Active night vision system for vehicles employing anti-blinding scheme
First Claim
1. A night vision system for a vehicle comprising:
- a first light source for illuminating a region proximate the vehicle, said light source operating at a first wavelength;
a pulsed second light source for illuminating a region forward of the vehicle, said second light source operating at a second wavelength and a first time period;
a light sensor for generating a timing signal in response to detecting light at approximately said second wavelength; and
a controller programmed to pulse said first light source between pulses of said second light source in response to said timing signal, and modify said first time period as a function of said timing signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A night vision system for a vehicle includes a pulsed light source for illuminating a region proximate the vehicle and a secondary trigger light source operating at a predetermined pulse timing and second wavelength. A light sensor detects light at the second wavelength. The trigger light pulses are used to indicate the pulse timing of each respective vehicle'"'"'s primary NIR light source. Upon detecting another vehicle'"'"'s trigger light source, the controller adjusts the pulse phase of the first light source to be exactly out-of-phase with that of the oncoming vehicle since the pulsed timing of the oncoming vehicle'"'"'s NIR light source is known upon detection of the opposing vehicle'"'"'s trigger light source. Each vehicle can then adjust its primary light source to be out-of-phase with the other vehicle and, hence, non-interfering.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A night vision system for a vehicle comprising:
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a first light source for illuminating a region proximate the vehicle, said light source operating at a first wavelength;
a pulsed second light source for illuminating a region forward of the vehicle, said second light source operating at a second wavelength and a first time period;
a light sensor for generating a timing signal in response to detecting light at approximately said second wavelength; and
a controller programmed to pulse said first light source between pulses of said second light source in response to said timing signal, and modify said first time period as a function of said timing signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A night vision system for a vehicle comprising:
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a first light source for illuminating a region proximate the vehicle, said light source operating at a first wavelength;
a pulsed second light source for illuminating a region forward of the vehicle, said second light source operating at a second wavelength and a first time period;
a light sensor for generating a timing signal in response to detecting light at approximately said second wavelength; and
a controller programmed to pulse said first light source in response to said timing signal at a second timing period approximately 180°
out-of-phase with said timing signal.- View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for an active night vision system for a vehicle comprising:
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activating a first light source to illuminate a region proximate the vehicle, said light source operating at a first wavelength;
pulse activating a second light source to illuminate a region forward of the vehicle, said second light source operating at a second wavelength and a first time period;
generating a timing signal in response to detecting light at approximately said second wavelength, said timing signal indicative of another vehicle'"'"'s second light source;
determining a first time difference value between a second light source pulse and said timing signal and a second time difference value between said timing signal and a next second light source pulse; and
modifying said first time period as a function of said first and second time difference values. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A method for an active night vision system for a vehicle comprising:
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activating a first light source to illuminate a region proximate the vehicle, said light source operating at a first wavelength;
pulse activating a second light source to illuminate a region forward of the vehicle, said second light source operating at a second wavelength and a first time period;
generating a timing signal in response to detecting light at approximately said second wavelength, said timing signal indicative of another vehicle'"'"'s second light source; and
pulse activating said first light source in response to said timing signal at a second timing period approximately 180°
out of phase with said timing signal.- View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A method for an active night vision system for a vehicle comprising:
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illuminating a region proximate the vehicle with a first light source operating at a first wavelength;
pulse illuminating a region forward of the vehicle, said forward pulse being at a second wavelength;
pulse illuminating a region rearward of the vehicle, said rearward pulse being different than said forward pulse in either wavelength or duration; and
modifying said rearward pulse in response to detecting a forward pulse of another vehicle.
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Specification