SYSTEM FOR THE DYNAMIC CORRECTION OF THE ORIENTATION OF A LIGHT SOURCE ON A VEHICLE AND THE ASSOCIATED METHOD

• US 20080114518A1
• Filed: 11/09/2007
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Leleve, Joel
• Granted Patent: US 8,437,918 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/49
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/115 by electric means details of the electric drive components, e.g. motors, shafts, ball joints B60Q1/076

Abstract

In the invention, a system is proposed for the automatic and dynamic correction of an orientation of a light beam emitted by a vehicle light source according to the attitude of the vehicle, by associating an image processing with static correction adapted to the slow variations in the attitude caused in particular by variations in load within the vehicle and an image processing with dynamic correction adapted to the rapid variations in the attitude due in particular to braking and acceleration of the vehicle, by means of a device for making the fusion of and filtering signals emitted simultaneously by the devices. A device for controlling the rotation of the light source orients the light source in a way appropriate to the driving according to the information received from the fusion and filtering device.

Claims

1. A system for correcting the orientation of a light source of a vehicle according to the attitude of said vehicle, said system comprising:

a camera mounted in the vehicle for acquiring a succession of images representing a road scene unfolding in front of or behind the vehicle;

a device for static correction of the orientation of the light source in response to the vehicle attitude producing a first set of information relating to a static measurement of the vehicle attitude;

a second unit for processing images acquired by the camera, producing a second set of information relating to a measurement of deviation of a framing of the images acquired; and

a data fusion device for combining the first set of information and the second set of information and producing light source orientation correction information.

2. The system for correcting the orientation of a light source according to claim 1, wherein the device for the static correction comprises a device for emitting a specific light spot.

3. The system for correcting the orientation of a light source according to claim 1, wherein the second set of information produced by the second image processing unit relates to a measurement of vertical deviation of the framing of the image.

4. The system for correcting the orientation of a light source according to claim 1, wherein the second image processing unit comprises means for performing an operation of detecting and following at least one particular point present on the acquired images.

5. The system for correcting the orientation of a light source according to claim 4, wherein the particular point of the image corresponds to a corner of an element of the road scene.

6. The system for correcting the orientation of a light source according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the particular points is selected in a lateral peripheral zone of the acquired images.

7. The system for correcting the orientation of a light source according to claim 4, wherein the device for the static correction comprises a device for emitting a specific light spot and the particular point corresponds to the projection of the specific light spot visible on the acquired images.

8. The system for correcting the orientation of a light source according to claim 1, wherein the static correction device involves a first unit for processing the images acquired by the camera.

9. The system for correcting the orientation of a light source according to claim 1, wherein the static correction device involves a technology based on the travel time of the light between the emission source and the photosensitive receiver after this light has been reflected by the road surface.

10. The system for correcting the orientation of a light source according to claim 1, wherein the static correction device uses potentiometric sensors fixed to the vehicle chassis and each measuring the angle formed with this chassis by an arm, one end of which is pivotally mounted on the chassis and the other end of which is connected to an element vertically secured to the associated wheel.

11. The system for correcting the orientation of a light source according to claim 1, wherein the static correction device is a correction device with a long time constant.

17. A motor vehicle, which comprises a system for correcting the orientation of a light source according to claim 1.

12. A method of correcting the orientation of a light source of a motor vehicle according to the attitude of said vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:

capturing a set of images of a road scene unfolding in front of or behind the vehicle;

producing, from the captured images, a signal for static correction the orientation of the light source in response to the attitude of the vehicle;

producing a signal for dynamic correction of the orientation of the light source in response to the attitude of the vehicle by performing an operation of measuring the deviation in the framing of the captured images;

making the fusion of the static correction signal and the dynamic correction signal in order to obtain a correction signal;

orienting the light source according to the correction signal.

13. The method of correcting the orientation of a light source according to claim 12, wherein the step comprising producing the dynamic correction signal comprises the operations comprising detecting and following a particular point on the captured images.

14. The method of correcting the orientation of a light source according to claim 13, wherein the step of producing the static correction signal comprises the various operations comprising:

emitting a specific light spot on the road scene;

comparing, on the captured images, the position of the specific light spot emitted and the position of a specific point on the road scene situated at a previously fixed distance from a previously determined horizon line.

15. The method of correcting the orientation of a light source according to claim 14, wherein the particular point corresponds to the projection of the specific light spot visible on the captured images.

16. The method of correcting the orientation of a light source according to claim 13, wherein the particular point corresponds to a corner of an element of the road scene.

18. A system for orienting a light source of a motor vehicle comprising:

a camera mounted on the vehicle for capturing a plurality of images outside the vehicle;

a light source control device coupled to said light source for orienting said light source;

a first unit for receiving at least one image from said camera and for generating a static measurement relating to an attitude of the vehicle;

a second unit for processing a plurality of images received from said camera and for generating a deviation measurement of a framing of said plurality of images; and

a data fusion device coupled to said light source control device for receiving said static measurement and said deviation measurement and for generating an orientation correction signal in response thereto;

said light source control device receiving said orientation correction signal and adjusting an orientation of said light source in response thereto.

19. The system as recited in claim 18 wherein said first unit comprises a device for emitting a light spot that may be captured by said camera.

20. The system as recited in claim 18 wherein said deviation measurement relates to a measurement of a vertical deviation of a framing of said at least one image.

21. The system as recited in claim 18 wherein said second unit comprising means for performing an operation of detecting and following at least one particular point present on said plurality of images.

22. The system as recited in claim 18 wherein said at least one particular point is selected in a lateral peripheral zone of said plurality of images.

23. The system as recited in claim 18 wherein said at least one particular point comprises a corner of an element of a road scene in front of the vehicle.