Brake light illumination system

Abstract

To prevent a lighting signal accompanying automatic braking and a lighting signal by driver's operation from being double while providing both of a lamp lighting structure for automatic braking and a lamp lighting structure for driver's operation.SOLUTION: A brake lamp lighting system 10A comprises: a switch circuit 33 which can output a current for lighting to a brake lamp 17A when switches 31, 32 are turned ON; a first control circuit 26 which is provided in parallel with the switch circuit 33, and has a first control unit 11 capable of performing brake control independently of the operation of a brake operator and outputting the current for lighting to the brake lamp 17A; and a second control unit 15 which is connected to the first control circuit 26, and transmits a lamp lighting signal to the first control unit 11 when the switches 31, 32 are OFF to enable the current to be supplied and also disables the current to be supplied without any communication of the lamp lighting signal with the first control unit 11 when the switches 31, 32 are ON.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a brake lamp lighting system. Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there are known vehicles that perform driving support control such as follow-up travel control for traveling while maintaining a predetermined inter-vehicle distance following a preceding vehicle. In such a vehicle, for example, when the possibility of collision with the preceding vehicle is detected based on the relationship between the vehicle speed and the inter-vehicle distance relative to the preceding vehicle, some vehicles perform control to automatically actuate a brake device, reduce the vehicle speed and maintain the inter-vehicle distance. In order to notify a following vehicle of the actuation of such an automatic brake, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which a brake operation signal is sent from a brake control ECU to an inter-vehicle control ECU, and the inter-vehicle control ECU lights a brake lamp. Prior Art Documents Patent Documents

[0003] Patent Document 1 Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-63274 Summary of the Invention Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, in the above conventional configuration, when a brake lamp lighting structure associated with automatic braking and a brake lamp lighting structure based on a driver's operation are provided in parallel, there is a problem that a lighting signal associated with automatic braking and a lighting signal based on a driver's operation are duplicated.

[0005] Accordingly, the present invention provides a brake lamp lighting system that can prevent duplication of a lighting signal associated with automatic braking and a lighting signal based on a driver's operation, while providing in parallel a lamp lighting structure associated with automatic braking and a lamp lighting structure based on a driver's operation. Means for Solving the Problem

[0006] As a means of solving the above problems, the first aspect of the present invention includes brake lamps (17A, 17B, 17C) that light up when the vehicle (1) is braked, a switch circuit (33) that detects and disconnects the operation of a brake lever and is capable of outputting a current (A1) for lighting the brake lamps when the switches (31, 32) are ON, and a first control circuit (26) that is provided in parallel with the switch circuit (33) and is capable of brake control independently of the operation of the brake lever and is capable of outputting a current (A2) for lighting the brake lamps (17A, 17B, 17C), and The present invention provides a brake lamp lighting system comprising: a first control circuit (26) connected to the first control device (11) which, when the switches (31, 32) are off, transmits a lamp lighting signal (S1) to the first control device (11) to enable the supply of a current (A2) for lighting the brake lamps (17A, 17B, 17C) from the first control circuit (26); and when the switches (31, 32) are on, does not communicate the lamp lighting signal (S1) with the first control device (11) and prevents the supply of a current (A2) for lighting the brake lamps (17A, 17B, 17C) from the first control circuit (26). With this configuration, a first control circuit, which has a first control device such as a body control unit, supplies current for illumination to the brake lamp, and also supplies current for illumination to the brake lamp when the brake switch, which detects the driver's operation of the brake lever, is turned on. At this time, the second control device, such as an ABS unit connected to the first control circuit, sends an output signal to the first control device when the switch is off, enabling the first control circuit to supply current to the brake lamp. When the switch is on, it prioritizes the driver's brake operation and does not communicate an output signal with the first control device, making it impossible to supply current from the first control circuit to the brake lamp. This makes it possible to have both an illumination structure associated with automatic braking and an illumination structure based on driver operation in parallel, while preventing duplication of illumination signals between the automatic braking illumination signal and the driver operation illumination signal.

[0007] As described in a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the second control device (15) may be prevented from transmitting the lamp lighting signal (S1) to the first control device (11) when the switches (31, 32) are turned on.

[0008] As described in a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect described above, the first control device (11) may be unable to receive the lamp lighting signal (S1) from the second control device (15) when the switches (31, 32) are turned on.

[0009] A fourth aspect of the present invention is a downstream merging line (37) that connects the downstream sides of the switch circuit (33) and the first control circuit (26) in any one of the first to third aspects described above, wherein the downstream merging line (37) includes a diode (37a) that allows the flow of current (A1) from the switch circuit (33) side to the first control circuit (26) side, and blocks the flow of current (A2) from the first control circuit (26) side to the switch circuit (33) side. With this configuration, even when the downstream sides of the switch circuit and the first control circuit are merged and connected to the brake lamp, the flow of current from the first control circuit to the switch circuit can be interrupted. As a result, the current circuit can be connected without making any particular changes to the wiring connection on the brake lamp side.

[0010] A fifth aspect of the present invention is that, in any one of the first to fourth aspects described above, the second control device (15) is an ABS unit (15) connected to the first control device (11) by a CAN communication line (21). With this configuration, by using the existing ABS unit to output a command signal to the first control unit, it is possible to have both an automatic braking-related lighting structure and a driver-operated lighting structure side by side.

[0011] A sixth aspect of the present invention is that, in any one of the first to fifth aspects described above, the brake lamps (17A, 17B, 17C) perform a first illumination when current (A1) is supplied from the switch circuit (33), and perform a second illumination with improved visibility than the first illumination when current (A2) is supplied from the first control circuit (26). With this configuration, when braking is controlled separately from the brake control element, there is a higher possibility of sudden braking than when braking normally by the driver. In such cases, a second light is activated, which is brighter or flashes more frequently than the first light used during normal braking, thereby increasing visibility and effectively informing following vehicles that braking is in progress. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, it is possible to have both a lamp illumination structure associated with automatic braking and a lamp illumination structure operated by the driver installed side by side, while preventing the illumination signals associated with automatic braking and the illumination signals operated by the driver from becoming duplicated. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the overview of the vehicle follow-me driving control in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a circuit diagram showing the essential components of the brake light illumination system for the above vehicle. [Figure 3] This is a circuit diagram corresponding to Figure 2, showing how current is supplied to the brake lights via the brake switch. [Figure 4] This is a circuit diagram corresponding to Figure 2, showing how current is supplied to the brake lights via the body control unit. [Figure 5] This is a time chart showing the various state changes when automatic braking control is performed on the above vehicle. [Figure 6] This flowchart shows the processing flow of the brake light illumination system described above. [Figure 7]FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram corresponding to FIG. 2 showing a modification of the brake lamp lighting system described above. [Figure 8A] It is an explanatory diagram of the lamp unit of the brake lamp lighting system of FIG. 7. [Figure 8B] It is an explanatory diagram corresponding to FIG. 8A, showing lighting of a brake lamp during automatic braking. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram corresponding to FIG. 2 showing another modification of the brake lamp lighting system described above. [Figure 10A] It is an explanatory diagram of the lamp unit of the brake lamp lighting system of FIG. 9. [Figure 10B] It is an explanatory diagram corresponding to FIG. 10A, showing lighting of a brake lamp during automatic braking. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram corresponding to FIG. 2 showing a modification of the above embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Hereinafter, an example of the brake lamp lighting system according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the brake lamp lighting system of the present embodiment is applied to a vehicle 1 such as a motorcycle to which a driving support system P1 is applied, for example.

[0015] The driving support system P1 includes follow-up travel control (so-called ACC: Adaptive Cruise Control System) that follows a preceding vehicle 1A and travels while maintaining a predetermined inter-vehicle distance K1. In the follow-up travel control, when an external detection means such as a camera or radar provided in the own vehicle 1 detects a possibility of collision with the preceding vehicle 1A based on, for example, the relationship between the vehicle speed relative to the preceding vehicle 1A and the inter-vehicle distance K1, the brake device is actuated to perform braking, reduce the vehicle speed and perform control to maintain the inter-vehicle distance K1. In the driving support system P1, when the brake device is automatically actuated, the brake lamp is turned on to notify a following vehicle 1B that the vehicle is being braked.

[0016] Figure 2 shows the main components of the brake light illumination system 10A of vehicle 1. The brake light illumination system 10A includes a body control unit (BCU, first control unit) 11 that controls the functions of all electrical components of vehicle 1. An ABS unit (second control unit) 15 that controls the operation of the ABS (Antilock Brake System) is connected to the body control unit 11 via a CAN (Controller Area Network) communication line 21.

[0017] In the driver assistance system P1, if it is determined that deceleration is necessary to avoid a collision with the preceding vehicle 1A, the ABS unit 15 performs automatic braking control, and the ABS unit 15 transmits a lamp illumination signal S1 to the body control unit 11 via CAN communication.

[0018] Referring to Figure 4, the body control unit 11 starts supplying power to the stop lamps (brake lamps) according to the CAN signal. The ABS unit 15 determines whether or not there is input to the brake switches 31 and 32. The ABS unit 15 sends the lamp illumination signal S1 to the body control unit 11 only if there is no input to the brake switches 31 and 32.

[0019] In the diagram, reference numeral 23 indicates the main power supply line extending from the vehicle's power supply via the main switch, etc. The following explanation describes the power supply for the brake lamp lighting system 10A. For convenience of explanation, the side closer to the vehicle's power supply will be referred to as the upstream side, and the side further from the vehicle's power supply as the downstream side.

[0020] The upstream power supply line 24 is connected to the power input section 12 of the body control unit 11. The upstream power supply line 24 branches off from the main power supply line 23. The downstream power supply line 25 extends from the power output section 13 of the body control unit 11. The downstream power supply line 25 is connected to the light source 18 of the brake lamp 17A. The upstream power supply line 24, the body control unit 11, and the downstream power supply line 25 are included in the first control circuit 26. The main power supply line 23 and the brake lamp 17A are connected via the first control circuit 26.

[0021] A switch circuit 33, including front and rear brake switches 31 and 32, branches off from the main power supply line 23. The switch circuit 33 includes an upstream branch line 34 extending from the main power supply line 23 toward the front and rear brake switches 31 and 32, a downstream merge line 35 that merges the downstream sides of the front and rear brake switches 31 and 32, and a switch downstream line 36 extending from the downstream end of the downstream merge line 35. The switch downstream line 36 is connected to the downstream power supply line 25 via a switch merge line 37. The switch downstream line 36 is connected to the ABS unit 15 via a unit connection line 38. The switch merge line 37 is equipped with a diode 37a that allows current A1 to flow only from the switch downstream line 36 toward the downstream power supply line 25, so that current A2 does not flow backward from the downstream power supply line 25 toward the switch downstream line 36.

[0022] Referring to Figure 3, when the driver operates the brake control and at least one of the front and rear brake switches 31 and 32 is turned on (energized), power is supplied to the brake lamp 17A via the switch circuit 33, causing the brake lamp 17A to illuminate. The main power supply line 23 and the brake lamp 17A are connected via the switch circuit 33. In other words, the first control circuit 26 and the switch circuit 33 are provided in parallel with each other between the main power supply line and the brake lamp 17A.

[0023] When at least one of the front or rear brake switches 31 or 32 is turned on, 12V power is supplied to the ABS unit 15 from a separate power source, enabling ABS operation. The ABS unit 15 integrally comprises a hydraulic circuit section including valves and actuators for controlling the supply and discharge of brake fluid, and a control section for controlling the operation of the hydraulic circuit section. The ABS unit 15 operates in response to command signals input from the body control unit 11 via the CAN communication line 21. The ABS unit 15 may also function as a brake actuator that generates brake hydraulic pressure (hydraulic pressure). The ABS unit 15 may also be configured to supply hydraulic pressure to the front and rear brakes in response to operation of the brake control element to operate them.

[0024] Referring to Figure 4, when the ABS unit 15 performs brake control, power for illumination is supplied from the body control unit 11 to the brake lamp 17A, causing the brake lamp 17A to light up. The power supply from the body control unit 11 to the brake lamp 17A is performed in response to a command signal (lamp illumination signal S1) input from the ABS unit 15 to the body control unit 11 via the CAN communication line 21.

[0025] Referring to Figure 3, the command signal (lamp illumination signal S1) from the ABS unit 15 is not output when the current A1 from the switch circuit 33 is supplied to the ABS unit 15 (when at least one of the brake switches 31 and 32 is ON). Therefore, the current A1 supplied from the switch circuit 33 to the brake lamp 17A and the current A2 supplied from the body control unit 11 to the brake lamp 17A do not overlap.

[0026] By setting the brightness of the light source 18 to be higher when powered by current A2 supplied from the first control circuit 26 than when powered by current A1 supplied from the switch circuit 33, the visibility of the brake lamp 17A during automatic braking can be improved. In particular, when there is a high probability of collision with the preceding vehicle 1A due to the relationship between vehicle speed and the distance K1, including an action such as flashing the brake lamp 17A or increasing the supply current A2 to make it light up brighter can be used to emphasize the deceleration of the following vehicle 1 to the following vehicle 1B.

[0027] Referring to Figure 5, the various state changes that occur when automatic braking control is performed in vehicle 1 will be explained. First, when the control unit of the ABS unit 15 determines that brake pressure needs to be applied (timing T1), the pump motor of the hydraulic circuit section of the ABS unit 15 starts to drive after a short delay (timing T2), and eventually hydraulic pressure is generated within the ABS unit 15. When the hydraulic pressure rises above the first threshold (timing T3), a decision is made to drive (illuminate) the brake lamp 17A.

[0028] Subsequently, at timing T4, just before the hydraulic pressure reaches the third threshold (or after a specified time has elapsed since the decision to activate the brake lamp 17A), the ABS unit 15 transmits a CAN signal (lamp illumination signal S1) to the body control unit 11. When the body control unit 11 receives this signal (timing T5), at the following timing T6, current A2 is supplied to the brake lamp 17A, causing the brake lamp 17A to illuminate. The output timing T4 of the lamp illumination signal S1 (CAN signal) is set to coincide with the timing when the deceleration of the vehicle 1 begins to rise, so that the brake lamp 17A illuminates simultaneously with or before the deceleration of the vehicle 1.

[0029] Referring to the flowchart in Figure 6, the process of controlling the lamp illumination in the brake lamp illumination system 10A will be explained. First, the ABS unit 15 determines whether deceleration by the braking system is required (step S01). If the result in step S01 is YES (deceleration by the braking system is required), then the next step is to determine whether there is any input from the brake switches 31 and 32 (step S02). If the result in step S02 is YES (no brake switch input), the process moves to step S03, where the ABS unit 15 sends a lamp illumination signal S1 to the body control unit 11, and the brake lamp 17A is illuminated by the current A2 supplied from the body control unit 11.

[0030] If the result in step S01 is NO (no deceleration required by the braking device) and step S02 is NO (brake switch input present), the system proceeds to step S04, and the lamp illumination signal S1 is not transmitted from the ABS unit 15 to the body control unit 11. In particular, when the brake switch input is present (driver's brake operation is performed), power is not supplied from the body control unit 11 to the brake lamp 17A, thereby preventing the current A1 from the switch circuit 33 to the brake lamp 17A and the current A2 from the body control unit 11 to the brake lamp 17A from overlapping.

[0031] In the brake lamp lighting system 10B shown in Figure 7, the brake lamp 17B is equipped with separate light sources 18 connected to the switch circuit 33 and light sources 18 connected to the first control circuit 26. The switch circuit 33 is connected to the corresponding light source 18 without merging with the first control circuit 26. In the configuration of Figure 7, the switch merging line 37 is omitted.

[0032] Referring to Figure 8A, for example, the light source 18 connected to the switch circuit 33 and the light source 18 connected to the first control circuit 26 are arranged alternately in the longitudinal direction of the light-emitting surface. When the brake switches 31 and 32 are turned on, the light source 18 connected to the switch circuit 33 emits light, illuminating the brake lamp 17B. When automatic braking is in progress and the lamp illumination signal S1 is transmitted from the ABS unit 15 to the body control unit 11, the light source 18 connected to the first control circuit 26 emits light, illuminating the brake lamp 17B. In this way, the brake lamp 17B can be illuminated not only in response to driver operation but also in response to automatic braking control. In the figure, reference numeral 17U indicates a lamp unit including the brake lamp 17B and the tail lamp 19.

[0033] Referring to Figure 8B, for example, by increasing the brightness of the light source 18 connected to the first control circuit 26 compared to the light source 18 connected to the switch circuit 33, the visibility of the brake lamp 17B during automatic braking can be improved. Furthermore, if there is a high probability of collision with the vehicle in front due to the relationship between vehicle speed and distance, the lamp illumination signal S1 (CAN signal) transmitted from the ABS unit 15 to the body control unit 11 can be made to emphasize the deceleration of the vehicle 1 to the following vehicle 1B by including an action such as flashing the brake lamp 17B or increasing the supply current A2 to illuminate it brightly.

[0034] In the brake lamp lighting system 10C shown in Figure 9, the brake lamp 17C connects the switch circuit 33 and the first control circuit 26 to a common light source 18. The switch circuit 33 is connected to the light source 18 without merging with the first control circuit 26, and the switch merging line 37 is eliminated.

[0035] Referring to Figure 10A, for example, the light sources 18 of the brake lamp 17C are arranged in multiple rows along the longitudinal direction of the light-emitting surface. When the brake switches 31 and 32 are turned on, each light source 18 lights up with the current A1 supplied from the switch circuit 33, illuminating the brake lamp 17C. When automatic braking is in progress and a lamp illumination signal S1 is transmitted from the ABS unit 15 to the body control unit 11, each light source 18 lights up with the current A2 supplied from the first control circuit 26, illuminating the brake lamp 17C. In this way, the brake lamp 17C can be illuminated not only in response to driver operation, but also in response to automatic braking control.

[0036] Referring to Figure 10B, by setting the brightness of the light source 18 to be higher when the light source 18 is illuminated by the current A2 supplied from the first control circuit 26 than when the light source 18 is illuminated by the current A1 supplied from the switch circuit 33, the visibility of the brake lamp 17C during automatic braking can be improved. Furthermore, if there is a high probability of collision with the preceding vehicle 1A due to the relationship between vehicle speed and the distance K1, the lamp illumination signal S1 (CAN signal) transmitted from the ABS unit 15 to the body control unit 11 can include actions such as flashing the brake lamp 17C or increasing the supply current A2 to illuminate it brightly, thereby emphasizing the deceleration of the following vehicle 1 to the following vehicle 1B.

[0037] As described above, the brake lamp lighting systems 10A, 10B, and 10C in the above embodiment include brake lamps 17A, 17B, and 17C that light up when the vehicle 1 is braked, a switch circuit 33 that detects and disconnects the operation of the brake lever and outputs a current A1 for lighting the brake lamps 17A, 17B, and 17C when switches 31 and 32 are ON, and a circuit provided in parallel with the switch circuit 33 that enables brake control independently of the operation of the brake lever and outputs a current A2 for lighting the brake lamps 17A, 17B, and 17C. The system includes a first control circuit 26 having a first control device 11 capable of outputting a signal, and a second control device 15 connected to the switch circuit 33 and the first control circuit 26. When switches 31 and 32 are off, the second control device 15 sends a lamp-on signal S1 to the first control device 11, enabling the first control circuit 26 to supply a current A2 for lighting the brake lamps 17A, 17B, and 17C. When switches 31 and 32 are on, the second control device 15 does not send a lamp-on signal S1 to the first control device 11, preventing the first control circuit 26 from supplying a current A2 for lighting the brake lamps 17A, 17B, and 17C.

[0038] With this configuration, the first control circuit 26, which has a first control device 11 such as a body control unit 11, supplies a current A2 for illumination to the brake lights 17A, 17B, and 17C. In addition, when the brake switches 31 and 32, which detect the driver's operation of the brake lever, are turned on, a current A1 for illumination can also be supplied to the brake lights 17A, 17B, and 17C. At this time, the second control device 15, such as an ABS unit 15 connected to the switch circuit 33 and the first control circuit 26 respectively, sends an output signal S1 to the first control device 11 when the switches 31 and 32 are off, enabling the first control circuit 26 to supply current A2 to the brake lights 17A, 17B, and 17C. When the switches 31 and 32 are on, the second control device 15 prioritizes the driver's brake operation and does not send an output signal S1 to the first control device 11, making it impossible to supply current A2 from the first control circuit 26 to the brake lights 17A, 17B, and 17C. This makes it possible to have both an automatic braking-related lighting structure and a driver-operated lighting structure side by side, while preventing the automatic braking-related lighting signal and the driver-operated lighting signal from being duplicated.

[0039] In the above configuration, the second control device 15 is prevented from transmitting the lamp lighting signal S1 to the first control device 11 when switches 31 and 32 are ON, but the configuration is not limited to this. For example, the first control device 11 may be configured not to receive the lamp lighting signal S1 from the second control device 15 when switches 31 and 32 are ON. In other words, when switches 31 and 32 are ON, the lamp lighting signal S1 is not communicated between the first control device 11 and the second control device 15, and the first control circuit 26 is prevented from supplying the current A2 for lighting the brake lamps 17A, 17B, and 17C.

[0040] Furthermore, the brake lamp lighting system 10A includes a downstream merging line 37 that connects the downstream sides of the switch circuit 33 and the first control circuit 26. The downstream merging line 37 includes a diode 37a that allows the flow of current A1 from the switch circuit 33 to the first control circuit 26, but blocks the flow of current A2 from the first control circuit 26 to the switch circuit 33. With this configuration, even when the downstream sides of the switch circuit 33 and the first control circuit 26 are merged and connected to the brake lights 17A, 17B, and 17C, the flow of current A2 from the first control circuit 26 to the switch circuit 33 can be interrupted. As a result, the current circuits can be connected without making any particular changes to the wiring connections on the brake lights 17A, 17B, and 17C.

[0041] Furthermore, in the brake lamp lighting systems 10A, 10B, and 10C described above, the second control device 15 is an ABS unit 15 connected to the first control device 11 by a CAN communication line 21. With this configuration, by using the existing ABS unit 15 to output a command signal to the first control device 11, it is possible to have both an automatic braking-related lighting structure and a driver-operated lighting structure side by side.

[0042] Furthermore, in the brake lamp lighting systems 10A, 10B, and 10C described above, the brake lamps 17A, 17B, and 17C perform a first illumination when current A1 is supplied from the switch circuit 33, and a second illumination with improved visibility than the first illumination is performed when current A2 is supplied from the first control circuit 26. With this configuration, when braking is controlled separately from the brake control element, there is a higher possibility of sudden braking than when braking normally by the driver. In such cases, a second light is activated, which is brighter or flashes more frequently than the first light used during normal braking, thereby increasing visibility and effectively informing following vehicles that braking is in progress.

[0043] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and for example, the first control device can be replaced with a brake control unit, a front control unit, or the like, in addition to a body control unit. Figure 11 is a circuit diagram corresponding to Figure 2, showing a modified example of the embodiment (brake lamp illumination system 10D). In this modified example, the on / off state of switches 31 and 32 is input to the body control unit 11 via the unit connection wire 39, rather than to the ABS unit 15. The unit connection wire 38 of the embodiment is omitted. In this modified version, when the body control unit 11 receives an OFF input from switches 31 and 32, it illuminates the brake lights 17A, 17B, and 17C according to the lamp illumination signal S1 from the ABS unit 15. When the body control unit 11 receives an ON input from switches 31 and 32, it cuts the lamp illumination signal S1 from the ABS unit 15 and illuminates the brake lights 17A, 17B, and 17C.

[0044] The brake light illumination system of this embodiment may also be applied to saddle-type vehicles other than motorcycles. The saddle-type vehicles include all vehicles on which the driver straddles the vehicle body, and include not only motorcycles (including motorized bicycles and scooter-type vehicles), but also three-wheeled vehicles (including vehicles with one front wheel and two rear wheels, as well as vehicles with two front wheels and one rear wheel) or four-wheeled vehicles (such as four-wheeled buggies). Vehicles with electric motors as their power source are also included. Furthermore, it may also be applied to vehicles other than saddle-type vehicles (passenger cars, buses, trucks, etc.). Furthermore, the configuration in the above embodiment is just one example of the present invention, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention, such as replacing the components of the embodiment with well-known components. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0045] 1 vehicle 10A, 10B, 10C Brake light illumination system 11 Body control unit (first control device) 15. ABS Unit (Second Control Unit) 17A, 17B, 17C Brake lights 21 CAN communication line 26 First Control Circuit 31, 32 Front and rear brake switches (switches) 33 Switch Circuits 37 Switch junction line (downstream junction line) 37a diode A1,A2 current S1 Lamp illumination signal

Claims

1. The brake lights (17A, 17B, 17C) that illuminate when the vehicle (1) is being braked, A switch circuit (33) has switches (31, 32) that detect the operation of a brake lever and open and close, and when the switches (31, 32) are ON, it is capable of outputting a current (A1) to the brake lamp for illumination, A first control circuit (26) is provided in parallel with the switch circuit (33), and has a first control device (11) that can control the brakes independently of the operation of the brake lever and can output a current (A2) for lighting the brake lamps (17A, 17B, 17C), A brake lamp lighting system comprising: a first control circuit (26) connected to the first control circuit (26), which transmits a lamp lighting signal (S1) to the first control device (11) when the switches (31, 32) are off, enabling the first control circuit (26) to supply a current (A2) for lighting the brake lamps (17A, 17B, 17C); and a second control device (15) which does not communicate the lamp lighting signal (S1) with the first control device (11) when the switches (31, 32) are on, and which prevents the first control circuit (26) from supplying a current (A2) for lighting the brake lamps (17A, 17B, 17C).

2. The brake lamp lighting system according to claim 1, characterized in that the second control device (15) is unable to transmit the lamp lighting signal (S1) to the first control device (11) when the switches (31, 32) are turned on.

3. The brake lamp lighting system according to claim 1, characterized in that the first control device (11) is unable to receive the lamp lighting signal (S1) from the second control device (15) when the switches (31, 32) are turned on.

4. The system includes a downstream merging line (37) that connects the downstream sides of the switch circuit (33) and the first control circuit (26), The brake lamp lighting system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the downstream merging line (37) is provided with a diode (37a) that allows the flow of current (A1) from the switch circuit (33) side to the first control circuit (26) side and blocks the flow of current (A2) from the first control circuit (26) side to the switch circuit (33) side.

5. The brake lamp lighting system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second control device (15) is an ABS unit (15) connected to the first control device (11) by a CAN communication line (21).

6. A brake lamp lighting system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the brake lamps (17A, 17B, 17C) perform a first illumination when current (A1) is supplied from the switch circuit (33), and perform a second illumination with higher visibility than the first illumination when current (A2) is supplied from the first control circuit (26).

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