Car light sensor warning for headlights

• US 10,427,592 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2017
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Kearney, Norbert Wolfgang, Patterson, Douglas T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tang, Son M
• Application Number:
  US15/791,955
• Publication Number:
  US 20190118701A1
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0076 Switches therefor B60Q1/1446, B60Q1/343, B60Q1/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1423 Automatic dimming circuits, i.e. switching between high beam and low beam due to change of ambient light or light level in road traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/143 combined with another condition, e.g. using vehicle recognition from camera images or activation of wipers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2603 Attenuation of the light according to ambient luminiosity, e.g. for braking or direction indicating lamps
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 11/005 for lighting devices, e.g. indicating if lamps are burning or not
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/21 Manual control
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/305 Calendar date or clock time
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/312 Adverse weather
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/314 Ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/005 automatically actuated

Abstract

A method and system for controlling exterior lights on a vehicle. The method includes receiving an input indicative of a desired mode of operation of the exterior lights from a user-selectable input device. The user-selectable input device includes an on-setting, an off-setting, and an automatic-setting. The method further includes receiving sensor data indicative of a level of visibility outside the vehicle, comparing the sensor data to a threshold, and generating, by an electronic processor, a notification indicative of an improper positioning of the user-selectable input device when the sensor data indicates that the level of visibility is less than the threshold and the user-selectable input device is positioned in the off-setting.

Claims

1. A method of controlling exterior lights on a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving an input indicative of a desired mode of operation of the exterior lights from a user-selectable input device, the user-selectable input device including an on-setting, an off-setting, and an automatic-setting;

receiving sensor data indicative of a level of visibility outside the vehicle;

comparing the sensor data to a first threshold;

automatically activating the exterior lights while the user-selectable input device is positioned in the automatic-setting in response to determining that the level of visibility is less than the first threshold;

generating, by an electronic processor, a notification indicative of an improper positioning of the user-selectable input device when the sensor data indicates that the level of visibility is less than the first threshold and the user-selectable input device is positioned in the off-setting;

comparing the sensor data to a second threshold, the second threshold being lower than the first threshold; and

automatically activating the exterior lights while the user-selectable input device is positioned in the off-setting in response to determining that the level of visibility is less than the second threshold.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein generating the notification indicative of improper positioning of the user-selectable input device includes activating a visual indicator for a driver of the vehicle.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein generating the notification indicative of improper positioning of the user-selectable input device includes activating an audial indicator.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising generating a second notification indicative of an override of the user-selectable input device in response to automatically activating the exterior lights while the user-selectable input device is positioned in the off-setting.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sensor data indicative of the level of visibility outside the vehicle is indicative of an amount of ambient light that is present outside the vehicle.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sensor data indicative of the level of visibility outside the vehicle is indicative of an amount of precipitation or fog that is present outside the vehicle.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sensor data indicative of the level of visibility outside the vehicle is indicative of an amount of ambient light based on a time of day.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sensor data includes first sensor data and second sensor data, the first sensor data indicative of a first ambient condition external from the vehicle and the second sensor data indicative of a second ambient condition external to the vehicle, the second ambient condition being different than the first ambient condition.

9. The method according to claim 8, the method further comprising

activating the exterior lights when the first sensor data is greater than a first threshold and the user-selectable input device is positioned in the automatic-setting;

and

generating the notification indicative of the improper positioning of the user-selectable input device when the second sensor data is greater than a second threshold and the user-selectable input device is positioned in the off-setting.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the first sensor data is indicative of an amount of precipitation sensed by a first sensor, and wherein the second sensor data is indicative of an amount of light sensed by a second sensor.

11. A light control system for controlling exterior lights on a vehicle, the system comprising:

a sensor configured to sense a level of visibility outside the vehicle;

a user-selectable input device including an on-setting, an off-setting, and an automatic-setting; and

an electronic processor communicatively connected to the sensor and the user-selectable input device, the electronic processor configured to

receive a user-selectable input indicative of a desired mode of operation of the exterior lights from the user-selectable input device,

receive sensor data from the sensor,

compare the sensor data to a first threshold,

automatically activate the exterior lights while the user-selectable input device is positioned in the automatic-setting in response to determining that the level of visibility is less than the first threshold,

generate a notification indicative of an improper positioning of the user-selectable input device when the sensor data indicates that the level of visibility is less than the threshold and the user-selectable input device is positioned in the off-setting,

compare the sensor data to a second threshold, the second threshold being lower than the first threshold, and

automatically activate the exterior lights while the user-selectable input device is positioned in the off-setting in response to determining that the level of visibility is less than the second threshold.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to generate a second notification indicative of an override of the user-selectable input device in response to activating the exterior lights while the user-selectable input device is positioned in the off-setting, the second notification being different than the first notification.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein the sensor is a light sensor, and wherein the sensor data indicative of the level of visibility outside the vehicle is indicative of an amount of ambient light that is present outside the vehicle.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein the sensor is a precipitation sensor, and wherein the sensor data indicative of the level of visibility outside the vehicle is indicative of an amount of precipitation that is present outside the vehicle.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein the sensor data includes first sensor data and second sensor data, the first sensor data indicative of a first ambient condition external from the vehicle and the second sensor data indicative of a second ambient condition external to the vehicle, the second ambient condition being different than the first ambient condition.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to

activate the exterior lights when the first sensor data is greater than a first threshold and the user-selectable input device is positioned in the automatic-setting;

and

generate the notification indicative of the improper positioning of the user-selectable input device when the second sensor data is greater than a second threshold and the user-selectable input device is positioned in the off-setting.