JPH0230892B2 - SHARYOYORANPUTENTOSEIGYOSOCHI - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a vehicle lamp lighting control device.
It is particularly useful as an automatic lighting device for automobile headlamps.

Conventional technology Conventionally, as an automatic lighting device for automobile headlamps, an optical sensor is used to detect the brightness outside the vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art Devices are known that turn on a headlamp when the brightness falls below a predetermined level and turn off the headlamp when the brightness reaches a predetermined level or higher.

Such a conventional technique is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 58-8641.

Problems with the Prior Art In conventional devices that use optical sensors to automatically control the lighting of headlamps, contamination of the optical sensors can lead to malfunction of the device, but there is a problem in that the optical sensors are particularly susceptible to contamination in automobiles.

Further, since optical sensors are affected by local brightness, there is a problem that they may malfunction due to light from street lamps or the like.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle lamp lighting control device that is not affected by dirt, local brightness, etc. and is capable of providing stable operation over a long period of time.

Structure of the Invention The vehicle lamp lighting control device of the present invention includes a calendar clock means, a lighting time setting means for setting the lighting time of the vehicle lamp, and a lighting time setting means for setting the lighting time of the vehicle lamp. The present invention further includes a correction means for correcting the time, and a lighting signal output means for outputting a lighting signal for the vehicle lamp when the date/time detected by the calendar clock means reaches the corrected lighting time. This is a characteristic feature.

Function The vehicle lamp lighting control device of the present invention controls the lighting of vehicle lamps, that is, headlamps and small lamps in conjunction with a clock.

It is generally believed that the times at which vehicle lamps should be turned on and off are influenced by the weather on that day, but in reality this only occurs on a few days a year and has little effect. Rather, the reality is that it is determined by the time of sunset and sunrise.

Therefore, if you set the lighting and extinguishing times according to the sunset and sunrise times and control the lighting of vehicle lamps in conjunction with the clock, in the long run, it will be possible to turn on the lights using a light sensor. This is preferable because it provides stable operation rather than one that performs control.

However, since the sunset time and sunrise time change depending on the season, it is too complicated and impossible for the user to set them for each day.

However, in the vehicle lamp lighting control device of the present invention, the date is detected using a calendar clock, and the lighting time and the lighting time are automatically corrected according to seasonal changes in sunset time and sunrise time. This allows for suitable control without any operational burden.

EXAMPLES The present invention will be described in more detail below based on examples shown in the drawings. Here, FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the configuration of the vehicle lamp lighting control device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a correction amount table for explaining seasonal corrections, and FIG.
The figure shows a correction amount table to explain correction based on vehicle speed.
FIG. 4 is a correction amount table for explaining corrections due to weather. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown in the figures.

The vehicle lamp lighting control device 1 shown in FIG.
Automobile head lamp H and small lamp S
It basically consists of a calendar clock 2, lighting time setting means 3, a microprocessor 4, and a lamp drive circuit 5.

Control signals are input to the microcomputer 4 from a lamp operation switch 6, a vehicle speed sensor 7, and a wiper circuit 8.

When the user sets the lighting time and extinguishing time of the headlamp on any date and time, the lighting time setting means 3 stores the date, lighting time, and extinguishing time.

The microcomputer 4 is a calendar clock 2
When it is detected that the predetermined time has arrived, which is a little earlier than the set headlamp lighting time for that day, the lamp drive circuit 5 is driven to turn on the small lamp S.

This is because the small lamp S is generally turned on a little earlier (for example, about 30 minutes earlier) than the headlamp H.

When it is detected that the set headlamp lighting time has come, the lamp drive circuit 5
to turn on the headlamp H. Also,
When the light-off time comes, the headlamp H is turned off.

Further, the small lamp S is turned off at a predetermined time a little later than the set headlamp turn-off time.

This is because the small lamp S is generally turned off a little later than the headlamp H (for example, after about 10 minutes).

In addition to the above-mentioned basic operations, the microcomputer 4 has the function of correcting the set lighting and extinguishing times depending on the season, and automatically controls the lighting throughout the year.

In other words, as shown in Figure 2, from March 21st (vernal equinox) to June 22nd (summer solstice),
Sunset time becomes later and sunrise time becomes earlier. Therefore, from March 21st to June 22nd, the lighting time will be delayed by, for example, _K1 hours every day.
Similarly, the light-off time is also corrected by advancing it by, for example, _K2 hours every day.

When the number of days n is determined based on March 21st, the lighting correction amount T ₁ and lighting correction amount T ₂ depending on the season in this case are +K ₁ n and −K ₂ n.

If these correction amounts T ₁ and T ₂ are added to the lighting time and lights-out time on March 21st, the time from March 21st to 6th
You can get the lighting and lighting times for any day up to the 22nd of the month.

Similarly, from June 22nd (summer solstice) to September 22nd (autumnal equinox), the sun sets earlier each day.
Sunrise time is later. Therefore, if the correction is made in the same way as above, the lighting correction amount depending on the season T ₁
= +K ₁ (184-n), and the light-off correction amount T ₂ = -K ₂
(184-n).

Similarly, from September 22nd (Autumn Equinox Day) to December 22nd (Winter Solstice Day), the sunset time will be earlier each day.
The sunrise time gets later every day. Therefore, the seasonal lighting correction amount T ₁ =−K ₁ (n−184), and the seasonal lighting correction amount T ₂ =+K ₂ (n−184).

Similarly, from December 22nd (winter solstice) to March 22nd (vernal equinox), the sunset time will be later each day.
Since the sunrise time becomes earlier, the seasonal lighting correction amount T ₁ = −K ₁ (365−n), and the lighting correction amount T ₂ =
+K ₂ (365-n).

In addition, even if the day when the lighting time and lights-out time were initially set is any day other than March 21st, by converting the lighting time and lights-out time to March 21st,
The above correction can be made.

Furthermore, the microcomputer 4 also corrects the lighting time and light-off time based on the vehicle speed. This is a correction to advance the time when the headlamps are turned on and delay the time when they are turned off, since clearer forward visibility is required when the vehicle speed is high.

That is, as shown in FIG. 3, when the vehicle speed input from the vehicle speed sensor 4 is 0 to 59 km/h, the microcomputer 4 does not perform lighting correction based on the vehicle speed, since the vehicle speed is not that high. Correction amount 0). However, if the vehicle speed is between 60 and 99 km, it is a little high speed, so the lighting time is set earlier by ₃ hours.
Delay the lights out time by T ₄ hours. Also, the vehicle speed
Since 100km/h is quite high speed, the lighting time is advanced by T ₅ (>T ₃ ) hours and the lights-out time is set to T ₆ (>T 3 ).
T ₄ ) Slow down by time.

Furthermore, the microcomputer 4 performs weather correction according to the signal from the wiper circuit 8.

That is, as shown in FIG. 4, when the switch of the wiper circuit 8 is off, no correction is performed (that is, the amount of correction is 0), and when the switch of the wiper circuit 8 is on, the wiper is not operated. Since it is a rainy day and the brightness outside is considered to be darker than on a clear day, the lighting time is set earlier by _T7 hours and the light-off time is delayed by _{T8 hours} .

The lighting time of the headlamp H after the above correction
As described above, the lighting time and extinguishing time of the small lamp S can be determined based on the light-off time.

As can be understood from the above description, the vehicle lamp lighting control device 1 can control the lighting of vehicle lamps with stable operation from a long-term perspective.

Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, there is provided a calendar clock means, a lighting time setting means for setting the lighting time of a vehicle lamp, and a correction for correcting the lighting time in accordance with the date in order to compensate for seasonal changes in sunshine hours. means and
There is provided a vehicle lamp lighting control device, comprising lighting signal output means for outputting a lighting signal for a vehicle lamp when the date/time detected by the calendar clock means reaches the corrected lighting time. As a result, lighting control of vehicle lamps can be performed stably throughout the year without being affected by dirt, local brightness, etc.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of the configuration of the vehicle lamp lighting control device of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a chart of correction amounts to explain corrections due to seasons, and Fig. 3 is a chart of correction amounts to explain corrections due to vehicle speed. Figure 4 is a chart of correction amounts for explaining corrections due to weather. (Explanation of symbols) 1... Vehicle lamp lighting control device, 2... Calendar clock, 3... Lighting time setting means, 4... Microcomputer, 5... Lamp drive circuit, 6... Lamp operation switch,
7...Vehicle speed sensor, 8...Wiper circuit, H...
Head lamp, S...Small lamp.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Calendar clock means, lighting time setting means for setting the lighting time of vehicle lamps, correction means for correcting the lighting time in accordance with the date to compensate for changes in sunlight hours depending on the season, and the calendar clock means. A vehicle lamp lighting control device comprising lighting signal output means for outputting a lighting signal for a vehicle lamp when the detected date/time reaches the corrected lighting time.