Automatic lighting system

• US 8,142,059 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2011
• Issued: 03/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Higgins-Luthman, Michael J., Lu, Yuesheng, Ince, William C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ward, John A
• Application Number:
  US13/292,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20120051599A1
• Time in Patent Office: 139 Days
• Field of Search: 362464-466, 362/516, 382/100, 382/103, 382/104, 382/117
• US Class Current: 362/465
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/085 due to special conditions, e.g. adverse weather, type of road, badly illuminated road signs or potential dangers B60Q1/10, B60Q1/12, B60Q1/1423 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/245 Searchlights, e.g. adjustable from within the vehicle adjustable headlights B60Q1/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/23 Driver's line of sight
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/45 Special conditions, e.g. pedestrians, road signs or potential dangers

Abstract

An automatic lighting system for a vehicle includes a control and an imaging device having a forward field of view. The control is operable to process image data captured by the imaging device to determine if an object imaged by the imaging device is an object of interest present generally forwardly and/or sidewardly of the vehicle as the vehicle travels along the road. An illumination source is operable to illuminate generally forwardly and/or sidewardly of the vehicle. The illumination source includes an array of light emitting diodes and illumination emanating from the illumination source is adjustable via selectively activating at least some individual light emitting diodes of the array of light emitting diodes. Adjustment of the illumination source is responsive to determination by the control that an imaged object is an object of interest to the driver of the vehicle.

Claims

1. An automatic lighting system for a vehicle, said automatic lighting system comprising:

an imaging device having a field of view at least generally forwardly with respect to a forward direction of travel of a vehicle equipped with said automatic lighting system as the equipped vehicle travels forwardly along a road;

wherein said imaging device is operable to capture image data representative of at least a portion of the field of view of said imaging device;

a control operable to process said captured image data to determine if an object imaged by said imaging device is an object of interest to a driver of the equipped vehicle that is present at least one of (i) generally forwardly of the equipped vehicle as the equipped vehicle travels along the road and (ii) generally sidewardly of the equipped vehicle as the equipped vehicle travels along the road;

wherein said control is operable to determine if an object imaged in the field of view is an object of interest at least in part by determining at least one of (a) a size of the imaged object, (b) a shape of the imaged object, (c) a distance to the imaged object and (d) a direction toward the imaged object;

an illumination source operable to illuminate at least one of generally forwardly of the equipped vehicle and generally sidewardly of the equipped vehicle as the equipped vehicle travels along the road, wherein said illumination source comprises an array of light emitting diodes and wherein illumination emanating from said illumination source is adjustable via selectively activating at least some individual light emitting diodes of said array of light emitting diodes; and

wherein adjustment of said illumination source is responsive to determination by said control that an imaged object is an object of interest.

2. The automatic lighting system of claim 1, wherein said control is operable to determine that an imaged object of interest is a pedestrian.

3. The automatic lighting system of claim 1, wherein at least some of said light emitting diodes comprise at least one of infrared light emitting diodes and near infrared radiating light emitting diodes, and wherein said imaging device is sensitive to at least one of infrared radiation and near infrared radiation.

4. The automatic lighting system of claim 1, wherein activation of some of said light emitting diodes results in illumination generally in one direction while activation of others of said light emitting diodes results in illumination generally in a different direction.

5. The automatic lighting system of claim 1, wherein activation of some of said light emitting diodes results in a first beam of light while activation of others of said light emitting diodes results in a second beam of light.

6. The automatic lighting system of claim 5, wherein said first beam of light is generally in one direction and said second beam of light is generally in another direction.

7. The automatic lighting system of claim 1, wherein said control processes said captured image data to determine a characteristic of an imaged object.

8. The automatic lighting system of claim 7, wherein the imaged object that is determined to be an object of interest comprises a sign and wherein said control processes said captured image data to determine or recognize characters on the imaged sign.

9. The automatic lighting system of claim 1, wherein said control is operable to adjust illumination of an area encompassing an imaged object of interest.

10. The automatic lighting system of claim 9, wherein said control is operable to adjust illumination emanating from said illumination source in at least one of a horizontal direction and a vertical direction.

11. The automatic lighting system of claim 1, wherein said control is operable to adjust illumination of an area encompassing an object of interest when said control determines that an imaged object is an object of interest.

12. The automatic lighting system of claim 1, wherein illumination emanating from said illumination source is adjustable via adjusting at least one of (a) a baffle and (b) a light guiding element.

13. The automatic lighting system of claim 1, wherein said illumination source is generally centrally located at a forward portion of the equipped vehicle.

14. The automatic lighting system of claim 1, wherein said illumination source comprises a headlamp of the equipped vehicle.

15. The automatic lighting system of claim 1, wherein said automatic lighting system is selectively enabled and disabled in response to an output of at least one of (a) a human-machine interface, (b) an intelligent headlight system that detects vehicles in front of the equipped vehicle, (c) a Global Positioning System, (d) a roadside information system, (e) the internet, (f) an intelligent transportation system, (g) a communication system, (h) a telematics system and (i) a navigation system.

16. The automatic lighting system of claim 1, wherein, responsive to a determination that an imaged object is an object of interest, said control is operable to generate an alert to the driver of the equipped vehicle.

17. The automatic lighting system of claim 16, wherein said alert comprises at least one of (a) a visual display, (b) a warning light, (c) an audible signal and (d) a haptic alert.

18. The automatic lighting system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of light emitting diodes of said illumination source is at least one of (a) actuated to at least briefly illuminate an imaged object of interest and (b) adjusted to at least briefly illuminate an imaged object of interest.

19. The automatic lighting system of claim 1, comprising a gaze detection device operable to determine a gaze direction of the driver or a driving instructor of the equipped vehicle, wherein said gaze detection device comprises a second imaging device for capturing image data, said second imaging device having a field of view generally toward the head of the driver or driving instructor of the equipped vehicle, wherein an image processing device processes said image data captured by said second imaging device to determine the gaze direction of the driver or driving instructor of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said control is operable to adjust illumination emanating from said illumination source in response to an output of said gaze detection device, and wherein said control is operable to illuminate an area generally forwardly and sidewardly of the equipped vehicle where the driver or driving instructor of the equipped vehicle is looking.

20. An automatic lighting system for a vehicle, said automatic lighting system comprising:

an imaging device having a field of view at least generally forwardly with respect to a forward direction of travel of a vehicle equipped with said automatic lighting system as the equipped vehicle travels forwardly along a road;

wherein said imaging device is operable to capture image data representative of at least a portion of the field of view of said imaging device;

a control operable to process said captured image data to determine if an object imaged by said imaging device is an object of interest to a driver of the equipped vehicle that is present at least one of (i) generally forwardly of the equipped vehicle as the equipped vehicle travels along the road and (ii) generally sidewardly of the equipped vehicle as the equipped vehicle travels along the road;

an illumination source operable to illuminate at least one of generally forwardly of the equipped vehicle and generally sidewardly of the equipped vehicle as the equipped vehicle travels along the road, wherein said illumination source comprises a headlamp of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said illumination source comprises an array of light emitting diodes and wherein illumination emanating from said illumination source is adjustable via selectively activating at least some individual light emitting diodes of said array of light emitting diodes; and

wherein adjustment of said illumination source is responsive to determination by said control that an imaged object is an object of interest and wherein said control is operable to adjust illumination of an area encompassing an object of interest when said control determines that an imaged object is an object of interest.

21. The automatic lighting system of claim 20, wherein said control is operable to determine that an imaged object of interest is a pedestrian.

22. The automatic lighting system of claim 20, wherein said control processes said captured image data to determine a characteristic of an imaged object.

23. The automatic lighting system of claim 22, wherein an imaged object that is determined to be an object of interest comprises a sign and wherein said control processes said captured image data to determine or recognize characters on the imaged sign.

24. The automatic lighting system of claim 20, wherein said control is operable to adjust illumination emanating from said illumination source in at least one of a horizontal direction and a vertical direction.

25. The automatic lighting system of claim 20, wherein illumination emanating from said illumination source is adjustable via adjusting at least one of (a) a baffle and (b) a light guiding element.

26. The automatic lighting system of claim 20, wherein, responsive to a determination that an imaged object is an object of interest, said control is operable to generate an alert to the driver of the equipped vehicle.

27. The automatic lighting system of claim 26, wherein said alert comprises at least one of (a) a visual display, (b) a warning light, (c) an audible signal, and (d) a haptic alert.

28. The automatic lighting system of claim 20, wherein said control is operable to determine if an object imaged in the field of view is an object of interest at least in part by determining at least one of (a) a size of the imaged object, (b) a shape of the imaged object, (c) a distance to the imaged object and (d) a direction toward the imaged object.

29. An automatic lighting system for a vehicle, said automatic lighting system comprising:

an imaging device having a field of view at least generally forwardly with respect to a forward direction of travel of a vehicle equipped with said automatic lighting system as the equipped vehicle travels forwardly along a road;

wherein said imaging device is operable to capture image data representative of at least a portion of the field of view of said imaging device;

a control operable to process said captured image data to determine if an object imaged by said imaging device is an object of interest to a driver of the equipped vehicle that is present at least one of (i) generally forwardly of the equipped vehicle as the equipped vehicle travels along the road and (ii) generally sidewardly of the equipped vehicle as the equipped vehicle travels along the road;

an illumination source operable to illuminate at least one of generally forwardly of the equipped vehicle and generally sidewardly of the equipped vehicle as the equipped vehicle travels along the road, wherein said illumination source comprises a headlamp of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said illumination source comprises an array of light emitting diodes and wherein illumination emanating from said illumination source is adjustable via selectively activating at least some individual light emitting diodes of said array of light emitting diodes; and

wherein adjustment of said illumination source is responsive to determination by said control that an imaged object is an object of interest, and wherein activation of some of said light emitting diodes results in a first beam of light while activation of others of said light emitting diodes results in a second beam of light.

30. The automatic lighting system of claim 29, wherein said first beam of light is generally in one direction and said second beam of light is generally in another direction.

31. The automatic lighting system of claim 29, wherein an imaged object that is determined to be an object of interest comprises a sign and wherein said control processes said captured image data to determine or recognize characters on the imaged sign.

32. The automatic lighting system of claim 29, wherein illumination emanating from said illumination source is adjustable via adjusting at least one of (a) a baffle and (b) a light guiding element.

33. The automatic lighting system of claim 29, wherein, responsive to a determination that an imaged object is an object of interest, said control is operable to generate an alert to the driver of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said alert comprises at least one of (a) a visual display, (b) a warning light, (c) an audible signal, and (d) a haptic alert.

34. The automatic lighting system of claim 29, wherein said control is operable to determine if an object imaged in the field of view is an object of interest at least in part by determining at least one of (a) a size of the imaged object, (b) a shape of the imaged object, (c) a distance to the imaged object and (d) a direction toward the imaged object.

35. An automatic lighting system for a vehicle, said automatic lighting system comprising:

an imaging device having a field of view at least generally forwardly with respect to a forward direction of travel of a vehicle equipped with said automatic lighting system as the equipped vehicle travels forwardly along a road;

wherein said imaging device is operable to capture image data representative of at least a portion of the field of view of said imaging device;

a control operable to process said captured image data to determine if an object imaged by said imaging device is an object of interest to a driver of the equipped vehicle that is present at least one of (i) generally forwardly of the equipped vehicle as the equipped vehicle travels along the road and (ii) generally sidewardly of the equipped vehicle as the equipped vehicle travels along the road;

wherein said control processes said captured image data to determine a characteristic of an imaged object;

an illumination source operable to illuminate at least one of generally forwardly of the equipped vehicle and generally sidewardly of the equipped vehicle as the equipped vehicle travels along the road, wherein said illumination source comprises a headlamp of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said illumination source comprises an array of light emitting diodes and wherein illumination emanating from said illumination source is adjustable via selectively activating at least some individual light emitting diodes of said array of light emitting diodes; and

wherein adjustment of said illumination source is responsive to determination by said control that an imaged object is an object of interest.

36. The automatic lighting system of claim 35, wherein said control is operable to adjust illumination emanating from said illumination source in at least one of a horizontal direction and a vertical direction.

37. The automatic lighting system of claim 35, wherein illumination emanating from said illumination source is adjustable via adjusting at least one of (a) a baffle and (b) a light guiding element.

38. The automatic lighting system of claim 35, wherein said control is operable to determine if an object imaged in the field of view is an object of interest at least in part by determining at least one of (a) a size of the imaged object, (b) a shape of the imaged object, (c) a distance to the imaged object and (d) a direction toward the imaged object.

39. The automatic lighting system of claim 35, wherein an imaged object that is determined to be an object of interest comprises a sign and wherein said control processes said captured image data to determine or recognize characters on the imaged sign.