A projection lamp control method, device, vehicle and computer program product

Abstract

The application provides a projection lamp control method and device, a vehicle and a computer program product. The vehicle is provided with a projection lamp connected with a motor. The motor can rotate the projection lamp relative to the vehicle. During driving of the vehicle, driving condition information of the vehicle can indicate a driving direction of the vehicle and / or a direction of a passable next lane connected with a current lane of the vehicle. Thus, based on the driving condition information, the motor controls rotation of the projection lamp, so that the projection lamp can project an image in the driving direction and / or in the direction of the connected next lane. Thus, the projection direction of the projection lamp can change with the driving direction of the vehicle, and the image can also be projected on the connected next lane in a targeted manner. The projection mode is improved in flexibility, and the image can be projected on the road surface concerned by the driver, so that the driver can be effectively provided with guidance information.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of vehicle technology, and in particular to a projection lamp control method, device, vehicle, and computer program product. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of vehicles and the improvement of people's living standards, more and more vehicles are equipped with projection lights. Vehicle projection lights can be installed at the front of the vehicle to project images onto the road. The projected images can carry guidance information such as driving information or road condition information to remind the driver to drive safely. However, in related technologies, vehicle projection lights have a relatively small projection range, which cannot cover the area of ​​the road that the driver is focused on while driving, and the projection method lacks flexibility, making it difficult to effectively provide guidance information to the driver. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application provides a projection light control method, device, vehicle, and computer program product, which can effectively provide drivers with effective guidance information.

[0004] According to a first aspect of this application, a projection lamp control method is provided, applied to a vehicle, the vehicle being equipped with at least one projection lamp connected to a motor, the projection lamp being used to project an image toward a road surface; the motor being used to control the rotation of the connected projection lamp; the method comprising:

[0005] During the vehicle's operation, the vehicle's driving status information is acquired; the driving status information is used to indicate the vehicle's driving direction and / or to indicate the direction of at least one passable next lane connected to the vehicle's current driving lane.

[0006] Based on the driving condition information, the connected projection lamp is rotated by the motor, so that the projection lamp projects an image onto the road surface in the direction indicated by the driving condition information.

[0007] In some examples, the driving status information is used to indicate the vehicle's driving direction, and obtaining the vehicle's driving status information includes one or more of the following:

[0008] The driving status information is determined based on the angle information output by the steering control device on the vehicle; the steering control device is used to control the driving direction of the vehicle.

[0009] The driving status information is determined based on the steering information output by the turn signals of the vehicle.

[0010] The driving status information is determined based on the lane type of the vehicle's current driving lane; the lane type includes straight lanes and turning lanes; the lane type is determined based on data collected by sensors on the vehicle facing outwards, and / or based on the vehicle's position information.

[0011] In some examples, if the driving condition information indicates that the vehicle's driving direction has changed from a straight direction to a turning direction, the driving condition information includes the vehicle's turning angle. The step of controlling the connected projection lamp to rotate via the motor based on the driving condition information includes:

[0012] Based on the turning angle, determine the rotation angle of the projection lamp;

[0013] The motor controls the connected projection lamp to rotate by the specified angle.

[0014] If the driving status information indicates that the vehicle's driving direction changes from a turning direction to a straight direction, the step of controlling the connected projection lamp to rotate via the motor based on the driving status information includes:

[0015] The motor controls the connected projection lamp to rotate to a preset initial posture, and the projection direction of the projection lamp in the initial posture matches the direction in which the front of the vehicle is facing.

[0016] In some examples, the projection lights connected to the motor are mounted on the left and right sides of the front of the vehicle; determining the rotation angle of the projection lights based on the turning angle includes:

[0017] If the turning angle is less than a preset angle threshold, determine the first rotation angle of the first projection lamp mounted on the side corresponding to the turning direction;

[0018] If the turning angle is greater than a preset angle threshold, determine the first rotation angle of the first projection lamp and the second rotation angle of the second projection lamp mounted on the side opposite to the turning direction.

[0019] Wherein, the first rotation angle is greater than the second rotation angle.

[0020] In some examples, a projection light is also mounted in the center of the front of the vehicle, which may or may not be connected to the motor.

[0021] In some examples, controlling the rotation of the connected projection lamp via the motor based on the driving condition information includes:

[0022] Obtain the directional information of obstacles in the direction indicated by the driving status information;

[0023] Based on the directional information, the connected projection lamp is rotated by the motor so that the projection lamp projects an image onto the road surface in the direction of the obstacle.

[0024] In some examples, the motor includes a first motor and a second motor; the first motor is used to control the yaw rotation of the projection lamp; the second motor is used to control the pitch rotation of the projection lamp; the yaw rotation includes left and right rotation along the direction the vehicle is facing; the pitch rotation includes up and down rotation along the direction the vehicle is facing; the step of controlling the rotation of the connected projection lamp through the motor based on the driving condition information includes:

[0025] Based on the direction indicated by the driving status information, the first motor controls the yaw rotation of the connected projection lamp;

[0026] Based on the vehicle's speed, the projection lamp connected to it is tilted and rotated by the second motor; wherein the speed is positively correlated with the tilt angle of the projection lamp.

[0027] In some examples, the projection lights include multiple lights, the driving condition information indicates the direction of at least one passable next lane connected to the vehicle's current driving lane, and the step of controlling the rotation of the connected projection lights via the motor based on the driving condition information includes:

[0028] Based on the direction of at least one of the next lanes, the connected projection lamps are rotated by the motor so that the plurality of projection lamps project images onto the road surface in the direction of at least one of the next lanes.

[0029] In some examples, the method further includes:

[0030] Obtain map information, including coordinate information and road guidance information, and compare the map information with the driving status information to verify the accuracy of the obtained driving status information.

[0031] In some examples, the images projected by the projection lamp include one or more of the following:

[0032] The vehicle's speed;

[0033] Obstacle information identified in the direction of vehicle travel;

[0034] The driving status information indicates the direction of the lane lines and / or road segment direction information.

[0035] According to a second aspect of this application, a projection lamp control device is provided, the device comprising:

[0036] processor;

[0037] Memory used to store processor-executable instructions;

[0038] Wherein, when the processor invokes the executable instructions, it implements the operation of any of the methods described in the first aspect above.

[0039] According to a third aspect of this application, a vehicle is provided, the vehicle comprising:

[0040] Body;

[0041] A power system mounted on the vehicle body is used to drive the vehicle.

[0042] A projection lamp, mounted at the front of the vehicle, is used to project an image toward the road surface; at least one of the projection lamps is connected to a motor;

[0043] A motor is used to control the rotation of a connected projection lamp so that the projection lamp projects an image onto the road surface in the direction of travel of the vehicle; and / or so that the projection lamp projects an image onto the road surface in the direction of at least one passable next lane connected to the vehicle's current lane.

[0044] In some examples, the projection lights include projection lights mounted on the left and right sides of the front of the vehicle and connected to the motor; and / or projection lights mounted in the middle of the front of the vehicle and connected to or not connected to the motor.

[0045] According to a fourth aspect of this application, a computer program product is provided, comprising a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the method as described in any of the first aspects above.

[0046] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this application may include the following beneficial effects:

[0047] This application provides a projection lamp control method, device, vehicle, and computer program product. The vehicle is equipped with a projection lamp connected to a motor, which allows the projection lamp to rotate relative to the vehicle. During vehicle operation, the vehicle's driving status information can indicate the vehicle's driving direction and / or the direction of the next passable lane connecting to the vehicle's current driving lane. Based on this driving status information, the rotation of the projection lamp is controlled by the motor, causing the projection lamp to project an image onto the road surface in the direction indicated by the driving status information. That is, the projection lamp can project an image in the driving direction and / or in the direction of the connected next lane. Thus, the projection direction of the projection lamp can change with the vehicle's driving direction, and can also selectively project images onto the connected next lane, improving the flexibility of the projection method and allowing images to be projected onto the road surface that the driver is interested in, thereby effectively providing guidance information to the driver.

[0048] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and do not limit this application. Attached Figure Description

[0049] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this application, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application.

[0050] Figure 1 This is a hardware structure diagram of a vehicle according to an embodiment of this application.

[0051] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating a projection lamp control method according to an embodiment of this application.

[0052] Figure 3A This is a flowchart illustrating a projection lamp control method according to another embodiment of this application.

[0053] Figure 3B This is a flowchart illustrating a projection lamp control method according to another embodiment of this application.

[0054] Figure 4 A to F in the diagram are schematic diagrams illustrating the rotation of the projection lamp according to an embodiment of this application.

[0055] Figure 5 A to D in the diagram are schematic diagrams illustrating vehicle merging and diverging according to an embodiment of this application.

[0056] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating a projection lamp control method according to another embodiment of this application.

[0057] Figure 7A This is a schematic diagram of the rotation of a projection lamp according to another embodiment of this application.

[0058] Figure 7B This is a flowchart illustrating a projection lamp control method according to another embodiment of this application.

[0059] Figure 8 This is a hardware structure diagram of a projection lamp control device according to an embodiment of this application.

[0060] Figure 9 This is a hardware structure diagram of a vehicle according to another embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0061] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this application. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of this application as detailed in the appended claims.

[0062] The terminology used in this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” used in this application and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term “and / or” as used herein refers to and includes any or all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0063] It should be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc., may be used in this application to describe various information, such information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish information of the same type from one another. For example, without departing from the scope of this application, first information may also be referred to as second information, and similarly, second information may also be referred to as first information. Depending on the context, the word "if" as used herein may be interpreted as "when," "when," or "in response to determination."

[0064] With the development of vehicles and the improvement of people's living standards, more and more vehicles are equipped with projection lights. Vehicle projection lights can be installed in different parts of the vehicle. For example, they can be installed on the upper side of the door to project images and other information onto the road surface where passengers exit, reminding them to be aware of oncoming traffic. Alternatively, vehicle projection lights can be installed at the front of the vehicle to project images onto the road. The projected images can carry driving information or road condition information to guide the driver and encourage safe driving.

[0065] During driving, drivers pay attention to a wide range of road surfaces. For example, when intending to change lanes, drivers not only monitor the road conditions in their current lane but also the lane they are about to enter. Similarly, when continuing in the current direction, drivers not only monitor the road conditions in their current lane but also whether other vehicles in adjacent lanes intend to enter. Clearly, drivers often focus on a broad range of road surfaces. However, in related technologies, the projection range of the projector lights mounted at the front of the vehicle is relatively small, failing to cover the area of ​​road surface that drivers are focused on while driving. Furthermore, the projection method lacks flexibility and is insufficient to effectively provide guidance information to the driver.

[0066] Therefore, this application provides a projection lamp control method for use in vehicles. Figure 1 As shown, as an example, in terms of hardware structure, vehicle 100 includes a connected XPU 110, CDCU (Central Domain Controller) 120, LDCU (Left Domain Controller) 130, HD (High Definition) controller 140, motor 150, and projection lamp 160. XPU 110 is a collective term for various processing units, including but not limited to CPU (Central Processing Unit), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), NPU (Neural Network Processing Unit), and DPU (Deep Learning Processing Unit). CDCU 120 is a commonly used domain controller integrated in vehicles. LDCU 130 is a commonly used vehicle controller, the central control unit of the vehicle, the core of the control system, responsible for vehicle network management, driving intention analysis, power management, energy management, charging control, etc. HD controller 140 is a controller used to implement high-definition projection. After generating control commands for motor 150 and image projection commands, LDCU 130 sends them to HD controller 140, which then controls motor 150 to execute the control commands and control projection lamp 160 to project images. Motor 150 is electrically connected to projection lamp 160, and there is at least one such lamp. Alternatively, the vehicle may also be equipped with projection lamps not connected to motors (not shown in the figure). The projection lamps are used to project images onto the road surface and also provide lighting. The motors control the rotation of the connected projection lamps. Motor 150 can control the rotation of one or more projection lamps 160. The rotation of projection lamp 160 can also be controlled collaboratively by one or more motors 150. Projection lamps not connected to motors are fixed-direction and cannot rotate. The connection method and transmission structure between the motor and projection lamp can be found in related technologies and will not be elaborated upon here. The projection lamp control method provided in this application can be executed individually or in combination by any one or more processors configured on the vehicle, for example... Figure 1 The LDCU 130 and other functions in the system are executed, including, for example Figure 2 The steps shown are as follows:

[0067] Step 210: During the vehicle's operation, obtain the vehicle's driving status information;

[0068] The driving status information is used to indicate the driving direction of the vehicle, and / or to indicate the direction of at least one passable next lane connected to the vehicle's current driving lane;

[0069] Step 220: Based on the driving condition information, the connected projection lamp is rotated by the motor so that the projection lamp projects an image onto the road surface in the direction indicated by the driving condition information.

[0070] In this embodiment, the vehicle's driving direction information may include the vehicle's current driving direction information or the vehicle's intended driving direction information. The intended driving direction refers to the vehicle's driving intention, which is the direction the vehicle wants to change to. For example, when a vehicle intends to change lanes, the direction of the lane the vehicle intends to enter is the vehicle's intended driving direction. At this time, the intended driving direction is not consistent with the current driving direction. Furthermore, if a vehicle intends to change its driving direction, the change may be successful or unsuccessful. If the change is successful, the intended driving direction is the vehicle's changed driving direction. If the change fails, the vehicle is not actually traveling along the intended driving direction. For example, when a vehicle intends to change lanes, if the vehicle does not find a suitable opportunity to change lanes, the vehicle will continue to travel along its original driving direction, and thus the vehicle's driving direction has not changed to the intended driving direction.

[0071] For a vehicle-mounted projector connected to a motor, the projection direction can be changed by rotating the projector, allowing it to project in different directions. The projection direction can be determined based on vehicle driving information. This information indicates the vehicle's direction of travel and / or the direction of the next passable lane connected to the vehicle's current lane. Thus, the projector's projection direction is determined by the direction indicated by the driving information. By controlling the rotation of the connected projector with a motor, the projector projects an image onto the road surface in the direction indicated by the driving information. For example, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the LDCU 130 can generate a rotation command for the motor 150 based on the driving status information, and output the rotation command to the HD controller 140 for execution.

[0072] Based on driving information, the projection lights can project images in the current driving direction, the intended driving direction, or the direction of the next connected lane. While driving, the driver is more focused on the road conditions in the current driving direction. Projecting images in the current driving direction allows the projection lights to project images in the direction the driver is focused on, thus effectively providing guidance information to the driver.

[0073] In scenarios where a vehicle intends to change its direction of travel, such as when changing lanes as described above, the driver pays more attention to the road conditions of the lane they are about to enter, seeking an appropriate moment to change lanes; that is, the driver focuses more on the road conditions in the intended direction of travel. However, in related technologies, the projection direction of the projector lamp is consistent with the direction the vehicle is facing, and the projector lamp fails to project an image in the direction the driver is focused on, thus failing to effectively provide guidance information to the driver. The projector lamp control method provided in this application controls the projection direction of the projector lamp to change with the vehicle's direction of travel, enabling the projector lamp to project an image in the direction the driver is focused on, thus effectively providing guidance information to the driver and improving the flexibility of the projection method.

[0074] Furthermore, during driving, when encountering scenarios such as ramp-to-ramps, merging from a side road onto a main road, or vice versa, drivers often focus on the road conditions of the next lane that connects to and is passable. As mentioned above, in related technologies, the projection direction of the projector is consistent with the direction the vehicle is facing. If the direction the vehicle is facing is inconsistent with the direction of the next lane, the projector will fail to project an image in the direction the driver is focused on, thus failing to effectively provide guidance information to the driver. The projector control method provided in this application controls the projector to project an image specifically onto the connecting and passable next lane, projecting an image in the direction the driver is focused on. Therefore, it can effectively provide guidance information to the driver while improving the flexibility of the projection method.

[0075] In some embodiments, when a vehicle intends to change its direction of travel, driving condition information is used to indicate the vehicle's direction of travel. This driving condition information can be obtained through one or more of the following methods:

[0076] 1) Determine driving status information based on the angle information output by the vehicle's steering control device. The steering control device, such as a steering wheel, controls the vehicle's direction of travel. An angle measuring device is connected to the steering wheel's steering shaft to measure the angle the steering wheel has turned and... Figure 1 The XPU 110 outputs angle information. The XPU 110 can then send this angle information to the LDCU 130. Thus, the vehicle's direction of travel can be determined based on the angle information output by the angle measuring device, yielding driving status information. When the driver controls the steering wheel to change the vehicle's direction of travel, the changed direction can be determined based on the angle information output by the steering control device, obtaining driving status information.

[0077] 2) Determine driving status information based on the steering information output by the vehicle's turn signals. When a vehicle intends to change lanes, turn, or make a U-turn, it will usually activate its turn signals to alert nearby vehicles and pedestrians. The turn signals will be deactivated when the vehicle completes the lane change or resumes straight-ahead travel. Therefore, driving status information can be obtained based on the steering information output by the turn signals. For example, the turning direction indicated by the activated turn signal can be used to determine the vehicle's turning direction. Or, the change in the vehicle's direction of travel from turning to straight-ahead travel can be determined based on the turn signal's deactivation command.

[0078] When the turn signal is detected as activated, the vehicle may be changing its direction of travel, such as when turning; alternatively, the vehicle may not have changed its direction and is still traveling in its original direction. Regardless of whether the vehicle is changing its direction, the activation of the turn signal indicates that the vehicle intends to change its direction. At this point, turning the projection light in advance to the intended direction of travel allows the image to be projected in the direction the driver is more focused on, thus effectively providing guidance information.

[0079] 3) Determine driving status information based on the lane type of the vehicle's current lane. Lane type includes straight-ahead lanes and turning lanes. For example, the vehicle may be equipped with outward-facing sensors, such as image sensors or LiDAR. Figure 1 The XPU 110 shown utilizes sensor data, such as images from an image sensor and point clouds from a LiDAR scanner, to identify lane markings and determine whether the vehicle's current lane is a straight or turning lane. For example, the vehicle may be equipped with a positioning device, including but not limited to a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) or an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU). The XPU 110 uses this positioning device to acquire the vehicle's real-time location information. Based on this location information, it can determine whether the vehicle's current lane is a straight or turning lane. Alternatively, the vehicle may store a high-precision map; based on the vehicle's location information, it can determine from the high-precision map whether the vehicle's current lane is a straight or turning lane.

[0080] If the current driving lane is a turning lane, it indicates that the vehicle is about to change direction. Based on the turning direction indicated by the turning lane, the vehicle's intended direction can be determined, thus obtaining the vehicle's driving status information. If the current driving lane is a straight-ahead lane, it indicates that the vehicle is still traveling in its original direction, and the vehicle's driving status information is obtained. If the current driving lane is a combined straight-ahead and turning lane, the vehicle's driving intention can be determined by combining whether the vehicle outputs steering information and / or a pre-planned route.

[0081] For example, if the turn signal is detected as active, and / or the angle measuring device connected to the steering wheel shaft outputs angle information, meaning the vehicle is outputting steering information, it can be determined that the vehicle is about to change direction. At this time, the projector light can be turned to the intended direction of travel. If the turn signal is not active, and / or the angle measuring device does not output angle information, meaning the vehicle is not outputting steering information, it can be determined that the vehicle is still traveling in its original direction.

[0082] As an example, a vehicle can store pre-planned routes. Based on the vehicle's current location information and the pre-planned routes, it is possible to determine whether the vehicle intends to go straight or turn, thereby obtaining driving status information.

[0083] The three optional methods for obtaining driving status information described above can be combined in any way to form optional embodiments of this application. This application does not impose any limitations on these methods.

[0084] In some embodiments, the vehicle may store map information. This map information may be an offline map or a real-time updated map obtained from an online source. The map information may include, but is not limited to, coordinate information and road guidance information. This map information can be used to verify the accuracy of the driving status information obtained through the methods described above.

[0085] As an example, if a vehicle uses its onboard sensors to identify the arrow marker of its current lane and determine the type of lane (straight lane and / or turning lane), it can simultaneously use map information to determine the lane type. Specifically, since map information includes coordinate information and road guidance information, the vehicle can determine the road guidance information at its current coordinates from the map information, such as whether the road at the current coordinates allows for straight driving or turning. Then, the map information is compared with the type of the current lane to verify the accuracy of the obtained driving condition information.

[0086] For example, if the turn signal is detected as activated, and / or the angle measuring device connected to the steering wheel shaft outputs angle information, indicating that the vehicle is outputting steering information, driving status information can be obtained. Map information can be used to determine whether the vehicle's current lane is a turning lane or a lane that can be changed, to verify the obtained driving status information. If map information determines that the current lane is a straight lane and cannot be changed, but the vehicle is still detected to be outputting steering information, further investigation is needed to determine whether the turn signal and / or the angle measuring device is malfunctioning, or to further determine whether the driver has violated traffic rules, and then appropriate measures should be taken.

[0087] In this embodiment, map information is used to further verify the accuracy of the acquired driving condition information. On the one hand, this ensures the accuracy of the driving condition information used to decide the rotation of the projection lamp, enabling the projection lamp to accurately project images in the driving direction of interest to the user. On the other hand, using map information to verify the driving condition information can also detect whether the vehicle's turn signals and / or angle measuring devices are malfunctioning, or whether the driver has violated traffic rules, thus ensuring driving safety to a certain extent.

[0088] In some embodiments, if the driving condition information indicates that the vehicle's driving direction changes from a straight direction to a turning direction, then the driving condition information includes the vehicle's turning angle. For example, the vehicle's turning angle can be determined by angle information output by the vehicle's steering control device. Thus, the rotation of the projection lamp in step 210 can include, for example... Figure 3A The steps shown are as follows:

[0089] Step 310: Based on the turning angle, determine the rotation angle of the projection lamp;

[0090] Step 320: Control the connected projection lamp to rotate by the rotation angle via the motor.

[0091] As an example, the correspondence between the vehicle's turning angle and the projection lamp's rotation angle can be pre-stored. Based on the vehicle's turning angle, the projection lamp's rotation angle can be determined from the correspondence, and the projection lamp can be rotated through that rotation angle by controlling the motor.

[0092] As an example Figure 1 The projection lamp 160 shown can be mounted on the left or right sides of the front of the vehicle, for example, in the corresponding positions of the headlights. Thus, determining the rotation angle of the projection lamp in step 310 can include, for example... Figure 3B The steps shown are as follows:

[0093] Step 311: If the turning angle is less than a preset angle threshold, determine the first rotation angle of the first projection lamp mounted on the side corresponding to the turning direction;

[0094] Step 312: If the turning angle is greater than a preset angle threshold, determine the first rotation angle of the first projection lamp and the second rotation angle of the second projection lamp mounted on the side opposite to the turning direction.

[0095] The angle threshold can be determined based on historical experience, for example, it could be 5°. Of course, those skilled in the art can also determine the angle threshold according to actual needs, and this application does not impose any restrictions here.

[0096] If the vehicle's turning angle is less than a preset threshold, the change in the vehicle's direction of travel is minimal, such as during lane changes. In this case, the driver will continue to monitor road conditions in both the turning and straight-ahead directions, so only the first projection light needs to be turned, while the second projection light remains stationary (e.g., ...). Figure 4 As shown in Figure B, the projection is applied in both the straight-ahead and turning directions that the driver is focused on. The first projection light is mounted on the side corresponding to the turning direction; the second projection light is mounted on the side opposite the turning direction. For example, when the vehicle changes direction to the right, the projection light mounted on the right front of the vehicle is the first projection light; the projection light mounted on the left front of the vehicle is the second projection light. Similarly, when the vehicle changes direction to the left, the projection light mounted on the left front of the vehicle is the first projection light; the projection light mounted on the right front of the vehicle is the second projection light.

[0097] If the vehicle's turning angle exceeds a preset threshold, the change in the vehicle's direction of travel is significant, such as when the vehicle turns or makes a U-turn. In this situation, the driver is focused on the road conditions in the turning direction, and therefore can simultaneously turn the first and second projection lights (e.g., Figure 4 As shown in Figure C, this allows projection to occur in the turning direction that the driver is focused on. For example, the first rotation angle of the first projection lamp and the second rotation angle of the second projection lamp can be the same, so that the projection area formed by the first and second projection lamps is the same size before and after the rotation. As another example, the first rotation angle of the first projection lamp can be greater than the second rotation angle of the second projection lamp, so that the projection area formed by the first and second projection lamps after the rotation is larger than the projection area before the rotation, thus obtaining a larger projection area.

[0098] To further expand the projection range, in some embodiments, such as Figure 4As shown in D-4F, a projection lamp 170, connected to or not connected to a motor, can also be mounted in the center of the front of the vehicle. When the vehicle is traveling in a straight direction, the projection direction of all projection lamps is consistent with the straight-line direction. If the turning angle of the vehicle is less than a preset angle threshold, the first projection lamp is controlled to rotate to project an image onto the road surface in the turning direction, while the projection lamp 170 mounted in the center of the front of the vehicle and the second projection lamp remain projecting an image onto the road surface in the straight-line direction. Thus, when the vehicle is turning, the projection range of all projection lamps is larger than the projection range when the vehicle is traveling in a straight direction. If the turning angle of the vehicle is greater than a preset angle threshold, both the first and second projection lamps are controlled to rotate to project an image onto the road surface in the turning direction, while the projection lamp 170 mounted in the center of the front of the vehicle remains projecting an image onto the road surface in the straight-line direction. The first rotation angle of the first projection lamp and the second rotation angle of the second projection lamp can be the same or different. Since the projection lamp 170 mounted in the center of the front of the vehicle always projects an image in the direction of execution, the projection lamp connected to the motor can obtain a larger projection range after rotation, thereby achieving a wider range of driving guidance.

[0099] Because the vehicle is equipped with projection lights on the left, right, and center sides of the front, a large projection range can be achieved. In some embodiments, if the vehicle needs to project or illuminate a large area, such as when driving in the wild, at night, or when the driver needs to check for obstacles after starting the vehicle, the projection lights mounted at different positions can be controlled to rotate in different directions to achieve the maximum projection range. For example, the projection light mounted on the left side of the front of the vehicle can be controlled to rotate to the left, and the projection light mounted on the right side of the front of the vehicle can be controlled to rotate to the right.

[0100] In some embodiments, if the driving status information indicates that the vehicle's direction of travel has changed from a turning direction to a straight direction, then the connected projection lamp can be rotated to a preset initial posture via motor control. The projection direction of the projection lamp in the initial posture matches the vehicle's facing direction, or in other words, the projection direction of the projection lamp in the initial posture is consistent with the vehicle's straight-line direction. For example, the initial posture of the projection could be as follows: Figure 4 A and Figure 4 The posture shown in D.

[0101] Based on any of the above embodiments, in a scenario where the vehicle intends to change its direction of travel, the image projected by the projection lamps onto the road surface corresponding to the projection direction may include, but is not limited to, the vehicle's speed, lane markings, and the current speed limit for the road segment. If the vehicle is equipped with multiple projection lamps, the partial image projected by each projection lamp is determined based on the relative pose relationship between the lamps, and the partial images projected by multiple projection lamps are stitched together on the road surface to form a complete image.

[0102] The above embodiments provide a projection lamp control method in which a vehicle is equipped with a projection lamp connected to a motor, which enables the projection lamp to rotate relative to the vehicle. During vehicle operation, in scenarios where the vehicle intends to change its direction, the motor controls the rotation of the projection lamp, causing the projection lamp to project an image in the intended direction of travel. Thus, the projection direction of the projection lamp can change with the vehicle's direction of travel, allowing the projection lamp to project an image in the direction of the driver's attention. This effectively provides guidance information to the driver and improves the flexibility of the projection method.

[0103] In some embodiments, during driving, the vehicle may encounter merging scenarios (such as...). Figure 5 A- Figure 5 B), and traffic diversion scenarios (such as...) Figure 5 C- Figure 5 (D) At this point, the driving condition information is used to indicate the direction of at least one passable next lane connected to the vehicle's current driving lane. The vehicle may have pre-stored lane topology information or acquire it via a network. Alternatively, the lane topology information can be obtained based on real-time map information. Lane topology information is used to characterize the passable next lane connected to a given lane. Passable lanes include lanes that are passable to the current lane according to traffic rules, and / or lanes that are passable in actual road conditions. For example, according to traffic rules, a vehicle can travel from the current lane to lane A. However, in actual road conditions, lane A is blocked by a road barrier, making it impassable. Therefore, lane A can be considered not a passable next lane to the current lane. Lane topology information can be obtained based on prior information acquired offline by the vehicle, such as offline maps; based on real-time road condition information or map information acquired by the vehicle, the actual passable next lane to the current lane can be determined, i.e., the real-time lane topology information. Thus, the lane topology information can be used to determine the passable next lane connected to the current driving lane, as well as the direction of the next lane, thereby obtaining the driving condition information. In traffic merging and diverging scenarios, the connected projection lamp can be rotated by a motor, so that the projection lamp projects an image in the direction of at least one passable next lane connected to the current driving lane.

[0104] like Figure 5 As shown in Figure A, if the vehicle is currently traveling in lane 511, then the next passable lane connecting to lane 511 is 512. While the vehicle is still traveling in lane 511, the projector can be rotated by a motor to project an image onto the road surface in the direction of lane 512.

[0105] like Figure 5As shown in B, if the vehicle is currently traveling in lane 521, then the next passable lane connecting to lane 521 is 522. While the vehicle is still traveling in lane 521, the projector can be rotated by a motor to project an image onto the road surface in the direction of lane 522.

[0106] In a traffic diversion scenario, there are multiple passable next lanes connecting to the vehicle's current lane. If the number of projectors on the vehicle is less than the number of next lanes, the projectors can project images onto the road surface in a portion of the next lane direction. If the number of projectors on the vehicle is equal to or greater than the number of next lanes, multiple projectors can project images onto the road surface in all directions of the next lane.

[0107] like Figure 5 As shown in C, if the vehicle is currently traveling in lane 531, then the next passable lanes connecting to lane 531 are 531 and 532. If the vehicle is equipped with only one projection light, the projection light can project an image onto the road surface in either direction of the next lane. If the vehicle is equipped with two or more projection lights, the multiple projection lights can project images onto the road surface in the directions of lane 531 and lane 532 respectively.

[0108] like Figure 5 As shown in D, if the vehicle is currently traveling in lane 541, then the next passable lanes connecting to lane 541 are 542 and 543. Similarly, if the vehicle is equipped with only one projection light, it can project an image onto the road surface in the direction of lane 542 or lane 543. If the vehicle is equipped with two or more projection lights, then multiple projection lights can project images onto the road surface in the directions of lane 552 and lane 543 respectively.

[0109] In this embodiment, when a vehicle encounters a merging or diverging traffic scenario, the image projected by the projection light onto the road surface corresponding to the projection direction may include, but is not limited to, lane lines and road segment direction information. The road segment direction information refers to the road segment that the next lane leads to. For example, in... Figure 5 In the traffic diversion scenario (D), lanes 542 and 543 lead to different road segments. Therefore, the projector can project information about the road segment led by lane 542 onto the road surface in the direction of lane 542, and information about the road segment led by lane 543 onto the road surface in the direction of lane 543, respectively. For example, "Road A" can be projected onto the road surface in the direction of lane 542, and "Road B" can be projected onto the road surface in the direction of lane 543. Similarly, in a scenario where a vehicle is traveling on a highway, if it encounters a highway exit, the projector can project "Exit XX" onto the road surface in the direction of the highway exit, and "Direction XX" onto the road surface in the current direction of travel.

[0110] This embodiment provides a projection lamp control method. The vehicle is equipped with a projection lamp connected to a motor, which allows the projection lamp to rotate relative to the vehicle. During vehicle operation, when the vehicle encounters merging or diverging traffic, the rotation of the projection lamp is controlled by the motor, allowing the projection lamp to project an image onto the next lane that is connected and passable. This ensures that the image is projected in the direction of the driver's attention, thus effectively providing guidance information to the driver and improving the flexibility of the projection method.

[0111] As described above, the vehicle can be equipped with outward-facing sensors, such as image sensors and lidar. These sensors can be used to identify obstacles in the vehicle's surrounding environment. Thus, based on any of the above embodiments, in scenarios where the vehicle intends to change its direction of travel, and / or where the vehicle encounters merging or diverging traffic, the rotation of the projection lamp in step 210 may include, for example... Figure 6 The steps shown are as follows:

[0112] Step 610: Obtain the direction information of obstacles in the direction indicated by the driving status information;

[0113] Step 620: Based on the direction information, the connected projection lamp is rotated by the motor so that the projection lamp projects an image onto the road surface in the direction of the obstacle.

[0114] like Figure 1 The XPU 110 shown utilizes sensor data, such as images from an image sensor or point clouds from a LiDAR scanner, to identify obstacles in the vehicle's direction of travel and / or obstacles in at least one passable lane connected to the current lane. Alternatively, it can determine whether there are obstacles in the vehicle's direction of travel and / or in the next lane using real-time map information obtained through a network connection.

[0115] After an obstacle is identified, a motor can control the rotation of a connected projection lamp, projecting an image onto the road surface in the direction of the obstacle. The projected image can include obstacle information, including but not limited to the type of obstacle and the distance between the obstacle and the vehicle. The distance between the obstacle and the vehicle can be determined by... Figure 1 The calculation is performed using the CDCU 120 shown.

[0116] like Figure 7AAs shown, the projector can rotate in different directions, such as yaw and pitch. Yaw rotation involves turning left and right along the direction the vehicle is facing, changing the projection direction. Pitch rotation involves turning up and down along the direction the vehicle is facing, changing the projection distance. For example, when the projector rotates upwards, the projection distance increases, and the image is projected further away from the vehicle. When the projector rotates downwards, the projection distance decreases, and the image is projected closer to the vehicle.

[0117] In some embodiments, a power switching device can be used to control the yaw and pitch rotation of the projection lamp by a single motor. Specific mechanical connection methods can be found in related technologies. In other embodiments, different motors can control the yaw and pitch rotation of the projection lamp separately. For example, the motors may include a first motor and a second motor. The first motor controls the yaw rotation of the projection lamp, and the second motor controls the pitch rotation. Thus, based on any of the above embodiments, in scenarios where the vehicle intends to change its direction of travel, and / or in scenarios where the vehicle encounters merging or diverging traffic, the rotation of the projection lamp in step 210 may include, for example... Figure 7B The steps shown are as follows:

[0118] Step 710: Based on the direction indicated by the driving status information, control the yaw rotation of the connected projection lamp via the first motor.

[0119] Step 720: Based on the vehicle's speed, control the pitch rotation of the connected projection lamp via the second motor;

[0120] The driving speed is positively correlated with the pitch angle of the projection lamp. The pitch angle can include both the direction of rotation and the angle of rotation. When the projection lamp rotates upward along the direction the vehicle is facing, the pitch angle increases; when it rotates downward, the pitch angle decreases.

[0121] Based on the direction indicated by the driving status information, the first motor controls the yaw rotation of the connected projection lamp, thereby changing the projection direction of the lamp. Simultaneously, the greater the vehicle's speed, the greater the pitch angle of the projection lamp controlled by the second motor, allowing the lamp to project images from a greater distance. Conversely, the lower the vehicle's speed, the smaller the pitch angle of the projection lamp controlled by the second motor, allowing the lamp to project images closer to the vehicle.

[0122] As an example, the vehicle's position after a preset time can be calculated based on its current speed. This position is then determined as the image projection position. The second motor controls the pitch rotation of the projection lamp, allowing the projection lamp to project an image at the determined projection position.

[0123] In this embodiment, the projection direction of the projection lamp is adjusted based on the direction indicated by the driving condition information, and the projection distance of the projection lamp is adjusted based on the vehicle's driving speed. This can better adapt to the driver's line of sight and improve the flexibility of the projection method. By projecting images onto the road surface that the driver is concerned about, the projection lamp can effectively provide guidance information to the driver.

[0124] Based on the projection lamp control method described in any of the above embodiments, this application also provides, as follows: Figure 8 The diagram shows the structure of a projection lamp control device. Figure 8 At the hardware level, the device includes a processor, an internal bus, a network interface, memory, and non-volatile storage, and may also include other hardware required for business operations. The processor reads the corresponding computer program from the non-volatile storage into memory and then runs it to implement the projection lamp control method described in any of the above embodiments.

[0125] Based on the projection lamp control method described in any of the above embodiments, this application also provides, as follows: Figure 9 The diagram shows the structure of a vehicle. Figure 9 At the hardware level, the vehicle includes a body; a power system mounted on the body for driving the vehicle; projection lights mounted at the front of the vehicle for projecting images toward the road surface, with at least one projection light connected to a motor; a motor for controlling the rotation of the connected projection lights to project images onto the road surface in the direction of the vehicle's travel, and / or to project images onto the road surface in the direction of at least one passable next lane connected to the vehicle's current lane; a processor; an internal bus; a network interface; memory and non-volatile memory, and may also include other hardware required for business operations.

[0126] In some embodiments, the projection lights mounted on the vehicle include projection lights mounted on the left and right sides of the front of the vehicle and connected to a motor, and / or projection lights mounted in the middle of the front of the vehicle and connected to or not connected to a motor.

[0127] Based on the projection lamp control method described in any of the above embodiments, this application also provides a computer program product, including a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, can be used to perform the method described in any of the above embodiments.

[0128] Based on the projection lamp control method described in any of the above embodiments, this application also provides a computer storage medium storing a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, can be used to execute the projection lamp control method described in any of the above embodiments.

[0129] The foregoing has described specific embodiments of this application. Other embodiments are within the scope of the appended claims. In some cases, the actions or steps recited in the claims may be performed in a different order than that shown in the embodiments and may still achieve the desired results. Furthermore, the processes depicted in the drawings do not necessarily require the specific or sequential order shown to achieve the desired results. In some embodiments, multitasking and parallel processing are also possible or may be advantageous.

[0130] Other embodiments of this application will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention filed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this application that follow the general principles of this application and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not claimed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of this application are indicated by the following claims.

Claims

1. A projection lamp control method, applied to a vehicle, characterized in that, The vehicle is equipped with at least a plurality of projection lamps connected to a motor, the projection lamps being used to project images toward the road surface; the motor is used to control the rotation of the connected projection lamps; the method includes: During the vehicle's operation, the vehicle's driving status information is acquired; the driving status information is used to indicate the direction of at least one passable next lane connected to the vehicle's current driving lane. Obtain directional information of at least one obstacle in the direction of the next lane, and based on the directional information, control the connected projection lamps to rotate via the motor so that the plurality of projection lamps project an image containing information of the obstacle onto the road surface in the direction of the obstacle.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The driving status information is used to indicate the driving direction of the vehicle, and obtaining the driving status information of the vehicle includes one or more of the following: The driving status information is determined based on the angle information output by the steering control device on the vehicle. The direction control device is used to control the driving direction of the vehicle; The driving status information is determined based on the steering information output by the turn signals of the vehicle. The driving status information is determined based on the lane type of the vehicle's current driving lane; The lane types include straight-ahead lanes and turning lanes; The lane type is determined based on data collected by sensors on the vehicle facing outwards, and / or based on the vehicle's location information.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, If the driving status information indicates that the vehicle's driving direction changes from a straight direction to a turning direction, and the driving status information includes the vehicle's turning angle, then controlling the connected projection lamp to rotate via the motor based on the direction information includes: Based on the turning angle, determine the rotation angle of the projection lamp; The motor controls the connected projection lamp to rotate by the specified angle. If the driving status information indicates that the vehicle's driving direction changes from a turning direction to a straight direction, the step of controlling the connected projection lamp to rotate via the motor based on the direction information includes: The motor controls the connected projection lamp to rotate to a preset initial posture, and the projection direction of the projection lamp in the initial posture matches the direction in which the front of the vehicle is facing.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The projection lights connected to the motor are mounted on the left and right sides of the front of the vehicle; determining the rotation angle of the projection lights based on the turning angle includes: If the turning angle is less than a preset angle threshold, determine the first rotation angle of the first projection lamp mounted on the side corresponding to the turning direction; If the turning angle is greater than a preset angle threshold, determine the first rotation angle of the first projection lamp and the second rotation angle of the second projection lamp mounted on the side opposite to the turning direction. Wherein, the first rotation angle is greater than the second rotation angle.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The vehicle is also equipped with a projection light in the middle of the front part, which may or may not be connected to the motor.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The motor includes a first motor and a second motor; the first motor is used to control the yaw rotation of the projection lamp; the second motor is used to control the pitch rotation of the projection lamp; the yaw rotation includes left and right rotation along the direction the vehicle is facing; the pitch rotation includes up and down rotation along the direction the vehicle is facing; the step of controlling the rotation of the connected projection lamp through the motor based on the direction information includes: Based on the direction indicated by the driving status information, the first motor controls the yaw rotation of the connected projection lamp; Based on the vehicle's speed, the projection lamp connected to it is tilted and rotated by the second motor; wherein the speed is positively correlated with the tilt angle of the projection lamp.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: Obtain map information, including coordinate information and road guidance information, and compare the map information with the driving status information to verify the accuracy of the obtained driving status information.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The image projected by the projection lamp includes one or more of the following: The vehicle's speed; The driving status information indicates the direction of the lane lines and / or road segment direction information.

9. A projection lamp control device, characterized in that, The device includes: processor; Memory used to store processor-executable instructions; When the processor invokes the executable instructions, it implements the operation of any one of the methods described in claims 1-8.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that, The vehicles include: Body; A power system mounted on the vehicle body is used to drive the vehicle. Multiple projection lamps are mounted at the front of the vehicle for projecting images toward the road surface; at least one of the projection lamps is connected to a motor. A motor is used to control the rotation of a connected projection lamp based on the direction information of an obstacle, so that the projection lamp projects an image containing information about the obstacle onto the road surface in the direction of the obstacle; the obstacle is identified in the direction of at least one passable next lane connected to the vehicle's current driving lane.

11. The vehicle according to claim 10, characterized in that, The projection lights include projection lights mounted on the left and right sides of the front of the vehicle and connected to the motor; and / or projection lights mounted in the middle of the front of the vehicle and connected to or not connected to the motor.

12. A computer program product comprising a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the method as claimed in any one of claims 1-8.

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