Flood detection system, flood detection method, and flood detection program

The water ingress detection system with multiple detection units and tailored alerts addresses the challenge of inaccurate flooding detection in vehicles, enhancing accuracy and preventing equipment damage through precise flooding alerts.

JP7832871B2Active Publication Date: 2026-03-18TRANSTRON INC
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2022-09-16
Publication Date
2026-03-18

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing vehicle systems lack accurate and detailed detection of water ingress, leading to potential careless handling and increased risk of equipment damage during flooding situations.

Method used

A water ingress detection system with multiple detection units at different levels of equipment, a determination unit for precise flooding assessment, and an output unit for tailored alerts and actions, including pre-flood warnings and flood alarms, to prevent equipment submersion and ensure user awareness.

Benefits of technology

Enhances detection accuracy, prevents careless handling, and ensures user understanding of flooding status, thereby preventing equipment damage and ensuring driver safety.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

To prevent careless handling when water enters a vehicle or water immersion is likely to occur.SOLUTION: A water immersion detection system is for detecting water immersion of a device mounted on a vehicle. The water immersion detection system includes: a detection portion for detecting water immersion, which includes a first water immersion detection unit provided near the lower end of the device, and a second water immersion detection unit provided near the upper end of the device; an output unit that carries out a process against the water immersion on the basis of the detection result of the detection unit; and a control unit having a determination unit that carries out determination as to the water immersion of the device on the basis of the detection result of the detection unit, and an output control unit that outputs an instruction for controlling an operation of the output unit to the output unit. The determination unit determines that there is a sign of water immersion of the device when arrival of water at the first water immersion detection unit is detected, and determines that the device has been immersed in water when arrival of water at the second water immersion detection unit is detected. The output control unit outputs instructions different between when the determination unit determines that there is a sign of water immersion of the device and when it determines that the device has been immersed in water.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3
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Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to a water immersion detection system, a water immersion detection method, and a water immersion detection program.

Background Art

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

[0007] Another embodiment of the present invention is a flood detection method for detecting flooding of equipment mounted on a vehicle, the method comprising: a determination step of making a determination regarding flooding of the equipment based on the detection result of a detection unit having a first flood detection unit provided near the lower end of the equipment and a second flood detection unit provided near the upper end of the equipment; and an output step of outputting an instruction to control the operation of an output unit that performs processing in response to flooding based on the detection result of the detection unit, wherein the output step outputs different instructions depending on whether it is determined that there is an indication of flooding of the equipment or that the equipment has been flooded.

[0008] Another embodiment of the present invention is a flood detection program for detecting flooding of equipment mounted on a vehicle, wherein the computer functions as a determination unit that makes a determination regarding flooding of the equipment based on the detection result of a detection unit having at least a detection unit for detecting flooding, the detection unit having a first flood detection unit provided near the lower end of the equipment and a second flood detection unit provided near the upper end of the equipment, and an output control unit that outputs instructions to the output unit to control the operation of the output unit, wherein the output control unit outputs different instructions depending on whether the determination unit determines that there is an indication of flooding of the equipment or that the equipment has been flooded. Computer programs can be provided via download over networks such as the Internet, or by being recorded on various computer-readable recording media such as CD-ROMs.

[0009] In any of the above embodiments of the present invention, the detection unit is provided at the lower end or below the device and determines whether there is a sign of water ingress into the device or whether the device has been submerged in water, and outputs different instructions to the output unit according to the determination result. This allows the vehicle user to understand the extent of the water ingress in detail. Therefore, it is possible to prevent careless handling when water ingress has occurred or is likely to occur inside the vehicle.

[0010] The output control unit outputs a pre-flood warning to alert the user of the signs of flooding if the determination unit determines that there are signs of flooding, and outputs a flooding alarm to alert the user of flooding if the determination unit determines that flooding has occurred. The output unit may output alarms in different ways depending on whether the pre-flood warning or the flooding alarm has been output from the output control unit. This allows the user to understand the status of the vehicle more clearly.

[0011] The output unit has an air suspension, and the output control unit may output a control command to the air suspension indicating that the vehicle height should be raised if the determination unit determines that there is an indication of flooding. This prevents the equipment from being submerged in water.

[0012] The determination unit does not need to determine that there is flooding if it has detected that water has reached the second flood detection unit but has not detected that water has reached the first flood detection unit. This prevents false detections and ensures detection accuracy.

[0013] The detection unit includes a third flood detection unit provided near the end of a second device different from the first device, and a fourth flood detection unit provided near the upper end of the second device. The determination unit does not need to determine that there is a sign of flooding or that there is flooding if it has not detected that water has reached the lowest flood detection unit among the first, second, third, and fourth flood detection units. This makes it possible to increase the accuracy of detection.

[0014] The control unit includes a storage unit that stores the detection result obtained from the detection unit or the determination result from the determination unit, and a reception unit that receives input from the user. The output control unit may output the result stored in the storage unit to the output unit when the reception unit receives input. This makes it possible to understand the flood situation in detail at a desired timing. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent careless handling in the event of water ingress or risk of water ingress into the vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing an example of a state in which the water immersion detection system 1 according to the first embodiment is mounted on a vehicle. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the water detection sensor included in the water immersion detection system 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the water immersion detection system 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing flow by the water immersion detection system 1. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the water immersion detection system 2 according to the second embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing flow by the water immersion detection system 2. MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0017] Hereinafter, embodiments of the water immersion detection system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The water immersion detection system is a device mounted on a vehicle that detects water immersion of components such as an engine room and a battery, and takes measures against water immersion. Further, the water immersion detection system detects a sign of water immersion and takes measures in a situation where components are gradually being immersed in water.

[0018] <First Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing an example of a state in which the water immersion detection system 1 according to the first embodiment is mounted on a vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 may be, for example, a passenger car or other traveling machine in addition to a truck. The vehicle 100 has an engine 110 and a battery 120. In FIG. 1, the engine 110 is provided below the driver's seat and above the front wheels, and the battery 120 is mounted near the middle between the front and rear wheels. Note that the engine 110 and the battery 120 are examples of water immersion devices, and the devices are not limited to the engine 110 and the battery 120.

[0019] Note that the arrangements of the engine 110 and the battery 120 in FIG. 1 are merely examples and are not limited thereto. For example, the battery 120 may be arranged at a position higher than the engine 110.

[0020] A water immersion detection unit 11 is provided at the lower end of the engine 110, and a water immersion detection unit 12 is provided at the upper end of the engine 110. Further, a water immersion detection unit 13 is provided at the lower end of the battery 120, and a water immersion detection unit 14 is provided at the upper end of the battery 120.

[0021] Note that in FIG. 1, the water immersion detection units 11 and 12 are provided at the lower end and the upper end of the engine 110 respectively, and the water immersion detection units 13 and 14 are provided at the lower end and the upper end of the battery 120 respectively. However, the arrangements of the water immersion detection units 11 to 14 are not limited thereto. The water immersion detection units 11 to 14 may be provided near the upper end and the lower end of the equipment (engine 110 and battery 120), and may be provided slightly (for example, several cm) away from the equipment above and below the equipment.

[0022] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the water immersion detection units 11 to 14 included in the water immersion detection system 1. The water immersion detection units 11 to 14 are sensors that detect whether water immersion, that is, the liquid level has reached a predetermined height. Since the water immersion detection units 11 to 14 have the same configuration, the water immersion detection unit 11 will be described as an example below.

[0023] The water immersion detection unit 11 mainly includes a water detection sensor 111 and a cover 112. The water detection sensor 111 is a sensor that detects contact with water. The water detection sensor 111 has two electrodes, and when a liquid such as water contacts these two electrodes and a current flows through the liquid, it detects that the liquid is in contact. However, the form of the water detection sensor 111 is not limited thereto. The cover 112 is, for example, an elongated box-shaped body, and the water detection sensor 111 is housed in the upper part of its interior. The cover 112 can have any shape, including a cylindrical housing that covers at least its upper end. For example, the sides of the cover 112 may be cylindrical or polygonal. A water intake port 113 is formed at the lower end of the cover 112.

[0025] If the vehicle 100 is submerged in water, water enters the cover 112 through the water intake 113, comes into contact with the water detection sensor 111, and the water ingress detection unit 11 detects the ingress. On the other hand, if the vehicle 100 is exposed to water due to factors other than ingress, such as rain or splashes, during normal operation, the cover 112 blocks the water, preventing it from reaching the water detection sensor 111. This prevents false detections where situations other than ingress are detected as ingress.

[0026] When water enters the cover 112 from the water intake 113, an air vent (not shown) is formed near the upper end of the cover 112 to release air from inside the cover 112 to the outside. Such a configuration of the cover 112 is common technical knowledge and may be configured as appropriate depending on the specific form of the cover 112.

[0027] The configuration of the flood detection units 11-14 is not limited to these. For example, a device that detects water intrusion by water pressure may be used as a flood detection unit.

[0028] Figure 3 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the flood detection system 1. As shown in Figure 3, for example, the flood detection system 1 mainly comprises a detection unit 10, a control unit 20, and an output unit 30. The detection unit 10, the control unit 20, and the output unit 30 are configured to communicate with each other by wire or wireless means.

[0029] The detection unit 10 mainly has a plurality of flood detection units 11 to 14. Flood detection unit 11, located at the lower end of the engine 110, detects when the water level reaches near the lower end of the engine 110. Flood detection unit 12, located at the upper end of the engine 110, detects when the water level reaches near the upper end of the engine 110. Similarly, flood detection unit 13, located at the lower end of the battery 120, detects when the water level reaches near the lower end of the battery 120. Flood detection unit 14, located at the upper end of the battery 120, detects when the water level reaches near the upper end of the battery 120. The detection results from the detection unit 10 are output to the control unit 20.

[0030] The control unit 20 can be implemented using an information processing device such as a dedicated or general-purpose server computer. Specifically, the control unit 20 includes an arithmetic unit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) for executing information processing, and a storage device such as RAM (Random Access Memory) or ROM (Read Only Memory). The arithmetic unit operates according to the program stored in the storage device. The program can be provided by downloading it over a network or by recording it on various computer-readable recording media.

[0031] The control unit 20 primarily includes various functional units such as a determination unit 21 and an output control unit 22, as software resources.

[0032] The determination unit 21 is a functional unit that acquires detection results from the detection unit 10 and makes a determination regarding water ingress of the equipment (engine 110, battery 120) based on those detection results. For example, the determination unit 21 acquires information regarding the positional relationship between the equipment (engine 110, battery 120) and the water ingress detection units 11 to 14, and makes a determination regarding water ingress based on that information and the detection results from the detection unit 10.

[0033] In this embodiment, the determination unit 21 determines that there is a sign of flooding in the engine 110 or battery 120 if it detects that water has reached the flood detection units 11 and 13. Furthermore, if the determination unit 21 detects that water has reached the flood detection units 12 and 14, it determines that the engine 110 or battery 120 has been flooded.

[0034] The determination unit 21 may store information regarding the types of equipment (engine 110, battery 120) targeted by the flood detection units 11-14 and the positional relationship between the equipment and the flood detection units 11-14 in a storage unit (not shown), or it may acquire this information from the detection unit 10 along with the detection results.

[0035] The output control unit 22 is a functional unit that outputs instructions to the output unit 30 to control the operation of the output unit 30 based on the determination result of the determination unit 21. The output control unit 22 outputs different instructions depending on whether the determination unit 21 determines that there are signs of flooding in the equipment or that the equipment has been flooded. In this embodiment, if the determination unit 21 determines that there are signs of flooding in the equipment, the output control unit 22 outputs a pre-flood warning to alert the equipment of the signs of flooding. Also, if the determination unit 21 determines that the equipment has been flooded, the output control unit 22 outputs a flood occurrence warning to alert the equipment of flooding.

[0036] The control unit 20 may be composed of a single information processing device or of multiple information processing devices distributed over a communication network. The control unit 20 may be located in a different location from the vehicle 100 on which the detection unit 10 and output unit 30 are mounted, or it may be mounted in the vehicle together with the detection unit 10 and output unit 30. Furthermore, the control unit 20 and output unit 30 may be implemented with a single hardware configuration. In addition to the main hardware configurations such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), communication device, and storage device, the control unit 20 may also include other configurations that are generally found in server devices.

[0037] The output unit 30 mainly comprises an alarm light 31, a speaker 32, and a communication module 33. The output unit 30 is a functional unit that performs various actions in response to flooding based on control commands from the control unit 20.

[0038] The output unit 30 can issue multiple types of warnings based on control commands from the output control unit 22. For example, the output unit 30 outputs warnings in different ways depending on the determination result of the determination unit 21, such as when it is determined that there are signs of flooding (pre-flood warning) or when it is determined that flooding has occurred (flood occurrence warning).

[0039] The warning light 31 is a display device such as a lamp installed on the vehicle 100 and is visible from inside or outside the vehicle 100. The warning light 31 issues a warning in multiple different ways based on the determination result of the determination unit 21. For example, the warning light 31 may issue a warning by lighting up or flashing in different colors (for example, yellow for a pre-flood warning and red for a flooding warning) for a flood warning. Alternatively, the warning light 31 may issue a warning in different ways (intensity of light or flashing pattern) for a pre-flood warning and a flooding warning. Furthermore, the warning light 31 may have a display that shows different characters for a pre-flood warning and a flooding warning.

[0040] The speaker 32 is installed in the vehicle 100 and can emit sound either inside or outside the vehicle 100. The speaker 32 issues alarms in multiple different ways based on the determination result of the determination unit 21. For example, the speaker 32 may issue alarms with different sounds, voices, message content, etc., for pre-flood warnings and flood warnings.

[0041] The communication module 33 is a functional unit that communicates with an external device, for example, and transmits an alarm. The communication module 33 may be installed in the vehicle 100 or in the control unit 20. The communication module 33 may, for example, send an email to the user's terminal in the vehicle 100, or it may notify the administrator's terminal of a message using appropriate technology such as short-range communication.

[0042] The communication module 33 issues alarms in multiple different ways based on the determination result of the determination unit 21. For example, the communication module 33 may use different content for pre-flood warnings and flood warnings in emails or other appropriate messages, and may also send alarms to different recipients. With such a configuration, the user can understand the status of the vehicle 100 more clearly.

[0043] Now, referring to Figure 4, we will explain the process flow by which the flood detection system 1 issues an alarm. Figure 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the alarm processing flow by the flood detection system 1. The processing in Figure 4 is performed continuously and repeatedly, for example, while the electronic equipment of vehicle 100 is operating.

[0044] (Step SP11) The control unit 20 (in this case, the determination unit 21) obtains the result from the detection unit 10 and determines whether or not flooding has been detected by the flood detection units 11 and 13 located at the lower ends of the equipment (engine 110, battery 120). If flooding is detected by the flood detection units 11 and 13 (Yes in step SP11), the control unit 20 proceeds to step SP13. If flooding is not detected by the flood detection units 11 and 13 (No in step SP11), the control unit 20 terminates the process.

[0045] (Step SP13) The control unit 20 (in this case, the output control unit 22) outputs an instruction to the output unit 30 to output a pre-flood warning based on the determination result from the determination unit 21, and the output unit 30 receives this instruction. The output unit 30 then issues a pre-flood warning to warn of signs of flooding using at least one of the warning light 31, speaker 32, and communication module 33. The control unit 20 then proceeds to step SP15.

[0046] (Step SP15) The control unit 20 (in this case, the determination unit 21) obtains the detection result from the detection unit 10 and determines whether or not flooding has been detected by the flooding detection units 12 and 14 located at the upper ends of the equipment (engine 110, battery 120). If flooding is detected by the flooding detection units 12 and 14 (Yes in step SP15), the control unit 20 proceeds to step SP17. If flooding is not detected by the flooding detection units 12 and 14 (No in step SP15), the control unit 20 terminates the process.

[0047] (Step SP15) The control unit 20 (in this case, the output control unit 22) outputs the determination result from the determination unit 21 to the output unit 30, and the output unit 30 acquires the determination result from the determination unit 21, i.e., that flooding has been detected by the flooding detection units 12 and 14. The output unit 30 then issues a flooding alarm warning via at least one of the alarm light 31, speaker 32, and communication module 33. The flooding detection system 1 then completes the series of processes.

[0048] Note that the order of the steps in the process flow shown in Figure 4 can be changed as appropriate. For example, steps SP13 and SP15 may be performed simultaneously.

[0049] According to this embodiment, the user can clearly understand the status of the vehicle. Therefore, in the event of flooding inside the vehicle or the risk of flooding, serious malfunctions of the vehicle 100 due to careless handling such as starting the engine 110 can be prevented. In addition, if a flood warning is issued, the user can take evacuation action to prevent further flooding. Furthermore, if a flood warning is issued, the user can stop driving. In this way, even if flooding occurs inside the vehicle 100, the vehicle 100 can be prevented from malfunctioning and the driver's safety can be ensured.

[0050] In this embodiment, the determination unit 21 determined that there was a sign of flooding in the engine 110 or battery 120 if it detected that water had reached the flood detection units 11 and 13, and that the engine 110 or battery 120 had been flooded if it detected that water had reached the flood detection units 12 and 14. However, the method by which the determination unit 21 determines whether there is a sign of flooding or not is not limited to this.

[0051] For example, the determination unit 21 may make a determination regarding flooding based on the detection results of a pair of flood detection units provided for the same equipment. For example, if the determination unit 21 detects that water has reached the flood detection unit 12 located at the upper end of the engine 110, but does not detect that water has reached the flood detection unit 11 (located at the lower end of the engine 110) which is paired with the flood detection unit 12, the determination unit 21 may consider this a false detection and not make a determination that there is flooding. This can improve the accuracy of detection.

[0052] Furthermore, for example, the determination unit 21 may make a determination regarding flooding based on the detection results of all flood detection units provided for multiple devices. For example, if the determination unit 21 does not detect that water has reached the lowest flood detection unit (in this case, flood detection unit 13) based on the heights of the flood detection units 11 to 14 provided on the vehicle 100, it may not make a determination that there is a sign of flooding or that there is flooding, even if water has reached the other flood detection units (in this case, flood detection units 11, 12, and 14). This can improve the accuracy of detection.

[0053] Furthermore, in this embodiment, an alarm is issued from the output unit 30 when flooding is detected by the determination unit 21, but the timing of the alarm being issued from the output unit 30 is not limited to this. For example, the determination result from the determination unit 21 may be output to the output unit 30 in response to input from a user such as the vehicle driver or manager. In this case, the control unit 20 has a storage unit and a reception unit that receives input, and stores the detection result obtained from the detection unit 10 or the determination result from the determination unit 21 in the storage unit, and when the reception unit receives input, the output control unit 22 outputs the result stored in the storage unit to the output unit 30. User operation input may be, for example, a command to display the detection history, or an appropriate operation leading to the start of operation, such as turning on the power of the vehicle 100. This allows the user to understand the flooding situation in detail at any desired timing other than when flooding is detected.

[0054] If operation is started when there is a history of flooding, it may lead to accidents or malfunctions of the vehicle 100. Therefore, it is desirable that the detection result is transmitted from the control unit 20 to the output unit 30 by one of the actions leading up to the start of operation. With this configuration, even if the user has not seen the notification at the time of flooding, careless handling after flooding can be prevented more reliably.

[0055] Furthermore, in this embodiment, there are two devices (engine 110 and battery 120), and each device has two water ingress detection units 11-14 for a total of four. However, the number of devices is not limited to two, nor is the number of water ingress detection units limited to four.

[0056] <Second Embodiment> Next, a flood detection system 2 according to a second embodiment will be described. The flood detection system 2 has the same elements and structure as the flood detection system 1 according to the first embodiment. Therefore, in the following description, elements and structures similar to those of the flood detection system 1 according to the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed explanations will be omitted. Only the parts that differ from the first embodiment will be described.

[0057] The flood detection system 2 differs from the flood detection system 1 according to the first embodiment in that it works in conjunction with the air suspension installed on the vehicle 100 and raises the vehicle height via the air suspension when it detects flooding.

[0058] Figure 5 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the flood detection system 2 according to the second embodiment. The flood detection system 2 mainly comprises a detection unit 10, a control unit 20A, and an output unit 30A. The detection unit 10, the control unit 20A, and the output unit 30A are configured to communicate with each other by wire or wireless means.

[0059] The output unit 30A, like the output unit 30, is a functional unit that performs various actions in response to flooding based on control commands from the control unit 20A. The output unit 30A mainly includes an alarm light 31, a speaker 32, a communication module 33, and an air suspension 34.

[0060] The air suspension 34 is installed on the vehicle 100 and adjusts the vehicle height of the vehicle 100, which is equipped with the water ingress detection system 2. The air suspension 34 can be a known air suspension system installed on various vehicles. For example, the air suspension 34 may have an actuator, and the vehicle height may be raised or lowered by moving the upper seat up and down using the actuator.

[0061] The control unit 20A mainly consists of software resources, primarily a determination unit 21 and an output control unit 22A, among other functional units. The output control unit 22A differs from the output control unit 22 in that it outputs instructions to the air suspension 34, but is otherwise the same as the output control unit 22.

[0062] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing flow by the flood detection system 2. The processing in Figure 6 is performed continuously and repeatedly, for example, while the electronic equipment of the vehicle 100 is operating. Steps SP11 and SP13 are the same as those of the flood detection system 1 described using Figure 4. After step SP13, the control unit proceeds to step SP14.

[0063] (Step SP14) The control unit 20A (in this case, the output control unit 22A) outputs a control command to the air suspension 34 indicating that the vehicle height of the vehicle 100 should be raised, based on the determination result from the determination unit 21 (determination that there are signs of flooding). The air suspension 34 receives this command and raises the vehicle height of the vehicle 100. The control unit 20 proceeds to step SP15.

[0064] Steps SP15 and SP17 are the same as those described in the flood detection system 1 using Figure 4.

[0065] According to this embodiment, by raising the vehicle height when signs of flooding are detected, flooding of equipment (engine 110, battery 120) can be prevented.

[0066] In this embodiment, a flood warning was issued and the vehicle height of the vehicle 100 was raised. However, instead of issuing a flood warning, the vehicle height of the vehicle 100 may be raised.

[0067] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the vehicle height of the vehicle 100 was raised via the air suspension 34 when flooding was detected by the flood detection units 11 and 13, but the timing of raising the vehicle height of the vehicle 100 is not limited to this. For example, the output control unit 22A may output an instruction to raise the vehicle height of the vehicle 100 to the air suspension 34 when flooding is detected by the flood detection units 11 and 13 and when flooding is detected by the flood detection units 12 and 14. In this case, the output control unit 22A may output an instruction to raise the vehicle height of the vehicle 100 by an arbitrary value that does not hinder driving when flooding is detected by the flood detection units 11 and 13, and an instruction to raise the vehicle height of the vehicle 100 to the maximum when flooding is detected by the flood detection units 12 and 13. This makes it possible to reduce the risk of flooding and allow the vehicle 100 to be driven while preventing the equipment from being submerged in water for a long period of time.

[0068] While embodiments of this invention have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and design modifications and the like are also included within the scope of the gist of this invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0069] 1, 2: Flood detection system 10: Detection unit 11, 12, 13, 14: Flood detection unit 20, 20A: Control Unit 21: Judgment section 22, 22A: Output control unit 30, 30A: Output section 31: Warning light 32: Speaker 33: Communication module 34: Air suspension 100: Vehicles 110: Engine 111: Water detection sensor 112: Cover 113: Water intake 120: Battery

Claims

1. A flood detection system for detecting water ingress into equipment mounted on a vehicle, A detection unit for detecting flooding, comprising: a first flood detection unit provided near the lower end of a first piece of equipment; a second flood detection unit provided near the upper end of the first piece of equipment; a third flood detection unit provided near the end of a second piece of equipment different from the first piece of equipment; and a fourth flood detection unit provided near the upper end of the second piece of equipment. Based on the detection results from the aforementioned detection unit, an output unit performs processing in response to flooding, A control unit having: a determination unit that makes a determination regarding water ingress of the equipment based on the detection result from the detection unit; and an output control unit that outputs instructions to the output unit to control the operation of the output unit, Equipped with, The determination unit determines that there is a sign of flooding in the equipment if it detects that water has reached the first flood detection unit, and that the equipment has been flooded if it detects that water has reached the second flood detection unit. If it does not detect that water has reached the lowest of the first, second, third, and fourth flood detection units, it does not determine that there is a sign of flooding or that the equipment has been flooded. The output control unit outputs different instructions depending on whether the determination unit determines that there is an indication of flooding in the equipment or that the equipment has been flooded. A flood control system characterized by the following features.

2. The output control unit outputs a pre-flood warning to alert of the signs of flooding when the determination unit determines that there are signs of flooding, and outputs a flood occurrence warning to alert of the flooding when the determination unit determines that flooding has occurred. The output unit outputs alarms in different ways depending on whether the pre-flood warning or the flood occurrence warning is output from the output control unit. The flood detection system according to feature 1.

3. The output unit has an air suspension, If the determination unit determines that there is an indication of flooding, the output control unit outputs a control command to the air suspension indicating that the vehicle height should be increased. The flood detection system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the above.

4. The determination unit does not determine that there is flooding if it has detected that water has reached the second flood detection unit, but has not detected that water has reached the first flood detection unit. The flood detection system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the above.

5. The control unit includes a storage unit for storing detection results obtained from the detection unit or determination results from the determination unit, and a reception unit for receiving input from the user. The output control unit outputs the result stored in the storage unit to the output unit when the receiving unit receives input. The flood detection system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the above.

6. A method for detecting water ingress into equipment mounted on a vehicle, A determination step in which a determination is made regarding flooding of the equipment based on the detection results of a detection unit having a first flood detection unit provided near the lower end of the first equipment, a second flood detection unit provided near the upper end of the first equipment, a third flood detection unit provided near the end of a second equipment different from the first equipment, and a fourth flood detection unit provided near the upper end of the second equipment, An output step that outputs an instruction to control the operation of the output unit that performs processing in response to flooding based on the detection result from the detection unit, Equipped with, In the determination step, if it is detected that water has reached the first flood detection unit, it is determined that there is a sign of flooding of the equipment; if it is detected that water has reached the second flood detection unit, it is determined that the equipment has been flooded; and if it is not detected that water has reached the lowest of the first, second, third, and fourth flood detection units, it is not determined that there is a sign of flooding or that flooding has occurred. In the output step, different instructions are output depending on whether it is determined that there are signs of flooding in the equipment or that the equipment has been flooded. A flood detection method characterized by the following features.

7. A flood detection program that detects water ingress into equipment installed in a vehicle, Computers, at least A detection unit for detecting flooding, comprising: a first flooding detection unit provided near the lower end of a first piece of equipment; a second flooding detection unit provided near the upper end of the first piece of equipment; a third flooding detection unit provided near the end of a second piece of equipment different from the first piece of equipment; and a fourth flooding detection unit provided near the upper end of the second piece of equipment, which determines whether the equipment is flooded based on the detection results from the detection unit. An output control unit that outputs instructions to the output unit to control the operation of the output unit. To make it function as, The determination unit determines that there is a sign of flooding in the equipment if it detects that water has reached the first flood detection unit, and that the equipment has been flooded if it detects that water has reached the second flood detection unit. If it does not detect that water has reached the lowest of the first, second, third, and fourth flood detection units, it does not determine that there is a sign of flooding or that the equipment has been flooded. The output control unit outputs different instructions depending on whether the determination unit determines that there is an indication of flooding in the equipment or that the equipment has been flooded. A flood detection program characterized by the following features.

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