Vehicle lighting controller, vehicle system including the controller, and vehicle lighting control method

Abstract

The present invention provides a vehicle lighting controller, a vehicle system including the controller, and a vehicle lighting control method. The vehicle lighting controller includes a processor and a storage device. The processor controls the operation of a lighting device in the vehicle based on driving conditions and payment conditions for vehicle use; the storage device is configured to store data used to drive the processor.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0058457 filed on May 15, 2020, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to a lighting controller for a vehicle, a system including the controller, and a lighting control method for a vehicle, and more particularly, to an arrangement for controlling lighting devices in an autonomous commercial vehicle to allow passengers to recognize different types of information. Background Art

[0004] In recent years, with the development of autonomous vehicles, autonomous commercial vehicles (e.g., self-driving taxis) have also been developed.

[0005] After a consumer rides in such an autonomous commercial vehicle, he or she can check the driving situation, such as the remaining distance to the destination, through various electronic devices, and can continue to look at the electronic devices or the periphery of the vehicle window to check whether the vehicle has arrived at the destination.

[0006] Furthermore, when the consumer pays the service fee after the vehicle arrives at the destination, there is the inconvenience of having to separately check whether the fare payment is successful using an electronic device.

[0007] In addition, the conventional ambient light system in the vehicle controls the color and brightness in the vehicle to suit the feelings of the vehicle driver. This ambient light changes its color according to the driver's inclination and preference to enhance the interior effect, but the ambient light has no function. Summary of the Invention

[0008] One aspect of the present invention provides a vehicle lighting controller, a system including the controller, and a vehicle lighting control method. The vehicle lighting controller is used to control a lighting device in a vehicle to allow passengers to recognize different types of information.

[0009] The technical problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to the aforementioned problems. According to the following description, those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs will clearly understand any other technical problems not mentioned herein.

[0010] According to one aspect of the present invention, a lighting controller for a vehicle may include a processor and a storage device, wherein the processor controls the operation of a lighting device in the vehicle according to driving conditions and payment conditions for using the vehicle; the storage device is configured to store data for driving the processor.

[0011] In an embodiment, the processor may control at least one of the brightness, color, and flashing speed of the lighting device based on the remaining distance to the destination.

[0012] In an embodiment, the processor may increase the brightness of the lighting device as the remaining distance to the destination decreases.

[0013] In an embodiment, the processor may divide the remaining distance to the destination into predetermined intervals, and may adjust the brightness of the lighting device for each predetermined interval, or may turn on the lighting device in a color divided for each predetermined interval.

[0014] In an embodiment, when the driving situation is a dangerous situation or when the vehicle arrives at the destination, the processor may control the brightness or color of the lighting device to provide a notification that the driving situation is a dangerous situation or the vehicle arrives at the destination.

[0015] In an embodiment, when the driving situation is a dangerous situation or when the vehicle arrives at the destination, the processor may increase the brightness of the lighting device to a maximum value or may increase the flashing speed of the lighting device.

[0016] In an embodiment, when the driving situation is a dangerous situation or when the vehicle arrives at a destination, the processor may control output sound for warning about the dangerous situation or providing a notification that the vehicle has arrived at the destination.

[0017] In an embodiment, the processor may turn on the lighting device in a first color after the vehicle arrives at the destination, and may enter a payment waiting stage to turn on the lighting device in a second color different from the first color.

[0018] In an embodiment, the processor may increase the brightness of the lighting device to a maximum value or control the lighting device to flash during the payment waiting stage.

[0019] In an embodiment, when an occupant of the vehicle completes payment, the processor may turn on the lighting device in a third color that is different from the second color.

[0020] In an embodiment, when the passenger payment fails or approval of the payment is denied, the processor may turn on the lighting device in a fourth color that is different from the third color.

[0021] In an embodiment, the driving situation may include at least one of a change in a remaining distance to a destination, whether the driving situation is a dangerous situation, or whether the vehicle has reached the destination.

[0022] According to one aspect of the present invention, a vehicle system may include a lighting device in a vehicle and a lighting controller that controls operation of the lighting device according to a driving situation and a situation in which a fee is paid for use of the vehicle.

[0023] In an embodiment, the lighting controller may control on / off, color, brightness, and flashing of the lighting device according to at least one of a change in the remaining distance to the destination, whether the driving situation is a dangerous situation, or whether the vehicle has reached the destination.

[0024] According to one aspect of the present invention, a lighting control method for a vehicle may include: determining, by a lighting controller, a driving condition or a condition of paying a fee for using the vehicle; and controlling, by the lighting controller, an operation of a lighting device in the vehicle according to the driving condition and the condition of paying a fee for using the vehicle.

[0025] In an embodiment, controlling the operation of lighting devices in the vehicle may include increasing the brightness of the lighting devices as the remaining distance to the destination decreases.

[0026] In an embodiment, controlling the operation of lighting devices in a vehicle may include increasing the brightness of the lighting devices to a maximum value or increasing the flashing speed of the lighting devices when the driving situation is a dangerous situation or when the vehicle arrives at a destination.

[0027] In an embodiment, the operation of controlling the lighting device in a vehicle may include: turning on the lighting device in a first color after the vehicle arrives at the destination, entering a payment waiting stage to guide the passengers of the vehicle to make payment, turning on the lighting device in a second color different from the first color, and when the passenger completes the payment, turning on the lighting device in a third color different from the second color.

[0028] In an embodiment, controlling the operation of the lighting device in the vehicle may further include turning on the lighting device in a fourth color different from the third color when the passenger payment fails or when approval of the payment is denied.

[0029] In an embodiment, the above method may further include providing voice output when controlling the operation of the lighting devices in the vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description presented in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0031] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a vehicle system including a lighting controller for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 2 and Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary screen for lighting control according to a remaining distance to a destination according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 4 and Figure 5is a flowchart illustrating a lighting control method for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

[0034] Figure 6 is a block diagram illustrating a computing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] It should be understood that the term "vehicle" or "vehicular" or other similar terms used herein generally include motor vehicles, such as passenger cars including sport utility vehicles (SUVs), buses, trucks, various commercial vehicles, watercraft including various boats, ships, aircraft, etc., and include hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, hydrogen-powered vehicles, and other alternative fuel vehicles (e.g., fuels derived from non-petroleum energy sources). As referred to herein, a hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that has two or more power sources, such as both gasoline-powered and electric-powered vehicles.

[0036] The terms used herein are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. As used herein, the singular forms "one", "an" and "said" are intended to also include plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should be further understood that, when used in this specification, the terms "include" and / or "include" indicate the presence of the described features, numerical values, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or increase of one or more other features, numerical values, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or their combinations. As used herein, the terms "and / or" include any and all combinations of one or more related enumeration items. Throughout the specification, unless explicitly stated otherwise, the terms "include" and their variations such as "include" or "include" will be understood to mean including the described elements without excluding any other elements. In addition, the terms "unit", "device", "element", and "module" described in this specification refer to units for processing at least one function and operation, and can be implemented by hardware components or software components and their combinations.

[0037] Furthermore, the control logic of the present invention may be implemented as a non-volatile computer-readable medium on a computer-readable medium containing executable program instructions executed by a processor, controller, or the like. Examples of computer-readable media include, but are not limited to, ROM, RAM, compact disc (CD)-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, flash drives, smart cards, and optical data storage devices. The computer-readable medium may also be distributed among network-connected computer systems so that the computer-readable medium is stored and executed in a distributed manner, such as by a telematics server or a controller area network (CAN).

[0038] Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the exemplary drawings. When adding reference numerals to the components of each figure, it should be noted that even if the same or equivalent components are shown in other figures, the same or equivalent components are designated by the same reference numerals. In addition, when describing the embodiments of the present invention, in order not to unnecessarily obscure the main purpose of the present invention, detailed descriptions of well-known features or functions will be omitted.

[0039] When describing components according to embodiments of the present invention, terms such as first, second, "A", "B", (a), (b), etc. may be used. These terms are only used to distinguish one component from another, and these terms do not limit the nature, order or sequence of the constituent components. Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technical or scientific terms) have the same meaning as those generally understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs. These terms defined in commonly used dictionaries should be understood to have contextual meanings in the relevant technical field and should not be understood to have ideal or overly formal meanings (unless such definitions are clearly made in this application).

[0040] An embodiment of the present invention may disclose the following technology: when a consumer rides in an autonomous commercial vehicle (e.g., an autonomous taxi), the operation of the ambient light in the vehicle is controlled, and the consumer is informed of the driving conditions and the process of paying the service fee, thereby improving marketability.

[0041] In the following, reference will be made to Figures 1 to 6 Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail.

[0042] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a vehicle system including a lighting controller for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] refer to Figure 1 The vehicle system may include: a vehicle lighting controller 100, a sensing device 200, an interface device 300, an ambient light 400, a navigation device 500, and a payment controller 600. Figure 1 The vehicle system can be loaded into commercial vehicles (for example, self-driving taxis).

[0044] The vehicle lighting controller 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention can be implemented in a vehicle. In this case, the vehicle lighting controller 100 can be integrated with a control unit in the vehicle, or can be implemented as a separate device connected to the vehicle control unit via a separate connection arrangement. In addition, the vehicle lighting controller 100 can be implemented as an ambient light control module (MLM).

[0045] The vehicle's lighting controller 100 can adjust at least one of the color of the vehicle's ambient light, whether the ambient light is turned on, the brightness of the ambient light, or the flashing of the ambient light, so that the vehicle's passengers can intuitively identify the driving situation (for example, the remaining distance to the destination or whether the vehicle has arrived at the destination) and payment situation (for example, payment failed, etc.).

[0046] To this end, the lighting controller 100 of the vehicle may include a communication device 110 , a storage device 120 , and a processor 130 .

[0047] The communication device 110 can be a hardware device implemented by various electronic circuits that send and receive signals through wireless or wired connections. In an embodiment of the present invention, the communication device 110 can perform network communication technology in the vehicle, and can use wireless Internet technology or short-range communication technology to perform vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication with a server, infrastructure, or another vehicle outside the vehicle. Here, the network communication technology in the vehicle can be to perform inter-vehicle communication through controller area network (CAN) communication, local internet (LIN) communication, flex-ray communication, etc. In addition, wireless Internet technology may include wireless local area network (WLAN), wireless broadband (WiBro), wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi), global interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX), etc. In addition, short-range communication technology may include Bluetooth, ZigBee, ultra-wideband (UWB), radio frequency identification (RFID), infrared data association (IrDA), etc.

[0048] As an example, the communication device 110 may communicate with the navigation device 500 to receive information about a remaining distance to a destination, destination arrival information, etc., and receive a sensing result of the sensing device 200 .

[0049] As an example, the communication device 110 may receive traffic accident information, road information, etc. from a traffic center or another vehicle outside the vehicle.

[0050] The storage device 120 can store the sensing results of the sensing device 200, traffic accident information and road information outside the vehicle received by the communication device 110, or data obtained by the processor 130, and can store data and / or algorithms required for the operation of the vehicle's lighting controller 100, etc.

[0051] As an example, the storage device 120 may store information about the vehicle's location, information about roads, etc. received via the navigation device 500, etc. In addition, the storage device 120 may store accident information, road construction information, etc. received through vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication. In addition, the storage device 120 may store information about obstacles ahead detected by the sensing device 200.

[0052] The storage device 120 may include at least one type of storage medium, for example, a flash memory, a hard disk memory, a micro memory, a card memory (for example, a secure digital (SD) card or an extreme digital (XD) card), a random access memory (RAM), a static RAM (SRAM), a read-only memory (ROM), a programmable ROM (PROM), an electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM), a magnetic RAM (MRAM), a magnetic disk, and an optical disk.

[0053] The processor 130 may be electrically connected to the communication device 110, the storage device 120, and the like, and may electrically control each component. The processor 130 may be a circuit that executes software instructions and may perform various data processing and calculations described below. The processor 130 may be, for example, an electronic control unit (ECU), a microcontroller unit (MCU), or another sub-controller installed in the vehicle.

[0054] The processor 130 may control the operation of the ambient light 400 as the lighting device in the vehicle according to the driving situation or the situation of paying a fee for using the vehicle. In this case, the driving situation may include at least one of a change in the remaining distance to the destination, whether the driving situation is dangerous, or whether the vehicle has arrived at the destination.

[0055] The processor 130 may control at least one of the brightness, color, or flashing speed of the ambient light 400 based on the remaining distance to the destination. In this case, the ambient light 400 may include door ambient lights, console ambient lights, and cushion ambient lights. The processor 130 may simultaneously control all ambient lights in the vehicle, such as the door ambient lights, console ambient lights, and cushion ambient lights, or may control some of the ambient lights depending on the situation.

[0056] When the remaining distance to the destination is short, the processor 130 may increase the brightness of the lighting device. In other words, the processor 130 may divide the remaining distance to the destination into predetermined intervals, and may adjust the brightness of the atmosphere light 400 for each predetermined interval, or may turn on the atmosphere light according to the color divided for each predetermined interval. For example, the processor 130 may divide the remaining distance to the destination into five intervals, may determine a different color for each interval, and may turn on the atmosphere light 400 with the corresponding color when the vehicle enters the corresponding interval. In addition, the processor 130 may divide the remaining distance to the destination into five intervals, may determine a different degree of brightness for each interval, may set the brightness of the atmosphere light 400 to the corresponding brightness when the vehicle enters the corresponding interval, and may adjust the brightness of the atmosphere light 400 to be brighter or darker as the remaining distance to the destination gets closer.

[0057] Processor 130 can determine whether the driving situation is dangerous. When the driving situation is dangerous or when the vehicle arrives at the destination, processor 130 can control the brightness or color of ambient light 400 to notify passengers of the dangerous driving situation or the arrival of the vehicle at the destination. In this case, processor 130 can use vehicle warning signals (such as airbag signals, tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) signals, information provided by sensing device 200, and collision signals) to determine the dangerous situation.

[0058] When the driving situation is dangerous or when the vehicle arrives at the destination, the processor 130 may increase the brightness of the ambient light 400 to a maximum value, or may increase the blinking speed of the ambient light 400. In other words, when the driving situation is dangerous or when the vehicle arrives at the destination, the processor 130 may allow the ambient light 400 to blink quickly so that the passenger can recognize the blinking of the ambient light 400.

[0059] When the driving situation is dangerous or when the vehicle arrives at the destination, the processor 130 can control the output of a sound to warn of the dangerous situation or provide a notification that the vehicle has arrived at the destination. The processor 130 can cooperate with an output device (such as an audio video navigation (AVN) device or a cluster instrument) to provide a voice output. In this case, the voice output may be: "The situation is dangerous."

[0060] After the vehicle arrives at the destination, the processor 130 may turn on the ambient light 400 in a first color (e.g., yellow), and may enter a payment waiting phase, turning on the ambient light 400 in a second color (e.g., orange) different from the first color to guide the passenger to pay. In addition, during the payment waiting phase, the processor 130 may increase the brightness of the ambient light 400 to a maximum value, or may control the ambient light 400 to flash to guide the passenger to pay quickly.

[0061] When the passenger completes payment, the processor 130 may turn on the ambient light 400 in a third color (e.g., green) that is different from the second color. Here, when the passenger's payment fails or when payment approval is denied, the processor 130 may turn on the ambient light 400 in a fourth color (e.g., red) that is different from the third color. The processor 130 may cooperate with the interface device 300 to provide a voice output, such as "payment completed" or "payment failed," so that the passenger can accurately identify the payment status.

[0062] Thus, the passenger can try to pay again. When the payment is successful, the processor 130 can drive the ambient light 400 in a general mode (an idle driving mode in which no consumer is riding).

[0063] In one embodiment of the present invention, the ambient lighting allows passengers to understand the driving and payment status. However, another embodiment of the present invention can cooperate with electronic devices in the vehicle (e.g., the instrument cluster or AVN) and the ambient lighting to enable passengers to more accurately identify the driving and payment status.

[0064] The sensing device 200 may include one or more sensors, each of which measures the distance to and the relative speed of obstacles located around the vehicle, for example, an obstacle in front of the vehicle.

[0065] The sensing device 200 may include multiple sensors for sensing objects outside the vehicle and may obtain information about the location of the object, the speed of the object, the direction of movement of the object, and / or the type of the object (e.g., vehicle, pedestrian, bicycle, motorcycle, etc.). To this end, the sensing device 200 may include an ultrasonic sensor, a radar, a camera, a laser scanner and / or a corner radar, a laser radar (LiDAR), an acceleration sensor, a yaw rate sensor, a torque sensor and / or a wheel speed sensor, a steering angle sensor, etc. In an embodiment of the present invention, the processor 130 may determine a dangerous situation based on the sensing results of the sensing device 200.

[0066] The interface device 300 may include an input device for receiving a control command from a user and an output device for outputting an operation state, an operation result, etc. of the lighting controller 100 .

[0067] Here, the input device may include key buttons, and may also include a mouse, a joystick, a jog shuttle, a stylus pen, etc. In addition, the input device may also include soft keys implemented on a display.

[0068] The output device may include a display and may also include a voice output device, such as a speaker. In this case, a touch sensor (e.g., a touch film, touch sheet, or touchpad) is provided in the display, and the display operates as a touch screen. The input device and output device may be integrated with each other. In embodiments of the present invention, the output device may output voice to notify passengers of dangerous situations, arrival at the destination, etc.

[0069] In this case, the display may include at least one of a liquid crystal display (LCD), a thin film transistor LCD (TFT-LCD), an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, a flexible display, a field emission display (FED), or a three-dimensional (3D) display.

[0070] The atmosphere light 400 may be a door-controlled light in a vehicle that provides interior effects, and may be controlled by the lighting controller 100 to be controlled in terms of color, brightness, flickering, and the like.

[0071] The ambient light 400 can be adjusted in color and brightness by the lighting controller 100 of the vehicle as the leader, and can be set as at least one follower in the vehicle. The ambient light 400 can be an example of a door ambient light, and can include a console ambient light, a cushion ambient light, etc.

[0072] The navigation device 500 may provide the lighting controller 100 of the vehicle with information on a route to a destination, information on a remaining distance to the destination, an estimated time to reach the destination, road information, and the like.

[0073] The payment controller 600 may pay the passenger's fee through various payment forms such as cash, near field communication (NFC), card, Bluetooth, and blockchain, and may provide information indicating whether the payment is successful to the vehicle's lighting controller 100.

[0074] Figure 2 and Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary screen for lighting control according to a remaining distance to a destination according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0075] refer to Figure 2 In the existing technology, after taking a self-driving taxi and entering the destination, consumers can only check the distance from the current location to the destination and the estimated arrival time on the screen.

[0076] refer to Figure 3 , in an embodiment of the present invention, after riding in a self-driving taxi, consumers can use the changes in the brightness of the ambient light to identify the remaining distance to the destination without having to check the distance to the destination and the estimated arrival time on the screen.

[0077] For example, after the consumer inputs the destination, when the distance from the current location to the destination is 46 km, the embodiment of the present invention can divide the change in the brightness of the ambient light into ten stages, and can increase the brightness of the ambient light as the consumer gets closer to the destination.

[0078] For example, an embodiment of the present invention may increase the brightness of the ambient light by 10% at a distance of 4.6 km or less from the starting point. An embodiment of the present invention may increase the brightness of the ambient light by 20% at a distance greater than 4.6 km and less than 9.2 km. An embodiment of the present invention may increase the brightness of the ambient light by 30% at a distance greater than 9.3 km and less than 13.9 km. An embodiment of the present invention may increase the brightness of the ambient light to 100% at a distance greater than 41.4 km from the starting point. An embodiment of the present invention may turn off the ambient light when the brightness of the ambient light is increased to 100% when the vehicle arrives at the destination.

[0079] Below, we will refer to Figure 4 A detailed description is given of a lighting control method of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating a lighting control method of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0080] Next, assume Figure 1 The lighting controller 100 of the vehicle executes Figure 4 In addition, Figure 4 In the description, the operations described as being performed by the device can be understood as being controlled by the processor 130 of the vehicle lighting controller 100.

[0081] refer to Figure 4 In step S101, the device may operate the ambient light in a normal mode while driving. In this case, the normal mode may be a mode in which the ambient light is used as an internal function of the self-driving taxi. In other words, when the self-driving taxi is driving without any customers, the ambient light may operate in a normal mode.

[0082] In step S102, the device may determine whether a destination is input. In other words, when a destination is input, the device may determine that a passenger is riding in a vehicle.

[0083] When the destination is input, in step S103 , the device may enter an ambient light control mode to provide information to passengers by controlling the ambient light.

[0084] In step S104, the device may adjust the brightness of the ambient light based on the remaining distance to the destination. For example, the shorter the remaining distance, the brighter the ambient light. Alternatively, the device may set the color of the ambient light to a different value for each remaining distance to the destination. Furthermore, the device may control the ambient light to flash rapidly as the vehicle approaches the destination.

[0085] In step S105 , the device may determine whether a dangerous situation occurs while driving.

[0086] When a dangerous situation occurs, in step S106, the device can turn on the ambient light (for example, turn on the red ambient light), can perform double flashing of the ambient light, and can provide voice output to indicate the dangerous state. For example, the device can turn on the ambient light in green under normal driving conditions, and can turn on the ambient light in red under dangerous conditions. In addition, in the state where the ambient light is turned on in red, the device can control the ambient light to perform double flashing. In addition, in the state where the ambient light is turned on in red, the device can output a warning about the dangerous situation in sound. In addition, the device can increase the brightness of the ambient light to 100% in a dangerous situation, and can control the ambient light to flash when the brightness of the ambient light is increased to 100%.

[0087] In step S107, the device may determine whether the vehicle has arrived at the destination. In this case, the device may use navigation information, global positioning system (GPS) information, information about the remaining distance to the destination, etc. to determine whether the vehicle has arrived at the destination.

[0088] When the vehicle arrives at the destination, in step S108 , the device may change the color of the ambient light and may turn on the ambient light with the changed color to notify the passenger that the vehicle has arrived at the destination.

[0089] Therefore, an embodiment of the present invention can turn on the ambient light in a different color for each remaining distance to the destination, or can adjust the brightness of the ambient light differently, so that the passenger can identify the remaining distance to the destination using only the change in the ambient light without having to determine the remaining distance to the destination. In addition, when a dangerous situation occurs, an embodiment of the present invention can change the color of the ambient light and can turn on the ambient light in a changed color, can control the ambient light to flash, or can provide voice output so that the passenger can identify the dangerous situation. In addition, an embodiment of the present invention can change the color of the ambient light and can turn on the ambient light in a changed color, so that the passenger can intuitively know the status of arrival at the destination when the vehicle arrives at the destination.

[0090] Therefore, passengers riding in self-driving taxis can know the remaining distance to the destination, dangerous situations, whether the vehicle has arrived at the destination, etc. by simply using the changes in the ambient lights.

[0091] Below, we will refer to Figure 5 A detailed description is given of a lighting control method of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating a lighting control method of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0092] Next, assume Figure 1 The lighting controller 100 of the vehicle executes Figure 5 In addition, Figure 5 In the description, the operations described as being performed by the device can be understood as being controlled by the processor 130 of the vehicle lighting controller 100.

[0093] In step S201, the device may determine whether the vehicle has arrived at the destination. When the vehicle arrives at the destination, in step S202, the device may turn on the ambient light in a first color to provide a notification that the vehicle has arrived at the destination. For example, the first color may be yellow.

[0094] After the autonomous taxi (vehicle) arrives at the destination, in step S203, the device may enter a payment waiting phase to pay the autonomous taxi (vehicle) fee, and may turn on the ambient light in a second color to guide the passenger to make the payment, thereby notifying the passenger of the payment waiting state. For example, the second color may be orange. At this time, although another command is input to guide the passenger to make the payment, the device may ignore the other command and may execute the payment guidance control in the order of highest priority. In addition, the device may increase the brightness of the ambient light to 100% during the payment waiting phase so that the passenger can recognize the payment waiting phase.

[0095] In step S204, the device may determine whether the passenger has paid the fare. When the payment is completed, in step S205, the device may enter a payment completion phase and may turn on the ambient light in a third color to indicate payment completion. For example, the third color may be yellow.

[0096] In step S206, the device may determine whether approval of the completed payment is denied or whether the payment has failed. If it is determined that approval of the completed payment is denied or the payment has failed, in step S207, the device may turn on the ambient light in a fourth color. For example, the fourth color may be red. Furthermore, if the payment has failed or approval of the payment has been denied, the device may increase the brightness of the ambient light to 100%, allowing the passenger to recognize that the payment has failed or the approval has been denied.

[0097] Therefore, an embodiment of the present invention can use ambient lights to notify passengers of the payment progress stage after the passengers in the self-driving taxi arrive at their destination, so that the passengers can easily identify the payment status.

[0098] Figure 6 is a block diagram illustrating a computing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0099] refer to Figure 6 , the computing system 1000 may include at least one processor 1100 , a memory 1300 , a user interface input device 1400 , a user interface output device 1500 , a storage device 1600 , and a network interface 1700 connected to each other via a bus 1200 .

[0100] The processor 1100 may be a central processing unit (CPU) or a semiconductor device that processes instructions stored in the memory 1300 and / or the storage device 1600. The memory 1300 and the storage device 1600 may include various types of volatile or non-volatile storage media. For example, the memory 1300 may include a ROM (read-only memory) and a RAM (random access memory).

[0101] Thus, the operations of the methods or algorithms described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented directly in hardware or in software modules executed by the processor 1100, or in a combination of the two. The software modules may reside in a storage medium (i.e., memory and / or storage device) such as RAM, flash memory, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, registers, hard disk, removable hard disk, and CD-ROM.

[0102] An exemplary storage medium may be coupled to the processor 1100, and the processor 1100 may read information from the storage medium and may write information to the storage medium. Alternatively, the storage medium may be integrated with the processor 1100. The processor and the storage medium may be located in an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The ASIC may be located in a user terminal. In another embodiment, the processor and the storage medium may exist as separate components in the user terminal.

[0103] This technology can control lighting devices in autonomous commercial vehicles, etc., and can enable passengers to recognize various information, thereby increasing passenger convenience.

[0104] Furthermore, various effects directly or indirectly understood by the present invention can be provided.

[0105] As described above, although the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments and the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, but various modifications and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed in the appended claims.

[0106] Therefore, the exemplary embodiments of the present invention are provided to explain the spirit and scope of the present invention, rather than to limit them, so that the spirit and scope of the present invention are not limited by the embodiments. The scope of the present invention should be interpreted based on the appended claims, and all technical concepts within the scope equivalent to the claims should be included within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A vehicle lighting controller, comprising: a processor configured to control operation of a lighting device in the vehicle based on driving conditions and payment of a fee for use of the vehicle; as well as a storage device configured to store data for driving the processor; Wherein, the lighting device is an ambient light, and the vehicle is a self-driving taxi; The processor is configured as follows: When the self-driving taxi is traveling without passengers, the ambient lighting is operated in a normal mode; When there is a passenger in the self-driving taxi and a destination is input, operating the ambient light in an ambient light control mode to provide information to the passenger by controlling the ambient light; After the self-driving taxi arrives at the destination, it guides passengers to make payments by controlling the ambient lights.

2. The vehicle lighting controller according to claim 1, wherein: The processor controls at least one of brightness, color, and blinking speed of the lighting device according to the remaining distance to the destination.

3. The vehicle lighting controller according to claim 1, wherein: The processor increases the brightness of the lighting device as the remaining distance to the destination decreases.

4. The vehicle lighting controller according to claim 1, wherein: The processor divides the remaining distance to the destination into predetermined intervals and adjusts the brightness of the lighting device for each predetermined interval or turns on the lighting device in a color divided for each predetermined interval.

5. The vehicle lighting controller according to claim 1, wherein: When the driving situation is a dangerous situation or when the vehicle arrives at a destination, the processor controls the brightness or color of the lighting device to provide a notification that the driving situation is a dangerous situation or the vehicle arrives at the destination.

6. The vehicle lighting controller according to claim 5, wherein: When the driving situation is a dangerous situation or when the vehicle arrives at a destination, the processor increases the brightness of the lighting device to a maximum value or increases the flashing speed of the lighting device.

7. The vehicle lighting controller according to claim 5, wherein: When the driving situation is a dangerous situation or when the vehicle arrives at a destination, the processor controls output of a sound for warning about the dangerous situation or providing a notification that the vehicle arrives at the destination.

8. The vehicle lighting controller according to claim 1, wherein: The processor turns on the lighting device in a first color after the vehicle arrives at the destination, and turns on the lighting device in a second color different from the first color when entering the payment waiting stage.

9. The vehicle lighting controller according to claim 8, wherein: The processor increases the brightness of the lighting device to a maximum value or controls the lighting device to flash during the payment waiting stage.

10. The vehicle lighting controller according to claim 8, wherein: When an occupant of the vehicle completes payment, the processor turns on the lighting device in a third color different from the second color.

11. The vehicle lighting controller according to claim 10, wherein: When the passenger payment fails or approval of the payment is denied, the processor turns on the lighting device in a fourth color different from the third color.

12. The vehicle lighting controller according to claim 1, wherein: The driving situation includes at least one of a change in a remaining distance to a destination, whether the driving situation is a dangerous situation, or whether the vehicle has arrived at the destination.

13. A vehicle system comprising: a lighting device in a vehicle; as well as a lighting controller configured to control operation of the lighting device according to a driving situation and a situation in which a fee is paid for use of the vehicle; Wherein, the lighting device is an ambient light, and the vehicle is a self-driving taxi; The lighting controller is configured as follows: When the self-driving taxi is traveling without passengers, the ambient lighting is operated in a normal mode; When there is a passenger in the self-driving taxi and a destination is input, operating the ambient light in an ambient light control mode to provide information to the passenger by controlling the ambient light; After the self-driving taxi arrives at the destination, it guides passengers to make payments by controlling the ambient lights.

14. The vehicle system according to claim 13, wherein: The lighting controller controls on / off, color, brightness, and blinking of the lighting device according to at least one of a change in a remaining distance to a destination, whether a driving situation is a dangerous situation, or whether the vehicle has arrived at a destination.

15. A vehicle lighting control method, the method comprising: a driving situation or a situation where a fee is paid for the use of a vehicle as determined by a lighting controller; controlling, by a lighting controller, operation of a lighting device in the vehicle according to a driving situation and a situation in which a fee is paid for use of the vehicle; Wherein, the lighting device is an ambient light, and the vehicle is a self-driving taxi; When the self-driving taxi is traveling without passengers, the ambient light is operated in a normal mode by the lighting controller; When there is a passenger in the self-driving taxi and a destination is input, the lighting controller operates the ambient light in an ambient light control mode to provide information to the passenger by controlling the ambient light; After the self-driving taxi arrives at the destination, the lighting controller guides the passengers to make payment by controlling the ambient lights.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein The operations for controlling the lighting devices in the vehicle include: The brightness of the lighting device increases as the remaining distance to the destination decreases.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein: The operations for controlling the lighting devices in the vehicle include: When the driving situation is a dangerous situation or when the vehicle arrives at the destination, the brightness of the lighting device is increased to a maximum value or the flashing speed of the lighting device is increased.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein The operations for controlling the lighting devices in the vehicle include: After the vehicle arrives at the destination, turning on the lighting device in the first color; Entering the payment waiting stage, for guiding the passengers of the vehicle to make payment, turning on the lighting device in a second color different from the first color; When the passenger completes payment, the lighting device is turned on in a third color that is different from the second color.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein Controlling the operation of lighting devices in the vehicle further includes: When the passenger payment fails or approval of the payment is denied, the lighting device is turned on in a fourth color that is different from the third color.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising: When controlling the operation of lighting devices in a vehicle, voice output is provided.

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