Heavy rain detection device using vehicle information

Abstract

To provide a heavy rain determination device using vehicle information capable of determining heavy rain with high reliability.SOLUTION: A heavy rain determination unit 32 performs determining a heavy rain based on vehicle information VI of a vehicle 10 traveling on an express highway 12 when an average vehicle speed of the vehicle 10 traveling on the express highway 12 is lower than a preset low vehicle speed determination threshold value VL, performs determining the heavy rain based on the vehicle information VI of the vehicle 10 traveling on the express highway 12 and a vehicle 14 traveling on a general road 16 when the vehicle 10 traveling on the express highway 12 is traveling at a medium vehicle speed equal to or higher than the preset low vehicle speed determination threshold value VL and lower than the medium vehicle speed determination threshold VM, and performs determining the heavy rain based on the vehicle information VI of the vehicle 14 traveling on the general road 16 when the vehicle 10 traveling on the express highway 12 is traveling at a high vehicle speed equal to or higher than a medium vehicle speed determination threshold value VM. Thereby, a heavy rain determination using highly reliable vehicle information VI can be obtained.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a device that acquires the wiper operation status of a vehicle traveling on a highway and determines whether heavy rain is occurring in the area where the vehicle is located based on the wiper operation status of the vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] A heavy rain warning system has been proposed, which includes rain gauges installed in various locations, vehicles equipped with first wireless communication means, roadside devices installed along roads equipped with second wireless communication means, a center device equipped with third wireless communication means that communicates with the first wireless communication means via the second wireless communication means, and a network that communicatively connects the rain gauges and the center device. The center device includes a rainfall information database that stores rainfall information obtained from the rain gauges via the network and vehicle information received by the third wireless communication means via the second wireless communication means, and rainfall determination means that detects rainfall and determines the amount of rainfall and rainfall area based on either or both of the rainfall information and vehicle information stored in the rainfall information database. The rainfall determination means distributes a warning to areas where heavy rain is determined to be occurring. For example, a system described in Patent Document 1 is such a system. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-196090 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the above-mentioned conventional system, the vehicle information obtained from the vehicle does not distinguish whether the vehicle is traveling on a highway or a general road, which can lead to the possibility of erroneous judgment. The most important vehicle information, the windshield wiper operation speed, is considered to be high even in light rain when traveling on a highway, regardless of whether the windshield wipers are in manual mode or automatic mode, making it difficult to judge whether the rain is heavy.

[0005] The present invention has been made against the background of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a heavy rain detection device that uses vehicle information and can perform highly reliable heavy rain detection. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The gist of the present invention is to provide a method for transmitting a signal from a vehicle. , including the operation speed or operation cycle of the front wiper of the vehicle. A heavy rain determination device using vehicle information that determines heavy rain in an area where a vehicle is traveling based on the vehicle information, (b) for vehicles traveling on general roads and vehicles traveling on expressways. The aforementioned (c) when a vehicle traveling on the expressway is traveling at a low vehicle speed lower than a preset low vehicle speed determination threshold, The aforementioned A heavy rain determination is performed based on the vehicle information, and when the vehicle traveling on the expressway is traveling at a medium speed that is equal to or higher than the predetermined low vehicle speed determination threshold and lower than the predetermined medium vehicle speed determination threshold, the vehicle traveling on the expressway and the vehicle traveling on the general road are The aforementioned A heavy rain determination is performed based on the vehicle information, and when the vehicle traveling on the expressway is traveling at a high speed equal to or higher than the medium vehicle speed determination threshold, The aforementioned and a heavy rain determination unit that determines whether heavy rain is occurring based on vehicle information. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the heavy rain determination device using vehicle information of the present invention, when a vehicle traveling on the expressway is traveling at a low speed that is lower than a preset low vehicle speed determination threshold, the heavy rain determination unit determines whether the vehicle is traveling on the expressway. The aforementioned Heavy rain is determined based on the vehicle information, and when the vehicle traveling on the expressway is traveling at a medium speed that is equal to or greater than the predetermined low vehicle speed determination threshold and lower than the predetermined medium vehicle speed determination threshold, the vehicle traveling on the expressway and the vehicle traveling on the general road are The aforementioned Heavy rain is determined based on the vehicle information, and when the vehicle traveling on the expressway is traveling at a high speed equal to or higher than the medium speed determination threshold, The aforementioned Heavy rain is determined based on the vehicle information, thereby making it possible to determine heavy rain using highly reliable vehicle information.

[0008] Preferably, at least some of the roadside devices among a plurality of roadside devices arranged along the expressway to receive the vehicle information transmitted from vehicles traveling on the expressway also receive the vehicle information transmitted from vehicles traveling on the general road, a server capable of communicating directly or indirectly with the plurality of roadside devices is arranged, the vehicle information acquisition unit is provided in the roadside device or the server, and the heavy rain determination unit is provided in the server. Thus, when the vehicle information acquisition unit is provided in the roadside device, the information processing load on the server is reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a heavy rain warning system including a heavy rain determination device using vehicle information according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 2 is a flowchart illustrating the control operation of the heavy rain determination device using the vehicle information of FIG. 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle information includes the operating speed or operating cycle of the front wipers that repeatedly sweep the windshield, and the heavy rain determination unit estimates that, at a given vehicle speed, the higher the operating speed of the front wipers or the shorter the operating cycle of the front wipers, the greater the amount of rain, and determines that it is heavy rain if the amount of rain exceeds a heavy rain determination threshold.

[0011] In addition, in one embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle information includes vehicle location information (GPS information) indicated, for example, by latitude and longitude, and the heavy rain determination unit determines the area of ​​heavy rain based on the location information of the vehicle that transmitted the front wiper operation speed or front wiper operation cycle that is the basis for determining that heavy rain is occurring.

[0012] In addition, in one embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle information includes light on / off information indicating whether the vehicle's headlights are on, and the heavy rain determination unit determines that the vehicle's headlights being on during times other than nighttime indicates an increase in rainfall, and uses this as information for determining heavy rain.

[0013] In addition, in one embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle information includes vehicle speed information indicating the speed of the vehicle, and the heavy rain determination unit determines that a decrease in the vehicle speed is an increase in the amount of rainfall, and uses this as information for determining heavy rain.

[0014] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. [Example]

[0015] FIG. 1 shows an expressway 12 on which a vehicle 10 travels in one embodiment of the present invention, and an ordinary road 16 that intersects with the expressway 12 and on which a vehicle 14 travels. Multiple roadside devices 18a, 18b, and 18c (three in this embodiment) are arranged sequentially at predetermined intervals along the roadside of the expressway 12. The roadside devices 18a and 18c are capable of communicating with the vehicle 10 traveling on the expressway 12, and the roadside device 18b is capable of communicating not only with the vehicle 10 traveling on the expressway 12 but also with the vehicle 14 traveling on the ordinary road 16 due to its location. The roadside devices 18a, 18b, and 18c are each equipped with a radio beacon device, for example, and the vehicles 10 and 14 are each equipped with a wireless communication device, enabling mutual communication of information between the roadside devices 18a, 18b, and 18c and the vehicles 10 and 14.

[0016] Vehicles 10 and 14 are equipped with sensors that detect whether headlights are on or off, sensors that detect vehicle speed V (km / h), sensors (GPS sensors) that detect vehicle position represented by longitude and latitude, sensors that detect the operating speed or cycle of windshield wipers that repeatedly sweep the windshield, and sensors that detect driving direction (vehicle traveling direction), and vehicle information VI detected by these sensors is transmitted from vehicles 10 and 14 to the nearest roadside device among roadside devices 18a, 18b, and 18c, as shown by the dashed-dotted line in Fig. 1. Roadside devices 18a, 18b, and 18c transmit the vehicle information VI to road information management center 20, as shown by the dashed-dotted line in Fig. 1.

[0017] The road information management center 20 is provided with a server 22 that can communicate with the roadside units 18a, 18b, and 18c wirelessly, via wire, or via optical cable. The server 22 is configured to include an electronic control device known as a computer, equipped with, for example, a CPU, RAM, ROM, an input / output interface, etc. The CPU uses the temporary storage function of the RAM to perform signal processing according to a program pre-stored in the ROM, thereby accumulating vehicle information VI from the vehicles 10 and 14 and making a heavy rain judgment based on the vehicle information VI. The server 22 functions as a heavy rain judgment device that uses vehicle information.

[0018] The server 22 is functionally provided with a vehicle information acquisition unit 30 that acquires and sequentially stores vehicle information VI transmitted from the plurality of vehicles 10 and the plurality of vehicles 14 to the roadside devices 18a, 18b, and 18c, respectively, and a heavy rain determination unit 32 that determines localized heavy rain based on the vehicle information VI transmitted from the plurality of vehicles 10 and the plurality of vehicles 14 via the roadside devices 18a, 18b, and 18c.

[0019] Because high-speed vehicles operate their windshield wipers at high speed even in light rain, the heavy rain determination unit 32 basically performs heavy rain determination based on the vehicle information VI from vehicles traveling at relatively low speeds, as described below. That is, when the average vehicle speed of the multiple vehicles 10 traveling on the expressway 12 is lower than a low vehicle speed determination threshold VL preset, for example, about 40 km / h, the heavy rain determination unit 32 performs heavy rain determination based on the vehicle information VI from the multiple vehicles 10 traveling on the expressway 12. Furthermore, when the average vehicle speed of the multiple vehicles 10 traveling on the expressway 12 is equal to or higher than the low vehicle speed determination threshold VL and lower than a medium vehicle speed determination threshold VM preset, for example, about 70 km / h, the heavy rain determination unit 32 performs heavy rain determination based on the vehicle information VI from the multiple vehicles 10 traveling on the expressway 12 and the multiple vehicles 14 traveling on the general road 16. Then, when the average vehicle speed of multiple vehicles 10 traveling on the expressway 12 is a high vehicle speed equal to or greater than the medium vehicle speed determination threshold VM, the heavy rain determination unit 32 performs a heavy rain determination based on the vehicle information VI of multiple vehicles 14 traveling on the general road 16.

[0020] The heavy rain determination unit 32 determines that the rainfall is heavier, for example, the faster the windshield wiper operation speed or the shorter the windshield wiper operation cycle included in the vehicle information VI. For example, if the windshield wiper operation speed of 80% or more of the vehicles is set to "Hi (high speed)," the heavy rain determination unit 32 determines that heavy rain is occurring. At the same time, based on the vehicle position information, the unit 32 determines an area on the map that includes the positions of 80% or more of the vehicles with a windshield wiper operation speed of "Hi (high speed)" as an area of ​​localized heavy rain. The heavy rain determination unit 32 then distributes the determined information and area of ​​localized heavy rain, as well as preset traffic restrictions and weather information related to heavy rain, to each vehicle 10, 14, as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 1.

[0021] 2 shows a flowchart illustrating the main control operations of the server 22 installed in the road information management center 20. In step S1 (hereinafter, the term "step" will be omitted) of FIG. 2, vehicle information VI transmitted from a vehicle 14 traveling on an ordinary road 16 is acquired and stored. In the following step S2, vehicle information VI transmitted from a vehicle 10 traveling on an expressway 12 is acquired and stored.

[0022] In S3, it is determined whether the average vehicle speed of the multiple vehicles 10 traveling on the expressway 12 is lower than a low vehicle speed determination threshold VL that is preset, for example, around 40 km / h, based on the vehicle information VI transmitted from the multiple vehicles 10 traveling on the expressway 12. If the determination in S3 is positive, in S4, a heavy rain determination is made based on the vehicle information VI from the multiple vehicles 10 traveling on the expressway 12. Then, in S5, information about heavy rain, its area, speed restrictions related to heavy rain, and weather information is distributed to the vehicles 10, 14 based on the heavy rain determination result of S4.

[0023] However, if the determination in S3 is negative, then in S6 it is determined whether the average vehicle speed of the multiple vehicles 10 traveling on the expressway 12 is a medium vehicle speed that is equal to or higher than, for example, a low vehicle speed determination threshold VL and lower than a medium vehicle speed determination threshold VM that is preset, for example, around 70 km / h. If the determination in S5 is positive, then in S7 a heavy rain determination is made based on vehicle information VI from the multiple vehicles 10 traveling on the expressway 12 and the multiple vehicles 14 traveling on the general road 16. Then, in S5, information about the heavy rain, its area, speed restrictions related to the heavy rain, and weather information is distributed to the vehicles 10, 14 based on the heavy rain determination result of S7.

[0024] However, if the determination in S6 is negative, the average vehicle speed of the multiple vehicles 10 traveling on the expressway 12 is a high vehicle speed equal to or greater than the medium vehicle speed determination threshold VM, which is preset to, for example, about 70 km / h, and therefore, in S8, a heavy rain determination is made based on the vehicle information VI from the multiple vehicles 14 traveling on the general road 16.

[0025] As described above, according to the server 22 of this embodiment, when the average vehicle speed of the plurality of vehicles 10 traveling on the expressway 12 is low, that is, lower than the preset low vehicle speed determination threshold VL, the heavy rain determination unit 32 determines whether heavy rain has occurred based on the vehicle information VI of the plurality of vehicles 10 traveling on the expressway 12; when the plurality of vehicles 10 traveling on the expressway 12 are traveling at a medium vehicle speed that is equal to or higher than the preset low vehicle speed determination threshold VL and lower than the preset medium vehicle speed determination threshold VM, the heavy rain determination unit 32 determines whether heavy rain has occurred based on the vehicle information VI of the plurality of vehicles 10 traveling on the expressway 12 and the plurality of vehicles 14 traveling on the general road 16; and when the plurality of vehicles 10 traveling on the expressway 12 are traveling at a high vehicle speed that is equal to or higher than the medium vehicle speed determination threshold VM, the heavy rain determination unit 32 determines whether heavy rain has occurred based on the vehicle information VI of the plurality of vehicles 14 traveling on the general road 16. This allows for a highly reliable heavy rain determination using the vehicle information VI.

[0026] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above with reference to the drawings, the present invention can be embodied in other ways.

[0027] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the vehicle information acquisition unit 30 and the heavy rain judgment unit 32 were provided in the server 22 provided in the road information management center 20, but the vehicle information acquisition unit 30 may be provided in each of the electronic control units provided in the roadside devices 18a, 18b, and 18c, or the vehicle information acquisition unit 30 and the heavy rain judgment unit 32 may be provided in each of the electronic control units provided in the roadside devices 18a, 18b, and 18c, and the judgment results by the heavy rain judgment unit 32 may be transmitted to the server 22.

[0028] In the above embodiment, three roadside devices 18a, 18b, and 18c are provided along the expressway 12, but multiple roadside devices may be provided at intervals spaced apart at a distance equal to or less than the communication range of the vehicle 10.

[0029] In addition, in the above-described embodiment, three roadside devices 18a, 18b, and 18c were used, but these do not necessarily have to be provided if direct communication is possible between the vehicles 110 and 14 and the server 22 of the road information management center 20.

[0030] Although the first and second embodiments described above are hybrid vehicles equipped with an engine and an electric motor as a drive source, the present invention may be applied to an electric vehicle equipped with only an electric motor as a drive source. In other words, any electric vehicle equipped with an electric motor as a drive source may be used. [Explanation of symbols]

[0031] 10: Vehicle 12: Expressway 14: Vehicle 16: General road 18a, 18b, 18c: Roadside device 20: Road information management center 22: Server 30: Vehicle information acquisition unit 32: Heavy rain determination unit

Claims

1. A heavy rain determination device using vehicle information that determines heavy rain in an area in which a vehicle is traveling based on vehicle information including an operation speed or an operation cycle of a front wiper of the vehicle, the heavy rain determination device comprising: a vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires the vehicle information of vehicles traveling on general roads and vehicles traveling on expressways; a heavy rain determination unit that determines whether heavy rain is occurring based on the vehicle information of the vehicle traveling on the expressway when the vehicle traveling on the expressway is traveling at a low vehicle speed that is lower than a predetermined low vehicle speed determination threshold, that determines whether heavy rain is occurring based on the vehicle information of the vehicle traveling on the expressway and the vehicle traveling on the general road when the vehicle traveling on the expressway is traveling at a medium vehicle speed that is equal to or higher than the predetermined low vehicle speed determination threshold and lower than a predetermined medium vehicle speed determination threshold, and that determines whether heavy rain is occurring based on the vehicle information of the vehicle traveling on the general road when the vehicle traveling on the expressway is traveling at a high vehicle speed that is equal to or higher than the medium vehicle speed determination threshold. A heavy rain detection device using vehicle information.

2. At least some of the roadside devices among a plurality of roadside devices arranged along the expressway to receive the vehicle information transmitted from vehicles traveling on the expressway also receive the vehicle information transmitted from vehicles traveling on the general road. a server capable of communicating directly or indirectly with the plurality of roadside devices is provided; the vehicle information acquisition unit is provided in the roadside device or the server, The heavy rain determination unit is provided in the server.

2. The heavy rain detection device using vehicle information according to claim 1.

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