Driver assistance system with traffic light alert

• US 9,881,501 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2016
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Weber, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): La, Anh V
• Application Number:
  US15/341,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20170124870A1
• Time in Patent Office: 454 Days
• Field of Search: 340905, 340907, 340915, 340917, 340901, 701 70, 701117
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09623 Systems involving the acquisition of information from passive traffic signs by means mounted on the vehicle G08G1/0967 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096758 where no selection takes place on the transmitted or the received information
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element

Abstract

A traffic light alert system of a vehicle includes a display operable to display an iconistic traffic light representation with a background surrounding the displayed iconistic traffic light representation. A control is operable to adjust the display responsive to a determination of a status of a traffic light ahead of the vehicle and being approached by the vehicle. Responsive to determination of the traffic light ahead of the vehicle and determination that the traffic light has a particular signal status, the control controls the display so that the iconistic traffic light representation indicates the determined particular signal status and the surrounding background is displayed in a particular color associated with the determined particular signal status.

Claims

1. A traffic light alert system for a vehicle, said traffic light alert system comprising:

a display operable to display an iconistic traffic light representation and a background surrounding the displayed iconistic traffic light representation;

a control operable to control said display responsive to a determination of a status of a traffic light ahead of the vehicle and being approached by the vehicle;

wherein, responsive to determination of the traffic light ahead of the vehicle and determination that the traffic light has a particular signal status, said control controls said display so that the iconistic traffic light representation indicates the determined particular signal status;

wherein said control is operable to adjust orientation of the iconistic traffic light representation between horizontal orientation and vertical orientation; and

wherein said control adjusts orientation of the iconistic traffic light representation between horizontal orientation and vertical orientation responsive to at least one of (i) image processing of image data captured by a forward viewing camera of the vehicle and (ii) a global positioning system of the vehicle.

2. The traffic light alert system of claim 1, wherein, responsive to a determination that the particular status of the traffic light is an activated red light, said control controls said display so that an iconistic red light of the iconistic traffic light representation is illuminated and the surrounding background is displayed in red.

3. The traffic light alert system of claim 1, wherein, responsive to a determination that the particular status of the traffic light is an activated yellow light, said control controls said display so that an iconistic yellow light of the iconistic traffic light representation is illuminated and the surrounding background is displayed in yellow.

4. The traffic light alert system of claim 1, wherein, responsive to a determination that the particular status of the traffic light is an activated green light, said control controls said display so that an iconistic green light of the iconistic traffic light representation is illuminated and the surrounding background is displayed in green.

5. The traffic light alert system of claim 1, wherein, responsive to a determination that the particular status of the traffic light is an activated red light, said control controls said display so that an iconistic red light of the iconistic traffic light representation is illuminated and the surrounding background is displayed in red near the center of the surrounding background and surrounding the iconistic traffic light representation and is a different color towards an outer boundary of the surrounding background.

6. The traffic light alert system of claim 1, wherein the determination of the status of a traffic light ahead of the vehicle is made via image processing of image data captured by a forward viewing camera of the vehicle.

7. The traffic light alert system of claim 1, wherein the determination of the status of a traffic light ahead of the vehicle is made responsive to a communication system.

8. The traffic light alert system of claim 1, wherein the determination of the status of a traffic light ahead of the vehicle is made via vehicle-to-infrastructure communication.

9. The traffic light alert system of claim 1, wherein the determination of the status of a traffic light ahead of the vehicle is made via visible light communication.

10. The traffic light alert system of claim 9, wherein said traffic light alert system receives data encoded into light emitted by the traffic light.

11. The traffic light alert system of claim 10, wherein a processor of said traffic light alert system processes received encoded data to determine at least one of (i) a lane associated with the traffic light, (ii) a status of the traffic light and (iii) a time until the traffic light status changes.

12. The traffic light alert system of claim 10, wherein said control controls said display responsive to processing of received encoded data.

13. A traffic light alert system for a vehicle, said traffic light alert system comprising:

a display operable to display an iconistic traffic light representation and a background surrounding the displayed iconistic traffic light representation;

a control operable to control said display responsive to a determination of a status of a traffic light ahead of the vehicle and being approached by the vehicle;

wherein, responsive to determination of the traffic light ahead of the vehicle and determination that the traffic light has a particular signal status, said control controls said display so that the iconistic traffic light representation indicates the determined particular signal status and the surrounding background is displayed in a particular color associated with the determined particular signal status;

wherein, responsive to a determination that the particular status of the traffic light is an activated red light, said control controls said display so that an iconistic red light of the iconistic traffic light representation is illuminated and the surrounding background is displayed in red;

wherein, responsive to a determination that the particular status of the traffic light is an activated yellow light, said control controls said display so that an iconistic yellow light of the iconistic traffic light representation is illuminated and the surrounding background is displayed in yellow;

wherein, responsive to a determination that the particular status of the traffic light is an activated green light, said control controls said display so that an iconistic green light of the iconistic traffic light representation is illuminated and the surrounding background is displayed in green;

wherein said control is operable to adjust orientation of the iconistic traffic light representation between horizontal orientation and vertical orientation; and

wherein said control adjusts orientation of the iconistic traffic light representation between horizontal orientation and vertical orientation responsive to at least one of (i) image processing of image data captured by a forward viewing camera of the vehicle and (ii) a global positioning system of the vehicle.

14. The traffic light alert system of claim 13, wherein the determination of the status of a traffic light ahead of the vehicle is made via image processing of image data captured by a forward viewing camera of the vehicle.

15. The traffic light alert system of claim 14, wherein said control adjusts an orientation of the iconistic traffic light representation responsive to image processing of captured image data.

16. The traffic light alert system of claim 13, wherein the determination of the status of a traffic light ahead of the vehicle is made responsive to a communication system.

17. The traffic light alert system of claim 13, wherein the determination of the status of a traffic light ahead of the vehicle is made via vehicle-to-infrastructure communication.

18. A traffic light alert system for a vehicle, said traffic light alert system comprising:

a display operable to display an iconistic traffic light representation and a background surrounding the displayed iconistic traffic light representation;

a control operable to control said display responsive to a determination of a status of a traffic light ahead of the vehicle and being approached by the vehicle;

wherein, responsive to determination of the traffic light ahead of the vehicle and determination that the traffic light has a particular signal status, said control controls said display so that the iconistic traffic light representation indicates the determined particular signal status and the surrounding background is displayed in a particular color associated with the determined particular signal status;

wherein the determination of the status of a traffic light ahead of the vehicle is made via visible light communication;

wherein said traffic light alert system receives data encoded into light emitted by the traffic light;

wherein a processor of said traffic light alert system processes received encoded data to determine at least one of (i) a lane associated with the traffic light, (ii) a status of the traffic light and (iii) a time until the traffic light status changes;

wherein said control controls said display responsive to processing by said processor of received encoded data;

wherein said control is operable to adjust orientation of the iconistic traffic light representation between horizontal orientation and vertical orientation; and

wherein said control adjusts orientation of the iconistic traffic light representation between horizontal orientation and vertical orientation responsive to at least one of (i) image processing of image data captured by a forward viewing camera of the vehicle and (ii) a global positioning system of the vehicle.

19. The traffic light alert system of claim 18, wherein, responsive to a determination that the particular status of the traffic light is an activated red light, said control controls said display so that an iconistic red light of the iconistic traffic light representation is illuminated and the surrounding background is displayed in red.

20. The traffic light alert system of claim 18, wherein, responsive to a determination that the particular status of the traffic light is an activated red light, said control controls said display so that an iconistic red light of the iconistic traffic light representation is illuminated and the surrounding background is displayed in red near the center of the surrounding background and surrounding the iconistic traffic light representation and is a different color towards an outer boundary of the surrounding background.