REAR ILLUMINATION SYSTEM

• US 20100194888A1
• Filed: 01/26/2010
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: McELROY, Clarence Patrick, Nix, Axel, Lu, Yuesheng
• Granted Patent: US 8,964,032 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• 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 1/26 the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/43 following vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/74 by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means

Abstract

In a first aspect, the invention is directed to an illumination system for rearward illumination for a first vehicle. The illumination system includes a tail lamp assembly, a sensor and a controller for controlling the operation of the tail lamp assembly. If the controller determines that there are any oncoming second vehicles behind the first vehicle that are sufficiently close to the first vehicle, then the controller operates the tail lamp assembly in one mode. If the controller determines that there are no oncoming second vehicles behind the first vehicle that are sufficiently close to the first vehicle, then the controller permits the operation of the tail lamp assembly in another mode.

Claims

1. An illumination system for rearward illumination for a first vehicle, comprising:

a tail lamp assembly that is operable in a first mode wherein said tail lamp assembly casts light over a first field of illumination, and in a second mode wherein said tail lamp assembly casts light over a second field of illumination that extends farther from the first vehicle than the first field of illumination;

a sensor positioned to sense the presence of oncoming second vehicles behind the tail lamp assembly; and

a controller configured to receive signals from the sensor and to make a determination of whether there are any oncoming second vehicles behind the first vehicle that are closer than a selected proximity to the first vehicle, and wherein the controller is configured to operate the tail lamp assembly in the first mode based at least in part on if the determination is positive.

2. An illumination system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tail lamp assembly operates at a first brightness level when in the first mode and at a second brightness level that is greater than the first brightness level when in the second mode.

3. An illumination system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to operate the tail lamp assembly in the first mode upon determining that any oncoming second vehicles are behind the first vehicle.

4. An illumination system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to operate the tail lamp assembly in the first mode upon determining that any oncoming second vehicles are within the second field of illumination.

5. An illumination system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor is a camera that faces rearwardly and the controller is configured to detect the presence of vehicle headlights by detecting any vehicle headlight images within video input received by the camera.

6. An illumination system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to determine the approximate distance from the first vehicle of any detected vehicle headlights.

7. An illumination system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to determine the approximate distance of any detected vehicle headlights from the first vehicle based at least in part on the size of any detected vehicle headlight images.

8. An illumination system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tail lamp assembly includes a first tail lamp that is illuminated when the tail lamp assembly is in the first mode and a second tail lamp that is illuminated when the tail lamp assembly is in the second mode.

9. An illumination system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tail lamp assembly includes a tail lamp that has a first filament that is illuminated when the tail lamp assembly is in the first mode and a second filament that is illuminated when the tail lamp assembly is in the second mode.

10. An illumination system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to operate the tail lamp assembly in the first mode based at least in part on if the determination is positive and is configured to permit the tail lamp assembly to operate in the second mode based at least in part on if the determination is negative.

11. An illumination system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to operate the tail lamp assembly in the first mode based at least in part on if the determination is positive and is configured to operate the tail lamp assembly in the second mode based at least in part on if the determination is negative.

12. An illumination system for rearward illumination for a vehicle, comprising:

a tail lamp assembly configured to cast light on a field of illumination;

a tail lamp assembly controller configured to operate the tail lamp assembly in a repeating cycle that includes a first illumination period wherein the tail lamp assembly has a first brightness level, and a second illumination period wherein the tail lamp assembly has a second brightness level that is lower than the first brightness level;

a camera configured to receive video input from at least part of the field of illumination; and

a camera controller that is configured to cause the camera to send camera signals related to video input received by the camera to a camera signal receiver during at least part of the first illumination period and to stop the camera from sending camera signals to the camera signal receiver during at least part of the second illumination period.

13. An illumination system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the tail lamp assembly is off during the second illumination period.

14. An illumination system as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a display configured to display video output based on the camera signals.

15. An illumination system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the cycle is repeated sufficiently frequently that the tail lamp, in use, appears to onlookers to be lit at a constant third brightness that is lower than the first brightness level and higher than the second brightness level.

16. An illumination system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the cycle is repeated more than 30 times a second.

17. An illumination system as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a camera signal processor that is configured to receive the camera signals from the camera signal receiver and to process the camera signals to remove portions thereof corresponding to video input received by the camera during the second illumination period.

18. An illumination system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the camera controller receives timing signals from the tail lamp assembly controller indicative of when to cause the camera to send camera signals and when to stop the camera from sending camera signals.

19. An illumination system for rearward illumination for a vehicle, comprising:

a tail lamp assembly configured to cast light on a field of illumination;

a tail lamp assembly controller configured to operate the tail lamp assembly in a repeating cycle that includes a first illumination period wherein the tail lamp assembly has a first brightness level, and a second illumination period wherein the tail lamp assembly has a second brightness level that is lower than the first brightness level;

a camera configured to receive video input from at least part of the field of illumination; and

a camera signal processor that is configured to receive camera signals from the camera and to process the camera signals to remove portions thereof corresponding to video input received by the camera during the second illumination period.

20. An illumination system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the tail lamp assembly is off during the second illumination period.

21. An illumination system as claimed in claim 19, further comprising a display, wherein the display receives display signals relating to the camera signals and displays video output relating to the display signals.

22. An illumination system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the cycle is repeated at a sufficiently high frequency that the tail lamp assembly, in use, appears to onlookers to be lit at a constant third brightness level that is lower than the first brightness level and higher than the second brightness level.

23. An illumination system as claimed in claim 22, wherein the cycle is repeated more than 30 times a second.