Device control device and device control method

Abstract

To suppress heat generation at the time of control of a plurality of sensor devices.SOLUTION: A device control device for controlling a plurality of sensor devices mounted on a vehicle includes a vehicle information acquisition part for acquiring information on the state of the vehicle, a storage part for storing power source modes of the plurality of sensor devices so as to be associated with each of the states of the vehicles, and a device control part for controlling the power source modes of the plurality of sensor devices having different detectable ranges according to the state of the vehicle. The device control part sets the power source modes of the plurality of sensor devices, on the basis of vehicle speed that is the state of the vehicle and the detectable ranges of the sensor devices.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a device control device and a device control method for controlling a plurality of sensor devices mounted on a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] There is a conventional technology for controlling multiple devices mounted on a vehicle. For example, Patent Document 1 states that "the configuration of the electrical system of a moving body is simplified and an increase in power consumption is suppressed." and "The technology includes multiple sensors 10-18 that acquire information including that of the external environment of the vehicle, and a computing device 100 that receives information from the multiple sensors 10-18 and controls on-board equipment of the vehicle. The computing device 100 includes a vehicle state identification unit 31 that identifies the state of the vehicle based on the information input from each of the sensors 10-18, multiple function units 21-25 that operate according to the state of the vehicle and generate control signals to the on-board equipment, and a power supply control unit 32 that controls supply / cut off of power to each of the function units 21-25 so that power is supplied to a predetermined combination of the function units 21-25 according to the state of the vehicle identified by the vehicle state identification unit 31." [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-205664 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] According to conventional technology, "the supply / cutoff of power to functional units can be controlled depending on the state of the mobile unit," thereby "reducing the average power consumption over the total operating time of the mobile unit and suppressing increases in power consumption." However, the conventional technology does not take into consideration the problem of heat generation caused by the operation of multiple devices that consume large amounts of power while the vehicle is running. In recent years, vehicles have increasingly been equipped with a variety of sensor devices, including those for image processing, radar, and ultrasonic detection, to monitor the surroundings. These devices consume a lot of power, and if they are powered by a common power management unit, the power management unit that supplies power to multiple sensor devices may overheat. Furthermore, the detectable range of a sensor device varies depending on the type of sensor, and this fact has not been taken into consideration, as some sensor devices may not require power depending on the vehicle's condition.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to suppress heat generation when controlling a plurality of sensor devices. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, one representative device control device of the present invention is a device control device that controls multiple sensor devices mounted on a vehicle, and includes a vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires information regarding the state of the vehicle, a memory unit that stores power modes of the multiple sensor devices in correspondence with each state of the vehicle, and a device control unit that controls the power modes of the multiple sensor devices, which have different detectable ranges, according to the state of the vehicle, and is characterized in that the device control unit sets the power modes of the multiple sensor devices based on the vehicle speed, which is the state of the vehicle, and the detectable ranges of the sensor devices. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress heat generation when controlling a plurality of sensor devices. Problems, configurations, and effects other than those described above will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of device control according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] Configuration diagram of the perimeter monitoring ECU. [Figure 3] A specific example of a control table. [Figure 4]10 is a flowchart of power supply mode control. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a modified example of the periphery monitoring ECU. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. [Example]

[0010] 1 is an explanatory diagram of device control in Example 1. In this example, a perimeter monitoring ECU that integrates a radar ECU (Electronic Control Unit), an image recognition ECU, and an ultrasonic detection ECU is shown as an example of a device control device.

[0011] A radar ECU is an ECU that controls one or more radar units to detect objects. Specifically, the radar ECU supplies power to the radar units, controls the transmission of radio waves by the radar units and the reception of reflected waves, and performs object detection processing from the received reflected waves. Note that a radar unit is a type of sensor device used to monitor the periphery of a vehicle.

[0012] The radar ECU is in the off state when the ignition is off. On the other hand, when the ignition is on, the radar ECU is in the active state regardless of the vehicle's traveling speed. A radar ECU in the off state does not transmit radio waves or receive reflected waves from the radar unit, nor does it perform object detection processing from the reflected waves. A radar ECU in the active state causes the radar unit to transmit radio waves and receive reflected waves, and performs object detection processing using the reflected waves.

[0013] The image recognition ECU is an ECU that controls one or more camera units to perform image recognition. Specifically, the image recognition ECU supplies power to the camera units, controls image capture by the camera units, and performs image recognition processing on the captured images. The camera units are a type of sensor device used to monitor the periphery of the vehicle.

[0014] The image recognition ECU is in the off state when the ignition is off. On the other hand, when the ignition is on, the image recognition ECU is in the active state regardless of the vehicle's traveling speed. An image recognition ECU in the off state does not capture images using the camera unit, nor does it perform image recognition processing. An image recognition ECU in the active state captures images using the camera unit and performs image recognition processing.

[0015] The ultrasonic detection ECU is an ECU that controls one or more ultrasonic detection units to detect objects. Specifically, the ultrasonic detection ECU supplies power to the ultrasonic detection units, controls the transmission of ultrasonic waves by the ultrasonic units and the reception of reflected waves, and performs object detection processing based on the received reflected waves. The ultrasonic detection unit is a type of sensor device used to monitor the periphery of a vehicle.

[0016] The ultrasonic detection ECU is in standby mode when the ignition is off. On the other hand, when the ignition is on, the ultrasonic detection ECU is in active mode regardless of the vehicle's traveling speed. When the ultrasonic detection ECU is in standby mode, power is supplied and the ultrasonic detection unit is able to emit ultrasonic waves, but it does not emit ultrasonic waves or receive reflected waves, and it does not perform object detection processing using the reflected waves. When the ultrasonic detection ECU is in active mode, it causes the ultrasonic detection unit to emit ultrasonic waves and receive reflected waves, and performs object detection processing using the reflected waves.

[0017] The perimeter monitoring ECU is an ECU that integrates a radar ECU, image recognition ECU, and ultrasonic detection ECU. Therefore, if the perimeter monitoring ECU is adopted, the radar ECU, image recognition ECU, and ultrasonic detection ECU become unnecessary.

[0018] The perimeter monitoring ECU controls the radar unit, camera unit, and ultrasonic detection unit. Specifically, the perimeter monitoring ECU has a radar function corresponding to the radar ECU, an image recognition function corresponding to the image recognition ECU, and an ultrasonic detection function corresponding to the ultrasonic detection ECU. These sensing functions operate individually, but operating all of them simultaneously increases the load and may result in excessive heat generation.

[0019] On the other hand, each sensing function (radar function, image recognition function, and ultrasonic detection function) has a different detectable range and is effective in different situations. For example, the radar function is good at detecting the position and speed of objects at long distances, making it suitable for monitoring the surroundings while driving at high speeds. The image recognition function is good at identifying objects at short to medium distances, making it suitable for monitoring the surroundings while driving at low to medium speeds. The ultrasonic detection function is good at detecting the distance to objects at short distances, making it suitable for monitoring the surroundings while driving at low speeds.

[0020] In consideration of these differences in characteristics, the disclosed perimeter monitoring ECU controls the power supply mode of the sensor devices according to the vehicle state and the detectable range of each sensor device. In particular, the power supply mode is controlled so that there are always inactive sensor devices among multiple types of sensor devices, and by avoiding a state in which all sensor devices are active, heat generation in the integrated management ECU can be suppressed. "Inactive" means, for example, that the power supply mode is off, standby, or partially active.

[0021] Specifically, when the ignition is off, the perimeter monitoring ECU turns off the radar function and image recognition function and puts the ultrasonic detection function into standby. Also, when the ignition is on and the vehicle speed is less than 15 km / h, the perimeter monitoring ECU turns off the radar function, activates the image recognition function, and activates the ultrasonic detection function. Also, when the vehicle speed is between 15 km / h and 30 km / h, the perimeter monitoring ECU puts the radar function into standby, activates the image recognition function, and puts the ultrasonic detection function into standby. And when the vehicle speed is 30 km / h or more, the perimeter monitoring ECU turns off the radar function, partially activates the image recognition function, and turns off the ultrasonic detection function.

[0022] Here, the term "partially active" in the image recognition function refers to a partial active state in which images are captured and recognized, but no processing for display output is performed. When an object is recognized in the partially active state, the recognition results can be provided to other systems for use. On the other hand, since no processing for display output is performed, the driver cannot visually confirm the recognition results, but the processing load on the perimeter monitoring ECU is reduced. Suppressing display output, especially when driving at high speeds, is also beneficial in that it allows the driver to concentrate on visually checking the outside of the vehicle.

[0023] 2 is a configuration diagram of a periphery monitoring ECU 30. The periphery monitoring ECU 30 shown in FIG. 2 includes an input unit 31, a sensor device connection unit 32, a power supply management unit 33, a function execution unit 34, an output unit 35, and an operation management unit 36.

[0024] The input unit 31 operates as a vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires information related to the vehicle state. Specifically, the input unit 31 includes an IGN state acquisition unit 31a that acquires the ignition state, a vehicle speed acquisition unit 31b that acquires the vehicle speed, and the like. The input unit 31 can also acquire information related to the state of the vehicle battery. The input unit 31 outputs the acquired information related to the vehicle state to the function execution unit 34.

[0025] The sensor device connection unit 32 is connected to various types of sensor devices. An IC (integrated circuit) for each type of sensor device is attached to the sensor device connection unit 32.

[0026] The radar IC 32a of the sensor device connection unit 32 is connected to the radar unit. The radar IC 32a of the sensor device connection unit 32 supplies power to the radar unit, transmits control signals to the radar unit, receives reflected wave signals from the radar unit, performs preprocessing on the reflected wave signals, and outputs the preprocessed signals to the function execution unit 34.

[0027] The image recognition IC 32b of the sensor device connection unit 32 is connected to the camera unit. The image recognition IC 32b of the sensor device connection unit 32 supplies power to the camera unit, transmits control signals to the camera unit, receives images from the camera unit, performs preprocessing on the images, and outputs the images to the function execution unit 34.

[0028] The ultrasonic detection IC 32c of the sensor device connection unit 32 is connected to the ultrasonic detection unit. The ultrasonic detection IC 32c of the sensor device connection unit 32 supplies power to the ultrasonic detection unit, transmits control signals to the ultrasonic detection unit, receives reflected wave signals from the ultrasonic detection unit, performs preprocessing on the reflected wave signals, and outputs the preprocessed signals to the function execution unit 34.

[0029] The power supply management unit 33 supplies power from the vehicle's battery to the input unit 31, the sensor device connection unit 32, the function execution unit 34, the output unit 35, and the operation management unit 36. In addition, the power supply management unit 33 can change the power supply modes of the input unit 31, the sensor device connection unit 32, the function execution unit 34, and the output unit 35 based on instructions from the operation management unit 36.

[0030] The function execution unit 34 has a radar function 34a, an image recognition function 34b, an ultrasonic detection function 34c, a vehicle state determination function 34d, etc. The function execution unit 34 is preferably configured as an SoC (System-on-Chip) incorporating a calculation device, a main memory device, etc. required to realize these functions.

[0031] The radar function 34a in the function execution unit 34 determines the control content for the radar unit, generates a control signal, and transmits the control signal to the radar IC 32a in the sensor device connection unit 32. The radar function 34a also outputs a control signal from the radar IC 32a in the sensor device connection unit 32 to the radar unit, and detects an object based on the reflected wave signal output from the radar unit. The radar function 34a outputs the object detection result to the radar IC 35a in the output unit 35. The image recognition function 34b in the function execution unit 34 determines the control content for the camera unit, generates a control signal, and transmits the control signal to the image recognition IC 32b of the sensor device connection unit 32. The image recognition function 34b also outputs the control signal from the image recognition IC 32b of the sensor device connection unit 32 to the camera unit, performs image recognition on the image received from the camera unit, and identifies the object. The image recognition function outputs the object identification result to the image recognition IC 35b of the output unit 35. The ultrasonic detection function 34c in the function execution unit 34 determines the control content for the ultrasonic detection unit, generates a control signal, and transmits the control signal to the ultrasonic detection IC 32c in the sensor device connection unit 32. The ultrasonic detection function 34c also outputs a control signal from the ultrasonic detection function IC 32c in the sensor device connection unit 32 to the ultrasonic detection unit, and detects an object based on the signal of the reflected wave received from the ultrasonic detection unit. The ultrasonic detection function 34c outputs the object detection result to the ultrasonic detection IC 35c in the output unit 35. The vehicle state determination function 34d in the function execution unit 34 determines the state of the vehicle using the ignition state and vehicle speed acquired by the input unit 31, and outputs the state to the operation management unit 36.

[0032] The output unit 35 outputs the detection results of the various sensor devices. The output destinations are devices that notify the driver of information, such as a display device, an audio output device, a navigation unit, or other ECUs. The output unit 35 is equipped with an IC for each type of sensor device.

[0033] The radar IC 35a of the output unit 35 processes the detection result by the radar function 34a into an output format and outputs it. For example, it generates an image showing the positional relationship between the detected object and the vehicle and outputs it to a display device. The image recognition IC 35b of the output unit 35 processes the recognition result by the image recognition function 34b into an output format and outputs it. For example, it generates a display image centered on the recognized object and outputs it to a display device. The ultrasonic detection IC 35c of the output unit 35 processes the detection result by the ultrasonic detection function 34c into an output format and outputs it. For example, it generates an image showing the direction of the detected object and the degree of contact risk, and outputs it to a display device.

[0034] The operation management unit 36 ​​is a micro controller unit (MCU) that manages the operation of the periphery monitoring ECU 30. The operation management unit 36 ​​includes a control table storage unit 36a and a device control unit 36b.

[0035] The control table storage unit 36a stores a control table that associates the power supply mode of each sensing function with each vehicle state. The control table is set so that at least one sensing function, i.e., a type of sensor device, is inactive for any vehicle state.

[0036] The device control unit 36b references the control table based on the vehicle state and generates a signal to control the power supply mode for each sensing function, i.e., for each type of sensor device. The device control unit 36b outputs the generated signal to the power supply management unit 33.

[0037] The power management unit 33 controls the power mode of each function and each sensor device based on a signal generated by the device control unit 36b. For example, to turn off the radar function 34a, the power management unit 33 stops the radar IC 32a in the sensor device connection unit 32, stops the radar function 34a in the function execution unit 34, and stops the radar IC 35c in the output unit 35, and does not supply power to the radar unit. In this way, the power management unit 33 can stop processing on an IC-by-IC basis in the sensor device connection unit 32 and the output unit 35, and can set the power mode of each sensor device to off, standby, active, or partially active. The function execution unit 34 can also stop processing on an function-by-function basis. When the power supply mode is in standby, the perimeter monitoring ECU consumes more power than when the power supply mode is off, and consumes less power than when the power supply mode is on. This is because power is supplied to sensor devices such as the radar unit and ultrasonic detection unit while the power supply mode is in standby.

[0038] A specific example of the control table is shown in Figure 3. In the example shown in Figure 3, the vehicle state is determined by three factors: "whether or not the vehicle is connected to the battery," "whether or not the ignition is on," and "vehicle speed."

[0039] The control table associates the radar function, image recognition function, and ultrasonic detection function with the state when the perimeter monitoring ECU is not connected to the vehicle battery (battery off), regardless of the ignition or vehicle speed. The control table also associates the radar function off, the image recognition function off, and the ultrasonic detection function on standby with a vehicle state in which the vehicle is connected to the battery (battery on) and the ignition is off. The control table also associates the vehicle states of battery on, ignition on, and a traveling speed of less than 15 km / h with the radar function off, image recognition function active, and ultrasonic detection function active. The control table also associates the vehicle states of battery on, ignition on, and a driving speed of 15 km / h or more and less than 30 km / h with radar function standby, image recognition function active, and ultrasonic detection function standby. The control table also associates the vehicle states of battery on, ignition on, and a traveling speed of 30 km / h or more with radar function off, image recognition function partially active, and ultrasonic detection function off. In this way, the perimeter monitoring ECU 30 sets the power supply mode of the radar function, image recognition function, and ultrasonic detection function to either off, standby, partially active, or on depending on the driving speed and the detectable range of each sensor device.

[0040] 4 is a flowchart relating to the control of the power supply mode. The device control unit of the operation management unit 36 ​​starts operation when the battery is connected (step S101). When the operation management unit 36 ​​starts operation, the input unit 31 acquires the vehicle state (step S102), and the vehicle state determination function 34d of the function execution unit 34 determines the vehicle state.

[0041] If the result of the determination is that the ignition is off (step S103; No), the vehicle state determination function 34d of the function execution unit 34 determines which range the vehicle speed falls within (step S104).

[0042] After the determination in step S104, or if the ignition is on (step S103; Yes), the device control unit 36b of the operation management unit 36 ​​refers to the control table (step S105) and identifies the power mode of each sensing function (step S106). The device control unit 36b of the operation management unit 36 ​​generates a signal to control the power mode for each sensing function, i.e., for each type of sensor device, and outputs the signal to the power management unit 33.

[0043] The power management unit 33 controls the power mode of each sensing function based on the signal generated by the device control unit 36b (step S107). After that, the process repeats from step S102. Note that when the battery is turned off or when an operation to end the power mode control is received, the power mode control ends.

[0044] Fig. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a modified example of the periphery monitoring ECU. The periphery monitoring ECU 30a shown in Fig. 5 differs from the periphery monitoring ECU 30 shown in Fig. 2 in that it does not supply power to the sensor device and is connected to an external power management unit 51. The rest of the configuration and operation are the same as those of the periphery monitoring ECU 30 shown in Fig. 2.

[0045] The periphery monitoring ECU 30 is connected to an ignition sensor 11 , a speed sensor 12 , a radar unit 21 , a camera unit 22 , an ultrasonic detection unit 23 , and a power management unit 51 .

[0046] The power management unit 51 supplies power from the vehicle's battery 50 to the radar unit 21, the camera unit 22, the ultrasonic detection unit 23, and the periphery monitoring ECU 30a. The power management unit 51 can change the power modes of the radar unit 21, the camera unit 22, and the ultrasonic detection unit 23 based on instructions from the periphery monitoring ECU 30a. Furthermore, the periphery monitoring ECU 30a can change the power modes of various internal functions and ICs, just like the periphery monitoring ECU 30.

[0047] In this manner, if the power management unit 51 is configured to supply power to a plurality of sensor devices, heat generation by the power management unit 51 can be suppressed by controlling the power mode of each sensor device.

[0048] As described above, the perimeter monitoring ECU is a device control device that controls multiple sensor devices mounted on a vehicle, and includes an input unit 31 as a vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires information regarding the state of the vehicle, a control table memory unit 36a that is a memory unit that stores power modes of the multiple sensor devices in association with each state of the vehicle, and a device control unit 36b that controls the power modes of the multiple sensor devices, which have different detectable ranges, according to the state of the vehicle, and the device control unit 36b sets the power modes of the multiple sensor devices based on the vehicle speed, which is the state of the vehicle, and the detectable ranges of the sensor devices. Therefore, heat generation can be suppressed when controlling a plurality of sensor devices.

[0049] The plurality of sensor devices may include sensor devices of different types, and the device control unit 36b may control the power supply mode for each of the types. Therefore, it is possible to selectively use a type of sensor device suited to the situation and suppress heat generation. The periphery monitoring ECU also includes a power supply management unit 33 that supplies power to the plurality of sensor devices, and the power supply unit 33 supplies or does not supply power to the plurality of sensor devices according to the power supply mode set by the device control unit 36 ​​b. In other words, the power supply unit 33 selectively supplies power to the plurality of sensor devices. Therefore, it is possible to stop the power supply to unused sensor devices in consideration of the detectable range of each sensor device, thereby suppressing heat generation.

[0050] Furthermore, the device control unit 36b controls the power supply modes so that an inactive sensor device always exists among the plurality of sensor devices. For example, when the vehicle is traveling and the vehicle speed is less than a first threshold, the device control unit 36b sets the power supply mode of the radar sensor device to the off mode and the power supply mode of the ultrasonic sensor device to the active mode. Furthermore, when the vehicle is traveling and the vehicle speed is equal to or greater than a second threshold, the device control unit 36b sets the power supply mode of the radar sensor device to the active mode and the power supply mode of the ultrasonic sensor device to the off mode. In this way, by avoiding a situation in which all sensor devices are active, heat generation can be efficiently suppressed.

[0051] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but includes various modifications. For example, the above-described embodiments have been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to those including all of the described configurations. Furthermore, configurations can be replaced or added, not limited to deletion.

[0052] For example, in the embodiment, for the sake of simplicity, the case where the type of sensor device corresponds to the detectable range is illustrated, but if sensor devices of the same type but with different detectable ranges are installed, the power mode may be controlled for each detectable range. For example, if a long-range radar and a short-range radar are installed, the power mode of the short-range radar can be set to off when traveling at high speeds. [Explanation of symbols]

[0053] 11: Ignition sensor, 12: Speed ​​sensor, 21: Radar unit, 22: Camera unit, 23: Ultrasonic detection unit, 30: Periphery monitoring ECU, 31: Input unit, 31a: IGN state acquisition unit, 31b: Vehicle speed acquisition unit, 32: Sensor device connection unit, 32a: Radar IC, 32b: Image recognition IC, 32c: Ultrasonic detection IC, 33: Power management unit, 34: Function execution unit, 34a: Radar function, 34b: Image recognition function, 34c: Ultrasonic detection function, 35: Output unit, 35a: Radar IC, 35b: Image recognition IC, 35c: Ultrasonic detection IC, 36: Operation management unit, 36a: Control table storage unit, 36b: Device control unit, 50: Battery, 51: Power management unit

Claims

1. A device control device that controls a plurality of sensor devices mounted on a vehicle, a vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires information about the state of the vehicle; a storage unit that stores power modes of the plurality of sensor devices in association with each state of the vehicle; a device control unit that controls power modes of the plurality of sensor devices having different detectable ranges in accordance with the state of the vehicle; Equipped with The device control unit sets a power supply mode of the plurality of sensor devices based on a vehicle speed, which is a state of the vehicle, and a detectable range of the sensor device. A device control device characterized by:

2. The device control device according to claim 1 , the plurality of sensor devices include sensor devices of different types, The device control device is characterized in that the device control unit controls the power supply mode for each of the types.

3. The device control device according to claim 1 , a power supply management unit that supplies power to the plurality of sensor devices; The device control device, wherein the power management unit supplies or does not supply power to the plurality of sensor devices in accordance with the power mode set by the device control unit.

4. The device control device according to claim 1 , The device control device is characterized in that the device control unit controls the power supply modes so that an inactive sensor device always exists among the plurality of sensor devices.

5. The device control device according to claim 1 , A device control device characterized in that, when the vehicle is traveling and the vehicle speed is less than a first threshold, the device control unit sets the power mode of a radar sensor device to an off mode and the power mode of an ultrasonic sensor device to an active mode.

6. The device control device according to claim 5, A device control device characterized in that, when the vehicle is traveling and the vehicle speed is greater than or equal to a second threshold, the device control unit sets the power mode of the radar sensor device to active mode and the power mode of the ultrasonic sensor device to off mode.

7. A device control method for controlling a plurality of sensor devices mounted on a vehicle, comprising: The device control device a vehicle information acquisition step of acquiring information about the state of the vehicle; determining a power supply mode of the plurality of sensor devices based on a vehicle speed, which is a state of the vehicle, and a detectable range of the sensor device; controlling the power supply modes of the plurality of sensor devices to a specified power supply mode; A device control method comprising:

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