Illumination apparatus for vehicle

• US 10,239,440 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2015
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Asaoka, Kazuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Hung Q
• Application Number:
  US15/316,629
• Publication Number:
  US 20170144584A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,398 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0023 the element being a sensor, e.g. distance sensor, camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/04 the devices being headlights
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/525 automatically indicating risk of collision between vehicles in traffic or with pedestrians, e.g. after risk assessment using the vehicle sensor data
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/112 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/122 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/45 Special conditions, e.g. pedestrians, road signs or potential dangers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/50 Projected symbol or information, e.g. onto the road or car body
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/107 using stereoscopic cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/301 combining image information with other obstacle sensor information, e.g. using RADAR/LIDAR/SONAR sensors for estimating risk of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/307 virtually distinguishing relevant parts of a scene from the background of the scene
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8033 for pedestrian protection
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/804 for lane monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 for obstacle warning
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads

Abstract

An illumination apparatus for a vehicle includes a projector configured to project an image of visible light; an obstacle detection apparatus configured to detect an obstacle; and a processing apparatus configured to predict a travel area of the vehicle after a predetermined time or a predetermined distance of travel, project a first image with the projector in the predicted travel area upon no obstacle in the predicted travel area being detected by the obstacle detection apparatus, and project a second image, which is different from the first image, with the projector in the predicted travel area upon the obstacle in the predicted travel area being detected by the obstacle detection apparatus.

Claims

1. An illumination apparatus for a vehicle, the illumination apparatus comprising:

a projector configured to project an image of visible light;

an obstacle detection apparatus configured to detect an obstacle; and

a processing apparatus configured to

predict a travel area of the vehicle after a predetermined time or a predetermined distance of travel,

project a first image with the projector in the predicted travel area upon no obstacle in the predicted travel area being detected by the obstacle detection apparatus, and

project a second image, which is different from the first image, with the projector in the predicted travel area upon the obstacle in the predicted travel area being detected by the obstacle detection apparatus,

the second image including a first image portion and a second image portion,

the first image portion being projected on an area related to the obstacle as a whole in the travel area in such a manner that the first image portion is superimposed on the obstacle as a whole, and a direction in which the first image portion is projected is adjusted according to a height of the obstacle, and

the second image portion being projected on another area in the travel area.

2. The illumination apparatus for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the second image includes the first image portion that flashes and the second image portion that does not flash.

3. The illumination apparatus for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first image portion is brighter than the second image portion.