System for detecting surrounding conditions of moving body

• US 10,632,904 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2018
• Issued: 04/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Kato, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thuy V
• Application Number:
  US16/119,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20180370426A1
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 315 77, 3408154
• 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

A system for detecting a surrounding condition relative to a body is provided. The system comprises a light-emitter, a sensor for detecting the surrounding condition, and a controller for changing a state of the light-emitter when the sensor detects a change of a condition at a position forward of the body. This system forcibly changes the state of at least one of a plurality of lighting devices (change from an unlit state 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 a surrounding condition relative to a body, the system comprising:

a light-emitter,

a sensor configured to detect the surrounding condition; and

a controller configured to change a state of the light-emitter when the sensor detects a change of a condition at a position forward of the body.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a camera positioned on a front portion of the body.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller changes a color of the light-emitter according to a distance between an object and the body.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the controller translates the color of the light-emitter from a cool color to a warm color as the distance between the object and the body decreases.

5. The system according to claim 3, wherein the cool color is green and the warm color is red.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller changes the state of the light-emitter to light or blink according to a distance between an object and the body.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor further detects a change of a rear lamp of a forward body that is forward of the body.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the controller changes the state of the light-emitter to light or blink when the sensor detects rear lamp lights of the forward body.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein a color of the light-emitter is red.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein a color of the light-emitter and a color of the rear lamp are the same.

11. A vehicle comprising:

a light-emitter,

a sensor configured to detect the surrounding condition; and

a controller configured to change a state of the light-emitter when the sensor detects a change of a condition at a position forward of the vehicle.

12. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the sensor comprises a camera positioned on a front portion of the vehicle.

13. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the controller changes a color of the light-emitter according to a distance between an object and the vehicle.

14. The vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the controller translates the color of the light-emitter from a cool color to a warm color as the distance between the object and the body decreases.

15. The vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the cool color is green and the warm color is red.

16. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the controller changes the state of the light-emitter to light or blink according to a distance between an object and the body.

17. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the sensor detects a change of a rear lamp of a forward vehicle that is forward of the vehicle.

18. The vehicle according to claim 17, wherein the controller changes the state of the light-emitter to light or blink when the sensor detects rear lamp lights of the forward vehicle.

19. The vehicle according to claim 18, wherein a color of the light-emitter is red.

20. The vehicle according to claim 18, wherein a color of the light-emitter and a color of the rear lamp are the same.