System for controlling vehicle equipment

• US 20060018511A1
• Filed: 09/20/2005
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Douglas J. Newhouse, Joh H. Bechtel, John K. Roberts, Joseph S. Stam, Poe G. Bruce, Spencer D. Reese, William L. Tonar
• Original Assignee: Douglas J. Newhouse, Joh H. Bechtel, John K. Roberts, Joseph S. Stam, Poe G. Bruce, Spencer D. Reese, William L. Tonar
• Inventors: Roberts, John K., Tonar, William L., Stam, Joseph S., Poe, G. Bruce, Reese, Spencer D., Newhouse, Douglas J., Bechtel, Joh H.
• Application Number:
  US11/231,230
• Publication Number:
  US 20060018511A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/104
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/085 due to special conditions, e.g. adverse weather, type of road, badly illuminated road signs or potential dangers B60Q1/10, B60Q1/12, B60Q1/1423 take precedence
• 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 1/18 being additional front lights bracket mounted headlights B60Q1/0483
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2603 Attenuation of the light according to ambient luminiosity, e.g. for braking or direction indicating lamps
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/054 Variable non-standard intensity, i.e. emission of various beam intensities different from standard intensities, e.g. continuous or stepped transitions of intensity
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/056 Special anti-blinding beams, e.g. a standard beam is chopped or moved in order not to blind
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/112 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/114 Vehicle acceleration or deceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/116 Vehicle at a stop
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/122 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/134 Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/142 Turn signal actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/144 Rearward ratio actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/21 Manual control
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/312 Adverse weather
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/314 Ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/32 Road surface or travel path
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/322 Road curvature
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/331 characterised by the driving side, e.g. on the left or right hand side
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/332 on city roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/3321 : Detection of streetlights
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/333 : on suburban or country roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/334 : on motorways
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/337 : Tunnels or bridges
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/41 : preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/42 : oncoming vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/30 : Daytime running lights [DRL], e.g. circuits or arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/141 : Control of illumination
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/10 : Terrestrial scenes scenes under surveillance with static cameras G06V20/52; scenes perceived from the exterior of a vehicle G06V20/56; scenes perceived from the interior of a vehicle G06V20/59
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 : exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle

Abstract

A system and method of automatically controlling vehicle equipment includes an image sensor and a controller to generate control signals. The control signals are derived based on information obtained from the image sensor as well as other detected parameters pertaining to the detected light source(s), the vehicle having the inventive control system, and the ambient environment. The control circuit may simply turn certain vehicle equipment, for example exterior lights, on or off, or change the brightness, aim, focus, etc. to produce various beam patterns that maximize the illuminated area in front of the vehicle without causing excessive glare in the eyes of other drivers.

Claims

1. A vehicle equipment control, comprising:

an image sensor having an array of pixels; and

a controller configured to receive at least a portion of at least one image acquired by said image sensor and to receive at least one input over a vehicle bus, wherein said controller is further configured to generate a vehicle equipment control signal as a function of said at least a portion of at least one image and of said at least one input.

2. The vehicle equipment control of claim 1 wherein said at least one input is derived from a switch control module.

3. The vehicle equipment control of claim 2 wherein said at least one input is a hi/low beam switch.

4. The vehicle equipment control of claim 2 wherein said at least one input is a headlamp switch.

5. The vehicle equipment control of claim 2 wherein said at least one input is an auto/manual select switch.

6. The vehicle equipment control of claim 2 wherein said at least one input is a sensitivity switch.

7. The vehicle equipment control of claim 1 wherein said at least one input is derived from a GPS receiver.

8. The vehicle equipment control of claim 1 wherein said controller is further configured to transmit at least one output over said vehicle bus.

9. A vehicle equipment control, comprising:

an image sensor having an array of pixels; and

a controller configured to receive at least a portion of at least one image acquired by said image sensor and to transmit at least one output over a vehicle bus, wherein said output is a function of said at least a portion of at least one image.

10. The vehicle equipment control of claim 9 wherein said controller is further configured to receive at least one input over said vehicle bus.

11. The vehicle equipment control of claim 10 wherein said at least one input is derived from a switch control module.

12. The vehicle equipment control of claim 10 wherein said at least one input is derived from a GPS receiver.

13. The vehicle equipment control of claim 9 wherein said at least one output is transmitted to a front control module.

14. The vehicle equipment control of claim 13 wherein said at least one output is configured to control at least one exterior light.

15. The vehicle equipment control of claim 9 wherein said at least one output is transmitted to an instrument panel control module.

16. The vehicle equipment control of claim 15 wherein said at least one output is configured to control at least one indicator.

17. A vehicle equipment control, comprising:

an image sensor having an array of pixels; and

a controller configured to receive at least a portion of at least one image acquired by said image sensor and to transmit at least one output over a vehicle bus, wherein said output is a function of said at least a portion of at least one image, wherein said controller is further configured to receive at least one input over said vehicle bus.

18. The vehicle equipment control of claim 17 wherein said at least one input is derived from a switch control module.

19. The vehicle equipment control of claim 17 wherein said at least one input is derived from a GPS receiver.

20. The vehicle equipment control of claim 17 wherein said at least one output is transmitted to a front control module.

21. The vehicle equipment control of claim 17 wherein said at least one output is transmitted to an instrument panel control module.