SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING VEHICLE EQUIPMENT
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A vehicle control system comprising:
- an image sensor having an array of pixels;
an infrared filter in optical communication with said image sensor, wherein said infrared filter is configured to filter infrared light; and
a controller in communication with said image sensor, said controller configured to receive at least a portion of at least one image acquired by said image sensor, wherein said controller is further configured to generate at least one vehicle control signal as a function of said at least a portion of at least one image;
wherein light received by said image sensor is filtered for infrared light, such that light emitted from an incandescent light source, which is emitted with infrared light, is filtered by said infrared filter so that substantially no infrared light is received by said image sensor;
wherein said controller is configured to detect light received from incandescent light source and light emitted from a light emitting diode (LED) based upon said infrared filter substantially filtering said infrared light from said light emitted by said incandescent light source.
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Abstract
A system for automatically controlling vehicle equipment includes a controller to generate control signals. The control signals are derived based on information obtained from the image sensor as well as other detected parameters pertaining to the detected light source(s), the vehicle having the inventive control system, and the ambient environment. The control circuit may simply turn certain vehicle equipment, for example exterior lights, on or off, or change the brightness, aim, focus, etc. to produce various beam patterns that maximize the illuminated area in front of the vehicle without causing excessive glare in the eyes of other drivers.
62 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A vehicle control system comprising:
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an image sensor having an array of pixels; an infrared filter in optical communication with said image sensor, wherein said infrared filter is configured to filter infrared light; and a controller in communication with said image sensor, said controller configured to receive at least a portion of at least one image acquired by said image sensor, wherein said controller is further configured to generate at least one vehicle control signal as a function of said at least a portion of at least one image; wherein light received by said image sensor is filtered for infrared light, such that light emitted from an incandescent light source, which is emitted with infrared light, is filtered by said infrared filter so that substantially no infrared light is received by said image sensor; wherein said controller is configured to detect light received from incandescent light source and light emitted from a light emitting diode (LED) based upon said infrared filter substantially filtering said infrared light from said light emitted by said incandescent light source. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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10. A vehicle control system comprising:
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an image sensor having an array of pixels; and a controller in communication with said image sensor, said controller configured to receive at least a portion of at least one image acquired by said image sensor, wherein said controller is further configured to generate at least one vehicle control signal as a function of said at least a portion of at least one image; wherein light received by said image sensor is light emitted from an alternating current (AC) light source; wherein said controller is configured to distinguish between light received by said image sensor from said AC light source and light received by said image sensor from a headlamp of a vehicle at least partially based upon a position of said light source in said image. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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Specification