AUTOMOTIVE TURN SIGNAL LAMP AND CONTROLLING METHOD FOR THE SAME

• US 20130010484A1
• Filed: 12/07/2011
• Published: 01/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SL Corporation
• Original Assignee: SL Corporation
• Inventors: Son, Youngho, Ji, Byoungki
• Application Number:
  US13/313,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20130010484A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/464
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/346 with automatic actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/525 automatically indicating risk of collision between vehicles in traffic or with pedestrians, e.g. after risk assessment using the vehicle sensor data
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/50 Projected symbol or information, e.g. onto the road or car body

Abstract

The present invention relates to an automotive turn signal lamp and a method for controlling the same, and more particularly, to an automotive turn signal lamp allowing other drivers or pedestrians to easily detect a change in the traveling direction of a vehicle or a turning direction of a vehicle at an intersection even where it is difficult to see the turn signal lamp, and a method for controlling the same. The automotive turn signal lamp includes a detection unit which detects a change in a traveling direction of a vehicle, and a control unit which operates a turn signal lamp to irradiate light of a road pattern indicating the traveling direction to be changed.

Claims

1. An automotive turn signal lamp, comprising:

a detection unit configured to detect a change in a traveling direction of a vehicle; and

a turn signal lamp configured to irradiate light of a road pattern indicating the traveling direction to be changed.

2. The automotive turn signal lamp of claim 1, wherein the change in the traveling direction includes at least one of a change in a traveling lane of the vehicle and turning at an intersection.

3. The automotive turn signal lamp of claim 1, wherein the turn signal lamp comprises:

a first lamp unit configured to form a blinking pattern; and

a second lamp unit configured to form the road pattern.

4. The automotive turn signal lamp of claim 3, wherein the turn signal lamp further comprises a third lamp unit configured to irradiate light of a road pattern indicating a circumferential state.

5. The automotive turn signal lamp of claim 1 or 3, wherein the road pattern includes specific shapes arranged in one direction from the vehicle.

6. The automotive turn signal lamp of claim 5, wherein the shapes have sizes gradually increasing or decreasing as they go away from the vehicle.

7. The automotive turn signal lamp of claim 5, wherein the second lamp unit includes a plurality of light source parts configured to form the shapes included in the road pattern respectively, and the light source parts have different sizes and installation angles according to sizes and positions of the shapes.

8. The automotive turn signal lamp of claim 7, wherein the light source parts are simultaneously or sequentially turned on and off.

9. The automotive turn signal lamp of claim 1 or 3, wherein the road pattern is formed to have a predetermined angle from a central line of the vehicle in an external direction of the vehicle.

10. A method for controlling an automotive turn signal lamp, comprising:

detecting, by a detection unit, a change in a traveling direction of a vehicle; and

irradiating, by a control unit, light of a road pattern indicating the traveling direction to be changed.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said detecting comprises detecting at least one of a change in a traveling lane of the vehicle and turning at an intersection.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said irradiating light comprises turning on and off a lamp corresponding to the traveling direction to be changed.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said irradiating light comprises irradiating light of a road pattern indicating a circumferential state.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the road pattern includes specific shapes arranged in one direction from the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said irradiating light comprises irradiating the light such that the shapes have sizes gradually increasing or decreasing as they go away from the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said irradiating light comprises simultaneously or sequentially turning on and off the shapes included in the road pattern.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein said irradiating light comprises irradiating the light such that the road pattern is formed to have a predetermined angle from a central line of the vehicle in an external direction of the vehicle.

18. A computer readable medium containing program instruction executed by a control unit, the computer readable medium comprising:

program instructions that detect a change in a traveling direction of a vehicle; and

program instructions that irradiate light of a road pattern indicating the traveling direction to be changed.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 19, further comprising program instructions that detect at least one of a change in a traveling lane of the vehicle and turning at an intersection.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, further comprising program instructions that irradiate light of a road pattern indicating a circumferential state.