JP2003291726A - Vehicular overhead module - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicular overhead module (OHM) allowing the utmost standardization of an overhead console part. <P>SOLUTION: This OHM is provided with an overhead console 5 and an antidazzle inner mirror 10. The inner mirror 10 is fed with electric power from an on-vehicle battery through the overhead console 5. The inner mirror 10 is so structured as to house an ETC on-vehicle apparatus 13 or a set 23 comprising a GDO (garage door opener) and an electronic compass. In this case, three patterns of inner mirrors 10 based on a domestic specification with the on- vehicle apparatus 13 housed as shown in Fig. (a), a North American/European specification with the set 23 housed as shown in Fig. (b), and a specification without housing them as shown in Fig. (c) are prepared according to destinations. The on-vehicle apparatus 13 and the like can execute data communication with an ECU 7 of the overhead console 5 through a communication line L2. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention: An overhead console arranged on the ceiling of a vehicle, and an antiglare inner mirror arranged above the driver of a vehicle and capable of electrically adjusting the reflectance by being supplied with power from the overhead console. The present invention relates to a vehicle overhead module.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, the problems to be solved by the invention
In the overhead console, the products corresponding to the destination were divided into product numbers and handled. For example, in Japan, products equipped with ETC in-vehicle equipment, which is an in-vehicle terminal in an automatic toll collection system on toll roads, and in North America / Europe, GDO (in-vehicle terminal in a system for remotely opening and closing a garage door). A product with or without a set of a garage door opener and an electronic compass.
For other areas, the product is a product that does not include or incorporate the device. As described above, if the overhead console is equipped with a destination-compatible device that involves a design change, the variations of the overhead console itself increase.

In particular, it is assumed that the overhead console is different for each vehicle type. For example, in the case of a wagon or van type vehicle and a sedan type, the overhead console itself is often different due to the characteristics of each vehicle type. . Under such a premise, if it is necessary to prepare variations corresponding to the destination in the same vehicle model, it becomes difficult to meet the demand for standardization as much as possible.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide an overhead module for a vehicle in which the overhead console portion can be standardized as much as possible.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention] The overhead module for a vehicle according to claim 1, which is made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, is desired to be arranged near the ceiling, and according to the destination. In-vehicle devices that are limitedly adopted can be built in or combined with the anti-glare inner mirror, and power can be supplied from the overhead console to the in-vehicle device via the anti-glare inner mirror. Since the anti-glare inner mirror itself is configured to receive power from the overhead console, the anti-glare inner mirror does not need to adopt a configuration to receive power from the overhead console only for incorporating or incorporating an in-vehicle device. That is, since power is originally supplied from the overhead console, it is only necessary to further supply power to the vehicle-mounted device.

As described above, since the in-vehicle device can be built in or combined with the anti-glare inner mirror, the in-vehicle device to be built in or combined can be protected according to the destination, including those not installed or incorporated. Only the dazzling inner mirror needs to be prepared for the destination, and the overhead console side can be standardized.

It is advantageous to prepare the anti-glare inner mirror in the overhead module as a destination and standardize the overhead console side from the following viewpoints. In other words, as a practical matter, the overhead console is assumed to be different for each vehicle type, for example, while the antiglare mirror is assumed to be the same for a plurality of vehicle types. For example, in the case of a wagon or van type vehicle and a sedan type, it is thought that the overhead console itself is often different due to the characteristics of each vehicle type, but if it is an anti-glare inner mirror, change it for both vehicle types. There is little inevitable necessity. The present invention focuses on that point. In other words, if the overhead console side tries to cope with variations for each destination, it is necessary to correspond to the destination in addition to the difference in each vehicle type originally, and the variations of the overhead console are very diverse. Therefore, by absorbing the correspondence of the destination on the side of the anti-glare inner mirror, the overhead console was originally required regardless of the destination, for example, by vehicle type (depending on the minimum variation).
Standardization can be realized.

As an example of the in-vehicle device, for example, an ETC in-vehicle device which is an in-vehicle terminal in an automatic toll collection system on a toll road, etc. Various devices can be considered as communication devices for communicating with the receiving device. Besides the ETC in-vehicle device, a VICS receiver, a receiver for a keyless entry system, a receiver for a tire pressure monitor, and the like are conceivable. In the case of such a communication device, since it is often possible to select whether or not to install the communication device, it is considered to be particularly effective. In addition, in the case of ETC in-vehicle equipment, VICS receiver, etc., since radio waves and the like are often received from outside the vehicle, especially from above, it is preferable that the antenna part is also placed near the ceiling or the windshield. Since the distance between the vehicle-mounted device in the anti-glare inner mirror and its antenna part can be relatively shortened, it is also effective from the viewpoint of wiring and the like.

Of course, various in-vehicle devices built in or incorporated in the anti-glare inner mirror are not limited to the above communication devices. For example, one specific example of the relationship with the destination is, for example, the above-mentioned ETC in-vehicle device for Japan, and the GDO (garage) which is an in-vehicle terminal in a system for remotely opening and closing a garage door for North America / Europe. Door opener) and electronic compass set built in or combined,
Variations such as not incorporating or incorporating anything for other areas are possible. Originally, the overhead console and the anti-glare inner mirror do not need to exchange signals with each other, but for example, ETC in-vehicle equipment uses vehicle speed information and data with other equipment such as cooperation with navigation equipment. There may be cases where it is better to be able to communicate. If so, instead of simply receiving power, the LA in the car can be accessed via the overhead console.
It is sufficient to connect with N.

In this case, as described in claim 3, the overhead console and the anti-glare inner mirror, and the anti-glare inner mirror and the vehicle-mounted device are connected by signal lines for data communication, respectively. It is conceivable that data can be communicated between the overhead console and the vehicle-mounted device via the anti-glare inner mirror.

When the overhead console and the in-vehicle device are configured to be capable of data communication via the anti-glare inner mirror as described above, as described in claim 4, (including whether or not the device is mounted) The electronic control unit in the overhead console may be configured to identify the type of the in-vehicle device by software. For example, the in-vehicle device ID may be included in the frame to be transmitted and specified by the ID, or may be specified by a combination of Hi and Lo by the version terminal. In this way, the hardware on the overhead console side can be prevented from being affected by the in-vehicle device built in or incorporated in the antiglare inner mirror.

Further, as described in claim 5, the anti-glare inner mirror is provided with a power line for supplying power to the vehicle-mounted device and a connector integrally connected with the communication line when data communication is possible. May be. With this configuration, the connector provided on the vehicle-mounted device side can be attached / detached with one touch, and the work for mounting the vehicle-mounted device in the antiglare inner mirror becomes simple.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments to which the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to the drawings. Needless to say, the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the following examples, and various forms can be adopted as long as they are within the technical scope of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing a schematic configuration of an overhead module for a vehicle (hereinafter, simply abbreviated as OHM) of this embodiment. Further, FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory view showing the arrangement of OHMs and the like. As shown in FIG. 2, the OHM of this embodiment is arranged above the overhead console 5 on the ceiling of the vehicle and above the driver of the vehicle, and receives power supply from the overhead console 5 to electrically reflect the reflectance. An adjustable anti-glare inner mirror 10 is provided.

The overhead console 5 is an EC which is a control unit for controlling the mechanism arranged near the ceiling.
The U (electronic control device) 7 and switches are housed therein. The ECU 7 is connected to the in-vehicle LAN via a communication line. In this case, a so-called body type LAN is configured. The ECU 7 is naturally supplied with power from the on-vehicle battery.

On the other hand, in the anti-glare inner mirror 10, the mirror surface portion 10a having a substantially rectangular plate shape is housed in the mirror case portion 10b. Further, the electrochromic (EC) anti-glare surface is provided on the back side of the mirror surface portion 10a. A mirror substrate 11 is arranged. The EC anti-glare mirror substrate 11 is provided with a circuit or the like for realizing an anti-glare mirror that utilizes the coloration and decoloration of the EC layer due to a redox reaction, and is electrochemically activated when a voltage is applied to the EC layer. A redox reaction occurs, which changes the spectral reflectance characteristics of the EC layer and causes it to be colored.
By this color change, the reflectance of the mirror surface portion 10a can be changed (for example, 70% to 10% in total reflectance). Note that when a reverse voltage is applied to the EC layer, the opposite reaction occurs, the EC layer is discolored, and the original state is restored.

The anti-glare inner mirror 10 is provided on the ETC in-vehicle device 1 on the rear side of the EC anti-glare mirror substrate 11.
3 or GDO (garage door opener) and electronic compass set 23 can be accommodated. In addition, GD
O is an in-vehicle terminal in a system for opening and closing a garage door by remote control, and is currently used mainly in North America / Europe. In the case of the present embodiment, the antiglare inner mirror 10
Assuming that three types of variations are prepared, as shown in FIG.
3 patterns, one containing GDO and electronic compass 23 as shown in FIG. 1 (b), and one not containing them as shown in FIG. 1 (c). Prepare 10 corresponding to the destination.
For example, for domestic use in Japan, built-in ETC in-vehicle device 13,
Set 23 of GDO and electronic compass for North America / Europe
Prepare a variation such as built-in and nothing built in for other areas.

Here, the power to the EC anti-glare mirror substrate 11 and the power to the ETC on-vehicle device 13 or the set 23 of the GDO and the electronic compass are supplied from the overhead console 5 via the power line L1 (FIG. 1). Specifically, the power supply line L1 is connected to the mirror case portion 10b.
One is connected to the EC anti-glare mirror substrate 11, and the other is connected to the connector 12. The connector 12 and the ECU (electronic control unit) 7 in the overhead console 5 are connected via a communication line L2. And this connector 12 is ETC
In-vehicle device 13 or GDO and electronic compass set 2
It is configured to be attachable to and detachable from the connectors 13a and 23a provided on the third side. That is, the basic structure is the antiglare inner mirror 10 having the connector 12 as shown in FIG. 1C, and if the ETC vehicle-mounted device 13 is attached to the connector 12, the domestic specification structure shown in FIG.
And a set of electronic compass 23 is attached, as shown in FIG.
The configuration is based on the North American / European specifications shown in.

The anti-glare inner mirror 10 has an inner mirror stay 5 and a bracket 8 as shown in FIG.
It is suspended and fixed to the inside of the windshield 3 through the vehicle. The power line L1 and the communication line L2 between the overhead console 5 and the antiglare inner mirror 7 shown in FIG. 1 are arranged inside the inner mirror stay 9 and the bracket 8 shown in FIG. Further, the ETC antenna 14 is connected to the ETC in-vehicle device 13, and the coil 24 for the electronic compass is connected to the set 23 of the GDO and the electronic compass.
These are provided inside the bracket 8 as shown in FIG.

The E in the overhead console 5
The CU 7 is configured so as to be able to specify the type of the vehicle-mounted device built in the anti-glare inner mirror 10, including the discrimination whether the vehicle-mounted device itself is mounted or not. This identification is performed by the ECU 7 by software, and as a method of realizing it, it is conceivable to include the vehicle-mounted device ID in the frame to be transmitted and identify it by the ID. Further, it may be specified by a combination of Hi and Lo by the version terminal.

According to the overhead module having such a configuration, the following effects are exhibited. (A) Since the in-vehicle device such as the ETC in-vehicle device 13 can be built in or combined with the anti-glare inner mirror 10, as shown in FIG. 1, the in-vehicle device to be built is replaced according to the destination, or Only the anti-glare inner mirror 10 including those built-in or not incorporated may be prepared corresponding to the destination, and the overhead console 5 side can be standardized. That is, in the three patterns shown in FIG. 1, the overhead console 5 side does not need to be changed in hardware.

For example, it is considered that the overhead console itself is often different in the case of a wagon or van type vehicle and in the case of a sedan type vehicle due to the characteristics of each vehicle type.
In addition to that, it leads to more variations depending on the destination, and we cannot meet the demand for standardization as much as possible. In other words, in order to realize the three patterns as shown in FIG. 1, it is necessary to prepare three patterns of the overhead console 5 in the same vehicle model.
On the other hand, as in the present embodiment, the antiglare inner mirror 10
By absorbing the above, it is possible to realize the standardization of the overhead console 5 that is originally necessary regardless of the destination (for example, by the minimum variation) on a vehicle type basis. And the anti-glare inner mirror 10
As for the above, since it is assumed that the same antiglare inner mirror 10 is used for a plurality of vehicle types, for example, if the same antiglare inner mirror 10 is adopted for all vehicle types, the three patterns of the antiglare inner mirror 10 shown in FIG. All you have to do is prepare.

Since the anti-glare inner mirror 10 is originally supplied with power from the overhead console 5 side, it is not necessary to be constructed so that power can be supplied only to the built-in vehicle equipment, which is convenient. Further, since the antenna 14 for the ETC in-vehicle device 13 often receives radio waves and the like from outside the vehicle, particularly from above, it is preferable to dispose the antenna 14 near the windshield 3. In this embodiment, the bracket 8 is arranged inside the bracket 8 so as to be arranged in the vicinity of the windshield 3. In that case, since the ETC vehicle-mounted device 13 in the anti-glare inner mirror 10 is built in, the distance from the antenna 14 can be relatively short, which is also effective from the viewpoint of wiring and the like.

(B) In this embodiment, data communication is possible between the ECU 7 in the overhead console 5 and the vehicle-mounted device built in the antiglare inner mirror 10 via the communication line L2. Therefore, this in-vehicle device is installed in the vehicle interior L via the ECU 7 in the overhead console 5.
It can receive data from other ECUs and sensors connected to the AN. Therefore, it is effective, for example, when the ETC vehicle-mounted device 13 wants to obtain a vehicle speed signal or the like. On the contrary, data from the ETC in-vehicle device 13 is transferred to the in-vehicle LAN.
You can also output to the side. For example, some ETC in-vehicle devices have a display device itself, and the display device may be incorporated in the anti-glare inner mirror 10. For example, a navigation device capable of displaying a map is connected to the in-vehicle LAN. In this case, the screen of the ETC may be displayed using the display of the navigation device. In that case, data may be output from the ETC vehicle-mounted device 13 to the navigation device via the ECU 7 in the overhead console 5.

The E in the overhead console 5
Since the CU 7 is configured to identify the type of the in-vehicle device built in the anti-glare inner mirror 10 by software, including whether or not the in-vehicle device itself is installed, the overhead console 5 side This is more preferable in that the hardware is not affected by the vehicle-mounted device built in the antiglare inner mirror 7.

(C) In this embodiment, the basic structure in which the anti-glare inner mirror 10 has the connector 12 as shown in FIG. 1 (c) is adopted, and the connector 13a of the ETC in-vehicle device 13 and the GDO and the electronic compass are adopted. It is configured so that it can be easily connected to the connector 23a of the set 23. Therefore, the antiglare inner mirror 1 having the basic configuration shown in FIG.
When attaching the ETC on-vehicle device 13 or the GDO and electronic compass set 23 to 0, a simple connection with a connector is sufficient, and therefore the work is very simple.

[Others] (1) In the above embodiment, the antiglare inner mirror 10 is used.
ETC in-vehicle device 13, GD
I gave two examples of O and electronic compass set 23,
Various other types are possible. For example, a VICS receiver, a receiver in a keyless entry system, or a receiver for a tire pressure monitor can be considered. In this tire air pressure monitor system, the portion for sensing the tire air pressure is located, for example, in the valve portion, from which the air pressure information is transmitted and received by the receiver for processing. Built in the mirror 10.

When a portable terminal such as a PDA brought into the vehicle is equipped with a short-distance wireless communication means such as Bluetooth, the vehicle side is configured to communicate with the portable terminal. It is also possible to prepare it as above and cooperate with the in-vehicle system. Therefore,
It is conceivable to incorporate the vehicle-mounted device in the antiglare inner mirror 10.

(2) In the above embodiment, as a North American / European specification, a set 23 of GDO and electronic compass is built in as shown in FIG. 1 (b). However, these do not necessarily have to be set as a set, and it is conceivable that the GDO only or the electronic compass only has a built-in in-vehicle device. In the case of GDO, the door open / close signal is transmitted to the garage-side receiver outside the vehicle. Further, in the case of the electronic compass, since the geomagnetic information is received via the coil 24, it can be said in a broad sense that it is an in-vehicle device in which “information exchange with the outside of the vehicle” occurs.

(3) In the above embodiment, the anti-glare inner mirror 10 has the connector 12 so that it can be easily connected to the connector 13a of the ETC on-vehicle device 13 or the connector 23a of the GDO and electronic compass set 23. However, it can be realized even without such a connector.

On the contrary, the ETC in-vehicle device 13 and GDO
And the electronic compass set 23 side, and the anti-glare inner mirror 10 and the overhead console 5 side may have a connector connection structure.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a vehicle overhead module of an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory view showing an arrangement of a vehicle overhead module according to an embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

3 ... Windshield, 5 ... Overhead console, 7 ... ECU, 8 ... Bracket, 9 ... Inner mirror stay, 10 ... Anti-glare inner mirror, 10a ...
Mirror surface portion, 10b ... Mirror case portion, 11 ... Electrochromic (EC) anti-glare mirror substrate, 12 ... Connector, 13 ... ETC on-vehicle device, 13a ... Connector,
14 ... ETC antenna, 23 ... GDO and electronic compass set, 23a ... Connector, 24 ... Coil.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An overhead console disposed on a ceiling of a vehicle, and an antiglare inner mirror disposed above a vehicle driver and capable of electrically adjusting a reflectance by receiving power supply from the overhead console. An overhead module for a vehicle, which is desired to be arranged near the ceiling and can be incorporated in or incorporated into the antiglare inner mirror that is limitedly adopted according to the destination, and the antiglare inner mirror An overhead module for a vehicle, which is configured to be capable of supplying power from the overhead console to the vehicle-mounted device via the overhead console. 2. The vehicle overhead module according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle-mounted device is a communication device that communicates with a transmission device or a reception device outside or inside the vehicle. module. 3. The vehicle overhead module according to claim 1, wherein the overhead console and the antiglare inner mirror and the antiglare inner mirror and the in-vehicle device are used for data communication, respectively. An overhead module for a vehicle, which is connected by a signal line, and is configured to be capable of data communication between the overhead console and the vehicle-mounted device via the antiglare inner mirror. 4. The vehicle overhead module according to claim 3, wherein the type of the vehicle-mounted device is specified by software by an electronic control unit in the overhead console. 5. The vehicle overhead module according to claim 1, wherein the anti-glare inner mirror is a power line for supplying power to the vehicle-mounted device and a communication line when data communication is possible. An overhead module for a vehicle, comprising: a connector integrally connected to the vehicle, and configured to be attachable to and detachable from the connector provided on the in-vehicle device side.