Vehicular illuminating device

• US 8,909,432 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2010
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Takagaki, Tatsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Mawari, Redhwan k
• Application Number:
  US13/392,451
• Publication Number:
  US 20120158254A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,574 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/49, 701/36, 701/530, 701/408, 362/184, 362/231, 362/551, 362/519, 362/541
• US Class Current: 701/49
• 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 1/18 being additional front lights bracket mounted headlights B60Q1/0483
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/32 Road surface or travel path
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/335 Number or size of road lanes
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/336 Crossings
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/45 Special conditions, e.g. pedestrians, road signs or potential dangers
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/645 by electro-optic means, e.g. liquid crystal or electrochromic devices

Abstract

A vehicular illuminating device includes a first illuminating part configured to illuminate in a traveling direction of a vehicle, a second illuminating part configured to be able to emit light by using an illumination pattern different from that of the first illuminating part, and a control part configured to control the second illuminating part so that the second illuminating part can illuminate in a direction of a recommended route by using the illumination pattern different from that of the first illuminating part if a route guiding part is guiding the vehicle to a destination along the recommended route.

Claims

1. A vehicular illuminating device, comprising:

a first illuminating part configured to illuminate in a traveling direction of a vehicle;

a second illuminating part configured to be able to change at least one of color, luminance, and blinking/always-on state;

a control part configured to control the second illuminating part so that the second illuminating part can illuminate, before the vehicle passes through a bifurcation point, in a direction of a recommended route at the bifurcation point which is different from the traveling direction while differentiating the at least one of color, luminance, and blinking/always-on state from that of the first illuminating part, if the direction of the recommended route provided by a route guiding part is different from the traveling direction; and

an environment recognizing part configured to recognize an environment surrounding the vehicle,

wherein the control part changes at least one of color, luminance, and blinking/always-on state of the second illuminating part if the environment surrounding the vehicle recognized by the environment recognizing part includes an obstructive factor which prevents a driver from perceiving light emitted by the second illuminating part.

2. The vehicular illuminating device according to claim 1, wherein the control part changes a color of light emitted by the second illuminating part if the environment surrounding the vehicle recognized by the environment recognizing part includes an obstructive factor which prevents a driver from perceiving the light emitted by the second illuminating part.