Method and apparatus for vehicle with adaptive lighting system

• US 8,935,055 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2009
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Raghunathan, Badri, Coelho, Enylton M., Becker, Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): Algahaim, Helal A
• Assistant Examiner(s): HILGENDORF, DALE W
• Application Number:
  US12/358,488
• Publication Number:
  US 20100188864A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,181 Days
• Field of Search: 701/49, 701/31, 382/103, 382/104
• 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 2300/32 Road surface or travel path
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/42 oncoming vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/45 Special conditions, e.g. pedestrians, road signs or potential dangers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/50 Projected symbol or information, e.g. onto the road or car body

Abstract

In one embodiment, an adaptive external vehicle lighting system includes a vehicle communication network, a memory including program instructions for generating a model of a vehicle and the environment outside of the vehicle, identifying an object of interest based upon the generated model, analyzing rendering criteria associated with the identified object of interest, and rendering object of interest data based upon the analysis, a processor operably connected to the vehicle communication network and to the memory for executing the program instructions, and at least one rendering system operably connected to the processor through the vehicle communication network for rendering the object of interest data using an associated external lighting system of the vehicle.

Claims

1. An adaptive external vehicle lighting system comprising:

a vehicle communication network;

a memory including an atlas database, a directory database, and program instructions for

generating a model of a vehicle and an environment outside of the vehicle,

identifying an object of interest based upon the generated model,

analyzing rendering criteria associated with the identified object of interest, and

rendering object of interest data based upon the analysis;

a processor operably connected to the vehicle communication network and to the memory and configured to execute the program instructions; and

at least one rendering system operably connected to the processor through the vehicle communication network and configured to render the object of interest data using an associated external lighting system of the vehicle, wherein the object of interest data includes data, obtained from the directory database, which is associated with the identified object of interest.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the generated a model comprises:

a three dimensional model of the vehicle and the environment outside of the vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one rendering system comprises:

a first rendering system associated with a first external lighting assembly; and

a second rendering system associated with a second external lighting assembly.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein;

the vehicle includes a plurality of headlight assemblies; and

the associated external lighting system includes a lighting source separate from a lighting source of the plurality of headlight assemblies.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the associated external lighting system lighting source comprises:

a laser.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the program instructions comprise:

program instructions for diverting, from a vehicle headlight pattern formed by a vehicle headlight assembly, a light beam.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the program instructions comprise:

program instructions for rendering a message readable by an occupant of the vehicle on the object of interest.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the object of interest data includes one or more of:

contact information data;

hours of operation data; and

merchandise information data.

9. A method of rendering data outside of a vehicle comprising:

generating a model of a vehicle and an environment outside of the vehicle based upon atlas data stored in an atlas database;

identifying an object of interest based upon the generated model;

analyzing rendering criteria associated with the identified object of interest; and

controlling a first rendering system through a vehicle communication system to render first object of interest data using a first associated external lighting system of the vehicle, wherein the first object of interest data includes directory data obtained from a directory database, the directory data associated with the identified object of interest.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the generated model comprises:

a three dimensional model of the vehicle and the environment outside of the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein using the first associated external lighting system of the vehicle comprises using a headlight assembly.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

controlling a second rendering system through the vehicle communication system to render second object of interest data using a second associated external lighting system of the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

energizing a plurality of headlight assembly light sources; and

energizing a rendering light source separate from the plurality of headlight assembly light sources,

wherein using the first associated external lighting system comprises using the rendering light source.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein controlling the first rendering system comprises:

controlling at least one of a plurality of digital micro-mirrors in a headlight assembly.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the directory data includes one or more of:

contact information data;

hours of operation data; and

merchandise information data.

16. A vehicle information system comprising:

a vehicle communication network;

a memory including program instructions for

generating a model of a vehicle and a plurality of objects located within an area outside of the vehicle based upon atlas from an atlas database,

identifying a first of the plurality of objects as a first object of interest based upon the generated model,

analyzing rendering criteria associated with the identified first object of interest,

obtaining first object of interest data from a directory database, and

rendering the first object of interest data based upon the analysis;

a processor operably connected to the vehicle communication network and to the memory and configured to execute the program instructions;

a lighting system configured to provide illumination within the area outside of the vehicle; and

a rendering system operably connected to the lighting system and to the processor through the vehicle communication network and configured to render the first object of interest data.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein:

the atlas data includes data for generating a three dimensional model of the vehicle and the plurality of objects located within the area outside of the vehicle.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

at least one sensor, the at least one sensor configured to obtain sensory data associated with at least one of the plurality of objects located within the area outside of the vehicle, wherein the program instructions include program instructions for updating the generated model based upon the sensory data.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

at least one input/output device, the at least one input/output device configured to obtain data associated with at least one of the plurality of objects located within the area outside of the vehicle from a location remote from the vehicle, wherein the program instructions include program instructions for updating the generated model based upon the obtained data.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the first object of interest data includes one or more of:

contact information data;

hours of operation data; and

merchandise information data.