Vehicle light control

• US 10,453,346 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2017
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Neubecker, Cynthia M., Datta Gupta, Somak, Ignaczak, Brad Alan, Mitra, Pramita, Rao, Jayanthi, MacNeille, Perry Robinson
• Primary Examiner(s): Khatib, Rami
• Application Number:
  US15/697,649
• Publication Number:
  US 20190073909A1
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/143 combined with another condition, e.g. using vehicle recognition from camera images or activation of wipers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/30 for indicating rear of vehicle, e.g. by means of reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/346 with automatic actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/44 for indicating braking action or preparation for braking, e.g. by detection of the foot approaching the brake pedal
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/508 specific to vehicles driving in fleets or convoys
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/322 Road curvature
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/336 Crossings
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/41 preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/43 following 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/22 Platooning, i.e. convoy of communicating vehicles

Abstract

A system including a computer for a vehicle is programmed to identify the vehicle as a lead vehicle in a platoon of three or more vehicles, and to identify one of the vehicles in the platoon as a caboose vehicle. The computer is programmed to deactivate a rear light of the lead vehicle, and to instruct activation of a rear light of the caboose vehicle.

Claims

1. A system, comprising a computer onboard a vehicle programmed to:

identify the vehicle as a lead vehicle in a platoon of three or more vehicles;

identify one of the vehicles in the platoon as a caboose vehicle;

deactivate a rear light of the lead vehicle;

provide a control instruction to activate a rear light of the caboose vehicle;

identify a plurality of middle vehicles; and

determine respective light control instructions for each of a plurality of middle vehicles based on a radius of a curvature of a road section from the lead vehicle to the caboose vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer is further programmed to:

identify a middle vehicle from the vehicles in the platoon; and

deactivate a head light and a tail light of the middle vehicle.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the computer is further programmed to deactivate a brake light and a turn signal of the middle vehicle.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising a computer of the middle vehicle programmed to:

receive an instruction from the lead vehicle;

identify one or more lights of the middle vehicle based on the received instruction; and

actuate the identified one or more lights of the middle vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer is further programmed to actuate a head light of the lead vehicle to turn off upon determining that the lead vehicle is stopped at an intersection and a dimming request is received from a second vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer is further programmed to transmit at least one of a number of the platoon of three or more vehicles and a distance between the lead vehicle and the caboose vehicle, to a second vehicle approaching the lead vehicle in an opposite direction.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer is further programmed to deactivate a head light of the caboose vehicle.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer is further programmed to instruct activation of the rear light of the caboose vehicle by actuating at least one of a turn signal and a brake light of the caboose vehicle based on data received from the lead vehicle.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer is further programmed to:

identify a plurality of middle vehicles; and

determine respective light control instructions for each of the plurality of middle vehicles based on a curvature of a road section from the lead vehicle to the caboose vehicle.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the computer is further programmed to determine the respective light instruction for each of the plurality of middle vehicles based on a distance of the respective middle vehicle to at least one of a next front vehicle and a next rear vehicle in the same lane.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the vehicles of the platoon are in a first lane and a second vehicle is in a second lane, and the computer is further programmed to determine the light control instruction for each of the middle vehicles based on a distance of the respective middle vehicle to the second vehicle.