Vehicular headlight warning system

• US 9,589,464 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2015
• Issued: 03/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Rovik, Christopher L., Schmidt, Eric R.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US14/719,407
• Publication Number:
  US 20160343254A1
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• Field of Search: 340/902, 340/425.5, 340/468, 340/457.2, 340/471, 340/472, 340/469, 296/97.7, 701/49
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/547 for issuing requests to other traffic participants; for confirming to other traffic participants they can proceed, e.g. they can overtake
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0488 with spectral filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4204 with determination of ambient light solar light G01J2001/4266
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4228 arrangements with two or more detectors, e.g. for sensitivity compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2001/4247 for testing lamps or other light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/50 using electric radiation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0965 responding to signals from another vehicle, e.g. emergency vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle

Abstract

A method is provided for alerting a driver of a vehicle of an unsafe exterior lighting status. The method includes receiving, at a first vehicle, information sufficient to detect a presence of a second vehicle. Once a vehicle is detected, the method continues to identify a direction of travel of the second vehicle with respect to the first vehicle. The method includes measuring a level of ambient light, and determining the level of ambient light is below a threshold level. The method further identifies any presence of functioning exterior lighting of the second vehicle by detecting a light color and light intensity. When an unsafe exterior lighting status is determined, the method includes alerting a driver of the second vehicle using a vehicle-to-vehicle communication signal. The signal includes a notification suggesting usage of at least one of headlights, parking lights, and hazard lights.

Claims

1. A method for alerting a vehicle driver of an exterior lighting operational status, the method comprising:

detecting, at a first vehicle, a presence of a second vehicle;

measuring a level of ambient light, and determining the level of ambient light is below a threshold level;

determining an operational status of a specific type of functioning exterior lighting of the second vehicle including detecting a light color, angle, and light intensity to identify a type of the exterior lighting; and

alerting a driver of the second vehicle using a vehicle-to-vehicle communication signal, the signal including a notification related to the operational status of the exterior lighting of the second vehicle and suggesting usage of exterior lighting different from the specific type identified.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising identifying a direction of travel of the second vehicle with respect to the first vehicle.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising identifying the second vehicle as an oncoming vehicle moving in a direction towards the first vehicle,

wherein determining the operational status of the exterior lighting results in a determination that headlights are not operating, and the signal includes a notification suggesting usage of headlights operated in a low beam mode.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising identifying the second vehicle as an oncoming vehicle moving in a direction towards the first vehicle,

wherein determining the operational status of the exterior lighting results in a determination that headlights are operating in a high beam mode, and the signal includes a notification suggesting usage of the headlights in a low beam mode.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein, upon the first vehicle passing the second vehicle, the method further comprises sending a follow-up vehicle-to-vehicle communication signal to the second vehicle, the follow-up signal including a notification suggesting that usage of the headlights can safely revert back to the high beam mode.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising identifying the second vehicle as an oncoming vehicle moving in a direction towards the first vehicle,

wherein determining the operational status of the exterior lighting results in a determination that only parking lights are operating, and the signal includes a notification suggesting usage of headlights operated in a low beam mode.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising identifying the second vehicle as a stationary vehicle;

and

determining the second vehicle is parked or temporarily standing adjacent an intended travel path of the first vehicle,

wherein determining the operational status of the exterior lighting results in a determination that the exterior lighting is off, and the signal includes a notification suggesting usage of parking lights or hazard lights.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising alerting a driver of the first vehicle to the presence and location of the second vehicle.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising monitoring for a presence of precipitation.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising detecting a presence of precipitation,

wherein determining the operational status of the exterior lighting results in a determination that headlights are not operating, and the signal includes a notification suggesting usage of headlights operated in a low beam mode.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first vehicle and the second vehicle is an autonomous vehicle.

12. A method for alerting a vehicle driver of an unsafe exterior lighting operational status, the method comprising:

receiving and processing, at a first vehicle, information sufficient to detect a presence of a second vehicle;

identifying a direction of travel of the second vehicle with respect to the first vehicle;

measuring a level of ambient light, and determining the level of ambient light is below a threshold level;

identifying a specific type of functioning exterior lighting of the second vehicle by detecting a light color, light angle, and light intensity; and

alerting a driver of the second vehicle using a vehicle-to-vehicle communication signal, the signal including a notification suggesting usage of exterior lighting different from the specific type identified.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions embodied thereon that, when executed by a processor, perform operations in a first vehicle, the operations comprising:

detecting a presence of a second vehicle;

measuring a level of ambient light, and determining the level of ambient light is below a threshold level;

determining an operational status of a specific type of functioning exterior lighting of the second vehicle, including detecting a light color, light angle, and light intensity to identify a type of the exterior lighting; and

alerting a driver of the second vehicle using a vehicle-to-vehicle communication signal, the signal including a notification related to the operational status of the exterior lighting of the second vehicle, and suggesting usage of exterior lighting different from the specific type identified.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise:

identifying a direction of travel of the second vehicle with respect to the first vehicle.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise:

identifying the second vehicle as a stationary vehicle and determining the second vehicle is parked or temporarily standing adjacent an intended travel path of the first vehicle; and

alerting a driver of the first vehicle of the presence of the second vehicle,

wherein determining the operational status of the exterior lighting results in a determination that the exterior lighting is off, and the signal includes a notification suggesting usage of parking lights or hazard lights.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise:

identifying the second vehicle as an oncoming vehicle moving in a direction towards the first vehicle,

wherein determining the operational status of the exterior lighting results in a determination that headlights are operating in a high beam mode, and the signal includes a notification suggesting the headlights be operated in a low beam mode.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise:

identifying the second vehicle as an oncoming vehicle moving in a direction towards the first vehicle,

wherein determining the operational status of the exterior lighting results in a determination that only parking lights are operating, and the signal includes a notification suggesting usage of headlights operated in a low beam mode.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise:

identifying the second vehicle as an oncoming vehicle moving in a direction towards the first vehicle,

wherein determining the operational status of the exterior lighting results in a determination that headlights are not operating, and the signal includes a notification suggesting usage of headlights operated in a low beam mode.