Vehicle light diagnostic

• US 10,040,390 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2016
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Dudar, Aed M.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, JIMMY T
• Application Number:
  US15/290,418
• Publication Number:
  US 20180099606A1
• Time in Patent Office: 665 Days
• Field of Search: 315 77- 82, 315129-134, 315150-152, 315291, 315307, 315308, 315312
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/085 due to special conditions, e.g. adverse weather, type of road, badly illuminated road signs or potential dangers B60Q1/10, B60Q1/12, B60Q1/1423 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1423 Automatic dimming circuits, i.e. switching between high beam and low beam due to change of ambient light or light level in road traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2200/38 Automatic calibration of motor-driven means for adjusting headlamps, i.e. when switching on the headlamps, not during mounting at factories
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/41 preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/47 Direct command from other road users, i.e. the command for switching or changing the beam is sent by other vehicles or road devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2900/30 Lamps commanded by wireless transmissions

Abstract

A first vehicle includes a light and a controller in communication with the light. The controller is programmed to detect a second vehicle positioned to sense the light, transmit a first message to the second vehicle requesting observation of the light, actuate the light to change state in response to a second message from the second vehicle, and receive a third message from the second vehicle specifying a state of the light.

Claims

1. A controller programmed to:

detect a second vehicle positioned to sense a first vehicle light;

transmit a first message to the second vehicle requesting observation of the light;

actuate the light to change a state in response to a second message from the second vehicle; and

receive a third message from the second vehicle specifying a state of the light.

2. The controller of claim 1, wherein the light is an adaptive headlight rotatable relative to the first vehicle, and the specified state is an angle of the light relative to the first vehicle.

3. The controller of claim 2, further programmed to transmit the first message to the second vehicle upon determining that the first vehicle is stopped and the second vehicle is stopped in front of the first vehicle.

4. The controller of claim 1, wherein the light is a brakelight, and multiple states of the light include bright and at least one of dim and off.

5. The controller of claim 4, further programmed to transmit the first message to the second vehicle upon determining that the first vehicle is stopped and the second vehicle is stopped behind the first vehicle.

6. The controller of claim 1, wherein the light is a turn signal, and multiple states of the light include blinking and off.

7. The controller of claim 1, further programmed to transmit the first message to the second vehicle upon determining that the second vehicle is adjacent the first vehicle in a platoon of autonomous vehicles.

8. The controller of claim 1, further programmed to transmit a fourth message to the second vehicle asking whether the second vehicle has a camera facing the light.

9. A first vehicle comprising:

a light; and

a controller in communication with the light and programmed to

detect a second vehicle positioned to sense the light;

transmit a first message to the second vehicle requesting observation of the light;

actuate the light to change state in response to a second message from the second vehicle; and

receive a third message from the second vehicle specifying a state of the light.

10. The first vehicle of claim 9, wherein the light is an adaptive headlight rotatable relative to the first vehicle, and the specified state is an angle of the light relative to the first vehicle.

11. The first vehicle of claim 10, wherein the controller is further programmed to transmit the first message to the second vehicle upon determining that the first vehicle is stopped and the second vehicle is stopped in front of the first vehicle.

12. The first vehicle of claim 9, wherein the light is a brakelight, and multiple states of the light include bright and at least one of dim and off.

13. The first vehicle of claim 12, wherein the controller is further programmed to transmit the first message to the second vehicle upon determining that the first vehicle is stopped and the second vehicle is stopped behind the first vehicle.

14. The first vehicle of claim 9, wherein the light is a turn signal, and multiple states of the light include blinking and off.

15. The first vehicle of claim 9, wherein the controller is further programmed to transmit the first message to the second vehicle upon determining that the second vehicle is adjacent the first vehicle in a platoon of autonomous vehicles.

16. The first vehicle of claim 9, wherein the controller is further programmed to transmit a fourth message to the second vehicle asking whether the second vehicle has a camera facing the light.

17. A controller programmed to:

detect a reflective surface facing a light of a vehicle;

actuate the light to change state;

receive images of the reflective surface from a camera of the vehicle; and

determine a state of the light based on the images.

18. The controller of claim 17, wherein the light is an adaptive headlight rotatable relative to the vehicle, and the specified state is an angle of the light relative to the vehicle.

19. The controller of claim 17, wherein the light is a brakelight, and multiple states of the light are bright and at least one of dim and off.

20. The controller of claim 17, wherein determining the state of the light based on the images includes performing image subtraction analysis on the images.