Vehicle lamp

• US 10,470,274 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2016
• Issued: 11/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Masuda, Takeshi, Watanabe, Shigeyuki, Takeda, Hajime, Horikawa, Akihito, Nakabayashi, Masaaki, Nakada, Yusuke, Endo, Osamu
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Tung X
• Application Number:
  US15/772,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20180228004A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,128 Days
• Field of Search: 315 77, 315 82, 307 101, 307 108
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/00 Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor for lighting vehicle interior B60Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0011 with light guides for distributing the light between several lighting or signalling devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0035 relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/247 for illuminating the close surroundings of the vehicle, e.g. to facilitate entry or exit for reverse drive B60Q1/22; by opening a side door B60Q1/323
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2611 Indicating devices mounted on the roof of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/268 on windscreens or windows B60Q1/302 takes precedence; lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for windows B60Q3/208
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/28 for indicating front of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/32 for indicating vehicle sides , e.g. clearance lights
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/34 for indicating change of drive direction B60Q1/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/381 with several light sources activated in sequence, e.g. to create a sweep effect
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/503 using luminous text or symbol displays in or on the vehicle, e.g. static text
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/544 for indicating other states or conditions of the vehicle occupants, e.g. for indicating disabled occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/20 Multi-color single source or LED matrix, e.g. yellow blinker and red brake lamp generated by single lamp
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/00 Illuminating devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. headlamps reversing lights F21S43/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/00 Arrangement of electric circuit elements in or on lighting devices characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/508
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/125 by using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A vehicle lamp includes a plurality of types of light output units having different illumination functions, a light emission drive unit configured to cause the plurality of types of light output units to output lights, and a monitoring sensor. The vehicle lamp is arranged at an upper part of a vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle lamp comprising:

a peripheral illumination unit comprising a plurality of light output units capable of expressing a plurality of colors as illuminating light; and

one or more imaging units for exterior environment recognition,

wherein the one or more imaging units are arranged to capture an entire peripheral direction of the vehicle,

wherein the plurality of the light output units and the one or more imaging units are arranged at a roof part of a vehicle, along a circumferential direction of the vehicle to illuminate the illuminating light in an entire peripheral direction of the vehicle,

wherein the vehicle lamp further comprises;

an image analysis unit configured to execute processing of detecting a body to be detected as an object or a person around the vehicle from a captured image obtained by the one or more imaging units, and

a controller configured to variably control a color of illuminating light of the light output unit, which is configured to irradiate illuminating light at least in a direction in which the body to be detected recognized by the image analysis unit exists, of the light output units of the peripheral illumination unit, in accordance with a main color of the body to be detected.

2. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein the imaging units comprise a visible light camera configured to capture visible light and a far-infrared light camera configured to capture far-infrared light, respectively.

3. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1,

wherein the plurality of light output units of the peripheral illumination unit is aligned in line on an entire circumference surface of a roof part of the vehicle, and

wherein a vertical light emission direction of the light output units is below a horizontal direction of the roof part.

4. The vehicle lamp according to claim 1, wherein the light output units comprise laser light output units that emit red light, green light and blue light, respectively.

5. A vehicle lamp comprising:

a light output unit disposed at a front part of a vehicle body,

wherein the vehicle lamp is configured to perform light output of a right part of the light output unit as a right turn signal,

wherein the vehicle lamp is configured to perform light output of a left part of the light output unit as a left turn signal,

wherein in the case of the right turn signal, a light output operation is performed so that both a light emission position of a front-side surface of the light output unit and a light emission position of a right-side surface of the light output unit face toward the right corner part of the front part of the vehicle body, and

wherein in the case of the left turn signal, a light output operation is performed so that both a light emission position of the front-side surface of the light output unit and the light emission position of a left-side surface of the light output unit face toward the left corner part of the front part of the vehicle body.

6. The vehicle lamp according to claim 5, wherein a front window, a right side window, and a left side window of the vehicle are respectively configured as the light output units.

7. A vehicle lamp comprising:

a light output unit provided at a rear part of a vehicle body,

wherein the vehicle lamp is configured to perform light output of a right part of the light output unit, as a right turn signal,

wherein the vehicle lamp is configured to perform light output of a left part of the light output unit, as a left turn signal,

wherein in the case of the right turn signal, a light output operation is performed so that both a light emission position of a rear-side surface of the light output unit and a light emission position of a right-side surface of the light output unit toward the right corner part of the rear part of the vehicle body, and

wherein in the case of the left turn signal, a light output operation is performed so that both a light emission position of the rear-side surface of the light output unit and a light emission position of a left-side surface of the light output unit face toward the left corner part of the rear part of the vehicle body.

8. The vehicle lamp according to claim 7, wherein a right side window, a left side window, and a rear window of the vehicle are respectively configured as the light output units.