Head Light Systems Patents (Class 315/82)
  • Patent number: 11927318
    Abstract: A headlamp optical element with a III-region light shape forming structure that comprises a light collecting portion, a first light emitting portion, a reflecting portion, and optionally a second light emitting portion. The light collecting portion converges incident light and emits light via the first light emitting portion. Some light may be directly emitted to the second light emitting portion. The rest of the light may be reflected by the reflecting portion and emitted to the second light emitting portion. The reflecting portion is connected to the lower portion of the first light emitting portion, with a lower beam cut-off line structure at the other end thereof. The light emitting surface of the first light emitting portion comprises multiple step surfaces with segment differences or is a single curved surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: HASCO VISION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: He Zhu, Zhiping Qiu, Wenhui Sang
  • Patent number: 11840360
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for an indicating system for ground support equipment for an electric aircraft is disclosed. The apparatus may include ground support equipment, wherein the ground support equipment may include at least a ground support module, wherein the at least a ground support module may be configured to support an operation of an electric aircraft, one or more housings, wherein the one or more housings may be configured to house the at least a ground support module, a cable module, wherein the cable module may be configured to connect the at least a ground support module and the electric aircraft, an indicator configured to indicate informatic communication of the at least ground support module and the cable module and a controller communicatively connected to the at least a ground support module and the cable module and configured to control the indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: BETA AIR, LLC
    Inventors: Bruce Williams, Jake Pill, Richard Donnelly, Edward Hall, Michael Kuss
  • Patent number: 11810359
    Abstract: The present invention belongs to the technical field of computer vision, and provides a video semantic segmentation method based on active learning, comprising an image semantic segmentation module, a data selection module based on the active learning and a label propagation module. The image semantic segmentation module is responsible for segmenting image results and extracting high-level features required by the data selection module; the data selection module selects a data subset with rich information at an image level, and selects pixel blocks to be labeled at a pixel level; and the label propagation module realizes migration from image to video tasks and completes the segmentation result of a video quickly to obtain weakly-supervised data. The present invention can rapidly generate weakly-supervised data sets, reduce the cost of manufacture of the data and optimize the performance of a semantic segmentation network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: DALIAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Xin Yang, Xiaopeng Wei, Yu Qiao, Qiang Zhang, Baocai Yin, Haiyin Piao, Zhenjun Du
  • Patent number: 11724640
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a dynamic bending ADB head lamp system and a method for controlling the same that, in an ADB or a high beam operation of a vehicle equipped with a head lamp of a matrix type having an ADB function, may move a central region of a high beam in a direction of a movement of the vehicle in response to a change in a steering angle of the vehicle to improve visibility of a driver, and move the central region of the high beam by changing only a current value without a separate driving motor to reduce a manufacturing cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yong Hee Won
  • Patent number: 11712992
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and devices for providing optimized simultaneous illumination for human vision and machine based navigation vision on a semi-autonomous vehicle. In one embodiment, a system includes a first control output configured to provide first illumination control information including first active cycle times for a first illumination source. The first illumination source is configured to provide a first frequency band of illumination for machine vision navigation of the semi-autonomous vehicle. The system further includes a second control output configured to provide second illumination control information including second active cycle times for a second illumination source. The second illumination source is configured to provide a second frequency band of illumination for a human driver of the semi-autonomous vehicle. The system further includes a first monitor input configured to receive ambient illumination information from a camera system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Event Capture Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian James Mock
  • Patent number: 11701999
    Abstract: A light emitting device for a leaning vehicle, including a pair of cornering lamps, including a first cornering lamp and a second cornering lamp, that emit light to form a single left-front light emission area and a single right-front light emission area, and a control device that controls light emission by the pair of cornering lamps based on a lean angle of the vehicle body. The control device is configured to cause a first quantity of light and a second quantity of light, which are respectively a quantity of light outputted from the at least one light source included in the first cornering lamp and in the second cornering lamp, respectively, to vary in accordance with the lean angle of the vehicle body, such that each of the single left-front light emission area and the single right-front light emission area becomes larger as the lean angle of the vehicle body increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenichi Muramatsu
  • Patent number: 11688355
    Abstract: A lighting control data generation method for generating lighting control data for controlling light sources in a HUD device includes: a measurement point specifying step for specifying measurement points in accordance with the brightness of light from a light source at each of output levels set to different values by a light source control unit which controls the light source with reference to lighting control data; and an output characteristic acquisition step for acquiring output characteristics by performing interpolation between the specified measurement points, wherein in the measurement point specification step, measurement points of a first specific point number are specified in a high-brightness mode in which the required brightness exceeds a threshold value, and measurement points of a second specific point number larger than the first specific point number are specified in a low-brightness mode in which the required brightness is the threshold value or low.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: NIPPON SEIKI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Tsuchida, Yasuhiro Yamakawa, Masanori Endo, Takashi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 11603033
    Abstract: A control apparatus (1) for vehicle headlight including a rear end detection unit (3, 7) that detects a rear end (117) of a preceding vehicle (111) and a light blocking area setting unit (7) that sets a light blocking area (123) that includes the rear end within a light illumination area of a headlight (101, 103) of an own vehicle (107), wherein the light blocking area setting unit sets the light blocking area such that a spreading extent (125, 127) of the light blocking area outside the rear end is wider on a side in which a front end of the preceding vehicle is present than on the opposite side with reference to the rear end as viewed from the own vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ryu Mizuno
  • Patent number: 11577639
    Abstract: A lighting device for a vehicle controls an emission intensity of each of a plurality of light emission units. The lighting device is configured to execute first control of controlling an irradiation area in accordance with a traveling direction of a vehicle, second control of controlling the irradiation area so that a degree of irradiation of light to a position of an object is reduced, and third control of controlling the irradiation area so that the degree of irradiation of the light to a position of a reflection object is reduced. The lighting device selects, as a final target value, a minimum value of a target value of an emission intensity for the first control, a target value of an emission intensity for the second control, and a target value of an emission intensity for the third control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuichi Ishiyama
  • Patent number: 11482101
    Abstract: A method for generating a visual range collection includes determining a current position of at least one motor vehicle, determining a current visual range which describes how far a driver of the motor vehicle can see from the current position, transmitting the visual range from the motor vehicle to a visual range collecting device, generating the visual range collection based on the transmitted visual range, predetermining an expected change in visual obstruction at the position, and adjusting the visual range from the visual range collection based on the predetermined change in visual obstruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Beiderbeck, Franz Pellkofer, Friedrich Graf
  • Patent number: 11421845
    Abstract: The invention relates to a luminous module (1) comprising a first series of at least one illuminating unit associated with a projecting optical system (2) that is configured to produce a first exit beam from light output from the first series, the first beam forming a motor-vehicle lighting function, characterized in that it comprises a second series of at least one illuminating unit associated with the projecting system (2), the projecting system being configured to produce a second exit beam from light output from the second series, the second beam forming a motor-vehicle signaling function, and wherein the first and second series comprise exit dioptric interfaces (13) located in the same focal plane of the projecting system (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: VALEO VISION
    Inventor: Yves Gromfeld
  • Patent number: 11390208
    Abstract: A system for controlling a headlamp for a vehicle is provided. The system includes a lamp unit comprising a plurality of light sources and configured to form a shadow zone in a light emission area by adjusting a position to which light is emitted and an amount of light for each light source; an information collector configured to acquire an image of a forward side based on a travel direction; and a controller configured to receive information on a forward vehicle acquired through the information collector and information on the shadow zone, and control the lamp unit to perform aiming correction of the shadow zone to position the forward vehicle at a central side of the shadow zone when the forward vehicle is not positioned at the central side of the shadow zone within the shadow zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventors: Sung Ho Park, Byoung Suk Ahn, Seung Sik Han, Ki Hong Lee, Jung Wook Lim
  • Patent number: 11317493
    Abstract: An LED illumination device includes a circuit substrate, a bridge rectifier, a current-limiting chip, a resistance switching module and an LED group. The bridge rectifier is disposed on the circuit substrate and electrically connected to the circuit substrate. The current-limiting chip is disposed on the circuit substrate and electrically connected to the circuit substrate. The resistance switching module is disposed on the circuit substrate and electrically connected to the circuit substrate. The LED group includes a plurality of LED chips disposed on the circuit substrate and electrically connected to the circuit substrate. The bridge rectifier, the current-limiting chip, the resistance switching module and the LED group are electrically connected with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: PARAGON SEMICONDUCTOR LIGHTING TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chia-Tin Chung, Pei-Chun Liu
  • Patent number: 11254384
    Abstract: This vehicular lighting equipment provided on a vehicle (100), which is capable of travelling around a corner by tilting the vehicle body toward the turning direction, comprises a light source, an optical member by which the light emitted from the light source is directed forward from the lighting equipment to form a predetermined light distribution pattern (PL), and a control unit for adjusting the predetermined light distribution pattern (PL) according to the tilted state of the vehicle body. The control unit is configured to adjust a predetermined light distribution pattern (PL2) such that in a light distribution pattern (PL1) corresponding to when the vehicle body is tilted, no light is irradiated in a region located outside the light distribution pattern (PL) corresponding to when the vehicle body is in the vertical state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACIURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Harada
  • Patent number: 11234303
    Abstract: A vehicle lighting control device that controls lighting of a plurality of LED units mounted on a vehicle including an electronic device, the vehicle lighting control device including: a plurality of converters that are connected to a power supply and transform a power supply voltage supplied from the power supply; an output circuit that is connected to an output of the converter and outputs a drive signal to the LED unit with a voltage transformed by the converter; and a processor that generates a plurality of switching signals and outputs the generated switching signals to the corresponding converters, wherein at least one of a rising timing and a falling timing differs between the plurality of switching signals output to the plurality of converters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: SHINDENGEN ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ryo Natsuki
  • Patent number: 11230224
    Abstract: A lamp for a vehicle includes a light source unit that generates light and an optical unit for guiding the light. The light source unit includes a plurality of light sources arranged in a matrix shape, and the optical unit includes a plurality of optical members disposed in a traveling direction of the light. The light generated from the plurality of light sources passes through the optical unit to form a beam pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: SL Corporation
    Inventors: Hyeong Do Kim, Jong Woon Kim, Chang Ho Ryu
  • Patent number: 11214189
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp system includes an imaging unit which images a front of an own vehicle to generate image information, an imaging control unit which controls the imaging unit to perform an operation of generating image information with a first time period and an operation of generating image information with a second time period, a luminance analysis unit which detects luminance of individual regions in front of the own vehicle, an illuminance setting unit which determines a light distribution pattern. The illuminance setting unit, for an individual region whose luminance is within a high luminance range, sets an illuminance value such that luminance of the individual region decreases due to formation of the light distribution pattern, and for an individual region whose luminance is within a low luminance range, sets an illuminance value such that luminance of the individual region increases due to formation of the light distribution pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshinori Shibata
  • Patent number: 11206717
    Abstract: A system for controlling LED lightbox power supplies, comprises the lightbox supplies disposed inside a lightbox and correspondingly connected with LED light bars one by one. All the lightbox power supplies are connected in series with one another via a 485 communication bus. Meanwhile, a wireless communication device connected in series with the lightbox power supplies is further mounted inside the lightbox. A gateway device for wirelessly connecting with the wireless communication device and uploading data acquired to a cloud server, is arranged outside the lightbox. A sensor set connected in a wired manner with the wireless communication device is arranged on an outer wall of the lightbox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: BLUEVIEW ELEC-OPTIC TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Zhongxun Li
  • Patent number: 11198386
    Abstract: A system and method are described for controlling operation of host vehicle headlights. The system includes a communication unit to receive a vehicle-to-x communication including data indicative of a characteristic of a second vehicle. The system also includes a controller to determine that a high-beam is generated by the host vehicle headlights, determine a state of the second vehicle based on the second vehicle characteristic data, determine a state of the host vehicle based on data indicative of a characteristic of the host vehicle, determine that a pre-defined condition exists involving the host vehicle and second vehicle based on the second vehicle state and the host vehicle state, and, in response to the determination that the high-beam is generated and the pre-defined condition exists, generate a headlight control signal that effectuates an automatic change of the host vehicle headlights from a high-beam to a low-beam operating state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: LEAR CORPORATION
    Inventor: David R. Mulligan
  • Patent number: 11199392
    Abstract: A method of estimating whether an object is visible for a sensor includes determining a position and orientation of at least two objects, defining surfaces tangent to each object that cover the object, and defining a plurality of rays starting at a sensor position specifying an origin of a coordinate system. Each ray has an azimuth and elevation angle in the coordinate system. For each object, a respective subset of rays have a point of intersection with at least one of the surfaces of the object. For each ray of the subset, the object comprising the point of intersection having the shortest distance to the origin of the coordinate system is identified, and a visibility index for the identified object is increased. A percentage of visibility for each object is determined as a ratio of the visibility index and the number of rays of the subset of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: APTIV TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: Marcin Piatek, Kamil Lelowicz
  • Patent number: 11160152
    Abstract: Upper lamps each having an upward-convex semicircular shape, and lower lamps each having a downward-convex semicircular shape are placed on left and right sides in a lower part of a front face of a vehicle. In conjunction, the upper lamps and respective lower lamps constitute annular lamps. The upper lamps and respective lower lamps can be illuminated independently of each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaki Shitara, Yasukazu Honda, Ryo Hattori, Ken Iwasaki, Yuma Hoshino
  • Patent number: 11140760
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter according to an embodiment comprises: a first converter unit for generating a first output voltage by adjusting a level of an input voltage according to a pulse control signal applied to a first switch element; a first light emitting unit disposed at an output end of the first converter unit; a second converter unit, connected to the output end of the first converter unit, for generating a second output voltage by adjusting a level of the input voltage or the first output voltage according to a pulse control signal applied to a second switch element; a second light emitting unit disposed at an output end of the second converter unit; and a control unit for generating pulse control signals to be applied to the first switch element and the second switch element separately according to driving modes of the first and second light emitting units, and for controlling switching operations of the first and second switch elements according to the generated pulse control signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: LG INNOTEKCO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jae Hyun Han
  • Patent number: 11102861
    Abstract: A driver electronics is provided for powering a light engine including light emitting diodes (LEDs). The driver electronics arrangement includes at least two drivers that alternate power to a light engine. By alternating between the two drivers to power the light engine, the service life of the luminaire is increased. In one embodiment, the driver electronics includes at least two drivers, a light engine and a control relay block. The control relay block controls the at least two drivers so that only one of the drivers is powering the light engine at a time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: LEDVANCE LLC
    Inventors: Valeriy Zolotykh, Ravidasa Hegde, Anil Jeswani
  • Patent number: 11077787
    Abstract: A control device for vehicle headlamps configured to control illumination with light using headlamps of a vehicle, the control device for vehicle headlamps includes a determination part configured to determine whether the vehicle will collide with an object detected by an object detection part configured to detect an object, and an illumination controller configured to illuminate a region corresponding to the object that has been determined to collide with the vehicle by the determination part with a marking light and configured to illuminate a region around the region corresponding to the object with a background light in which a light intensity level thereof is decreased when a light intensity level of the marking light is increased, by using the headlamps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: STANLEY ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Uchida, Yasushi Kita, Takako Kimura, Takeshi Waragaya, Wataru Nakashima
  • Patent number: 11007926
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling a headlight. The apparatus has a first light sensor at a first portion of a vehicle and a system controller. The system controller is operatively coupled to the first light sensor and configured to adjust a state of the headlight based at least in part on a first light detection notification that indicates whether light has been received by the first light sensor and a first identifying signal notification that indicates whether received light is modulated and if modulated the presence of one or more identifying signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Arm Limited
    Inventors: George Christopher Smart, Andrew Robert Gardner
  • Patent number: 11001194
    Abstract: A vehicular lamp system includes: an imager; a luminance analyzer that detects a luminance of each of multiple individual regions; an illuminance setting unit that determines an illuminance value of light emitted to each individual region, based on a detection result from the luminance analyzer; a light source unit; and a light source controller that controls the light source unit. The illuminance setting unit uses different functions to determine the illuminance value for an individual region that falls within a certain first luminance range, and the illuminance value for an individual region that falls within a certain second luminance range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Shibata, Takao Muramatsu
  • Patent number: 10988074
    Abstract: A method and a device for adjusting a light distribution of a vehicle headlight having a control unit for adjusting the light distribution. The headlight includes a number of light sources. The control unit includes an interface configured for receiving user-specified parameters for adjusting and/or modifying an illuminance distribution within the light distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: DAIMLER AG
    Inventors: Jan Boehm, Marcus Fiege, Stephan Finn, Stephan Frey, Joerg Moisel, Axel Mueller, Volker Reinhold, Katharina Wagner
  • Patent number: 10960986
    Abstract: A seal assembly includes a housing, a shaft, and a gland. The housing defines an opening and an annular retention channel, according to various embodiments. The shaft extends through the opening, and the shaft comprises a longitudinal axis, according to various embodiments. The gland may be disposed circumferentially around the shaft and may be movably retained within the annular retention channel. The gland is movable relative to the housing in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, according to various embodiments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: GOODRICH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Adam M. Schimke, Gerald Brandon Biehle
  • Patent number: 10953790
    Abstract: A vehicle front headlight device includes: a fixed illumination section configured to shine light toward a first illuminated region at a lower side ahead of a vehicle; a variable illumination section that selectively adopts either an illumination angle from which light is shone toward a second illuminated region further ahead of the vehicle than and at an upper side of the first illuminated region, or a depiction angle from which a depicted pattern is shone toward a depiction region nearer to the vehicle than the first illuminated region; a support member to which the fixed illumination section being attached; a retention section that retains the variable illumination section and is supported by the support member so that it can pivot about an axial direction running along a vehicle width direction; and a drive section that causes the retention section to selectively adopt either the illumination angle or the depiction angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Ichikoh Industries, Ltd., Valeo Vision
    Inventors: Fumihiko Mouri, Takanori Hamamoto, Daisuke Takamura, Stéphane André
  • Patent number: 10946789
    Abstract: A system includes at least one sensor; a plurality of lamps fixed relative to the sensor; at least one vehicle component attached to the lamps; and a computer communicatively coupled to the lamps, the at least one sensor, and the at least one vehicle component. The computer is programmed to sequentially activate the lamps, determine that an intensity for at least one of the lamps is below a respective intensity threshold based on data from the sensor during the sequential activations of the lamps, and actuate the at least one vehicle component in response to one of the intensities being below the respective intensity threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: David Michael Herman, Ashwin Arunmozhi
  • Patent number: 10931934
    Abstract: A watercraft may include a safety system having an imaging component and a control component. The control component may modify the operation of the watercraft based on images from the imaging component. The imaging component may include a thermal imaging component and a non-thermal imaging component. The watercraft may include more than one imaging component disposed around the periphery of the watercraft to monitor a volume surrounding the watercraft for objects in the water such as debris, a person, and/or dock structures. Operating the watercraft based on the images may include operating propulsion and/or steering systems of the watercraft based on a detected object. The control component may operate the propulsion and/or steering systems to disable a propeller when a swimmer is detected, to avoid detected debris, and/or to perform or assist in performing docking maneuvers. The imaging components may include compact thermal imaging modules mounted on or within the hull of the watercraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: FLIR Belgium BVBA
    Inventors: Austin A. Richards, Peter A. Reid, Jay E. Robinson, Andrew C. Teich, Christopher Daniel Gatland, Gordon Pope
  • Patent number: 10906452
    Abstract: A control device for a headlight for emitting light according to a headlight signal corresponding to an adjustable light distribution. The control device outputs the headlight signal, corresponding to the adjustable light distribution, to the headlight. The control device has an evaluation unit that determines object position data of the object when particles are detected using a detection unit and a self-illuminating object is detected, and to determine, as a function of the object position data, a region in which the object is located. The evaluation unit also generates data for the light distribution as a function of the region in such a way that a light intensity in the region is reduced or increased with respect to a light intensity outside this region, and correspondingly to determine and output the headlight signal from the data for the light distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: DAIMLER AG
    Inventors: Jan Boehm, Marcus Fiege, Joerg Moisel, Axel Mueller, Volker Reinhold, Katharina Wagner
  • Patent number: 10894505
    Abstract: Embodiments include apparatuses, methods, and systems including a computer assisted system of lighting control for a computer assisted vehicle that may adjust a lighting device of the vehicle to emit lights with different characteristics in real time depending on the environment and the surroundings of the vehicle. A computer assisted system of lighting control for a computer assisted vehicle may adjust a lighting device on the vehicle based on a driver's preference about the light for driving, a light received by a sensor on the vehicle from a non-natural light source external to the vehicle, or an instruction received by a receiver on the vehicle from a sender external to the vehicle. The computer assisted system of lighting control for a computer assisted vehicle may also transmit an information or instruction to adjust a non-natural light source external to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Manuj R. Sabharwal, Chao Huang
  • Patent number: 10889233
    Abstract: There are provided a lighting control device, a vehicular lamp, and a lighting control method which can prevent visibility in front of a driver of a vehicle from decreasing. The lighting control device controls a light distribution state by a vehicular headlamp, and includes: an obstacle detection part that detects an obstacle from an image in front of a subject vehicle taken by a camera; a light-shielding area deriving part that derives a first light-shielding area of a left headlamp attached to a front left side of the vehicle, and a second light-shielding area of a right headlamp attached to a front right side of the vehicle according to a position of the obstacle when the obstacle detection part detects the obstacle; and a light distribution control part that controls a light distribution state of the right headlamp and a light distribution state of the left headlamp according to the first light-shielding area and the second light-shielding area derived by the light-shielding area deriving part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: STANLEY ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yuki Hosoyama
  • Patent number: 10885358
    Abstract: The limitation, which applies when capturing traffic signs in a conventional manner using a camera which is oriented to the front with respect to the vehicle, to capturing traffic signs that are located ahead in the driving direction and the unique association between traffic signs that apply only to one direction and the driving direction of the capturing vehicle are eliminated by way of a camera that is oriented to the rear with respect to the vehicle, for example a rear-view camera of the vehicle, also being operated during forward travel in order to also capture traffic signs that apply to the opposite direction and are located behind the vehicle at the time they are captured, and the position of said traffic signs, and by way of data sets generated therefrom being transmitted to the database together with the data sets generated by means of the front camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Robert Lindemann
  • Patent number: 10864854
    Abstract: A vehicle camera device is suitable to be provided in a first vehicle. The vehicle camera device receives a distance between the first vehicle and a second vehicle, detects the environment brightness information, and generates an angle value and a power value according to the distance and the environment brightness information, so as to adjust an angle of depression and a power of an infrared illumination module according to the angle value and the power value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: GETAC TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Wu-Chieh Liao
  • Patent number: 10843620
    Abstract: In an automotive lighting apparatus, at least one lighting component generates a corresponding light field. The lighting component is aligned such that the light field conforms to an illumination profile having a cutoff region meeting a cutoff criterion. At least one actuator is mechanically coupled to the lighting component to aim the lighting component in a direction other than that in which the lighting component was aligned. A control component operates the actuator based on the speed of an automobile in which the lighting component is installed. The actuator is then configured to aim the lighting component in the direction other than that in which the lighting component was aligned so that the light field thereof conforms to another illumination profile meeting another cutoff criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Valeo North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Gavin Warner, Greg Simons, Julien Hemon
  • Patent number: 10839235
    Abstract: In a light control system, a captured image of a cruising direction of a vehicle is acquired, and a light source is extracted from the captured image. A probability for estimating a light source to be a vehicle light source originating from a vehicle is calculated based on light source parameters for differentiating the light source. A dark section that is darker than the periphery and is present below the light source in the captured image is extracted. The probability is set to be higher for the light source of which the dark section is extracted. The light source having a probability that is a reference value set in advance or higher is estimated to be a light source of another vehicle. When the dark section that is detected as a shadow of a vehicle is detected, the probability of the light source being a vehicle light source is set to be high.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hironori Sato, Taiji Morishita
  • Patent number: 10806002
    Abstract: A control circuit for an illumination module in a vehicle includes an input channel for receiving a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal, a filter configured to extract information received by the input channel, one or more first light sources, one or more second light sources, a first output channel which is adapted to control on and off states of the one or more first light sources depending on the extracted information, and a second output channel which is adapted to control on and off states of the one or more second light source connected to the second output channel depending on the extracted information, and an electronic circuit connected to the first output channel and including a circuit carrier which includes the one or more first light sources, and at least one circuit connection mounted to the circuit carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: SMR Patents S.à.r.l.
    Inventors: Andreas Herrmann, Romeo Wieczorek, Kollu Harsha Vardhan Rao
  • Patent number: 10800455
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for detecting a vehicle's turn signal status for collision avoidance during lane-switching maneuvers or otherwise. A method includes detecting, at a first vehicle, a presence of a second vehicle in an adjacent lane. The method includes identifying, in an image of the second vehicle, a sub-portion containing a turn signal indicator of the second vehicle. The method includes processing the sub-portion of the image to determine a state of the turn signal indicator. The method also includes notifying a driver or performing a driving maneuver, at the first vehicle, based on the state of the turn signal indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Ashley Elizabeth Micks, Harpreetsingh Banvait, Jinesh J Jain, Brielle Reiff, Sneha Kadetotad
  • Patent number: 10782927
    Abstract: Provided is a navigation system, which is effectively used depending on driver characteristics and driving conditions, wherein display performance of DUCs including a cluster, front/rear AVNs, and operation systems thereof are controlled through a single controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Young Woo Park
  • Patent number: 10775016
    Abstract: A lighting assembly for a vehicle is provided. The lighting assembly includes a light source fixed to a vehicle mount structure to direct light toward ground level, and a lens covering the light source, wherein the lens includes an outer surface having a sawtooth profile, wherein the sawtooth profile is oriented at an angle in the range of approximately 30 to 60 degrees, and more preferably of approximately 45 degrees relative to a longitudinal or lateral axis of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, David Brian Glickman, Paul Kenneth Dellock
  • Patent number: 10767829
    Abstract: A light irradiation device (1) includes a light-source module (2), a light deflector (3), a parallel light generation unit (4), and a projecting light generation unit (5) in this order along the optical path. All of the light-collection point of the light-source module (2) on the emission side, the center mirror Or of the light deflector (3), and the focal point of the parallel light generation unit (4) on the incidence side are set at the same position P1. The mirror (31) of the light deflector (3) forward- and reverse-rotates about the axis passing through the mirror center Or to emit scanning light Ls as the reflected light and the deflected light to the parallel light generation unit (4). The parallel light generation unit (4) collimates the scanning light Ls to be parallel light that is parallel to the optical axis for emission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: STANLEY ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shinya Kogure
  • Patent number: 10752164
    Abstract: A vehicular lamp of the present disclosure supports a light-on mode for flickering a light source. A driving unit flickers the light source. An abnormality circuit asserts an abnormality detection signal while a predetermined state indicative of an abnormality state is detected during the light-on of the light source. A timer circuit (i) advances clocking while the abnormality detection signal is asserted, during the light-on of the light source, and resets clocking when the abnormality detection signal is negated; (ii) maintains the clocked time during an immediately preceding light-on period while the light source is turned off; and (iii) asserts a fail signal when the clocked time reaches a predetermined determination time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Ichikawa, Satoshi Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 10750589
    Abstract: An exterior aircraft light unit includes at least two light sources. Each light source is provided with a variable current bypass component. Each variable current bypass component is configured to allow bypassing an adjustable electric current by the respective light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: GOODRICH LIGHTING SYSTEMS GMBH
    Inventors: Ramesh Spinivasamurthy, Andre Hessling-Von Heimendahl, Robert Trinschek
  • Patent number: 10728975
    Abstract: Described is a lighting system that includes a lighting device and a switching device. The switching device controls application of lighting power to the lighting device. Further, the lighting system includes an automation system that includes a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon. The instructions are executable by a processing device to receive a lighting profile selection. Additionally, the instructions are executable to cycle the switching device to transmit a binary signal to the lighting device. The binary signal identifies the lighting profile selection and instructs the lighting device to emit a lighting profile identified by the binary signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: ZODIAC POOL SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventor: David Goldman
  • Patent number: 10703259
    Abstract: An electronic controller of a vehicle is in electronic communication with lamp cover condition sensors, a headlamp switch, an off-road lamp switch and an electronic display. The electronic controller is configured to turn on the off-road lamp device in response to the off-road lamp switch being switched to the on condition and further in response to each of a plurality of predetermined conditions being met, the electronic controller further being configured to prevent the off-road lamp device from turning on in response to the off-road lamp switch being switched to the on condition and further in response to at least one of the plurality of predetermined conditions not being met, the predetermined conditions including at least a determination that the removable lamp cover of the off-road device has been removed, and a determination that the headlamp switch is in the second operating condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Kurt Rosolowsky, Melaina Vasko, Christopher Day
  • Patent number: 10670220
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a laser illumination device for a motor vehicle headlight, wherein the laser illumination device comprises two or more adjustable laser light sources (11 to 18), wherein the number of laser light sources is designated as N, and each laser light source generates a laser beam (11p to 18p) and at least one optical attachment (21 to 28) is arranged downstream of each laser light source and at least one microscanner (51, 52) is assigned, and each microscanner is arranged to guide two or more laser beams onto at least one light conversion means (60), wherein on the at least one light conversion means a luminous image is produced, and an imaging system (PS) is associated with the at least one light conversion means in order to project the luminous image as a light image onto the road, wherein the method includes the following steps: dividing at least a part of the luminous image into luminous strips, wherein the number of luminous strips is designated as n, determini
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: ZKW GROUP GMBH
    Inventors: Markus Reinprecht, Bettina Reisinger, Thomas Mitterlehner
  • Patent number: 10641456
    Abstract: Lighting module for a projector of a motor vehicle, the lighting module including a light source and a matrix of micromirrors, characterized in that it includes a mask disposed between the light source and the matrix of micromirrors, the mask including an opening allowing light rays coming from the light source to pass and oriented towards the matrix of micromirrors, and the mask including an opaque part blocking light rays coming from the light source and not oriented toward the matrix of micromirrors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: VALEO VISION
    Inventors: Pierre Choquet, Thomas Daniel
  • Patent number: 10638573
    Abstract: Provided is a lighting tool for a vehicle including a first power supply, and a lamp for a vehicle operated with electric power supplied from the first power supply, a detection unit that detects a waveform of first electric power, a generation unit that generates a first control signal that is a signal controlling the lamp for a vehicle according to the waveform of the detected first electric power, an output control unit that superimposes the first control signal on the first electric power and wirelessly transmit the signal obtained by the superimposition from a power transmission section, a conversion unit that acquires a second control signal based on the signal received by a power receiving section that receives the signal wirelessly transmitted from the power transmission section, and a lamp control unit that controls the lamp for a vehicle according to the second control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: STANLEY ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Toshio Yokobori