Systems, vehicles, and methods for adjusting lighting of a towing hitch region of a vehicle

• US 10,272,825 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2017
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Frederick, Scott L., Harris, Ryan C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Aghevli, Reza
• Application Number:
  US15/399,376
• Publication Number:
  US 20180191937A1
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/36 for facilitating connection, e.g. hitch catchers , visual guide means, signalling aids B60D1/465 takes precedence; vehicle signalling in general B60Q; optical arrangements specially adapted for viewing trailer-hitches B60R1/003
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/62 involving supply lines, electric circuits, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/173 Reversing assist
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/21 using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/22 Display screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/245 Searchlights, e.g. adjustable from within the vehicle adjustable headlights B60Q1/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2607 comprising at least two indicating lamps
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2619 built in the vehicle body
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/56 for illuminating registrations or the like , e.g. for licence plates
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/103 using camera systems provided with artificial illumination device, e.g. IR light source
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/808 for facilitating docking to a trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/92 Driver displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 : Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 : for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A system for adjusting lighting of a towing hitch region of a vehicle includes processor, user input device communicatively coupled to the processor, and light source comprising actuator communicatively coupled to the processor. The light source are configured to selectively illuminate the towing hitch region of the vehicle. The system further includes memory module communicatively coupled to the processor that stores logic that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to receive user instructions from the user input device; and adjust an angle of illumination of the light source with the actuator to illuminate the towing hitch region based on the user instructions.

Claims

1. A system for adjusting lighting of a towing hitch region of a vehicle, the system comprising:

a processor;

a user input device communicatively coupled to the processor;

a light source;

an actuator communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein the actuator selectively adjusts an angle of illumination of the light source to illuminate the towing hitch region of the vehicle; and

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor that stores logic that, when executed by the processor, causes the system to;

receive user instructions from the user input device; and

adjust the angle of illumination of the light source with the actuator to illuminate the towing hitch region based on the user instructions.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a rear view camera communicatively coupled to the processor and configured to capture image data of the towing hitch region of the vehicle; and

a display communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein the logic executed by the processor further causes the system to;

receive the image data from the rear view camera; and

display the image data on the display.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a drive mode sensor communicatively coupled to the processor and configured to output a drive mode signal, wherein the logic executed by the processor further causes the system to:

receive the drive mode signal of the drive mode sensor;

determine a drive mode of the vehicle based on the drive mode signal; and

automatically adjust the light source with the actuator to a driving configuration when it is determined that the vehicle is in drive.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the driving configuration is a configuration in which the light source is directed toward a license plate region of the vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the light source is adjustable in at least one of an inboard direction, an outboard direction, and a vehicle vertical direction.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising network interface hardware communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein the user input device includes a mobile device communicatively coupled to the processor by the network interface hardware.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the light source includes a plurality of light sources, wherein the angle of illumination of each of the plurality of light sources is configured to be adjusted.

8. A vehicle for adjusting lighting of a towing hitch region of the vehicle, the vehicle comprising:

a processor;

a user input device communicatively coupled to the processor;

a light source coupled to a rear portion of the vehicle;

an actuator communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein the actuator selectively adjusts an angle of illumination of the light source to illuminate the towing hitch region of the vehicle;

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor that stores logic that, when executed by the processor, causes the vehicle to;

receive user instructions from the user input device; and

adjust the angle of illumination of the light source with the actuator to illuminate the towing hitch region based on the user instructions.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, further comprising:

a rear view camera communicatively coupled to the processor and configured to capture image data of the towing hitch region of the vehicle; and

a display communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein the logic executed by the processor further causes the vehicle to;

receive the image data from the rear view camera; and

display the image data on the display.

10. The vehicle of claim 8, further comprising a drive mode sensor communicatively coupled to the processor and configured to output a drive mode signal, wherein the logic executed by the processor further causes the vehicle to:

receive the drive mode signal of the drive mode sensor;

determine a drive mode of the vehicle based on the drive mode signal; and

automatically adjust the light source with the actuator to a driving configuration when it is determined that the vehicle is in drive.

11. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the driving configuration is a configuration in which the light source is directed toward a license plate region of the vehicle.

12. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the light source is adjustable in at least one of an inboard direction, an outboard direction, and a vehicle vertical direction.

13. The vehicle of claim 8, further comprising network interface hardware communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein the user input device includes a mobile device communicatively coupled to the processor by the network interface hardware.

14. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the light source is coupled to a bumper of the vehicle.

15. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the light source includes a plurality of light sources, wherein the angle of illumination of each of the plurality of light sources is configured to be adjusted.

16. A method for adjusting lighting of a towing hitch region of a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving user instructions from a user input device; and

adjusting an angle of illumination of a light source coupled to a rear portion of the vehicle with an actuator coupled to the light source to illuminate the towing hitch region of the vehicle based on the user instructions received from the user input device.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving image data from a rear view camera; and

displaying the image data on a display.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a drive mode signal from a drive mode sensor; and

determining a drive mode of the vehicle based on the drive mode signal;

automatically adjusting the light source with the actuator to a driving configuration when it is determined that the vehicle is in drive.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the driving configuration is a configuration in which the light source is directed toward a license plate region of the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the angle of illumination of the light source is adjustable in at least one of an inboard direction, an outboard direction, and a vehicle vertical direction.