JP2023101773A - Anti-fogging system and display control method - Google Patents

Abstract

To make it possible to cooperate mind of a crew member and security of visibility of a vehicle frontward direction in a vehicle on which a camera is installed.SOLUTION: An anti-fogging system (1) contains a camera (2) which is installed within a cabin of a vehicle (10) and shoots peripheral information of a vehicle outside, a defroster (4) which blows toward a window glass (1001) of the vehicle containing a portion which is within imaging range by the camera, a picture image processing part (12) which detects fogging level of the window glass within imaging range by the camera on the basis of peripheral information of the vehicle outside shot by the camera, an air-conditioning control part (6) which operates the defroster in air quantity set if detecting fogging by the picture image processing part and a display device (16) which displays operation state of the defroster. The air-conditioning control part displays display (1602) which shows operation state of the defroster in the display device separately when the defroster operates at the air quantity set when detecting the fogging and when the defroster operates at the air quantity set by manual operation.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an anti-fog system and display control method, and more specifically to an anti-fog system and display control method for fogging up the windshield of a vehicle due to dew condensation.

2. Description of the Related Art Some vehicles such as four-wheeled vehicles are equipped with a defroster for preventing fogging of a windshield due to dew condensation and for removing fogging that has occurred. A vehicle defroster is generally operated by an occupant of the vehicle by operating a switch provided in the vehicle interior, and can adjust the air volume.

As one of the related technologies, there is a technology that automatically selects and activates the optimum anti-fogging means from among a plurality of different levels of anti-fogging means according to the degree of fogging of the windshield, thereby removing fogging from the windshield (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2004-268790 A

In recent years, an increasing number of vehicles are equipped with a camera that captures a video (including an image) in front of the vehicle. A video of the front of the vehicle captured by a camera is used, for example, in a driving support system that supports the safe driving of the vehicle by the driver.

The above-described camera for capturing an image in front of the vehicle is usually installed in the vehicle interior and captures an image in front of the vehicle through the windshield of the vehicle. Therefore, when an image in front of the vehicle is captured by a camera installed in the vehicle interior, from the viewpoint of ensuring visibility in front of the vehicle, it is desirable to prevent fogging due to condensation on the windshield of the vehicle and to quickly remove the fog that has occurred.

However, the occupant of the vehicle may manually adjust the air volume of the defroster according to the environment inside the vehicle. The operating state of the defroster set by manual operation does not always match the preferred operating state for quickly defogging the windshield. Therefore, as an anti-fogging measure for a vehicle equipped with a camera, there is a demand for better cooperation between the intention of the vehicle occupant and ensuring visibility in front of the vehicle.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and one object of the present invention is to provide an anti-fog system and a display control method that can cooperate with the intention of the occupant in a vehicle equipped with a camera and ensuring visibility in front of the vehicle.

An anti-fogging system according to the present invention includes a camera installed in a vehicle interior for capturing peripheral information outside the vehicle, a defroster for blowing air toward the window glass of the vehicle including a portion within the imaging range of the camera, an image processing unit for detecting the fogging level of the window glass within the imaging range of the vehicle based on the peripheral information for the vehicle exterior captured by the camera, an air conditioning control unit for operating the defroster at a set air volume when fogging is detected by the image processing unit, and the defroster. and a display device for displaying the operating state of a defroster, wherein the air conditioning control unit displays the operating state of the defroster on the display device differently depending on whether the defroster is operating with the air volume set when the fogging is detected or when the defroster is operating with the air volume set by manual operation.

In the display control method according to the present invention, an air conditioning control unit of an anti-fogging system that operates a defroster that blows air toward the window glass at a set air volume when fogging of the window glass of the vehicle including a portion within an imaging range of the camera is detected based on surrounding information of the exterior of the vehicle taken by a camera installed in the vehicle interior, and when the defroster is operating at the air volume set when the fogging is detected, and when the defroster is operating at the air volume set by manual operation. and, the display control method for changing the display indicating the operating state of the defroster on the display device.

According to the anti-fogging system and the display control method described above, it is possible to coordinate the intention of the occupant in the vehicle equipped with the camera and the securing of visibility in front of the vehicle.

1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of an antifogging system according to one embodiment; FIG. It is a figure explaining the installation example to the vehicle of an anti-fogging system. It is a figure explaining the setting example of the automatic control of an antifogging system. It is a figure explaining the structural example of a controller. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the control operation of the anti-fogging system; 4 is a flow chart illustrating another example of the control operation of the anti-fogging system; FIG. 7 is a flow chart for explaining the content of foot blowing control processing in the flow chart of FIG. 6 ; FIG.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of an antifogging system and an antifogging method according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, an anti-fog system and anti-fog method applied to a vehicle equipped with a camera will be exemplified, but a detailed description of known configurations that are not directly related to the anti-fog system in a vehicle equipped with a camera will be omitted. An anti-fogging system exemplified below is a system that prevents the occurrence of fogging due to dew condensation and removes the fogging that occurs due to dew condensation. Unless otherwise specified, "cloudiness" in the following description refers to cloudiness due to dew condensation.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of an antifogging system according to one embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an installation example of the anti-fogging system on a vehicle.

An antifogging system 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a camera 2, a yaw rate sensor 3, a defroster 4, a foot blower 5, an air conditioning controller 6, and a controller .

The camera 2 captures an image (including video) in front of the vehicle 10 on which the anti-fogging system 1 is mounted, and detects objects and the like present in front of the vehicle 10 and the level of fogging. The camera 2 includes an imaging section 11 and an image processing section 12 . The imaging unit 11 includes, for example, an imaging device such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor). The image processing unit 12 includes, for example, a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and memories such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory). The image processing unit 12 may include, for example, an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array).

For example, as shown in FIG. 2 , the camera 2 is mounted inside a vehicle compartment 10</b>R of the vehicle 10 so as to photograph the front of the vehicle 10 through the windshield 1001 of the vehicle 10 . The image of the scenery in front of the vehicle captured by the camera 2 is used for automatic control by a driving assistance system mounted on the vehicle 10, such as the brake control device 8, which may be, for example, a collision mitigation brake. This type of camera 2 is, for example, a stereo camera, and the photographing unit 11 photographs two images from different viewpoints. The image processing unit 12 performs processing for detecting an obstacle present in front of the vehicle 10 based on images (stereo images) captured by the imaging unit 11, for example. The obstacle detection result obtained by the image processing unit 12 is used, for example, in automatic control for reducing collision damage in the brake control device 8 mounted on the vehicle 10 .

Also, the image processing unit 12 in the anti-fogging system 1 of the present embodiment detects the fogging level of the windshield 1001 based on the image captured by the imaging unit 11 . The image processing unit 12 detects, for example, which level the fog level of the windshield 1001 is among predetermined multi-level fog levels, based on the degree of sharpness of the object in the photographed images, the degree of similarity of the object between images taken from different viewpoints, and the like. If the camera 2 is a stereo camera, the image processing unit 12 may detect the fogging level of the windshield 1001 only when it is determined that the vehicle 10 is traveling straight based on the yaw rate detected by the yaw rate sensor 3. The parallax of a set of images captured by a stereo camera while the vehicle 10 is turning on a curved road or the like may differ from the parallax when the vehicle 10 is traveling straight. Therefore, when the fogging level is detected using a set of images taken by a stereo camera while the vehicle 10 is turning, the accuracy of matching the same object between the images is lowered, and the detected fogging level may become higher than the actual fogging level. Therefore, if the camera 2 is a stereo camera, it is preferable to detect the fog level only when the vehicle 10 is traveling straight. Information used to determine whether the vehicle 10 is traveling straight is not limited to the yaw rate detected by the yaw rate sensor 3, and may be steering information of the vehicle 10 detected or measured by other sensors mounted on the vehicle 10.

The defroster 4 is an air blower for preventing the surface of the windshield 1001 facing the vehicle interior 10R from fogging and removing the fog that has occurred. The foot blower 5 blows air toward a space where the feet of the driver 20 in the driver's seat and the feet of the passenger in the passenger's seat are placed (hereinafter referred to as "foot"). For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the defroster 4 is installed so as to blow air from the upper surface of the dashboard 1002 toward the surface of the windshield 1001 facing the inside of the passenger compartment 10R. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the foot blower 5 is installed so as to blow air from the lower surface of the dashboard 1002 toward the floor surface 1003 of the passenger compartment 10R. For example, when the defroster 4 and the foot blower 5 are on, the defroster 4 and the foot blower 5 may distribute and blow dehumidified warm air generated by the defroster 4 or an air conditioner (not shown) to the defroster 4 and the foot blower 5.

The air-conditioning control unit 6 controls the operation of the air-conditioning equipment in the vehicle interior 10</b>R including the defroster 4 and the foot blower 5 . The control performed by the air conditioning control unit 6 in this embodiment includes automatic control of the operation of the defroster 4 based on the fog level of the windshield 1001 detected by the image processing unit 12 . Further, the control performed by the air conditioning control unit 6 includes automatic control of the air volume of the defroster 4 based on the magnitude relationship between the set air volume based on the cloudiness level and the air volume set by the operation when the driver 20 or other occupant of the vehicle 10 operates the controller 7 to set the air volume of the defroster 4. The controller 7 is an input/output device for the air conditioning control unit 6, and includes a switch 15 functioning as an input device and a display 16 functioning as an output device. The switch 15 includes, for example, a switch for switching ON/OFF of the defroster 4, a switch for switching ON/OFF of the foot blower 5, a switch for switching ON/OFF of the car air conditioner, and the like. The display 16 displays information such as the operating state and temperature of the air conditioner including the defroster 4 and the foot blower 5 . The air conditioning control unit 6 is, for example, an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) mounted on the vehicle 10 .

Although not shown in FIG. 2 , the camera 2 is connected to a yaw rate sensor 3 and a brake control device 8 installed at a predetermined position inside the vehicle 10 . Although not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the anti-fogging system 1 of the vehicle 10 includes a defogger or the like that prevents the rear window of the vehicle 10 from fogging and removes the fog that has occurred.

The vehicle 10 equipped with the camera 2 is equipped with a driving assistance system that assists the driver 20 in safely driving the vehicle 10 based on the images captured by the camera 2 while the vehicle is running. The brake control device 8 shown in FIG. 1 can be a collision mitigation brake, which is an example of a driving support system, as described above. For example, when an obstacle is detected in front of the vehicle 10 based on the image taken by the camera 2, the brake control device 8, which is a collision damage reduction brake, warns the driver 20 and performs an auxiliary brake operation to reduce collision damage.

In the vehicle 10 equipped with the driving support system that uses the images captured by the camera 2, it is preferable that the images captured by the camera 2 are clear. Therefore, in the vehicle 10 of this type, it is desired to prevent the windshield 1001 from fogging up, and to quickly remove the fogging when the fogging occurs. Therefore, the air conditioning control unit 6 in the antifogging system 1 of the present embodiment automatically controls the operation of the defroster 4 based on the fogging level of the windshield 1001 detected by the image processing unit 12 as described above.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a setting example of automatic control of the antifogging system. The setting information 30 of FIG. 3 shows an example of the correspondence relationship between the fogging level of the windshield 1001 and the operation details when the air conditioning control unit 6 of the anti-fogging system 1 automatically controls the defroster 4 (in other words, when the defroster 4 is not manually operated by the occupant of the vehicle 10).

In the setting information 30 illustrated in FIG. 3, the fogging level of the windshield 1001 detected by the image processing unit 12 is divided into seven levels from level 0 to level 6. In FIG. A fog level 0 is a fog level at which it is determined that the windshield 1001 is not fogged. A fog level of 0 includes when the camera 2 operation is off. A fog level 6 is, for example, a fog level corresponding to the most severe fog assumed among the fog that occurs on the windshield 1001 . For fogging levels 1 to 6, the higher the numerical value, the more the windshield 1001 is fogged, and the outline of the object in the image captured by the camera 2 becomes unclear.

The mode and air volume of the setting information 30 indicate the operation setting and air volume of the defroster 4 associated with the fog level. If the fog level is 0, the defroster 4 need not be activated. Therefore, when the defroster 4 is not manually operated and the fog level is 0, the mode is set to stop (non-operating) and the air volume is set to 0. Further, when the fogging degree of the windshield 1001 is relatively low fog level 1 to 3, the fog can be quickly removed even if the air volume of the defroster 4 is smaller than the maximum air volume. Therefore, when the defroster 4 is not manually operated and the cloudiness level is 1 to 3, the defroster 4 is operated, but the air volume is 4/8 to 6/8, which is smaller than the maximum air volume. Here, the n/m stage air volume means the n-th stage air volume from the minimum air volume among the air volumes that can be adjusted in m steps from the minimum air volume to the maximum air volume. For example, 4/8 means that the air volume of the defroster 4 that can be adjusted in eight stages is the fourth level from the minimum air volume. In this way, when the fog level is small and the defroster 4 is operated with an air volume relatively small compared to the maximum air volume, the defroster 4 or an air conditioning unit (not shown) has a surplus capacity to generate more warm air with low humidity. Therefore, when the fogging level is low, it may be allowed to operate the foot blower 5 together with the defroster 4 .

On the other hand, when the windshield 1001 is fogged at levels 4 to 6, the defroster 4 needs to increase the air volume in order to quickly remove the fog. Therefore, when the defroster 4 is not manually operated and the cloudiness level is 4 to 6, it is operated at an air volume close to the maximum air volume or at the maximum air volume 6/8 stage to 8/8 stage, respectively. In such a case, it is preferable to blow as much of the low-humidity warm air generated by the defroster 4 or the air conditioner (not shown) toward the windshield 1001 as possible, and there is not enough surplus power to distribute it to the foot blower 5. Therefore, when the cloudiness level is high, the operation of the foot blower 5 is prohibited (impossible). In this way, by prohibiting the operation of the foot blower 5 only when the fogging level is high and it is necessary to increase the air volume of the defroster 4, it is possible to prevent the time required for removing the fog from becoming longer and to suppress the operation state different from the intention of the occupant of the vehicle 10 who desires the operation of the foot blower 5. - 特許庁

The DFR display of the setting information 30 indicates a method of displaying information indicating the operating state of the defroster 4 on the display 16 of the controller 7 when the operation (air volume) of the defroster 4 is automatically controlled. When the manual operation of the defroster 4 is not performed and control is performed to maintain the defroster 4 in a non-operating state with the fogging level being 0, the information indicating the operating state of the defroster 4 on the display 16 is extinguished or not displayed. When the cloudiness level is 1 or more and the air volume of the defroster 4 is automatically controlled based on the cloudiness level, the information indicating the operating state of the defroster 4 on the display 16 is displayed by a display method different from the display method when the defroster 4 is operating with the air volume set by manual operation. For example, the information indicating the operation state of the defroster 4 on the display 16 is lit when the defroster 4 is manually operated, and blinks when it is automatically controlled. It should be noted that the display of information indicating the operating state of the defroster 4 on the display 16 may, for example, change the color when lit, or light additional information indicating that the automatic control is being performed together with the information indicating whether the defroster 4 is operating.

As described above, in the anti-fog system 1 of the present embodiment, by automatically controlling the air volume of the defroster 4 according to the fog level of the windshield 1001, the fog generated on the windshield 1001 can be efficiently removed. In particular, by detecting the fogging level in multiple stages and operating the defroster 4 with an air volume corresponding to each fogging level, the fogging can be detected early and efficiently removed. For example, by automatically operating the defroster 4 at the stage when light fogging occurs, the fogging can be removed in a short time with a small air volume compared to the case where the defroster 4 is operated after the level of fogging has increased. Therefore, an increase in power consumption caused by operating the defroster 4 can be suppressed. In addition, it is possible to prevent the fogging of the windshield 1001 from prolonging the period during which the control of the brake control device 8 and the like using the image captured by the camera 2 may be affected.

The setting information 30 shown in FIG. 3 is merely an example of the relationship between the fog level, the operation mode of the defroster 4, and the air volume when the defroster 4 is not manually operated. The cloudiness level is not limited to the 7 stages from 0 to 6 illustrated in FIG. 3, but may be any of 2 stages (no cloudiness and cloudiness only) to 6 stages, or 8 stages or more. Further, the values of n and m in the value n/m indicating the air volume of the defroster 4 according to the cloudiness level are not limited to the values illustrated in FIG. 3, and can be changed as appropriate. In addition, the boundary between the cloudiness level that permits foot blowing and the cloudiness level that prohibits foot blowing may be changed in accordance with the amount of wind corresponding to the fogging level.

Further, the air volume of the defroster 4 in the antifogging system 1 of the present embodiment can be adjusted by operating the switch 15 of the controller 7 by an occupant of the vehicle 10 such as the driver 20 as described above. Therefore, an occupant of the vehicle 10 such as the driver 20 can manually set the air volume of the defroster 4 to an air volume different from the air volume set by automatic control according to the degree of fogging of the windshield 1001 and the environment (temperature, humidity, etc.) in the vehicle interior 10R.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a controller. FIG. 4 shows an example of an operation panel of an A/C controller that can be used as the controller 7 of the anti-fogging system 1 of this embodiment.

On the operation panel of the controller 7, a plurality of switches including an air conditioner ON/OFF switch 1501, a mode changeover switch 1502, an auto A/C switch 1503, a defroster changeover switch 1504, an air volume adjustment switch 1505, and a temperature adjustment switch 1506 are arranged as the switches 15. The air conditioner on/off switch 1501 is a switch for switching on/off the car air conditioner mounted on the vehicle 10 . A mode changeover switch 1502 is a switch that changes over the operation mode of the car air conditioner. The auto A/C switch 1503 is a switch for switching on/off automatic control of the car air conditioner. The defroster changeover switch 1504 is a switch for switching ON/OFF of manual control for operating the defroster 4 at a manually set air volume. The air volume adjustment switch 1505 is a switch for adjusting the air volume of the car air conditioner, the defroster 4, the foot blower 5, and the like. A temperature adjustment switch 1506 is a switch for adjusting the set temperature of a car air conditioner or the like. The switch 15 of the controller 7 including these switches 1501 to 1506 is, for example, a momentary switch.

For example, a liquid crystal display is arranged as the display 16 on the operation panel of the controller 7 . The display 16 is provided with display areas for various types of information related to air conditioning in the vehicle, including, for example, an indicator 1601 indicating the air volume, a mark 1602 indicating the operating state of the defroster 4, and a mark 1603 indicating the operating state of the foot blower 5. As described above, the mark 1602 indicating the operating state of the defroster 4 is turned off or hidden when the defroster 4 is not operating, and blinks when the air volume of the defroster 4 is automatically controlled based on the cloudiness level. Further, when the occupant of the vehicle 10 operates the defroster selector switch 1504 to enable manual adjustment of the air volume of the defroster 4, the mark 1602 lights up. The mark 1603 indicating the operating state of the foot blower 5 is, for example, turned off or hidden when the foot blower 5 is not in operation, and lit when the foot blower 5 is in operation.

The mark 1602 indicating the operating state of the defroster 4 on the display 16 blinks when the defroster 4 is operating at the air volume set by automatic control based on the fogging level, and lights up when operating at the air volume set by manual operation, as described above. By doing so, the occupants of vehicle 10 such as driver 20 can easily identify the operating state of defroster 4 based on the display of mark 1602 .

The switches 15 and the display 16 of the controller 7 are not limited to the configuration illustrated in FIG. 4, and the type and layout of the switches, the display contents of the display 16, and the like can be changed as appropriate. Also, the switch 15 and the display 16 of the controller 7 may be of a touch panel type in which they are integrated. For example, among the switches 15 of the controller 7, if the switch related to the adjustment of the air volume of the defroster 4 is of a lever type, a difference (unmatch) may occur between the set air volume of the defroster 4 set (designated) by the switch and the actual air volume of the defroster 4, which may give discomfort to the occupants of the vehicle 10 such as the driver 20. On the other hand, if the switch related to the adjustment of the air volume of the defroster 4 in the controller 7 is of a momentary type or a touch panel type, the state of the switch is constant regardless of the actual air volume of the defroster 4, so that the occupants of the vehicle 10 such as the driver 20 are less likely to feel uncomfortable.

For example, when the ignition power supply of the vehicle 10 is turned on, the anti-fog system 1 of the present embodiment automatically controls the air volume of the defroster 4 based on the fog level of the windshield 1001 detected using the image signal of the scenery in front of the vehicle captured by the camera 2. Further, the anti-fogging system 1 can receive information designating the air volume of the defroster 4 that is input by manual operation of the controller 7 by an occupant of the vehicle 10 such as the driver 20 . For example, the occupant of the vehicle 10 can operate the defroster selector switch 1504 to enable manual operation of the defroster 4, and then operate the air volume adjustment switch 1505 to input information to increase or decrease the air volume of the defroster 4. Therefore, the occupant of the vehicle 10 can manually set the air volume of the defroster 4 to an air volume different from the air volume set by automatic control according to the degree of fogging of the windshield 1001 and the environment (temperature, humidity, etc.) in the passenger compartment 10R.

However, if the air volume of the defroster 4 set by manual operation is different from the air volume set based on the fog level of the windshield 1001 and the setting information 30, the efficiency of removing fog may decrease, and the time required for the fog level to reach 0 may increase. That is, when the air volume of the defroster 4 is set according to the manual operation, which is the intention of the occupant of the vehicle 10, the period during which the fogging of the windshield 1001 may affect the visibility in front of the vehicle may become longer. In order to prevent the occurrence of such a situation and enable more suitable cooperation between the intention of the occupant and ensuring visibility in front of the vehicle, the anti-fogging system 1 of the present embodiment controls the air volume (operation state) of the defroster 4, for example, according to the flowchart in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart explaining the control operation of the anti-fogging system. The anti-fog system 1 mounted on the vehicle 10, for example, when the ignition power of the vehicle 10 is turned on, the control process including steps S1 to S8 and steps S11 and S12 illustrated in FIG. 5 is repeatedly executed at predetermined time intervals.

The antifogging system 1 first determines whether or not the vehicle 10 is moving forward and the vehicle speed is the fog level detection start vehicle speed (step S1). The determination processing in step S1 is performed by the camera 2, for example. The photographing unit 11 of the camera 2 repeats processing of photographing the scenery in front of the vehicle and outputting an image signal of the scenery to the image processing unit 12 at predetermined time intervals. An image processing part 12 of the camera 2 determines whether or not the vehicle 10 is moving forward based on the time change of the scenery in the image signal output by the photographing part 11, and calculates the current vehicle speed of the vehicle 10 when moving forward. The image processing unit 12 calculates the moving direction and vehicle speed of the vehicle 10 according to a known method of calculating the moving speed of an object using image signals. For example, the image processing unit 12 calculates the moving direction and vehicle speed of the vehicle 10 based on temporal changes in the position of the same stationary object extracted from a plurality of image signals captured at different times. Note that the moving direction and vehicle speed of the vehicle 10 may be obtained from various sensors such as a vehicle speed sensor of the vehicle 10, which are not shown in FIG. For example, whether or not the vehicle 10 is moving forward may be determined using the gear state of the vehicle 10. For example, if the vehicle is in the R gear, it may be determined that the vehicle is not moving forward.

The fogging level detection start vehicle speed is the lower limit of the vehicle speed at which the fogging level of the windshield 1001 is detected. The anti-fogging system 1 of this embodiment detects the fog level of the windshield 1001 within the imaging range of the camera 2 that provides information indicating the presence or absence of an obstacle in front of the vehicle to the brake control device 8 that functions as a collision damage mitigation brake. In such a case, the fog level detection start vehicle speed is preferably set lower than the vehicle speed range in which the collision damage mitigation brake is activated. For example, if the vehicle speed range in which the collision damage mitigation brake operates is 5 km/h or higher, the fog level detection start vehicle speed is set to 3 km/h, for example.

If the vehicle is not moving forward or the vehicle speed of the moving vehicle 10 is lower than the fogging level detection start vehicle speed (step S1; NO), the antifogging system 1 does not perform processing for detecting the fogging level, etc., and determines whether or not a manual operation regarding the operation of the defroster 4 (setting the air volume) has been performed (step S11). The air conditioning control unit 6 determines that a manual operation has been performed when information designating the air volume of the defroster 4 is received through the controller 7 within a period from when the ignition power is turned on and the antifogging system 1 starts operating until immediately before performing the determination processing in step S11. If the manual operation has not been performed (step S11; NO), the anti-fogging system 1 puts the defroster 4 in a non-operating state (air volume 0) (step S12), and terminates (returns) the control process. If manual operation has been performed (step S11; YES), the anti-fogging system 1 operates the defroster 4 at the set air volume for manual operation (step S8), and terminates (returns) the control process. If the defroster 4 is already in operation when the determination process of step S11 is performed, the process of step S8 continues the operation of the defroster 4 at the air volume set by manual operation.

When the vehicle 10 is moving forward and the vehicle speed is equal to or higher than the fog level detection start vehicle speed (step S1; YES), the anti-fogging system 1 next determines whether the vehicle 10 is moving straight (step S2). The determination processing in step S2 is performed by the image processing unit 12, for example. The image processing unit 12 determines whether the vehicle 10 is traveling straight based on the yaw rate of the vehicle 10 detected by the yaw rate sensor 3 . For example, the image processing unit 12 determines that the vehicle 10 is traveling straight when the yaw rate is within a predetermined range including 0 degrees/s (for example, within a range of -0.1 degrees/s to +0.1 degrees/s). Note that the image processing unit 12 may determine whether or not the vehicle 10 is traveling straight by another method using the yaw rate or a method using information other than the yaw rate. If the vehicle 10 is not traveling straight (step S2; NO), the antifogging system 1 does not perform the process of detecting the fogging level, etc., but performs the determination process of step S11 described above, and then performs the process of step S12 or S8 to end the control process (return).

If the vehicle 10 is traveling straight (step S2; YES), the antifogging system 1 next detects the fogging level of the windshield 1001 (step S3). The processing of step S3 is performed by the image processing unit 12, for example. The image processing unit 12 detects the fog level of the windshield 1001 based on, for example, the sharpness of the contour of the object extracted from a set of stereo images (a set of image signals of the scenery in front of the vehicle) captured by the imaging unit 11, the similarity of the same object, and the like. For example, the cloudiness level is set to 7 levels from level 0 to level 6 as in the setting information 30 illustrated in FIG. The image processing unit 12 notifies the air conditioning control unit 6 of the detected fog level.

Next, the antifogging system 1 determines whether or not the windshield 1001 is fogged based on the detected fogging level (step S4). The determination processing in step S4 is performed by the air conditioning control unit 6 that has received the cloudiness level notification. When the cloudiness level is detected at seven levels such as the setting information 30 illustrated in FIG. 3, the air conditioning control unit 6 determines that there is no cloudiness if the cloudiness level is 0, and determines that there is cloudiness if the cloudiness level is any of 1 to 6. If there is no cloudiness (step S4; NO), the antifogging system 1 performs the determination process of step S11 described above, then performs the process of step S12 or S8, and ends (returns) the control process. If it is determined in step S4 that there is no fogging (i.e., the detected fogging level is 0), the case where the fogging level was 1 or more in the control process performed before the current control process was removed by operating the defroster 4 and the fogging level returned to 0 is included. If the operation of the defroster 4 returns the fog level from 1 or more to 0, the defroster 4 does not need to be kept activated. Therefore, when the defroster 4 is not manually operated, the antifogging system 1 deactivates (that is, stops) the defroster 4 in step S12. As a result, it is possible to suppress an increase in power consumption due to continued operation of the defroster 4 even after the fogging has been removed. Further, when the defroster 4 is manually operated, the antifogging system 1 continues to operate the defroster 4 according to the manually operated set air volume (that is, the intention of the occupant of the vehicle 10) even after the fogging is removed.

Also, if there is clouding (step S4; YES), the anti-fogging system 1 next determines whether or not a manual operation for operating the defroster 4 (setting the air volume) has been performed (step S5). While the purpose of step S11 is to determine whether the defroster 4 is to be deactivated or to be operated with the set air volume for manual operation, the purpose of step S5 is to determine whether the defroster 4 should be operated with the set air volume corresponding to the cloudiness level or the set air volume for manual operation. The air conditioning control unit 6 performs the determination processing in step S5. An air conditioning control unit 6 determines that a manual operation has been performed when information designating the air volume of the defroster 4 is received through the controller 7 within a period from when the ignition power supply is turned on and the antifogging system 1 starts operating until immediately before performing the determination processing in step S5.

If the manual operation has not been performed (step S5; NO), the air conditioning control unit 6 operates the defroster 4 with the set air volume corresponding to the fogging level (step S6), and terminates (returns) the control process. If the defroster 4 is already operating when the determination process of step S5 is performed, the process of step S6 is a process of continuing the operation of the defroster 4 with an air volume corresponding to the current cloudiness level, which is set based on a preset correspondence relationship between the cloudiness level and the air volume (for example, the setting information 30 illustrated in FIG. 3).

If manual operation has been performed (step S5; YES), the air conditioning control unit 6 next determines whether the current set air volume for manual operation is greater than the air volume set according to the fogging level (step S7). The set air volume corresponding to the cloudiness level in the determination process of step S7 is the air volume corresponding to the current cloudiness level, which is set based on the preset correspondence relationship between the cloudiness level and the air volume (for example, the setting information 30 illustrated in FIG. 3).

If the manually operated set air volume is equal to or less than the set air volume corresponding to the cloudiness level (step S7; NO), the air conditioning control unit 6 continues the operation of the defroster 4 at the set air volume corresponding to the cloudiness level (step S6), and terminates (returns) the control process. That is, if the defroster 4 is operating at the set air volume for manual operation when the determination process of step S5 is performed, and the set air volume for manual operation is equal to or less than the air volume set for the current cloudiness level, the air conditioning control unit 6 changes (increases) the air volume set for the defroster 4 to the air volume set for the current cloudiness level, and continues the operation of the defroster 4. On the other hand, if the set air volume for manual operation is larger than the set air volume corresponding to the cloudiness level (step S7; YES), the air conditioning control unit 6 operates the defroster 4 at the set air volume for manual operation (step S8), and ends the control process (return). For example, when the set air volume corresponding to the cloudiness level is 5/8 stage air volume and the air volume set for manual operation is 4/8 stage air volume, the air conditioning control unit 6 continues to operate the defroster 4 at the set air volume (5/8 stage) according to the cloudiness level. In this case, the air-conditioning control unit 6 causes the mark 1602 indicating the operating state of the defroster 4 on the display 16 to keep blinking. On the other hand, for example, when the set air volume corresponding to the cloudiness level is 5/8 stage air volume and the manually operated air volume set air volume is 6/8 stage air volume, the air conditioning control unit 6 operates the defroster 4 at the manually operated set air volume (6/8 stage). In this case, the air-conditioning control unit 6 changes the mark 1602 on the display 16 from blinking to lit.

Thus, the antifogging system 1 of the present embodiment sets the fogging level of the windshield 1001 in multiple stages, and automatically controls the air volume of the defroster 4 in multiple stages according to the fogging level. Therefore, the defroster 4 can be operated at a stage when the fogging level is small, and the fogging can be efficiently removed. As described above, the level of cloudiness to be detected is not limited to three or more levels including a non-cloudy level and two or more cloudy levels with different degrees of cloudiness, but may be two levels of a non-cloudy level and a cloudy level.

Further, when it is determined that the windshield 1001 is fogged, the anti-fogging system 1 of the present embodiment operates the defroster 4 with the larger one of the air volume set by manual operation and the air volume set according to the fogging level when input of setting information for the air volume of the defroster 4 by manual operation using the controller 7 is received. That is, when the manually operated set air volume is equal to or less than the set air volume of the defroster 4 automatically set according to the fogging level of the windshield 1001, the operation of the defroster 4 is maintained at the set air volume corresponding to the fogging level. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the period during which the fogging of the windshield 1001 may affect the visibility in front of the vehicle (in other words, the sharpness of the image taken by the camera 2) from becoming longer due to the decrease in the air volume and the reduction in the ability to remove fogging. On the other hand, the anti-fogging system 1 of the present embodiment operates the defroster 4 with the manually operated set air volume when the manually operated set air volume is larger than the set air volume of the defroster 4 automatically set according to the fog level of the windshield 1001. That is, when the occupant of the vehicle 10 desires to operate the defroster 4 with an air volume larger than the air volume set according to the fogging level, the occupant's intention is prioritized and the air volume of the defroster 4 is increased. In this way, when the air volume of the defroster 4 is increased with priority given to the occupant's intention, fog can be removed in a short time compared to the case where the defroster 4 is operated with the air volume set according to the fogging level. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the defroster 4 from operating in an operation state different from the intention of the occupant of the vehicle 10, and to prevent the period during which the fogging of the windshield 1001 may affect the visibility in front of the vehicle from being prolonged. Therefore, the anti-fogging system 1 of the present embodiment can make it possible to coordinate the will of the occupant and ensuring the visibility in front of the vehicle.

In addition, the antifogging system 1 of the present embodiment automatically controls the air volume of the defroster 4 in multiple stages according to the fogging level of the windshield 1001 within the shooting range of the camera 2 . Therefore, the defroster 4 can be automatically operated when the fogging level of the windshield 1001 within the shooting range of the camera 2 is low, and for example, it is possible to suppress the fogging level from increasing. Therefore, if the camera 2 is, for example, a camera that provides information on the presence or absence of an obstacle in front of the vehicle to the brake control device 8 as a collision damage mitigation brake as described above, it becomes easy to keep the influence of the fogging of the windshield 1001 on the detection accuracy of the obstacle in a small state. Therefore, the anti-fogging system 1 of this embodiment can operate the collision damage mitigation brake more appropriately. Furthermore, when the camera 2 provides information to a driving support system other than the collision damage mitigation brake based on the captured image, the other driving system can also be operated more appropriately. Therefore, the anti-fogging system 1 of the present embodiment can further improve the driving safety of the vehicle 10 .

Further, when a stereo camera is used as the camera 2, as described above, by detecting the fogging level only when the vehicle 10 is traveling straight, it is possible to suppress deterioration in the detection accuracy of the fogging level due to parallax deviation between a pair of stereo images. Therefore, it is possible to prevent an increase in the time required for removing fog due to a difference between the detected fog level and the actual fog level.

Further, the anti-fogging system 1 changes the display method of the mark 1602 indicating the operating state of the defroster 4 on the display 16, depending on whether the defroster 4 is operated with the set air volume corresponding to the fogging level (step S6) or when the defroster 4 is operated with the manually operated set air volume (step S8). Therefore, an occupant of the vehicle 10 such as the driver 20 can easily grasp whether the set air volume of the defroster 4 during operation is the air volume set by automatic control according to the cloudiness level or the air volume set by manual operation. Therefore, for example, when there is a deviation between the set air volume and the actual air volume after the occupant manually sets the air volume, the cause of the air volume deviation can be easily grasped by looking at the display of the mark 1602 on the display 16. - 特許庁For example, when the air volume does not decrease despite the occupant's manual operation to reduce the air volume, the occupant can understand that priority is given to removing fogging to ensure visibility from the fact that the mark 1602 is blinking.

In addition, by using a momentary type switch or a touch panel type switch for the switch 15 of the controller 7 (for example, the switches 1501 to 1506 illustrated in FIG. 4), it is possible to eliminate discomfort due to a difference between the air volume set by the switch 15 and the actual air volume.

The anti-fogging system 1 of this embodiment can link the operation of the foot blower 5 with the operation of the defroster 4 as described above. An example of more suitable control processing in this type of antifogging system 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating another example of the operation of the anti-fog system. FIG. 7 is a flow chart for explaining the content of the foot blowing control process in the flow chart of FIG. Among the processing blocks in the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 6, the processing blocks having the same processing contents as the processing blocks in the flowchart of FIG. 5 are given the same step numbers. Of the processing blocks in the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 6, detailed description of the processing blocks having the same processing contents as those in the flowchart of FIG. 5 will be omitted.

The antifogging system 1 first determines whether or not the vehicle 10 is moving forward and the vehicle speed is the fog level detection start vehicle speed (step S1). When the vehicle 10 is not moving forward or the vehicle speed of the vehicle 10 moving forward is lower than the fog level detection start vehicle speed (step S1; NO), the anti-fogging system 1 determines whether or not the manual operation is continuously performed (step S11). If the manual operation has not been performed (step S11; NO), the antifogging system 1 deactivates the defroster 4 (step S12), and terminates (returns) the control process. If manual operation has been performed (step S11; YES), the antifogging system 1 operates the defroster 4 at the set air volume for manual operation (step S8). After the process of step S8, the antifogging system 1 performs a second foot blowing control process (step S15B), which will be described later, and ends (returns) the control process.

When the vehicle 10 is moving forward and the vehicle speed is equal to or higher than the fog level detection start vehicle speed (step S1; YES), the anti-fogging system 1 next determines whether the vehicle 10 is moving straight (step S2). If the vehicle 10 is not traveling straight (step S2; NO), the antifogging system 1 continues the determination process of step S11, and performs the process of step S12 or S8 according to the determination result.

If the vehicle 10 is traveling straight (step S2; YES), the antifogging system 1 next detects the fogging level of the windshield 1001 (step S3).

Next, the antifogging system 1 determines whether or not the windshield 1001 is fogged based on the detected fogging level (step S4). If there is no cloudiness (step S4; NO), the antifogging system 1 continues the determination process of step S11, and performs the process of step S12 or S8 according to the determination result.

If the windshield 1001 is fogged up (step S4; YES), the antifogging system 1 next determines whether the defroster 4 has been manually operated (set the air volume) in order to determine whether the defroster 4 should be operated at the set air volume corresponding to the fogging level or the manually operated set air volume (step S5). If the manual operation is not performed (step S5; NO), the air conditioning control unit 6 operates the defroster 4 with a set air volume corresponding to the fogging level (step S6), and then executes the second foot blowing control process (step S15B). The contents of the second foot blowing control process will be described later.

If manual operation has been performed (step S5; YES), the air conditioning control unit 6 determines whether or not the current set air volume for manual operation is greater than the air volume set according to the fogging level (step S7). If the manually operated set air volume is less than or equal to the set air volume corresponding to the fogging level (step S7; NO), the air conditioning control unit 6 operates the defroster 4 with the set air volume corresponding to the fogging level (step S6), and then executes the second foot blowing control process (step S15B).

On the other hand, if the set air volume for manual operation is larger than the set air volume corresponding to the cloudiness level (step S7; YES), the air conditioning control unit 6 executes the first foot blowing control process (step S15A). The contents of the first foot blowing control process will be described later.

When the first foot blowing control process is completed, the air conditioning control unit 6 operates the defroster 4 at the manually set air volume (step S8), and then executes the second foot blowing control process (step S15B).

When the defroster 4 is operated in step S6 or step S8 to perform the second foot blower control process (step S15B), the antifogging system 1 (air conditioning control unit 6) ends (returns) the control process including the control of the foot blower unit 5.

As the first foot blowing control process (step S15A) and the second foot blowing control process (step S15B) in the flowchart illustrated in FIG. FIG. 7 is a flow chart for explaining the content of the foot blowing control process in the flow chart of FIG.

When the foot blower control process is started, the air conditioning control unit 6 first determines whether or not the foot blower unit 5 is on (step S1501). The air conditioning control unit 6 determines whether or not the foot blower 5 is on, for example, based on the state of a switch for switching on/off of the foot blower provided in the controller 7 or information indicating the on/off state input by the switch. If the foot blower 5 is off (step S1501; NO), the air conditioning controller 6 skips the subsequent processing and terminates (returns) the foot blower control process.

If the foot blower 5 is on (step S1501; YES), the air conditioning controller 6 next determines whether the fog level corresponding to the current set air volume of the defroster 4 is equal to or higher than a predetermined level (step S1502). The current set air volume of the defroster 4 is the larger one of the set air volume corresponding to the fogging level of the windshield 1001 detected by the camera 2 and the manually operated set air volume. The predetermined level is a threshold for determining whether or not foot blowing is allowed when the defroster 4 is operating, and the predetermined level is 4 in the setting information 30 illustrated in FIG.

If the fog level corresponding to the set air volume is equal to or higher than the predetermined level (step S1502; YES), the air conditioning control unit 6 turns off the foot blower 5 and operates only the defroster 4 (step S1503), and ends (returns) the foot blow control process. In this case, the air conditioning control unit 6 controls the operation of the defroster 4 or the air conditioning unit (not shown in FIG. 1 etc.) so that the defroster 4 or the air conditioning unit (not shown in FIG. 1 or the like) generates dehumidified warm air in an amount corresponding to the set air volume of the defroster 4.

When the fog level corresponding to the set air volume is lower than the predetermined level (step S1502; NO), the air conditioning control unit 6 operates the defroster 4 and the foot blower 5 (step S1504), and ends (returns) the foot blower control process. In this case, the air conditioning control unit 6 controls the operation of the defroster 4 or the air conditioning unit so that dehumidified warm air is generated in an amount corresponding to the total air volume of the set air volume of the defroster 4 and the set air volume of the foot blower 5.

In this way, when the anti-fogging system 1 executes the control processing including the foot blowing control processing, when the fogging level corresponding to the current set air volume of the defroster 4 is higher than a predetermined level, the foot blowing by the foot blowing part 5 is invalidated and only the defroster 4 is operated. In this way, when the level of fogging is high, air blowing at the feet is disabled and removal of fogging by the defroster 4 is prioritized, thereby preventing a prolonged period in which the fogging of the windshield 1001 may affect visibility in front of the vehicle. In addition, the current set air volume of the defroster 4 in the foot blowing control process illustrated in FIG. In this way, even if the detected fogging level is low enough to allow foot blowing, if the fogging level corresponding to the manually operated set air volume is high enough not to allow foot blowing, the foot blowing can be disabled and only the defroster 4 can be operated.

On the other hand, when the fogging level corresponding to the detected fogging level and the manually operated set air volume is lower than a predetermined level, foot blowing can be carried out giving priority to the intention of the occupant of the vehicle 10 who has turned on the foot blowing part 5. - 特許庁

Although the embodiments of the anti-fogging system 1 and the anti-fogging method have been described above, the anti-fogging system 1 and the anti-fogging method according to the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be appropriately modified within the scope of the present invention.

For example, the antifogging system 1 is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. 1, and can be modified as appropriate. The camera of the antifogging system 1 is not limited to the camera used in combination with the brake control device 8, and may be an in-vehicle camera included in the driving support system of the vehicle 10 and installed inside the passenger compartment 10R. Moreover, the camera of the antifogging system 1 is not limited to a stereo camera, and may be a monocular camera. For example, the anti-fogging system 1 may detect the fog level of the windshield 1001 or the like within the imaging range of the camera based on the image captured by the camera of the drive recorder. Further, the antifogging system 1 may detect the fogging level of the windshield 1001 by an image processing section different from the image processing section 12 included in the camera 2 . Further, as described above, the antifogging system 1 may be a system capable of automatically controlling the operation (air volume) of the defogger that defogs the rear windshield of the vehicle 10 according to the fogging level of the rear windshield. Further, the antifogging system 1 may be one in which the foot blower 5 is omitted.

Further, the control process executed by the antifogging system 1 is not limited to the process according to the flowchart of FIG. 5 or the process according to the flowcharts of FIGS. 6 and 7, and can be changed as appropriate. For example, when the vehicle 10 is running, the determination in step S1 or the determination in step S2 may temporarily become NO, such as during a temporary stop or while driving on a curved road. Therefore, the anti-fogging system 1 may perform the determination process of step S11, for example, when the determination process of step S1 or step S2 is determined as NO, the defroster 4 is in operation, and the period or number of times of continuous determination of NO is equal to or greater than a threshold value. Further, the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 6 is merely an example of control processing including the foot blowing control processing 15A and 15B, and the timing of performing the foot blowing control processing can be changed as appropriate.

1 anti-fogging system 2 camera 3 yaw rate sensor 4 defroster 5 foot blower 6 air conditioning control unit 7 controller 8 brake control device 10 vehicle 1001 windshield 1002 dashboard 1003 floor surface 10R cabin 11 photographing unit 12 image processing unit 15 switch 1501 air conditioner on/off switch 1502 mode changeover switch 1503 auto A /C switch 1504 defroster selector switch 1505 air volume adjustment switch 1506 temperature adjustment switch 16 display 1601 indicator 1602, 1603 mark 20 driver 30 setting information

Claims (8)

a camera installed in the interior of the vehicle for capturing peripheral information outside the vehicle;
A defroster that blows air toward the window glass of the vehicle including the part that is within the imaging range of the camera;
an image processing unit that detects the fogging level of the window glass within the imaging range of the camera, based on the surrounding information of the vehicle exterior captured by the camera;
an air conditioning control unit that operates the defroster with a set air volume when the image processing unit detects cloudiness;
and a display device that displays the operating state of the defroster,
The anti-fogging system is characterized in that the air-conditioning control unit provides different displays on the display device to indicate the operating state of the defroster when the defroster is operating with the air volume set when the fogging is detected and when the defroster is operating with the air volume set by manual operation. 2. The antifogging system according to claim 1, wherein the air conditioning control unit operates the defroster at the larger one of the set air volume set by the manual operation and the air volume set when the fogging is detected when the input of the setting information of the air volume of the defroster by manual operation is received. 3. The antifogging system according to claim 1, wherein the air conditioning control unit sets the air volume of the defroster when the fogging is detected based on the fogging level detected by the image processing unit. The camera is a camera used in a driving assistance system that assists the driver in driving the vehicle,
2. The anti-fogging system according to claim 1, wherein the operation of the defroster due to the detection of the fog is not performed when the operation of the camera is off when the driving support system is off. 2. The anti-fogging system according to claim 1, wherein the air-conditioning control unit causes the display device to display information indicating the operating state of the defroster when the defroster is operating at the air volume set when the fogging is detected and when the defroster is operating at the air volume set by the manual operation. 2. The anti-fogging system according to claim 1, wherein the air conditioning control unit deactivates the defroster if the defroster is not operating at the air volume set by the manual operation when the state changes from the state in which the state in which the fogging is detected to the state in which the state is not detected. The anti-fogging system further includes a blower that blows air in a direction different from the window glass in the vehicle interior,
2. The anti-fogging system according to claim 1, wherein the maximum air volume set based on the fog level is larger than the maximum air volume of the defroster when the air blower is operated by manual operation and the maximum air volume set based on the detected fog level. When fogging of the window glass of the vehicle including the part within the shooting range of the camera is detected based on the surrounding information of the outside of the vehicle taken by a camera installed in the vehicle interior, an air conditioning control unit of an anti-fog system that operates a defroster that blows air toward the window glass at a set air volume.
A display control method, wherein a display indicating the operating state of the defroster on a display device is made different between when the defroster is operating with the air volume set when the cloudiness is detected and when the defroster is operating with the air volume set by manual operation.

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