System for controlling a light assembly of a vehicle

Abstract

A system for controlling a light assembly (10) of a vehicle (V) is described, comprising an array of light sources adapted to perform at least one illumination or light signal function of the vehicle, comprising: a user interface computer environment (20) for a light configuration of the light assembly (10), arranged to obtain from a user an illumination shape of the array of light sources, associated with a predetermined illumination or signal function of the light assembly; a processing and control device (22) installed on the vehicle, adapted to select a plurality of light sources for the array in a manner that the illumination of the plurality of light sources implements or approximates the obtained illumination shape; and a driving device (24) for the array of light sources, adapted to control the activation of the plurality of light sources selected for performing the predetermined illumination or light signal function.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to vehicles and more specifically to vehicle light assemblies.

[0002] More specifically, the present invention relates to a system for controlling a light assembly or a light of a vehicle, according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0003] The term "light assembly" indicates indifferently a headlight assembly or a taillight assembly, suitable for generating light beams for illumination and / or signaling. A headlight assembly typically comprises low and high beam headlamps, a clearance lamp or DRL and at least one turn signal lamp. A taillight assembly typically comprises a rear lamp, a brake lamp and at least one turn signal lamp.

[0004] In the past, the illumination and signaling functions of a vehicle were implemented by means of one or more lamps, exploiting the effect of reflectors and lenses to direct and collimate the light beams. Over the years, the miniaturization of lamps and related power supply devices, as well as the replacement of them with light guides and LEDs, have made it possible to move away from the lamp assemblies of circular or quadrangular shape and have offered greater design freedom, which car manufacturers exploit in a personalized way to integrate the light assemblies into the bodywork and the illumination shapes perceived by the external observer.

[0005] It is currently known to obtain the illumination or light signaling functions of a vehicle by means of arrays of light sources arranged in predetermined areas of the light assembly, the shapes of which are limited by the design effects, and it is also known to design a plurality of illumination shapes for obtaining corresponding integrated illumination or signaling functions (also in an interleaved way) in the entire area of the light assembly. One embodiment is Figure 1 The exemplary taillight assembly 10 shown comprises a C-shaped illumination shape 12 (or an inverted C in a symmetrically opposite assembly) for performing the rear lamp function, a rectangular illumination shape 14 for performing the brake signaling function, inserted inside the internal space of the C 12, and an underlying linear segmented illumination shape 16 for performing the turn signal function, possibly with an illumination animation, i.e. with a sequential illumination of the sources from one end to the other of the segment. Each light area or line is obtained by lighting a corresponding plurality of light sources (one of which is marked, for example, with the reference symbol L) arranged in a single row or in parallel rows, belonging to functionally distinct parts of the light assembly.

[0006] In a light assembly comprising arrays of light sources suitable for performing at least one illumination or light signaling function of a vehicle, it is desirable to be able to enhance the possibilities of creating illumination shapes for performing the corresponding illumination or signaling functions.

[0007] The aim of the present invention is to provide a light assembly with enhanced possibilities for creating illumination shapes associated with predetermined illumination or signaling functions of the light assembly.

[0008] According to the present application, this aim is achieved by a system for controlling a light assembly of a vehicle, having the characteristics set forth in claim 1.

[0009] The particular embodiments are the subject of dependent claims, the content of which should be understood as integral to the present description.

[0010] In summary, the present application is based on the principle of implementing the light assembly of a vehicle by means of an array of light sources, the attribution of which to a specific lighting or signaling function of the vehicle can be programmed by the user, thus providing complete freedom in defining the lighting shape for each lighting or signaling function.

[0011] Advantageously, the present application has a preferred application in the context of customizing the shape and size of a rear light and, more generally, of a light intended for a signaling function, such as, for example, a brake light or a rear turn signal light, and, not only externally to the vehicle, but also internally to the vehicle (for example, a cabin light). The customization of the shape and size of a headlight, and, more generally, of a light intended for a lighting function, is not excluded, although these customizations must in any case meet the technical requirements ensuring the correct lighting of the road in front of the vehicle in all driving conditions.

[0012] The user can draw the desired lighting shape for the light of the light assembly on his own personal device, such as a tablet or a smartphone, and the system subject of the present application is able to recognize, via a software application local or remote to the vehicle, the allowed shapes and, if so, to communicate the lighting shape to be reproduced to the driving unit of the light assembly, for example via a short-range wireless communication protocol (Wi-Fi, ZigBee, Bluetooth, etc.).

[0013] The present application therefore allows the use experience of one's own vehicle or of a temporarily rented vehicle to be enhanced and personalized in terms of aesthetics (shape and size) of the visible and characteristic parts of the vehicle and also allows the experience to be further extended by sharing with other users, for example through a software platform on which one's own lighting shape design can be made and opinions and suggestions can be exchanged.

[0014] Further characteristics and advantages of the present application will become clear from the following detailed description, given purely by way of non-limiting example and with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

[0015] Figure 1 is an exemplary representation of a light assembly of a vehicle comprising an array of light sources according to the prior art already described previously;

[0016] Figure 2 is a block diagram of the system subject of the present application;

[0017] Figure 3a and 3bare, respectively, a design and an embodiment of the illumination shape of a lamp assembly according to the present invention; and

[0018] Figure 4 is a flowchart of a method of configuration of a lamp assembly according to the present invention.

[0019] In Figure 2 , the lamp assembly of a vehicle comprising an array of light sources is indicated with 10, and the system for controlling the lamp assembly comprises a setting portion, which can be integrated in an infotainment system on board the vehicle, or can be external to the vehicle, and can be accessed from a suitable user interface and communication devices, and a control portion on board the vehicle (indicated in the figures with a dashed area).

[0020] The light sources are preferably monochromatic LEDs or multicolor (RGB) LEDs, each of which can advantageously be controlled individually. The array of LEDs can be located on a flat or curved surface, and is harmoniously adapted to the aesthetics of the lamp assembly (ribs, profile).

[0021] The setting portion comprises a lamp configuration device 20 of the lamp assembly, arranged to acquire from the user a desired illumination shape of the array of light sources associated with a predetermined illumination or signaling function of the lamp assembly. The control portion comprises a processing and control device 22 resident on board the vehicle and coupled to the lamp assembly, adapted to receive data indicative of the illumination shape desired by the user and to select a plurality of light sources of the array whose lighting implements or approximates an implementation of said illumination shape, and a driving device 24 for controlling the array of light sources, said driving device being adapted to control the activation of the plurality of light sources selected to perform the predetermined illumination or light signaling function.

[0022] In the currently preferred embodiment, the configuration device of the setting portion comprises a user interface computer environment 20, advantageously implemented as an application resident on a personal mobile communication device of the user, arranged for setting a preferred illumination shape for the array of light sources of the lamp assembly, and for remotely sending data indicative of said illumination shape to the processing and control device 22. For example, said setting can occur by directly freehand drawing in a screen area of the device via a stylus or other writing means, in a guided manner via a combination of preset geometric shapes, or by acquiring a previously traced design image via a communication network.

[0023] Figure 3a and 3b respectively show a design of an illumination shape S of a rear lamp assembly of a vehicle on a screen D of a personal mobile communication device M of a user, in which a running user interface computer environment APP is provided for this purpose, and its implementation S' on a real lamp assembly 10 of a vehicle V. In order not to overload the drawing, the plurality of light sources is not shown, but they must be understood to be present in the same way as shown by way of example in the embodiment of Figure 1 .

[0024] The programmable area A is defined in the whole area of the lamp assembly, within the outline displayed on the screen, limited by the geometry of the lamp assembly, which the user can modify for its design. If the user designs a single lighting or signal function (for example the lighting shape of a rear light), the whole programmable area can be used, if the user designs multiple lighting or signal functions (for example the lighting shape of a rear light and a turn signal), the user is indicated the available area for each function according to any regulatory limits in the relationship between said areas.

[0025] Advantageously, the user interface computer environment is arranged for setting multiple lighting shapes for the array of light sources associated with a predetermined lighting or signal function of the lamp assembly, and for associating each of them with a corresponding selection condition, the selection condition comprising at least one among time, place and driving conditions. In this way, the user can select to create variable lighting shapes for the same function, for example depending on the time of day or the road traveled, for example by distinguishing between lighting shapes between day driving or night driving, between city driving or highway driving. The system thus makes it possible to plan in advance which lighting shape to automatically adopt from among a plurality of previously designed lighting shapes stored in the storage device.

[0026] Also advantageously, the computer environment is arranged for a preventive comparison of the acquired lighting shape of the array of light sources with predetermined geometric shape features, to assess the compliance with the homologation features of the associated lighting or signal function, or for a previous comparison with a set of unacceptable lighting shapes, as they are protected by the exclusive rights of third parties, possibly by means of known image comparison algorithms, within a predetermined degree of similarity. If the lighting shape corresponds to an unacceptable lighting shape, the lighting shape is rejected.

[0027] In alternative embodiments, the comparison of the desired lighting shape with the set of unacceptable lighting shapes can be performed on board the vehicle, in which case the processing and control device 22 is arranged to compare the arrangement of the plurality of selected light sources which activates the predetermined lighting or light signal function with the set of unacceptable lighting arrangements. If the lighting arrangement corresponds to an unacceptable lighting arrangement, the lighting arrangement is rejected.

[0028] In the lamp assembly, the array of light sources comprises a sub-array of light sources, and therefore a corresponding area, intended for the respective lighting or light signal function, and in one embodiment the computer environment is arranged to compare the acquired lighting shape with the available lighting area of the sub-array of light sources intended for the lighting or light signal function associated with said lighting shape. If the acquired lighting shape is not entirely included within said available lighting area, the lighting shape is rejected.

[0029] Alternatively, if the acquired light shape is not entirely comprised within the available light area, the processing and control device 22 is adapted to select the plurality of light sources of the sub-array of said array of light sources intended for the light or light signal associated with the light shape which illumination implements or approximates the implementation of said light shape, or to reject the light shape input by the user.

[0030] The driving device 24 is adapted to control the on / off state, light intensity level and / or color and on / off frequency of the plurality of light sources selected to perform a predetermined light or light signal function. This advantageously allows using the same sub-array of the array of light sources for different signal functions, such as a rear light and a brake light - the brake light working at a higher light emission intensity than the rear light - or a rear light and a turn light - the turn light working at a different color than the rear light. In an improved embodiment, wherein it is desired to create an animation effect for the light of a plurality of light sources (for example, the light sources belonging to the sub-array of the array of light sources selected for a signal function which is a turn signal), the driving device is adapted to control the turning on and off of the plurality of selected light sources intermittently at intermittent time intervals which are smaller than the duration of the retina. Anti-aliasing techniques can be employed to improve the perception of continuity of the profile of the light shape.

[0031] With reference to Figure 4 , a possible flowchart of the process for configuring a light assembly according to the present application is described.

[0032] In step 100, the user accesses a predetermined computer environment on the user's mobile communication device M, such as an application APP of the car manufacturer of the user's vehicle, selects a light or signal function which the user wants to design, and possibly selects the reference light assembly between a headlight assembly and a rear light assembly (or other vehicle light device or assembly) and between a right side, a left side or a central light assembly, for which the design is intended.

[0033] In step 110, via the application, the user draws the desired light shape or imports an image previously drawn in this or another environment. In step 120, the application compares the drawn light shape against predetermined size, shape and light intensity constraints (for example, according to ECE, SAE, CCC regulations) and shapes which are not acceptable for other reasons (including shapes protected by third party proprietary rights). If the drawn light shape is rejected for being unacceptable, in step 130 the application generates an explanatory error message and the process restarts from step 100. On the other hand, if the drawn light shape is acceptable, in step 140 the application transmits its representative data (in a known format) to the processing and control device 22 of the light assembly by means of a short-range wireless transmission protocol.

[0034] In the following step 150, the processing and control device 22 processes the image by defining its real profile by comparison with the array of light sources constituting the light assembly, in order to select, in step 160, a plurality of light sources of the array whose illumination implements or approximates to the implementation of said illumination shape, symmetrically replicating the selection of this specular reflection illumination shape. The processing and control device is configured to implement a predetermined image processing algorithm adapted to optimize the set illumination shape (profile curve of the set illumination shape) in order to enable its implementation by means of the available light sources (which substantially represent the image forming pixels). In step 160, the processing and control device 22 further determines which of the individual light sources to activate and deactivate depending on the set illumination shape, as well as the associated color and lighting intensity and on-off frequency, in order to control the driving device 24 in a corresponding manner for the desired illumination or signaling function.

[0035] It should be noted that the embodiments proposed for the present application in the preceding discussion are purely by way of non-limiting example of the application. The person skilled in the art will be able to easily implement the present application in different embodiments, which, however, do not depart from the principles set forth herein and are therefore included in the present patent.

[0036] This is particularly effective in terms of the possibility of applying the present application to cases of light assemblies whose entire illumination area is not continuous, but is formed by continuous areas, such as the area incorporated in the bodywork and the area incorporated in the rear hatch of the rear trunk.

[0037] Naturally, the manufacturing details and embodiments can vary widely, compared to all that has been described and illustrated purely by way of non-limiting example, without departing from the scope of the present application as defined in the annexed claims, without prejudice to the principles of the present application.

Claims

1. System for controlling a light assembly of a vehicle, comprising a light assembly comprising an array of light sources adapted to perform at least one illumination function or light signaling function of the vehicle, the array of light sources comprising a sub-array of light sources intended for a corresponding illumination function or light signaling function, and the system further comprising: - a light configuration device of the light assembly arranged to acquire from a user an illumination shape of the array of light sources, the illumination shape being associated with a predetermined illumination function or signaling function of the light assembly; - a processing and control device resident on the vehicle and coupled to the light assembly, adapted to receive data indicative of the illumination shape and to select a plurality of light sources of the array, the illumination of the plurality of light sources implementing an implementation of the illumination shape or approximating an implementation of the illumination shape; and - a driving device for controlling the array of light sources, adapted to control the activation of the plurality of light sources selected for performing the predetermined illumination function or light signaling function, wherein the light configuration device comprises a user interface computer environment arranged for setting the illumination shape of the array of light sources within a programmable area defined in the overall area of the light assembly, and for remotely sending the data indicative of the illumination shape to the processing and control device, the system being characterized in that the user interface computer environment is arranged for comparing the acquired illumination shape in the programmable area defined in the overall area of the light assembly with predetermined size, shape and light intensity constraints and with an available illumination area of the sub-array of light sources intended for the illumination function or light signaling function associated with the illumination shape, and for rejecting the illumination shape if it is not entirely comprised within the available illumination area, wherein a user is able to draw a desired illumination shape for the light of a light assembly on his own personal device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein, the user interface computer environment is arranged for setting a plurality of illumination shapes associated with predetermined illumination functions or signaling functions of the light assembly for the array of light sources, and for associating each of them with a corresponding selection condition.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein, the selection condition comprises at least one of a time, a place and a driving condition.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein, the computer environment is arranged for comparing the acquired illumination shape of the array of light sources with a set of unacceptable illumination shapes comprising illumination shapes not complying with predetermined standardized shape coordination features of the associated illumination function or signaling function, the processing and control device being arranged to reject the acquired illumination shape if it corresponds to an unacceptable illumination shape.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein, The processing and control means are arranged to compare the arrangement of the plurality of selected light sources, whose activation is intended to achieve the predetermined lighting function or light signal function, with a set of unacceptable lighting arrangements, which include lighting arrangements that do not comply with the predetermined standardized shape synergy features for the relevant lighting function or signal function, and to reject the lighting arrangement if it corresponds to an unacceptable lighting arrangement.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein, The user interface computer environment is implemented as an application residing on a personal mobile telecommunication device.

7. The system of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, The processing and control means are adapted to select a plurality of light sources of a sub-array of the array, which are intended for use in a lighting function or light signal function associated with the lighting shape, the illumination of the plurality of light sources implementing an implementation of the lighting shape or approximating an implementation of the lighting shape.

8. The system of any of the preceding claims, wherein, The light sources are monochromatic LEDs.

9. The system of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, The light sources are polychromatic LEDs.

10. The system of claim 8 or 9, wherein, The processing and control means are adapted to control the light intensity level of the plurality of light sources selected for performing the predetermined lighting function or light signal function.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein, The driving means are adapted to control the color of the plurality of light sources selected for performing the predetermined lighting function or light signal function.

12. The system of claim 8 or 9, wherein, The processing and control means are adapted to control the switching on and off of the plurality of selected light sources intermittently at intermittent time intervals that are less than the retinal persistence time.

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