AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE HEADLIGHT DEACTIVATION

• US 20180037154A1
• Filed: 08/03/2016
• Published: 02/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Dudar, Aed M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,071,675 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/08 automatically
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1423 Automatic dimming circuits, i.e. switching between high beam and low beam due to change of ambient light or light level in road traffic
• 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 2300/054 Variable non-standard intensity, i.e. emission of various beam intensities different from standard intensities, e.g. continuous or stepped transitions of intensity
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/14 Other vehicle conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/41 preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/42 oncoming vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/45 Special conditions, e.g. pedestrians, road signs or potential dangers

Abstract

A vehicle system includes an autonomous driving sensor and a processor. The autonomous driving sensor is programmed to output an object detection signal representing an object near a host vehicle. The processor is programmed to output a headlight activation signal to activate vehicle headlights in response to receiving the object detection signal and while the host vehicle is operating in an autonomous mode.

Claims

1. A vehicle system comprising:

an autonomous driving sensor programmed to output an object detection signal representing an object near a host vehicle; and

a processor programmed to output a headlight activation signal to activate vehicle headlights in response to receiving the object detection signal and while the host vehicle is operating in an autonomous mode.

2. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed to output a headlight deactivation signal to deactivate the vehicle headlights.

3. The vehicle system of claim 2, wherein the processor is programmed to output the headlight deactivation signal when the host vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode and when no objects are detected near the host vehicle.

4. The vehicle system of claim 2, wherein the processor is programmed to output the headlight deactivation signal based at least in part on a location of the host vehicle.

5. The vehicle system of claim 1, further comprising a communication interface programmed to output a vehicle detection signal representing a presence of at least one nearby vehicle.

6. The vehicle system of claim 5, wherein the processor is programmed to output the headlight activation signal in to activate the vehicle headlights in response to receiving the vehicle detection signal.

7. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed to output a headlight dimming signal to dim the vehicle headlights.

8. The vehicle system of claim 7, wherein the processor is programmed to output the headlight dimming signal when the host vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode and when no objects are detected near the host vehicle.

9. A vehicle system comprising:

headlights;

an autonomous driving sensor programmed to output an object detection signal representing an object near a host vehicle; and

a processor programmed to output a headlight activation signal to activate the headlights in response to receiving the object detection signal and while the host vehicle is operating in an autonomous mode and output a headlight deactivation signal to deactivate the headlights when the host vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode and when no objects are detected near the host vehicle.

10. The vehicle system of claim 9, wherein the processor is programmed to output the headlight deactivation signal based at least in part on a location of the host vehicle.

11. The vehicle system of claim 9, further comprising a communication interface programmed to output a vehicle detection signal representing a presence of at least one nearby vehicle, wherein the processor is programmed to output the headlight activation signal in to activate the headlights in response to receiving the vehicle detection signal.

12. The vehicle system of claim 9, wherein the processor is programmed to output a headlight dimming signal to dim the headlights.

13. The vehicle system of claim 12, wherein the processor is programmed to output the headlight dimming signal when the host vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode and when no objects are detected near the host vehicle.

14. A method comprising:

determining that a host vehicle is operating in an autonomous mode;

detecting an object near the host vehicle; and

activating vehicle headlights in response to detecting the object near the host vehicle.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein detecting the object near the host vehicle includes receiving an object detection signal representing the object detected near the host vehicle.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising outputting a headlight deactivation signal to deactivate the vehicle headlights when the host vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode and when no objects are detected near the host vehicle.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the headlight deactivation signal is output based at least in part on a location of the host vehicle.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising detecting a presence of at least one nearby vehicle via a wireless communication interface, wherein the vehicle headlights are activated in response to detecting the presence of the at least one nearby vehicle.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising outputting a headlight dimming signal to dim the vehicle headlights.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the headlight dimming signal is output when the host vehicle is operating in the autonomous mode and when no objects are detected near the host vehicle.