JP2014048069A - Sensor device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress interference with an optical beacon signal by a simple configuration in a radar device which can be installed in a vicinity of a windshield in a vehicle interior together with a VICS device.SOLUTION: In a radar device 20, time required to detect a reception timing of a reflected wave of a transmission wave from a transmission LD by a reception PD after an emission timing of the transmission wave is defined as an observation time, and an observation time corresponding to a maximum detection distance at which a reflection target can be detected by a control unit is defined as a maximum observation time. When emission start information indicative of an emission start timing of an up-link signal is inputted from a VICS device 10 to the control unit of the radar device 20, the control unit causes the transmission LD to emit one or more transmission waves so that at least the maximum observation time is within an up-link period after the emission start timing, whereby the reflection target can be detected before the up-link signal is reflected by a windshield and is received by the reception PD.

Description

  The present invention relates to a sensor device mounted on a vehicle.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a sensor device that detects a reflected target that reflects a transmission wave by emitting a transmission wave in the near-infrared wavelength band (for example, about 860 nm) and receiving the reflected wave is known. For example, as this type of sensor device, there is a radar device that detects another vehicle, a person, an obstacle or the like in front of the vehicle as a reflective target.

  Also, as a service that provides various types of information to traveling vehicles, not only general information that is generally generated like road traffic information indicating traffic jams and traffic rules, but also to promote safe driving of specific vehicles There is known a navigation system corresponding to VICS (Vehicle Information and Communication Systems: registered trademark) capable of transmitting individual information generated individually for each vehicle from a road machine to the vehicle.

  In a vehicle equipped with this type of navigation system, when entering a communication area of a road device, a VICS device for transmitting an uplink signal indicating that the communication area has been entered to the road device is usually provided. It is installed near the windshield in the passenger compartment (generally on the dashboard). When the roadside device can receive the uplink signal from the VICS device, the roadside device identifies the vehicle that is the transmission destination of the uplink signal, and decelerates the vehicle to individual information (for example, the vehicle that is overspeeding). It is possible to transmit alerting information).

  On the other hand, a conventional radar device is mounted on a vehicle in a form that is exposed to the outside, whereas a recent radar device has a vehicle interior (usually in order to prevent deterioration in detection accuracy due to an attachment caused by wind and rain or dust. In the vicinity of the windshield), an aspect of being installed is beginning to be adopted. In addition, even if the vehicle is not equipped with a radar device, a rain sensor that detects raindrops attached to the windshield as a reflective target is installed in the vehicle interior (usually near the windshield) as a sensor device. is there.

  Here, the VICS device transmits / receives a radio signal (hereinafter referred to as “optical beacon signal”) to / from roadside devices installed on major general roads using a near-infrared wavelength region (for example, about 850 nm). Has been. For this reason, for example, when a sensor device is retrofitted in a vehicle interior in which a VICS device is installed near the windshield, there is a possibility that transmission waves, reflected waves, and optical beacon signals in the sensor device are mixed near the windshield.

  On the other hand, the rain sensor and the VICS device are integrated, and the frequency modulation rate in the transmission wave for the rain sensor is a downlink signal indicating various information (general information, individual information) transmitted from the road unit to the vehicle. There has been proposed an integrated system that is set to be different from the frequency modulation rate and performs two filtering processes, a process of removing a reflected wave from a downlink signal and a process of removing a downlink signal from the reflected wave (for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2004-106763 A

  However, in the conventional filter processing, there is a restriction that the frequency modulation rate in the transmission wave for the rain sensor must be set different from that of the optical beacon, so the specification of the sensor device must be changed. There was a problem that the existing configuration could not be used.

Furthermore, there is a problem that not only the existing configuration cannot be used but also a configuration for performing the filtering process must be added, resulting in an increase in manufacturing cost.
Further, in the conventionally proposed integrated system, a user of a vehicle that already has either the sensor device or the VICS device cannot retrofit the device that is not mounted on the vehicle. Therefore, there is a possibility that the user's satisfaction may not be sufficiently obtained.

  Furthermore, in the conventional filter processing, even if the system is configured such that the sensor device and the VICS device are installed separately, the downlink signal is incident on the sensor device. However, it does not correspond to the uplink signal reflected on the windshield and entering the sensor device, which may cause the sensor device to falsely detect the reflected target. there were.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and in a sensor device that can be installed in the vicinity of a windshield in a vehicle interior together with a VICS device, it is possible to suppress interference with an optical beacon signal with a simple configuration. Objective.

  The present invention made to achieve the above object is a sensor device that can be installed in the vicinity of a windshield in a host vehicle together with a VICS device. In addition, when the own vehicle enters the communication area of the roadside device, the VICS device emits an uplink signal indicating that the vehicle has entered the communication area for each uplink cycle set in advance on the roadside device.

  In the sensor device of the present invention, the transmission wave light emitting means emits the transmission wave, the reflected wave light receiving means receives the reflected wave coming from the light emission direction of the transmission wave by the transmission wave light emitting means, and the control means is the transmission wave. While controlling the light emitting means, based on the reflected wave received by the reflected wave light receiving means, a target detection process for detecting a reflected target reflecting the transmission wave is performed.

  Here, it is possible to detect the time required to detect the timing of receiving the reflected wave with respect to the transmitted wave by the reflected wave light receiving means from the emission timing of the transmitted wave by the transmitted wave light emitting means, and to detect the reflected target by the control means The observation time corresponding to the maximum detection distance is the maximum observation time.

  In the sensor device of the present invention, when the control means inputs light emission start information indicating the light emission start timing of the uplink signal from the VICS device, at least the maximum observation time is within the uplink period after the light emission start timing. One or a plurality of transmission waves are emitted from the transmission wave light emitting means.

  In the sensor device configured as described above, for example, a transmission wave is emitted immediately after the uplink signal is emitted from the VICS device, and a reflected wave with respect to the transmission wave can be received before the next uplink signal is emitted. Therefore, the target detection process can be performed before the uplink signal is reflected by the windshield and enters the light receiving unit (reflected wave light receiving means).

  Therefore, according to the sensor device of the present invention, without changing the frequency modulation rate and without being integrated with the VICS device, it is possible to perform target detection processing by the uplink signal being reflected and incident on the windshield. It is possible to prevent the influence of. Therefore, in the sensor device that can be installed in the vicinity of the windshield in the vehicle interior together with the VICS device, interference with the optical beacon signal can be suppressed with a simple configuration.

  In the sensor device of the present invention, it is preferable that when the control means inputs the light emission start information from the VICS device, the transmission wave light emission means stops the emission of the transmission wave before the maximum observation time before the light emission start timing.

  In this case, since the transmission wave is not emitted immediately before the uplink signal is emitted from the VICS device, the reflected wave is not received when the uplink signal is emitted, so the uplink signal is reflected on the windshield and received. Even if it enters the part (reflected wave light receiving means), it is possible to avoid the influence on the target detection process.

  Note that some VICS apparatuses emit an uplink signal for each uplink period fixed in advance, and others emit an uplink signal while variably setting the uplink period.

  In order to cope with the latter, in the sensor device of the present invention, when the control means inputs information indicating the uplink cycle from the VICS device, a transmission cycle corresponding to the uplink cycle is set, and 1 for each transmission cycle. Or the structure which makes a transmission wave light emission light-emit a some transmission wave may be employ | adopted.

  Further, as a road machine, a vehicle that simply receives an uplink signal from a VICS device (vehicle) or a vehicle that is the destination of the uplink signal by receiving an uplink signal is identified, and the vehicle There is one that transmits a downlink signal. For this reason, some VICS devices include only a light emitting unit that emits an uplink signal, and others include a light receiving unit that receives a downlink signal.

  On the other hand, as a sensor device, when a rain sensor that detects raindrops attached to a windshield as a reflective target is adopted, or a radar device that detects other vehicles, people, obstacles, etc. in front of the vehicle as a reflective target. May be adopted.

  Here, when the VICS device is retrofitted to a vehicle that is already installed near the windshield (generally on the dashboard) in the passenger compartment, the sensor device is located near the windshield in the host vehicle. May also be installed above.

  For example, when a radar device is employed as the sensor device, the light emitting unit (transmission wave light emitting unit) and the light receiving unit (reflected wave light receiving unit) are usually installed so as to face the front side in the full length direction (vehicle length direction) of the host vehicle. .

  Normally, the windshield is arranged so as to extend diagonally forward and downward from the vehicle roof. Therefore, when the VICS device emits an uplink signal diagonally forward and upward toward the road unit, the uplink signal is transmitted to the vehicle. May reflect back in the long direction. In this case, the radar apparatus as the sensor apparatus performs the emission control of the transmission wave as described above, so that the target signal detection process is not affected by the incident of the uplink signal reflected on the windshield. Can be.

  On the other hand, the light receiving unit (reflected wave light receiving means) of the sensor device is normally configured to detect a reflected wave having a weaker intensity than the transmitted wave (that is, high resolution), whereas the VICS device Since the light receiving unit directly receives the downlink signal, the light receiving unit is configured to have a low resolution (in other words, only a signal having a high intensity can be detected). For this reason, even if the transmission wave of the sensor device reflects on the windshield and enters the VICS device, the reflected light can cancel noise.

  Further, the light receiving unit (reflected wave light receiving means) of the radar device as the sensor device is configured to detect only the reflected wave that arrives in the horizontal direction from the front of the host vehicle (that is, high directivity) The possibility that a downlink signal transmitted from a road device located obliquely above the front is incident is very low.

  And even if it is a case where a rain sensor is employ | adopted as a sensor apparatus, you may install so that a light emission part (transmission wave light emission means) and a light-receiving part (reflected wave light reception means) may face the front horizontal direction of the own vehicle. Needless to say.

  Therefore, by installing the sensor device above the VICS device in the vicinity of the windshield in the host vehicle, the optical beacon signal (up) in the sensor device can be changed without changing the arrangement of the already installed VICS device. In addition to the influence due to the interference with the link signal and the downlink signal), the influence of the interference in the VICS device can be suitably suppressed.

Explanatory drawing which shows the structural example of a vehicle safety system provided with a sensor apparatus, a VICS apparatus, and a roadside machine. Explanatory drawing which shows the structural example of a vehicle-mounted system provided with a sensor apparatus and a VICS apparatus. It is a flowchart which illustrates the content of the process which the control means of a sensor apparatus performs. It is explanatory drawing which illustrates the light emission timing of a sensor apparatus and a VICS apparatus.

Hereinafter, a vehicle safety system as an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
<Overall configuration>
As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle safety system 1 includes a road machine 2 installed above a road side and an in-vehicle system 3 mounted on the vehicle.

  The roadside device 2 is installed on a main general road, and transmits and receives a radio signal (optical beacon signal) using a near-infrared wavelength region (for example, about 850 nm). The optical beacon signal includes a downlink signal transmitted from the roadside device 2 and an uplink signal transmitted from the vehicle.

  Specifically, the roadside device 2 intermittently (for example, every 10 ms) toward the communication area of the own device, a downlink signal (hereinafter referred to as “presence notification signal”) for notifying the vehicle of the presence of the own device. Always). Here, the communication area of the roadside machine 2 is set to a range on the road about 6 meters in front of the installation point of the own machine as viewed from the vehicle moving toward the installation point of the own machine on the traveling road, for example. Has been. In addition to the presence notification signal, the roadside device 2 appropriately transmits road traffic information indicating traffic congestion, traffic rules, and the like to the communication area of the own device.

  When the roadside device 2 can receive (receive light) an uplink signal including a vehicle ID for identifying the vehicle from a vehicle that has entered the communication area of the own vehicle (hereinafter referred to as a “vehicle ID signal”) A downlink signal (hereinafter referred to as “establishment notification signal”) for notifying the vehicle that wireless communication has been established is transmitted to the vehicle. Then, based on the image captured by the camera of the own device, the light receiving position of the vehicle ID signal, etc., the position and speed of the vehicle are detected, and if necessary, the individual information for promoting the safe driving of the vehicle is It is configured to transmit to the vehicle. In addition, as individual information, warning information for urging the vehicle to overspeed, or video information that captures the situation of the oncoming lane that is the driver's blind spot for the vehicle that is about to turn right at the intersection Etc.

  The in-vehicle system 3 includes a navigation system 5 (see FIG. 2) having a VICS device 10 installed on a dashboard near the windshield of the vehicle, and a radar device 20 retrofitted near the windshield of the vehicle. Is done. The windshield is disposed so as to extend diagonally forward and downward from the vehicle roof. The navigation system 5 includes a VICS device 10 and a navigation device 30 (see FIG. 2).

  As shown in FIG. 2, the navigation device 30 displays map data around the current position among map data stored in a medium such as a hard disk, and displays the current position of the own vehicle and facility information (for example, the position of the facility). This is a well-known device that has a function (hereinafter referred to as “navigation function”) that superimposes and displays on map data, calculates the optimum route from the current position to the destination, and provides route guidance.

  In addition, the navigation device 30 includes an interface (hereinafter referred to as “VICS I / F”) 31 for connecting to the VICS device 10, and road traffic information and the like are transmitted from the VICS device 10 via the VICS I / F 31. It is configured to input alert information, video information, and the like.

  For example, when the road traffic information is input via the VICS I / F 31, the navigation device 30 calculates the optimum route in consideration of the traffic jam situation for each candidate route in the navigation function, or via the VICS I / F 31. When the alert information is received, a notification is made to prompt the vehicle to overspeed, and the video information is input via the VICS I / F 31, so that the driver is about to turn right at the intersection. The function of displaying the state of the oncoming lane that becomes the blind spot of the vehicle (hereinafter referred to as “VICS function”).

  Further, the navigation device 30 includes an interface (hereinafter referred to as “radar I / F”) 33 for connection to the radar device 20, and alarm information is input from the radar device 20 via the radar I / F 33. Is configured to do. The alarm information is information determined based on the distance or relative speed with other vehicles, people, obstacles, and other targets located in front of the vehicle, and the vehicle may collide with the target. This information is relatively high.

  For example, when the navigation apparatus 30 receives alarm information from the radar I / F 33, the navigation apparatus 30 performs a notification function for prompting an operation (brake operation, steering operation, etc.) for avoiding the vehicle from colliding with the target ( Hereinafter referred to as “collision avoidance notification function”).

  The navigation device 30 includes a control unit 35 that is configured around a known microcomputer including a CPU, ROM, RAM, I / O, and the like. In the control unit 35, the CPU is stored in the ROM or the like. Based on the program, the RAM is used as a work area, and various processes for realizing the navigation function, the VICS function, and the collision avoidance notification function are executed.

  In addition, the control unit 35 transfers various information addressed to the VICS device 10 output from the radar device 20 to the VICS device 10 via the VICS I / F 31, or addressed to the radar device 20 output from the VICS device 10. Are transferred to the radar apparatus 20 via the radar I / F 33. As described above, the navigation device 30 is also configured to relay various types of information between the VICS device 10 and the radar device 20.

<VICS equipment>
The VICS device 10 includes a light emitting element for transmission (hereinafter referred to as “transmission LED”) 11, an LED drive unit 12 for driving the transmission LED 11, and a photodiode (hereinafter referred to as a light receiving element for reception). (Referred to as “PD for reception”) 14, a control unit 15 that controls the LED driving unit 12, a converter 16 that converts a radio signal received by the reception PD 13 into data that can be read by the control unit 15, and a navigation device 30 And an interface (hereinafter referred to as “navigation I / F”) 17 for connection to the network.

The VICS device 10 is installed on the dashboard so that the transmission LED 11 and the reception PD 13 face the diagonally upward front side of the vehicle.
In addition, the LED drive unit 12 is configured to transmit a radio signal by blinking the transmission LED 11 using a near-infrared wavelength region (for example, about 850 nm) in accordance with a command from the control unit 15.

  The control unit 15 is configured mainly with a microcomputer. When the presence notification signal is received from the roadside device 2 via the reception PD 13, the control unit 15 is set in advance as a time longer than a maximum standby time described later from this reception timing. The timing after the waiting time is set as the light emission start timing of the vehicle ID signal. Information indicating the set light emission start timing (hereinafter referred to as “light emission start information”) is output to the navigation device 30 via the navigation I / F 17 as information addressed to the radar device 20.

  Next, when the set transmission start timing is reached, the control unit 15 outputs a transmission command to the LED drive unit 12 to transmit a vehicle ID signal to the roadside device 2 via the transmission LED 11. At this time, the control unit 15 performs a communication establishment process for continuously transmitting the vehicle ID signal for each uplink period until the establishment notification signal is received from the roadside device 2 via the reception PD 13.

  In addition, when the control unit 15 completes the communication establishment process by receiving the establishment notification signal from the roadside device 2 via the reception PD 13, the control unit 15 outputs a termination command to the LED drive unit 12, whereby the vehicle by the transmission LED 11 is output. The transmission of the ID signal is terminated, and information indicating the termination of the transmission (hereinafter referred to as “light emission end information”) is sent to the navigation device 30 via the navigation I / F 17 as information addressed to the radar device 20. Output.

  In addition, the control unit 15 variably sets the uplink cycle, such as shortening the uplink cycle with time, and information indicating the variably set uplink cycle (hereinafter referred to as “light emission cycle information”), As information addressed to the radar device 20, the information is output to the navigation device 30 via the navigation I / F 17.

  Further, the control unit 15 receives the road traffic information received from the road device 2 via the reception PD 13, the alert information received from the road device 2 via the reception PD 13 after receiving the establishment notification signal, video information, and the like. The navigation device 30 is configured to output to the navigation device 30 via the navigation I / F 17.

<Radar device>
As shown in FIG. 1, the radar apparatus 20 is installed above the VICS apparatus 10 in the vicinity of the windshield in the vehicle interior, and is attached to, for example, a support member 7 that rotatably supports a vehicle rearview mirror.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the radar apparatus 20 includes a laser diode (hereinafter referred to as “transmission LD”) 21 that is a light emitting element for transmission, an LD drive unit 22 for driving the transmission LD 21, and a reception. A photodiode (hereinafter referred to as “reception PD”) 24, a control unit 25 that controls the LD drive unit 22, an amplifier 26 that amplifies the received wave received by the reception PD 13, and a navigation device 30. And an interface (hereinafter referred to as “navigation I / F”) 27 for connection to the computer.

The radar device 20 is installed on the dashboard so that the transmission LD 21 and the reception PD 23 face the front horizontal direction of the vehicle.
In addition, the LD driving unit 22 causes the transmission LD 21 to emit a plurality of pulsed laser beams using a near-infrared wavelength region (for example, about 860 nm) according to a transmission timing based on a command from the control unit 25.

  The transmission LD 21 generates pulsed laser light (transmission wave) and irradiates the generated transmission wave toward the irradiation area in front of the vehicle via the collimator lens 21a that adjusts the irradiation range of the transmission wave. Is configured to do.

  The receiving PD 23 generates an electric signal having a current value corresponding to the intensity of the reflected light received through the condenser lens 23a that collects the reflected light coming from the irradiation region. The amplifier 26 is provided to amplify the signal converted from the received light current signal of the receiving PD 23 into a voltage.

  In the receiving PD 23, for example, a plurality of photodiodes are arranged in a line along the vehicle width direction (horizontal direction), and each photodiode receives reflected light coming from different directions within a horizontal plane in the irradiation range. Are arranged as follows. A plurality of amplifiers 26 are provided to individually amplify the light reception signals of the respective photodiodes constituting the reception PD 23.

  Thus, the radar apparatus 20 is configured with strong directivity so as to emit a transmission wave in the front horizontal direction of the vehicle and receive a reflected wave coming from the light emission direction of the transmission wave. It is configured with at least a higher resolution than the VICS device so that a reflected wave of intensity can be detected.

  The control unit 25 is configured around a microcomputer, and sends a command indicating the emission timing of the transmission wave to the LD drive unit 22 to cause the transmission LD 21 to emit light, and the transmission LD 21 transmits the transmission wave. Each time light is emitted, a reflected wave is detected based on an input from the amplifier 26, thereby performing a target detection process for detecting a reflected target that reflects the transmitted wave.

  Specifically, in the target detection process, each time the transmission LD 21 emits a transmission wave, the light reception timing of the reflected wave is detected based on the input from the amplifier 26, and the reflected wave is detected from the light emission timing of the transmission wave. Measure the time until the light reception timing.

  Note that the transmission LD 21 emits a plurality of transmission waves, the reflected waves received by the reception PD 23 are sampled at predetermined intervals during a predetermined maximum observation time, and the same sampling is performed on the plurality of transmission waves. On the basis of this, the sampling values sampled during the same period with the transmission wave emission timing as a reference are added (integrated) to obtain an integrated reception waveform obtained by integrating a plurality of reflected waves. The light reception timing may be obtained.

  Based on the time from the light emission timing of the transmitted wave to the light reception timing of the reflected wave (measurement time), the distance and relative speed with other vehicles, people, obstacles and other targets located in front of the vehicle are calculated. Based on this calculation result, the possibility that the vehicle will collide with the target (possibility of collision) is determined, and when it is determined that the possibility of collision is high, warning information is sent via the navigation I / F 27 to the navigation device. Output to 30.

  Note that the maximum observation time is the maximum observation time required for detecting the reception timing of the reflected wave with respect to the transmission wave by the reception PD 23 from the emission timing of the transmission wave by the transmission LD 21. It is set in advance according to the maximum detection distance that can detect the target based on it.

  Further, the maximum observation time is set shorter than the uplink period variably set in the VICS device 10. In other words, the uplink period is variably set in the VICS device 10 so as to be longer than at least the maximum observation time.

  Here, in the radar device 20, as shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle ID signal emitted from the VICS device 10 at every uplink cycle may be reflected on the windshield and enter the reception PD 23. The unit 25 executes the following transmission wave light emission control process in the target detection process described above.

<Transmission wave emission control processing>
As shown in FIG. 3, when the transmission wave light emission control process (hereinafter referred to as “main process”) is started, first, in S110, the control unit 25 goes from the VICS device 10 via the navigation device 30 to the navigation I. It is determined whether or not the light emission start information has been input via / F27. If the determination is affirmative, that is, if the own vehicle enters the communication area of the roadside device 2, the process proceeds to S120 and a negative determination is made. In this case, the process proceeds to S115.

  In S115, a command for causing the transmission LD 21 to emit one or a plurality of transmission waves is transmitted to the LD 21 for transmission every preset transmission period (for example, 33 ms) as a default period, and the process returns to S110.

  On the other hand, in S120, a command for causing the transmission LD 21 to stop emitting the transmission wave is sent to the LD driving unit 22, and the process proceeds to S130. The light emission start timing of the vehicle ID signal is set to a timing at least after the maximum standby time (for example, 16 ms) after the light emission start information is input. For this reason, here, the transmission LD 21 stops the emission of the transmission wave from the timing before the emission start timing of the vehicle ID signal by the VICS device 10 more than the maximum observation time (for example, 16 ms).

  In S130, based on the light emission start information input in S110, it is determined whether or not the light emission start timing of the vehicle ID signal has been reached. If an affirmative determination is made here, the process proceeds to S140, and if a negative determination is made. Wait until the light emission start timing of the vehicle ID signal is reached.

  In S140, a command for causing the transmission LD 21 to emit one or a plurality of transmission waves after a preset emission end timing (for example, 10 ms) of the vehicle ID signal set in advance based on the emission start timing of the vehicle ID signal. Is sent to the LD drive unit 22 so that the time from the light emission start timing of the vehicle ID signal until the maximum observation time with respect to the light emission timing of the transmission wave elapses is within the default uplink period (for example, 40 ms). The transmission wave emission is started so as to be within the range.

  In subsequent S150, a command for causing the transmission LD 21 to emit one or a plurality of transmission waves is transmitted to the LD drive unit 22 every transmission cycle (for example, 40 ms) as the default uplink cycle, and the process proceeds to S160.

  In S160, it is determined whether or not the light emission cycle information is input from the VICS device 10 via the navigation device 30 and via the navigation I / F 27. If the determination is affirmative, that is, the VICS device 10 is in the uplink cycle. If the variable is variably set, the process proceeds to S170. If a negative determination is made, the process proceeds to S180.

  In S170, based on the light emission period information input in S160, a command for causing the transmission LD 21 to emit one or more transmission waves every uplink period (for example, about 25 to 35 ms) variably set by the VICS device 10 Is sent to the LD drive unit 22 and the process proceeds to S180.

  In S180, it is determined whether or not the light emission end information has been input from the VICS device 10 via the navigation device 30 and the navigation I / F 27. If the determination is affirmative, that is, the VICS device 10 receives the vehicle ID signal. When the transmission of is terminated, the process proceeds to S190, and when a negative determination is made, the process returns to S160.

In S190, the transmission cycle is returned to a default cycle (for example, 33 ms), a command for causing the transmission LD 21 to emit light is sent to the LD drive unit 22, and this process is terminated.
<Effect>
As described above, in the radar apparatus 20, the time required to detect the light reception timing of the reflected wave with respect to the transmission wave by the reception PD 23 from the light emission timing of the transmission wave by the transmission LD 21 is the observation time, and the reflection by the control unit 25. The observation time corresponding to the maximum detection distance at which the target can be detected is defined as the maximum observation time.

  Then, when receiving the light emission start information indicating the light emission start timing of the uplink signal from the VICS device 10, the control unit 25 receives one or more such that at least the maximum observation time is within the uplink period after the light emission start timing. The transmission LD 21 is caused to emit light.

  In the radar apparatus 20 configured as described above, as shown in FIG. 4A, a transmission wave is emitted immediately after the uplink signal is emitted from the VICS apparatus 10, and before the next uplink signal is emitted. In addition, since the reflected wave with respect to the transmitted wave can be received, the reflected target can be detected before the uplink signal is reflected on the windshield and enters the reception PD 23.

  Therefore, according to the radar apparatus 20, without affecting the frequency modulation rate and without being integrated with the VICS apparatus 10, the uplink signal is reflected on the windshield and enters the light. can do. Therefore, in the radar device 20 that can be installed in the vicinity of the windshield in the vehicle interior together with the VICS device 10, interference with the optical beacon signal can be suppressed with a simple configuration.

  Further, in the radar device 20, when the control unit 25 inputs the light emission start information from the VICS device 10, the transmission LD 21 stops the light emission of the transmission wave at least before the maximum observation time before the light emission start timing.

  In the radar apparatus 20 configured in this way, as shown in FIG. 4A, a transmission wave is not emitted immediately before the uplink signal is emitted from the VICS apparatus 10, so that a reflected wave is generated when the uplink signal is emitted. Since no light is received, even if the uplink signal is reflected by the windshield and enters the reception PD 23, it is possible to avoid the influence on the detection of the reflective target.

  In the radar device 20, when the control unit 25 inputs the light emission cycle information indicating the uplink cycle from the VICS device 10, the transmission unit sets a transmission cycle corresponding to the uplink cycle, and one to a plurality of transmission cycles for each transmission cycle. The transmission wave is emitted to the transmission LD 21.

  According to the radar apparatus 20 configured as described above, as shown in FIG. 4B, it is possible to cope with the VICS apparatus 10 that emits an uplink signal while variably setting the uplink period.

  In addition, the radar device 20 is provided in the vicinity of the windshield in the host vehicle when the VICS device 10 is retrofitted to a vehicle already installed near the windshield in the vehicle interior (generally on the dashboard). It is installed above 10.

  Here, the radar apparatus 20 is configured to detect a reflected wave having a weaker intensity than the transmission wave (that is, high resolution), whereas the VICS apparatus 10 directly receives a downlink signal. Therefore, it is configured with low resolution (in other words, only a signal having a high intensity can be detected). For this reason, even if the transmission wave of the radar apparatus 20 is reflected on the windshield and enters the VICS apparatus 10, the reflected light can be canceled by noise.

  On the other hand, the radar device 20 is configured to detect only the reflected wave that arrives in the horizontal direction from the front of the host vehicle (that is, high directivity). The possibility of incoming downlink signals is very low.

  Therefore, by installing the radar device 20 above the VICS device 10 in the vicinity of the windshield in the host vehicle, the optical beacon signal (in the radar device 20) can be changed without changing the arrangement of the VICS device 10 already installed. In addition to the influence due to the interference with the uplink signal and the downlink signal), the influence of the interference in the VICS device 10 can be suitably suppressed.

<Other embodiments>
As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, In the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention, it is possible to implement in various aspects.

  For example, in the above embodiment, the control unit 15 of the VICS device 10 is provided in the VICS device 10, but may be provided in the navigation device 30 instead. Further, the control unit 35 of the navigation device 30 may be configured to execute the process performed by the control unit 15 of the VICS device 10.

  In the above embodiment, the VICS apparatus 10 is configured to emit an uplink signal while variably setting the uplink period. Instead, the VICS apparatus 10 uplinks every uplink period fixed in advance. It may be configured to emit a signal.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, the roadside machine 2 is comprised so that the vehicle which is the transmission destination of this uplink signal may be specified by receiving an uplink signal, and a downlink signal may be transmitted to the vehicle. However, instead of or in addition to transmitting a downlink signal to the vehicle, the downlink signal may be transmitted to an external device such as a predetermined server.

  Similarly, in the above embodiment, the VICS device 10 is configured to receive a downlink signal, but is not limited thereto, and is configured to emit at least an uplink signal. Just do it.

  In the above embodiment, the radar apparatus 20 is described as an example of the sensor apparatus. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a rain sensor that detects raindrops attached to the windshield as a reflection target is used as the sensor apparatus. May be adopted. Needless to say, even if a rain sensor is employed as the sensor device, the transmission LD 21 and the reception PD 23 may be installed so as to face the front horizontal direction of the host vehicle.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Vehicle safety system, 2 ... Road equipment, 3 ... In-vehicle system, 5 ... Navigation system, 7 ... Support member, 10 ... VICS apparatus, 11 ... LED for transmission, 12 ... LED drive part, 13 ... PD for reception, 15 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS ... Control part, 16 ... Converter, 17 ... I / F for navigation, 20 ... Radar apparatus, 21 ... LD for transmission, 21a ... Collimating lens, 22 ... LD drive part, 23 ... PD for reception, 23a ... Condensing lens , 25 ... control unit, 26 ... amplifier, 27 ... navigation I / F, 30 ... navigation device, 31 ... VICS I / F, 33 ... radar I / F, 35 ... control unit.

Claims (4)

When the host vehicle enters the communication area of the road device (2), the VICS device (10) emits an uplink signal indicating that the vehicle has entered the communication area at every uplink cycle set in advance on the road device. ) And a sensor device (20) that can be installed near the windshield in the vehicle,
Transmission wave light emitting means (21) for emitting a transmission wave;
Reflected wave light receiving means (23) for receiving a reflected wave coming from the light emitting direction of the transmitted wave by the transmitted wave light emitting means,
Control means (25) for controlling the transmission wave light emitting means and performing a target detection process for detecting a reflected target reflected from the transmission wave based on the reflected wave received by the reflected wave light receiving means;
With
The time required to detect the reception timing of the reflected wave with respect to the transmission wave by the reflected wave light receiving means from the emission timing of the transmission wave by the transmission wave light emitting means can be observed, and the reflection target can be detected by the control means The observation time corresponding to the maximum detection distance is the maximum observation time,
When the control means inputs light emission start information indicating the light emission start timing of the uplink signal from the VICS device, the control means 1 to 1 so that at least the maximum observation time is within the uplink period after the light emission start timing. A sensor device characterized by causing the transmission wave light emitting means to emit a plurality of the transmission waves.   The control means, when receiving the light emission start information from the VICS device, causes the transmission wave light emission means to stop light emission of the transmission wave before the maximum observation time before the light emission start timing. 2. The sensor device according to 1. The uplink period is variably set by the VICS device,
When the control means inputs information indicating the uplink period from the VICS device, the control means sets a transmission period corresponding to the uplink period, and transmits one or more transmission waves to the transmission wave emission for each transmission period. The sensor device according to claim 1, wherein the light is emitted from the means.   The sensor device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the sensor device is installed above the VICS device in the vicinity of a windshield in the host vehicle.

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