AUTOMATIC LIGHTING SYSTEM WITH ADAPTIVE FUNCTION
First Claim
1. An automatic lighting system for a vehicle, said automatic lighting system comprising:
- an imaging device for capturing image data, said imaging device having a field of view directed generally forwardly with respect to a forward direction of travel of the vehicle as the vehicle travels forwardly along a road;
a control operable to process said image data captured by said imaging device in order to detect an object at least one of generally forwardly of the vehicle and generally sidewardly of the vehicle as the vehicle travels along the road and to determine if a detected object is an object of interest present at least one of generally forwardly of the vehicle and generally sidewardly of the vehicle as the vehicle travels along the road;
wherein said control is operable to determine if a detected object is an object of interest at least in part by determining at least one of (a) a size of the detected object, (b) a shape of the detected object, (c) a distance to the detected object, and (d) a direction toward the detected object;
an illumination source operable to illuminate at least one of generally forwardly of the vehicle and generally sidewardly of the vehicle as the vehicle travels along the road, said illumination source comprising at least one lighting element;
wherein said control is operable to flash at least one lighting element of said illumination source in response to a determination that a detected object is an object of interest; and
wherein said imaging device is synchronized with flashing of said at least one lighting element of said illumination source to capture image data during a time period that said at least one lighting element of said illumination source is being flashed.
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Abstract
An automatic lighting system for a vehicle includes an imaging device, an illumination source and a control. The illumination source is directed generally forwardly with respect to a direction of forward travel of the vehicle. The imaging device captures image data and the control processes the captured image data to detect an object of interest generally forwardly and sidewardly of the vehicle. The control is operable to adjust the illumination source in response to detection of an object of interest. The imaging device may be synchronized with flashing of at least one lighting element of the illumination source to capture image data during a time period that the lighting element is being flashed. The control may adjust the illumination source to direct illumination toward an area encompassing a detected object of interest when the object of interest is detected.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. An automatic lighting system for a vehicle, said automatic lighting system comprising:
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an imaging device for capturing image data, said imaging device having a field of view directed generally forwardly with respect to a forward direction of travel of the vehicle as the vehicle travels forwardly along a road; a control operable to process said image data captured by said imaging device in order to detect an object at least one of generally forwardly of the vehicle and generally sidewardly of the vehicle as the vehicle travels along the road and to determine if a detected object is an object of interest present at least one of generally forwardly of the vehicle and generally sidewardly of the vehicle as the vehicle travels along the road; wherein said control is operable to determine if a detected object is an object of interest at least in part by determining at least one of (a) a size of the detected object, (b) a shape of the detected object, (c) a distance to the detected object, and (d) a direction toward the detected object; an illumination source operable to illuminate at least one of generally forwardly of the vehicle and generally sidewardly of the vehicle as the vehicle travels along the road, said illumination source comprising at least one lighting element; wherein said control is operable to flash at least one lighting element of said illumination source in response to a determination that a detected object is an object of interest; and wherein said imaging device is synchronized with flashing of said at least one lighting element of said illumination source to capture image data during a time period that said at least one lighting element of said illumination source is being flashed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An automatic lighting system for a vehicle, said automatic lighting system comprising:
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an imaging device for capturing image data, said imaging device having a field of view directed generally forwardly with respect to a forward direction of travel of the vehicle as the vehicle travels forwardly along a road; a control operable to process said image data captured by said imaging device in order to detect an object at least one of generally forwardly of the vehicle and generally sidewardly of the vehicle as the vehicle travels along the road and to determine if a detected object is an object of interest present at least one of generally forwardly of the vehicle and generally sidewardly of the vehicle as the vehicle travels along the road; wherein said control is operable to determine if a detected object is an object of interest at least in part by determining at least one of (a) a size of the detected object, (b) a shape of the detected object, (c) a distance to the detected object, and (d) a direction toward the detected object; an illumination source operable to illuminate at least one of generally forwardly of the vehicle and generally sidewardly of the vehicle as the vehicle travels along the road, wherein said illumination source comprises at least one lighting element; and wherein said control is operable to adjust said illumination source to direct illumination toward an area encompassing a detected object of interest when the object of interest is detected. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. An automatic lighting system for a vehicle, said automatic lighting system comprising:
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an imaging device for capturing image data, said imaging device having a field of view directed generally forwardly with respect to a forward direction of travel of the vehicle as the vehicle travels forwardly along a road; a control operable to process said image data captured by said imaging device in order to detect an object at least one of generally forwardly of the vehicle and generally sidewardly of the vehicle as the vehicle travels along the road and to determine if a detected object is an object of interest present at least one of generally forwardly of the vehicle and generally sidewardly of the vehicle as the vehicle travels along the road; wherein said control is operable to determine if a detected object is an object of interest at least in part by determining at least one of (a) a size of the detected object, (b) a shape of the detected object, (c) a distance to the detected object, and (d) a direction toward the detected object; wherein said control is operable to determine if a detected object is a pedestrian; an illumination source operable to illuminate at least one of generally forwardly of the vehicle and generally sidewardly of the vehicle as the vehicle travels along the road, wherein said illumination source comprises an array of light emitting diodes and wherein illumination emanating from said illumination source is adjustable via selectively activating at least some individual light emitting diodes of said array of light emitting diodes; and wherein said control is operable to direct illumination toward an area encompassing a detected object of interest. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41)
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Specification