Lighting system having pointer device

• US 9,987,974 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2016
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Salter, Stuart C., Buttolo, Pietro, Danowski, Christopher Anthony, Dellock, Paul Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): HAN, JASON
• Application Number:
  US15/348,132
• Publication Number:
  US 20170368984A1
• Time in Patent Office: 572 Days
• Field of Search: 362464, 362487, 362508, 362523-532, 362540, 362543-549, 42111, 42114, 42117, 42146
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0035 relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0076 Switches therefor B60Q1/1446, B60Q1/343, B60Q1/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/12 due to steering position
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/22 for reverse drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/245 Searchlights, e.g. adjustable from within the vehicle adjustable headlights B60Q1/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/247 for illuminating the close surroundings of the vehicle, e.g. to facilitate entry or exit for reverse drive B60Q1/22; by opening a side door B60Q1/323
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2611 Indicating devices mounted on the roof of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/40 Welcome lights, i.e. specific or existing exterior lamps to assist leaving or approaching the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2900/30 Lamps commanded by wireless transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2900/50 Arrangements to reconfigure features of lighting or signalling devices, or to choose from a list of pre-defined settings
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/00 Illuminating devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. headlamps reversing lights F21S43/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/143 the main emission direction of the LED being parallel to the optical axis of the illuminating device
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/153 arranged in a matrix
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/25 Projection lenses
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/28 Cover glass
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/285 Refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters not provided in groups F21S41/24 - F21S41/2805
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/657 by moving light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/663 by switching light sources by switching incandescent light sources F21S41/162
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/02 by movement of light sources in vehicle head lamps F21S41/657
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/003 Fastening of light source holders, e.g. of circuit boards or substrates holding light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/30 : Pivoted housings or frames
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0435 : activated by remote control means
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2107/10 : for land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 : Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/06 : Electric or electromechanical safeties F41A17/04, F41A17/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/35 : for illuminating the target , e.g. flash lights
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 : Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 : Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/125 : by using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 : via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 : Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A lighting system is provided herein. The lighting system includes a spotlight is mounted to a vehicle, a controller for operating the spotlight, and a pointer device for specifying an intended target. The controller aims the spotlight in the direction of the intended target based on input provided by the pointer device.

Claims

1. A lighting system comprising:

a spotlight mounted to a vehicle;

a controller for operating the spotlight; and

a pointer device for specifying an intended target of a firearm, wherein the controller aims the spotlight in the direction of the intended target based on input provided by the pointer device.

2. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the pointer device is coupled to the firearm.

3. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the input comprises a heading of the pointer device determined by a positional sensor.

4. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the input comprises a distance to target determined by at least one of a vision-based sensor and an object detection sensor.

5. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the controller activates or deactivates the spotlight based on input provided by the pointer device indicating a position of the pointer device relative to a frame of reference.

6. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the controller activates the spotlight if the input indicates that the pointer device is raised beyond a degree threshold relative to a ground, and wherein the controller deactivates the spotlight if the input indicates that the pointer device is raised at or below the degree threshold.

7. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the controller generates a warning signal when the pointing device is detected to have crossed or is in close proximity to a light beam projected from the spotlight.

8. A lighting system comprising:

a spotlight mounted to a vehicle;

a controller for operating the spotlight; and

a pointer device for specifying an intended target of a firearm and comprising;

a vision-based sensor for capturing images in a targeted direction of the pointer device; and

a positional sensor for determining a heading of the pointer device;

wherein the controller aims the spotlight in the direction of the intended target based on image data and the determined heading.

9. The lighting system of claim 8, wherein the pointer device further comprises one or more user-input mechanisms for activating or deactivating the spotlight.

10. The lighting system of claim 8, wherein the pointer device further comprises one or more user-input mechanisms for freezing or unfreezing a light beam projected by the spotlight.

11. The lighting system of claim 8, wherein the pointer device further comprises one or more user-input mechanisms for altering a spread of a light beam projected by the spotlight.

12. The lighting system of claim 8, wherein the pointer device further comprises a user-input mechanism for adjusting the direction in which the spotlight is aimed.

13. The lighting system of claim 8, wherein the controller adjusts the direction in which the spotlight is aimed based on light distribution patterns in images captured by the vision-based sensor.

14. A lighting method comprising:

mounting a spotlight to a vehicle;

operating the spotlight using a controller; and

using a pointing device to specify an intended target of a firearm, wherein the controller aims the spotlight in the direction of the intended target based on input provided by the pointer device.

15. The lighting method of claim 14, wherein the pointer device is coupled to the firearm.

16. The lighting method of claim 14, wherein the input comprises a heading of the pointer device determined by a positional sensor.

17. The lighting method of claim 14, wherein the input comprises a distance to target determined by at least one of a vision-based sensor and an object detection sensor.

18. The lighting method of claim 14, wherein the controller activates or deactivates the spotlight based on input provided by the pointer device indicating a position of the pointer device relative to a frame of reference.

19. The lighting method of claim 14, wherein the controller activates the spotlight if the input indicates that the pointer device is raised beyond a degree threshold relative to a ground, and wherein the controller deactivates the spotlight if the input indicates that the pointer device is raised at or below the degree threshold.

20. The lighting method of claim 14, wherein the controller generates a warning signal when the pointing device is detected to have crossed or is in close proximity to a light beam projected from the spotlight.