SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING EXTERIOR VEHICLE LIGHTS RESPONSIVE TO DETECTION OF A SEMI-TRUCK
First Claim
1. An exterior light control system for controlling exterior lights of a controlled vehicle, comprising:
- an imaging system configured to image a scene external and forward of the controlled vehicle and to generate image data corresponding to the acquired images; and
a controller configured to receive and analyze the image data and for generating an exterior light control signal that is used to control the exterior lights in response to analysis of the image data,wherein said controller is further configured to analyze the image data to detect a semi-truck, andwherein, when a semi-truck is detected, said controller generates an exterior light control signal that indicates the detection of a semi-truck.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An exterior light control system is provided for controlling exterior lights of a vehicle. The system includes an imaging system configured to image a forward external scene and to generate image data corresponding to the acquired images; and a controller configured to receive and analyze the image data and for generating an exterior light control signal that is used to control the exterior lights in response to analysis of the image data. The controller is further configured to analyze the image data to detect a semi-truck. When a semi-truck is detected, the controller generates an exterior light control signal that indicates the detection of a semi-truck or simply the presence of an oncoming vehicle. The controller may detect groups of lights belonging to a semi-truck other than headlamps, e.g., cab lights, so that a semi-truck may be detected even when the headlamps of the semi-truck are not detected due to being blocked by a roadside barrier.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An exterior light control system for controlling exterior lights of a controlled vehicle, comprising:
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an imaging system configured to image a scene external and forward of the controlled vehicle and to generate image data corresponding to the acquired images; and a controller configured to receive and analyze the image data and for generating an exterior light control signal that is used to control the exterior lights in response to analysis of the image data, wherein said controller is further configured to analyze the image data to detect a semi-truck, and wherein, when a semi-truck is detected, said controller generates an exterior light control signal that indicates the detection of a semi-truck. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for controlling exterior lights of a controlled vehicle, comprising:
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imaging a scene external and forward of the controlled vehicle and generating image data corresponding to the acquired images; receiving and analyzing the image data in a processor to detect at least one characteristic of the image data including those of oncoming vehicles and to detect an oncoming semi-truck having headlamps that are not detected; generating a control signal that is used to control the exterior lights in response to analysis of the image data; and generating a control signal for reducing the brightness of the exterior lights if an oncoming semi-truck is detected. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon software instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to generate control signals for controlling exterior lights of a controlled vehicle, by executing the steps comprising:
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imaging a scene external and forward of the controlled vehicle and generating image data corresponding to the acquired images; receiving and analyzing the image data in the processor to detect at least one characteristic of the image data to detect an oncoming semi-truck; and generating a control signal from the processor that is used to control the exterior lights in response to analysis of the image data wherein, when a semi-truck is detected, the control signal indicates the detection of a semi-truck. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon software instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to generate control signals for controlling exterior lights of a controlled vehicle, by executing the steps comprising:
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imaging a scene external and forward of the controlled vehicle and generating image data corresponding to the acquired images; receiving and analyzing the image data in the processor to detect at least one characteristic of the image data to detect an oncoming semi-truck even when its headlamps are not detected; and generating a control signal from the processor that is used to control the exterior lights in response to analysis of the image data wherein, when an oncoming semi-truck is detected even when its headlamps are not detected, the control signal indicates the detection of an oncoming vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification