DRIVING ASSISTANCE METHOD AND DEVICE

• US 20170001553A1
• Filed: 09/26/2014
• Published: 01/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Hue, David, El Idrissi, Hafid, Monchy, Etienne
• Granted Patent: US 10,195,982 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 3/0291 Preventing dazzlement during driving in the dark
• 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 2300/20 Indexing codes relating to the driver or the passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/42 oncoming vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/43 following vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/47 Direct command from other road users, i.e. the command for switching or changing the beam is sent by other vehicles or road devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/0121 Operation of devices; Circuit arrangements, not otherwise provided for in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A device for assisting with driving an automotive vehicle, the vehicle being equipped with at least one illuminating device able to emit a beam for illuminating a road scene (SR) in front of the vehicle, the assisting device comprising a variable transmission screen that is intended to be placed between the road scene (SR) and a driver of the vehicle, the assisting device being configured to, when active, control a light emission of at least one light source of the illuminating device and a transmission coefficient of the variable transmission screen, in relation to each other, with a pulsed signal, characterized in that the assisting device is configured to detect a vehicle equipped with a device of the same type via inter-vehicle communication and to modify the pulsed signal so as to avoid antiphase and/or phase effects, when the device detects such a vehicle.

Claims

1. A device for assisting with driving an automotive vehicle, said automotive vehicle being equipped with at least one illuminating device able to emit a beam for illuminating a road scene (SR) in front of said automotive vehicle, said assisting device comprising a variable transmission screen that is intended to be placed between said road scene (SR) and a driver of said automotive vehicle, said assisting device being configured to, when active, control a light emission of at least one light source of said at least one illuminating device and a transmission coefficient of said variable transmission screen, in relation to each other, with a pulsed signal, wherein said assisting device is configured to detect a vehicle equipped with a device of the same type via inter-vehicle communication and to modify said pulsed signal so as to avoid antiphase and/or phase effects, when said device detects such a vehicle.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said assisting device comprises means for exchanging data wirelessly between vehicles.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device detects a frequency and/or a phase of an illuminating beam originating from an approaching vehicle equipped with a device of the same type.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device is configured to modify said pulsed signal by applying a phase shift thereto.

5. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein a phase-shift value (Phi) is chosen pseudo-randomly.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device is configured to control said transmission coefficient of said variable transmission screen so that a transparency of said variable transmission screen is maximized when an illuminating beam originating from an approaching vehicle equipped with said device of the same type is detected.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device is configured:

to emit a recognition signal in case of detection of a vehicle equipped with said device of the same type, known as a detected vehicle;

to receive a receipt acknowledgement signal from said detected vehicle; and

to modify said pulsed signal on receipt of said receipt acknowledgement.

8. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device is configured to detect simultaneously a plurality of vehicles equipped with said device of the same type and to operate in a network with said plurality of vehicles.

16. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said device detects a frequency and/or a phase of an illuminating beam originating from an approaching vehicle equipped with a device of the same type.

17. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said device is configured to modify said pulsed signal by applying a phase shift thereto.

18. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said device is configured to control said transmission coefficient of said variable transmission screen so that a transparency of said variable transmission screen is maximized when an illuminating beam originating from an approaching vehicle equipped with said device of the same type is detected.

19. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said device is configured to detect simultaneously a plurality of vehicles equipped with said device of the same type and to operate in a network with said plurality of vehicles.

20. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said device is configured to detect simultaneously a plurality of vehicles equipped with said device of the same type and to operate in a network with said plurality of vehicles.

9. A method for assisting with driving an automotive vehicle, said automotive vehicle being equipped with at least one illuminating device able to emit a beam for illuminating a road scene (SR) in front of said automotive vehicle, and a variable transmission screen that is intended to be placed between said road scene (SR) and a driver of said automotive vehicle, said method comprising a step of controlling, in relation to each other, a light emission of at least one light source of said at least one illuminating device and a transmission coefficient of said variable transmission screen, with a pulsed signal, wherein said method comprises a step of detecting a vehicle implementing a method of the same type, via inter-vehicle communication, and a step of modifying said pulsed signal so as to avoid antiphase and/or phase effects, when such a vehicle is detected.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein said step of detecting an approaching vehicle comprises a step of detecting a frequency and phase of said illuminating beam of said approaching vehicle.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein said modifying step comprises a step of shifting a phase of said pulsed signal.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein a phase-shift value (Phi) is chosen pseudo-randomly.

13. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein said step of controlling said transmission coefficient maximizes said transmission coefficient so that said variable transmission screen is transparent during the approach of said vehicle implementing the method of the same type.

14. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein said assisting method comprises steps of:

emitting a recognition signal in case of detection of a vehicle implementing a method of the same type, known as a detected vehicle; and

receiving a receipt acknowledgement signal from said detected vehicle;

said step of modifying said pulsed signal taking place on receipt of said receipt acknowledgement.

15. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein said method comprises a step of simultaneously detecting a plurality of equipped vehicles implementing said method and a step of operating in a network with said plurality of equipped vehicles.