestrians.

[0035] On the other hand, if the vehicle speed is slower than 10 km / h (step S10; NO), or if the vehicle speed is 10 km / h or more but there are no pedestrians (step S11; NO), the road surface drawing control unit 26 ends the emission of bright lines (step S18). If bright line emission was not performed to begin with, this state is maintained. In the embodiment, step S10 is set to "the vehicle speed of the vehicle is 10 km / h or more," but the vehicle speed is just an example, and if the vehicle is in a moving state, step S10 will be YES; in an extreme case, step S10 may be YES when the ignition is turned on before driving.

[0036] 7(A) to 7(C) and 8(A) to 8(C) are diagrams for explaining examples of bright line drawing modes. Each diagram shows the state of the road ahead as seen from the vehicle. According to the above-described operational procedure, bright line irradiation can be performed when a pedestrian is near the white line on the lane in which the vehicle is traveling, as well as when a pedestrian is near the white line on the opposite lane.

[0037] For example, as shown in Figure 7(A), when the position of pedestrian 100 is relatively far from the host vehicle, a bright line (first bright line) 114 is projected so as to overlap a portion of the white line 112 on the oncoming lane that corresponds to the position of the pedestrian 100. Also, as shown in Figures 7(B) and 7(C), when the position of pedestrian 100 and the position of the host vehicle become relatively close, a bright line 114 is projected so as to overlap a portion of the white line 112 on the oncoming lane that corresponds to the position of each pedestrian 100 that has become closer.

[0038] 8(A), when the position of pedestrian 100 is relatively far from the vehicle and within the white line (i.e., in the oncoming lane), bright lines 114 are illuminated and flash so as to overlap with a portion of the white line 112 on the oncoming lane that corresponds to the position of pedestrian 100. When the position of pedestrian 100 and the position of the vehicle become relatively close to each other, bright lines 114 are illuminated and flash so as to overlap with a portion of the white line 112 on the oncoming lane that corresponds to the position of each pedestrian 100, as shown in FIG.

[0039] The illumination position of the bright line 114 changes as the relative position of the pedestrian 100 changes. Furthermore, when the pedestrian moves from outside the white lines to inside the white lines, the illumination of the bright line 114 is switched to flashing illumination. For example, if the pedestrian 100 is located outside the white lines far from the vehicle at one timing, and then inside the white lines at the next timing, the illumination mode transitions from the rendering mode (continuous illumination) shown in FIG. 7(A) to the rendering mode (flashing illumination) shown in FIG. 8(A). Furthermore, if the pedestrian 100 is located far from the vehicle and outside the white lines at one timing, but then moves relatively closer to the vehicle at the next timing, and then moves inside the white lines at the next timing, the illumination mode transitions from the rendering mode (continuous illumination) shown in FIG. 7(A) to the rendering mode (continuous illumination) shown in FIG. 7(B) to the rendering mode (flashing illumination) shown in FIG. 8(B).

[0040] 9(A) and 9(B) are diagrams illustrating examples of the drawing manner of the bright line. In each of the drawing manners described above, a relatively short bright line 113 or 114 is drawn depending on the position of the pedestrian 100. However, as shown in FIG. 9(A), if the relative distance between the pedestrian 100 and the vehicle is equal to or greater than a certain distance, a long bright line (second bright line) 113a extending from the vehicle position to the pedestrian 100 position may be drawn overlapping the white line 111.

[0041] As an example, if the relative distance between the pedestrian 100 and the vehicle is greater than 100 m, a relatively long bright line 113a is projected, and if the relative distance is 100 m or less, a relatively short bright line 113 (see FIG. 5(B), etc.) is projected in the same manner as the above-described drawing mode. In this case, as shown in FIG. 13, the processing from step S14 onward in the flowchart shown in FIG. 4 is modified as follows. That is, after step S13, whether the relative distance to the pedestrian is 100 m or more is determined in step S14. If the pedestrian is outside the white lines in step S15, a relatively long bright line 113a is projected in step S31. Thereafter, if the relative distance is within 100 m in step S14 and the pedestrian is outside the white lines in step S33, a short bright line 113 is projected in step S34. Note that the relatively long bright line differs from the short bright line only in its length in the front-to-rear direction, and it is sufficient that the relatively long bright line is longer than the short bright line. As an example, the length may be between 9m and 100m, which is three times longer than the standard length.

[0042] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 9(B), when the pedestrian 100 enters inside the white line 111, a long bright line 113a can be irradiated so as to flash. In this case, when the relative distance between the pedestrian 100 and the vehicle becomes 100 m or less, a relatively short bright line 113 (see FIG. 5(B), etc.) is irradiated so as to flash, in the same manner as in the drawing mode described above. As shown in FIG. 13, the processing from step S14 onwards in the flowchart shown in FIG. 4 is changed as follows. In other words, after step S13, in step S14, it is determined whether the threshold value for the relative distance to the pedestrian is 100 m or more, and if the pedestrian's position in step S31 is not outside the white lines (i.e., inside the white lines or on the road), in step S32, a relatively long bright line 113a is illuminated to flash, and then, if the relative distance is not 100 m or more (i.e., less than 100 m) in step S14 and the pedestrian is not outside the white lines (i.e., inside the white lines or on the road) in step S33, a short bright line 113 is illuminated to flash in step S35.

[0043] 10(A) to 10(C) are diagrams illustrating examples of bright line drawing modes. In each of the drawing modes described above, it is assumed that white lines exist on both sides of the vehicle's traveling direction. However, if no white lines exist or if they are undetectable due to weather or other factors, a long bright line 113b equivalent to a white line can be drawn, as illustrated in FIG. 10(A). Specifically, based on the white line 110 in the center of the road surface detected by the image processing unit 20 and the edge contours 121 and 122 on both sides of the road surface, the boundary calculation unit 25 calculates a boundary line, which is a virtual line indicating a boundary where the vehicle and pedestrian 110 are considered to be safe to pass. The boundary line is a virtual line extending in the direction of the road and can be determined based on the width or shape of the road.

[0044] For example, the road width, which is the distance between the white line 110 and the edge contour 121, can be detected, and a boundary line can be set at a position a certain distance away from the edge contour 121 based on this road width. Then, a long bright line 113b can be drawn along this determined boundary line. This long bright line 113b can be used as a substitute for a white line, and in this embodiment, its length is set to, for example, 100 m, the range of high beams from the vehicle position, but it can be set to within 100 m, or 40 m, the range of low beams, or it can be shorter depending on the distance if the straight-line distance is short.

[0045] 10(A), when a pedestrian 100 is present at a first relative distance (for example, 100 m) or less, a long bright line 113b is drawn in place of a white line. This drawing allows the driver to intuitively recognize the presence of a pedestrian in the distance.

[0046] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 10(B), when the relative distance between the pedestrian 100 and the vehicle becomes shorter (a second relative distance, for example, 40 m), a relatively short bright line 113c corresponding to the position of the pedestrian 100 can be projected onto the relatively long bright line 113b. This short bright line 113c appears to shine on the long bright line 113b, allowing the driver to recognize the pedestrian's exact position. In this case, it is preferable that the short bright line 113c be projected with a higher illuminance than the long bright line 113b or with a different color tone from the long bright line 113b. This is because the visibility of the short bright line 113c can be further improved. Note that even if the illuminance of the long bright line 113b and the short bright line 113c are approximately the same, the illuminance of the bright line 113c is higher and therefore visible. 10(C), when the pedestrian 100 enters the bright line 113b that replaces the white line, a short bright line 113c is illuminated in a flashing manner. This flashing indicates a change in the pedestrian's status, allowing the driver to intuitively recognize that the pedestrian has entered the road, and the driver can drive while paying attention to the pedestrian's behavior.

[0047] 11(A) and 11(B) are diagrams illustrating an example of a drawing mode of a bright line. When it is raining where the vehicle is traveling, the visibility of the bright line projected onto the road surface may be reduced, so it is preferable to implement a drawing mode similar to that when no white lines are present, as described above. The occurrence of rain is detected by the weather detection unit 22 based on the output of the raindrop sensor 12. For example, when the amount of rain detected exceeds a predetermined value, the weather detection unit 22 outputs a message to that effect to the road surface drawing control unit 26.

[0048] Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 11(A), when pedestrian 100 is located within a first relative distance (e.g., 100 m) and outside the white line, long bright line 113b is projected onto white line 111, and short bright line 113c corresponding to the position of pedestrian 110 is projected. Even if short bright line 114a is projected onto center white line 110 in a road condition where rain makes center white line 110 difficult to see, the driver can only see short bright line 114a, making the relative position of short bright line 114a unclear, and making it difficult for the driver to accurately recognize the pedestrian's position. In this embodiment, long bright line 113a is projected instead of center white line 110, which is difficult to see. Therefore, short bright line 114a appears to shine on long bright line 113a, making the relative position of short bright line 114a clear, and enabling the driver to accurately recognize the pedestrian's position. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 11(B), when the pedestrian 100 enters the long bright line 113b (inside the lane 111), the short bright line 113c is illuminated in a flashing manner. By switching the short bright line 114a to flashing, the driver can intuitively recognize that the pedestrian situation has changed and that the pedestrian has entered the road, and can drive while paying attention to the pedestrian's behavior. In this case, it is preferable that the short bright line 113c be illuminated with a higher illuminance than the long bright line 113b or with a different color tone from the long bright line 113b. This further improves the visibility of the short bright line 113c.

[0049] 12(A) to 12(C) are diagrams illustrating an example of how bright lines are drawn. When multiple pedestrians are present, short bright lines can be projected corresponding to the positions of each pedestrian. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 12(A), when multiple pedestrians 100a and 100b are present outside the white line 111, short bright lines 113d and 113e corresponding to the positions of pedestrians 100a and 100b are projected. This allows the driver to recognize the exact positions of multiple pedestrians.

[0050] 12(B), when one pedestrian 100a enters inside the white line 111, the bright line 113d corresponding to this pedestrian 100a is illuminated in a flashing manner. Similarly, when the other pedestrian 100b enters inside the white line 111, the bright line 113e corresponding to this pedestrian 100b is illuminated in a flashing manner, as illustrated in FIG. 12(C). Although not shown, when both pedestrians 100a and 100b enter inside the white line 111, the bright lines 113d and 113e are illuminated in a flashing manner. As a result, multiple short bright lines 114b and 114c shine on the center white line 100, allowing the driver to recognize that multiple pedestrians are present outside the white line (such as on the sidewalk) ahead on the oncoming lane side. Furthermore, when some of the short bright lines 114b or 114c start flashing, the driver can intuitively recognize that a pedestrian has entered the road, and therefore, the driver can simply focus his or her attention on the pedestrian that corresponds to the flashing short bright line out of all the multiple pedestrians, making it easier to respond when a pedestrian approaches the driver's vehicle.

[0051] Although detailed explanation will be omitted, any of the drawing modes can be implemented in the same manner even when a pedestrian 100 is present in the oncoming traffic lane.

[0052] According to the above-described embodiment, by illuminating the short bright lines superimposed on the center white line or the long bright lines, the driver can clearly recognize the relative positions of the short bright lines, thereby obtaining a road surface drawing system that allows the driver to grasp the situation of pedestrians (exact position, distance, and whether or not they have entered the road) with good visibility. Specifically, the presence and exact position of pedestrians are communicated to the driver by the linear bright lines along the white lines on the side of the road, so the area that the driver should pay attention to is narrowed more than when illuminating complex light such as a T-shape, making it easier to clearly understand the pedestrian's position. Furthermore, narrowing the area that the driver should pay attention to reduces the driver's line of sight movement. This is particularly noticeable when pedestrians are located at a distance. As a result, the situation of pedestrians can be grasped with good visibility.

[0053] In addition, in this embodiment, the drawing mode of the bright line is switched from continuous illumination to flashing illumination depending on the pedestrian's position relative to the white line (inside the white line / outside the white line), making it easier to grasp changes in the pedestrian's situation. Furthermore, the drawing mode of the bright line is switched even in bad weather or when there is no white line (including when it is impossible to detect), making it easier to grasp changes in the pedestrian's situation. In addition, because the bright line is drawn under the pedestrian's feet, there is also the advantage that it is easier to draw the attention of pedestrians who are looking down to operate their smartphones, for example.

[0054] The present disclosure is not limited to the contents of the above-described embodiment, and can be implemented in various modified forms within the scope of the gist of the present disclosure.

[0055] The present disclosure has the following additional features.

[0056] (Appendix 1) A camera that captures an image of the space in front of the vehicle; a controller that detects pedestrians present in the space ahead of the vehicle based on image data obtained by the camera and detects white lines on the road ahead of the vehicle, and performs control to irradiate the road with light based on the detection results; and a lamp unit that irradiates light onto the road under the control of the controller; Including, the controller controls the lamp unit so that, when the pedestrian is present and a relative distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle is equal to or less than a threshold, a first bright line is irradiated onto a position on the road corresponding to a position of the pedestrian; The first bright line is a linear light beam that extends along the direction in which the white line is provided at the end of the vehicle's driving lane or the oncoming lane on the road, and is irradiated so as to overlap the white line. Road surface drawing system. (Appendix 2) the controller controls the lamp unit so that the first bright line is continuously emitted when the pedestrian is located outside the white line on the road, and so that the first bright line is flashing when the pedestrian is located inside the white line on the road. 2. A road surface drawing system as described in appendix 1. (Appendix 3) the controller controls the lamp unit to irradiate a second bright line, which is a linear light longer than the first bright line, on the white line when the pedestrian is present in the forward space and the relative distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle is greater than the threshold value. 3. A road surface drawing system according to claim 1 or 2. (Appendix 4) the controller controls the lamp unit so that the second bright line is continuously emitted when the pedestrian is located outside the white line on the road, and so that the second bright line is flashing when the pedestrian is located inside the white line on the road. 4. A road surface drawing system as described in appendix 3. (Appendix 5) The irradiation position of the first bright line is changed as the position of the pedestrian moves. 5. A road surface drawing system according to any one of appendices 1 to 4. (Appendix 6) Further provided with a raindrop sensor, When the controller detects that it is raining in the forward space based on the output of the raindrop sensor, the controller continues to irradiate the second bright line even if the relative distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle is equal to or less than the threshold, and controls the lamp unit to irradiate the first bright line superimposed on the second bright line. 5. The road surface drawing system according to claim 3 or 4. (Appendix 7) The first emission line is irradiated with a higher illuminance than the second emission line and / or with a different color tone than the second emission line. 7. A road surface drawing system as described in appendix 6. (Appendix 8) When the white line cannot be detected, the controller calculates a boundary line, which is a virtual line extending along the extension direction of the road and is located on the edge side of the vehicle's driving lane or the oncoming lane, based on the width or shape of the road, and controls the lamp unit to irradiate the second bright line along the boundary line regardless of the relative distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle, and to irradiate the first bright line so as to overlap the second bright line. A road surface drawing system according to any one of appendices 3 to 7. (Appendix 9) The first emission line is irradiated with a higher illuminance than the second emission line and / or with a different color tone than the second emission line. 9. The road surface drawing system according to claim 8. (Appendix 10) when a plurality of pedestrians are present, the controller controls the lamp units so that the first bright line is irradiated onto each of the positions on the road corresponding to the positions of the pedestrians, regardless of a relative distance between each of the pedestrians and the vehicle. A road surface drawing system according to any one of appendices 1 to 9. (Appendix 11) When at least one pedestrian among the plurality of pedestrians corresponding to the first bright lines is located inside the road relative to the white line, the lamp unit is controlled so that the first bright line corresponding to the pedestrian located inside the road is illuminated in a flashing manner. 11. The road surface drawing system according to claim 10. [Explanation of symbols]

[0057] 1: Road surface drawing system, 10: Controller, 11: Camera, 12: Raindrop sensor, 13: Vehicle speed sensor, 14: Vehicle position data, 20: Image processing unit, 21: Vehicle position detection unit, 22: Weather detection unit, 23: Relative position calculation unit, 24: Relative distance calculation unit, 25: Boundary line calculation unit, 26: Road surface drawing control unit, 30L, 30R: Lamp unit, 31: Driver, 32: LED array, 100: Pedestrian, 110, 111, 112: White line, 113, 114: Bright line

Claims

1. A camera that photographs the space in front of the vehicle; a controller that detects pedestrians present in the space ahead of the vehicle based on image data obtained by the camera and detects white lines on the road ahead of the vehicle, and performs control to irradiate the road with light based on the detection results; and a lamp unit that irradiates light onto the road under the control of the controller; Including, the controller controls the lamp unit so that, when the pedestrian is present and a relative distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle is equal to or less than a threshold, a first bright line is irradiated onto a position on the road corresponding to a position of the pedestrian; The first bright line is a linear light beam that extends along the direction in which the white line is provided at the end of the vehicle's driving lane or the oncoming lane on the road, and is irradiated so as to overlap the white line. Road surface drawing system.

2. the controller controls the lamp unit so that the first bright line is continuously emitted when the pedestrian is located outside the white line on the road, and so that the first bright line is flashing when the pedestrian is located inside the white line on the road. The road surface drawing system according to claim 1 .

3. the controller controls the lamp unit to irradiate a second bright line, which is a linear light longer than the first bright line, on the white line when the pedestrian is present in the forward space and the relative distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle is greater than the threshold value. The road surface drawing system according to claim 1 .

4. the controller controls the lamp unit so that the second bright line is continuously emitted when the pedestrian is located outside the white line on the road, and so that the second bright line is flashing when the pedestrian is located inside the white line on the road. The road surface drawing system according to claim 3 .

5. The irradiation position of the first bright line is changed as the position of the pedestrian moves. The road surface drawing system according to claim 1 .

6. Further provided with a raindrop sensor, When the controller detects that it is raining in the forward space based on the output of the raindrop sensor, the controller continues to irradiate the second bright line even if the relative distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle is equal to or less than the threshold, and controls the lamp unit to irradiate the first bright line superimposed on the second bright line. The road surface drawing system according to claim 3 .

7. The first emission line is irradiated with a higher illuminance than the second emission line and / or with a different color tone than the second emission line. The road surface drawing system according to claim 6.

8. When the white line cannot be detected, the controller calculates a boundary line, which is a virtual line extending along the extension direction of the road and is located on the edge side of the vehicle's driving lane or the oncoming lane, based on the width or shape of the road, and controls the lamp unit to irradiate the second bright line along the boundary line regardless of the relative distance between the pedestrian and the vehicle, and to irradiate the first bright line so as to be superimposed on the second bright line. The road surface drawing system according to claim 3 .

9. The first emission line is irradiated with a higher illuminance than the second emission line and / or with a different color tone than the second emission line. The road surface drawing system according to claim 8.

10. when a plurality of pedestrians are present, the controller controls the lamp units so that the first bright line is irradiated onto each of the positions on the road corresponding to the positions of the pedestrians, regardless of a relative distance between each of the pedestrians and the vehicle. The road surface drawing system according to claim 1 .

11. When at least one pedestrian among the plurality of pedestrians corresponding to the first bright lines is located inside the road with respect to the white line, the lamp unit is controlled so that the first bright line corresponding to the pedestrian located inside the road is flashed. The road surface drawing system according to claim 10.

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