Position lighting device

• US 10,137,827 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2017
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Kurata, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Guharay, Karabi
• Application Number:
  US15/595,402
• Publication Number:
  US 20170355300A1
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0023 the element being a sensor, e.g. distance sensor, camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/30 for indicating rear of vehicle, e.g. by means of reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/43 following vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/584 of vehicle lights or traffic lights

Abstract

There is provided a position lighting device configured to emit at least one road irradiation beam from a vehicle onto a road, thereby making the other moving object which is positioned behind the vehicle or at a side of the vehicle recognize an existence of the vehicle. A lighting unit is configured to emit the at least one road irradiation beam onto at least a portion of areas on the road behind and at the side of the vehicle. A distance detecting unit is configured to detect a distance between the vehicle and the other moving object. A lighting control unit is configured to control the lighting unit on the basis of the distance between the vehicle and the other moving object detected by the distance detecting unit, thereby changing a state of the at least one road irradiation beam.

Claims

1. A position lighting device configured to emit at least one road irradiation beam from a vehicle onto a road, thereby making the other moving object which is positioned behind the vehicle or at a side of the vehicle recognize an existence of the vehicle, the position lighting device comprising:

a lighting unit configured to emit the at least one road irradiation beam onto at least a portion of areas on the road behind and at the side of the vehicle;

a distance detecting unit configured to detect a distance between the vehicle and the other moving object; and

a lighting control unit configured to control the lighting unit on the basis of the distance between the vehicle and the other moving object detected by the distance detecting unit, thereby changing a state of the at least one road irradiation beam,

wherein the distance detecting unit is configured to detect a plurality of types of a plurality of detection waves emitted from the other moving object, and on the basis of a type of at least one of the detection waves detected by the distance detecting unit, the lighting control unit changes the state of the at least one road irradiation beam.

2. The position lighting device according to claim 1, wherein on the basis of the distance between the vehicle and the other moving object, the lighting control unit changes at least one of a position, an irradiation range, a size, a shape, a number, an intensity, and a color of the at least one road irradiation beam on the road.

3. The position lighting device according to claim 1, wherein when the vehicle and the other moving object come close to each other, the lighting control unit brings the position of the at least one road irradiation beam on the road close to the vehicle.

4. The position lighting device according to claim 1, wherein in a case where the distance detecting unit detects the plurality of detection waves emitted from the other moving object at the same time, on the basis of one of the detection waves having the smallest detectable distance among the plurality of detection waves detected at the same time, the lighting control unit changes the state of the at least one road irradiation beam.

5. The position lighting device according to claim 1, wherein in a case where the distance between the vehicle and the other moving object is relatively large, the lighting control unit sets the shape of the at least one road irradiation beam on the road to be elongated in a longitudinal direction of the road, and in a case where the distance between the vehicle and the other moving object is relatively small, the lighting control unit sets the shape of the at least one road irradiation beam on the road to be elongated in a lateral direction of the road.

6. The position lighting device according to claim 1,

wherein the lighting unit includes a plurality of light generating units configured to emit beams, and

wherein in a case where the distance between the vehicle and the other moving object is relatively large, the lighting control unit performs a control of overlapping the beams emitted from the plurality of light generating units with each other, thereby forming one road irradiation beam, and in a case where the distance between the vehicle and the other moving object is relatively small, the lighting control unit performs a control of separating the beams emitted from the plurality of light generating units from each other, thereby forming a plurality of road irradiation beams.

7. The position lighting device according to claim 1, wherein on the basis of the distance between the vehicle and the other moving object, the lighting control unit changes a swinging speed or a blinking rate of the at least one road irradiation beam.

8. The position lighting device according to claim 1, further comprising a lamp control unit configured to detect a brightness of a circumference of the vehicle, and switch the at least one road irradiation beam between an ON state and an OFF state, on the basis of the detected brightness.

9. The position lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is configured to acquire images of the area behind the vehicle and comprised of a rear view display for displaying the acquired images as images usable for a driver to check the area behind the vehicle during normal running.

10. The position lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the lighting unit is disposed at a position of the vehicle lower than a steering handle.

11. The position lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is one of a saddle-ridden type vehicle, a welfare-purpose electric vehicle, and a bicycle.

12. A position lighting device configured to emit at least one road irradiation beam from a vehicle onto a road, thereby making the other moving object which is positioned behind the vehicle or at a side of the vehicle recognize an existence of the vehicle, the position lighting device comprising:

a lighting unit configured to emit the at least one road irradiation beam onto at least a portion of areas on the road behind and at the side of the vehicle;

a distance detecting unit configured to detect a distance between the vehicle and the other moving object; and

a lighting control unit configured to control the lighting unit on the basis of the distance between the vehicle and the other moving object detected by the distance detecting unit, thereby changing a state of the at least one road irradiation beam

wherein the lighting unit includes a plurality of light generating units configured to emit beams, and

wherein in a case where the distance between the vehicle and the other moving object is relatively large, the lighting control unit performs a control of overlapping the beams emitted from the plurality of light generating units with each other, thereby forming one road irradiation beam, and in a case where the distance between the vehicle and the other moving object is relatively small, the lighting control unit performs a control of separating the beams emitted from the plurality of light generating units from each other, thereby forming a plurality of road irradiation beams.