Active night vision system for vehicles employing anti-blinding scheme
First Claim
1. A night vision system for a vehicle comprising:
- a pulsed light source for illuminating a region proximate the vehicle, said light source operating at a predetermined pulse timing;
a light sensor for generating a light intensity signal in response to detecting light at approximately the same wavelength as light from said light source; and
a controller programmed to receive first and second light intensity signals from said light sensor corresponding to first and second time periods between pulses of said light source, compare said first and second light intensity signals, and modify said light source pulse timing as a function of a difference or ratio between said first and second light intensity signals.
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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, the light source operating at a predetermined pulse timing. A light sensor generates a light intensity signal in response to detecting light at approximately the same wavelength as light from the light source. A controller receives first and second light intensity signals from the light sensor corresponding to first and second time periods between pulses of the light source, compares the first and second light intensity signals, and modifies the light source pulse timing as a function of a ratio or difference between the first and second light intensity signals, to avoid blinding of the vehicle'"'"'s night vision system by similarly-equipped vehicle'"'"'s traveling in the opposite direction.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A night vision system for a vehicle comprising:
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a pulsed light source for illuminating a region proximate the vehicle, said light source operating at a predetermined pulse timing;
a light sensor for generating a light intensity signal in response to detecting light at approximately the same wavelength as light from said light source; and
a controller programmed to receive first and second light intensity signals from said light sensor corresponding to first and second time periods between pulses of said light source, compare said first and second light intensity signals, and modify said light source pulse timing as a function of a difference or ratio between said first and second light intensity signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for an active night vision system for a vehicle comprising:
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pulse activating a light source to illuminate a region proximate the vehicle, said light source operating at a first wavelength and predetermined pulse timing;
detecting light at said first wavelength during a first time period between respective pulses of said light source to generate a first light intensity value;
detecting light at said first wavelength during a second time period between respective pulses of said light source to generate a second light intensity value; and
modifying said light source pulse timing as a function of a ratio or difference between said first and second light intensity values. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A night vision system for a vehicle comprising:
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a pulsed light source for illuminating a region proximate the vehicle, said light source operating at a predetermined pulse timing;
a light sensor for generating a light change signal between pulses of said light source in response to detecting a change in intensity of light at approximately the same wavelength as light from said light source; and
a controller programmed to receive said light change signal from said light sensor corresponding to a time period between pulses of said light source, and modify said light source pulse timing as a function of said light change signal. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for an active night vision system for a vehicle comprising:
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pulse activating a light source to illuminate a region proximate the vehicle, said light source operating at a first wavelength and predetermined pulse timing at a duty cycle less than 50%;
detecting light at said first wavelength during a first time period between respective pulses of said light source to generate a light change signal, said light change signal representing a high-to-low light change or a low-to-high light change; and
modifying said light source pulse timing as a function of said light change signal. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification