System for detecting surrounding conditions of moving body

• US 9,802,532 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2017
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Kato, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): HOUSTON, ADAM D
• Application Number:
  US15/489,174
• Publication Number:
  US 20170217363A1
• Time in Patent Office: 197 Days
• Field of Search: 307 77, 362459, 362460, 362465-467
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/00 Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor for lighting vehicle interior B60Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/02 the devices being primarily intended to illuminate the way ahead or to illuminate other areas of way or environments
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/26 the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/34 for indicating change of drive direction B60Q1/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/44 for indicating braking action or preparation for braking, e.g. by detection of the foot approaching the brake pedal
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/46 for giving flashing caution signals during drive, other than signalling change of direction, e.g. flashing the headlights or hazard lights
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2500/30 Arrangements for illuminating different zones in the vehicle, e.g. front/rear, different seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/16 Circuits; Control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/283 Steering wheels; Gear levers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/745 using lighting panels or mats, e.g. electro-luminescent panels, LED mats
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/80 Circuits; Control arrangements for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/82 Switches specially adapted for vehicle interior lighting, e.g. switching by tilting the lens
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes

Abstract

This system for detecting the surrounding: conditions of a moving body forcibly changes the state of at least one of a plurality of lighting devices (change from an unlit stats to a lighting state or a blinking state, change in the emission color, or change in the luminance) installed inside the moving body if an object to which attention must be paid during traveling of the moving body is detected in the surroundings of the moving body.

Claims

1. A system for detecting surrounding conditions of a moving body comprising:

a plurality of illumination devices disposed on the moving body, each of said plurality of illumination devices having a switch for switching between a lighting state and an unlit state;

a detector for detecting an object, to which attention must be paid around the moving body; and

a controller for changing a state of at least one of said plurality of illumination devices upon detecting said object, wherein said controller forcibly causes an illumination device among said plurality of illumination devices, which is disposed at a position corresponding to a direction of said object, to light or blink.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein, when said object is present at a right side of the moving body, the controller forcibly causes the illumination device on the right side among said plurality of illumination devices to light or blink;

and, when said object is present at a left-side of the moving body, the controller forcibly causes the illumination device on the left side among said plurality of illumination devices to light or blink.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller increases luminance of said illumination device that is forcibly caused to light or blink as a distance between the object and the moving body decreases.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller changes a lighting color of said illumination device that is forcibly caused to light or blink as a relative speed between the moving body and the object increases.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller increases a blinking speed of said illumination device that is forcibly caused to light or blink as the distance between the object and the moving body decreases.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of illumination devices is disposed in a cabin of the moving body.

7. The system according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of illumination devices is disposed in a cabin of the moving body.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of illumination devices are disposed so that light emitting faces of said illumination devices are directed into an inside of a cabin of the moving body.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of illumination devices are disposed so that light emitting faces of said illumination devices are directed to a driver'"'"'s seat.