System and method for detecting and warning driver of vulnerable road user

Abstract

Systems and methods for detecting and alerting a driver of a vulnerable road user. A system includes a detection module and a control module in communication with the detection module. The detection module includes at least one sensor configured to detect a vulnerable road user (VRU) on or adjacent to a road. The control module is configured to: receive data indicative of the detected VRU; determining a position of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle based on the received data; and in response to determining the position of the detected VRU, temporarily flickering the intensity of the light output from a first active headlight on the driver side of the vehicle and / or a second active headlight on the passenger side of the vehicle to alert the driver of the detected position of the VRU relative to the vehicle. Other example systems and methods are also disclosed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The information provided in this section is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the present disclosure. The work of the presently named inventors is neither explicitly nor implicitly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure to the extent it is described in this section, nor are aspects of this description that may otherwise not qualify as prior art at the time of filing.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for detecting and warning a driver of vulnerable road users. Background Art

[0003] Vehicles may include driver assistance systems that rely on sensors for blind spot detection, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warnings, etc. In some cases, the driver assistance system may detect an object at a short distance from the vehicle and then activate a dedicated spotlight in the fog lights to highlight and track the object while the vehicle is moving. Summary of the invention

[0004] A system is disclosed for alerting a driver of a vulnerable road user (VRU) in a vehicle while the vehicle is moving. The system includes a detection module and a control module in communication with the detection module. The detection module includes at least one sensor configured to detect a VRU on or adjacent to a road on which the vehicle is moving. The control module is configured to: receive data indicative of a detected VRU; determine a position of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle based on the received data, the position including a driver side or a passenger side of the vehicle; and in response to determining the position of the detected VRU, temporarily flash an intensity of a light output from at least one of a first active headlight on the driver side of the vehicle and a second active headlight on the passenger side of the vehicle to alert the driver of the position of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle.

[0005] In other features, the at least one sensor includes at least one of a radar, an infrared camera, an infrared sensor, a visible light sensor, and a gated shortwave infrared sensor.

[0006] In other features, the at least one sensor is configured to detect a VRU that is beyond a maximum range of the first active headlight and the second active headlight.

[0007] In other features, the control module is configured to determine a confidence value for the detected VRU and temporarily flash the intensity of the light output from the first active headlight on the driver's side or the second active headlight on the passenger's side only if the determined confidence value is greater than a confidence threshold.

[0008] In other features, the control module is configured to receive data indicating a likelihood of an animal being present and adjust the confidence threshold based on the likelihood of the animal being present.

[0009] In other features, the control module is configured to detect whether the driver is looking in the direction of the detected VRU, and temporarily flash the intensity of the light output from the first active headlight on the driver's side or the second active headlight on the passenger side only if the driver is not looking in the direction of the detected VRU.

[0010] In other features, the control module is configured to detect the presence of oncoming vehicular traffic and temporarily flash the intensity of the light output from the first active headlight on the driver's side or the second active headlight on the passenger's side only if there is no oncoming vehicular traffic.

[0011] In other features, the control module is configured to receive data indicating visibility conditions of neighboring vehicles and a vehicle speed, and to temporarily flash an intensity of light output from a first active headlight on a driver's side or a second active headlight on a passenger's side of the vehicle only if the visibility conditions are below a visibility threshold and the vehicle speed is above a speed threshold.

[0012] In other features, the control module is configured to, in response to determining the position of the detected VRU, activate a directional alarm in the vehicle to alert a driver of the position of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle.

[0013] In other features, the directional alert includes at least one of a visual alert, a tactile alert, and an audible alert.

[0014] In other features, the first active headlight and the second active headlight are high beam headlights.

[0015] A method for warning a driver of a VRU in a vehicle is disclosed. The method includes: detecting with at least one sensor a VRU on a road on which the vehicle is moving or adjacent to the vehicle; determining a position of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle, the position including a driver side or a passenger side of the vehicle; and in response to determining the position of the detected VRU, temporarily flashing an intensity of light output from at least one of a first active headlight on the driver side of the vehicle and a second active headlight on the passenger side of the vehicle to warn the driver of the position of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle.

[0016] In other features, the method further comprises determining a confidence value for the detected VRU.

[0017] In other features, temporarily flashing the intensity of the light output includes temporarily flashing the intensity of the light output from the first active headlight on the driver side or the second active headlight on the passenger side only if the determined confidence value is above a confidence threshold.

[0018] In other features, the method further includes receiving data indicating a likelihood of animal presence, the data including at least one of a location of a road on which the vehicle is moving, a time of day, and a season of year; and adjusting the confidence threshold based on the likelihood of animal presence.

[0019] In other features, the intensity of the temporarily flashing light output includes temporarily flashing the intensity of the light output from the first active headlight on the driver's side or the second active headlight on the passenger side of the vehicle only when the driver is not looking in the direction of the detected VRU and oncoming vehicle traffic is not detected.

[0020] In other features, the method further comprises receiving data indicative of visibility conditions and vehicle speeds of neighboring vehicles.

[0021] In other features, temporarily flashing the intensity of the light output includes temporarily flashing the intensity of the light output from the first active headlight on the driver's side or the second active headlight on the passenger's side only when visibility conditions are below a visibility threshold and the vehicle speed is above a speed threshold.

[0022] In other features, the method further comprises, in response to determining the location of the detected VRU, activating a direction alarm in the vehicle to alert a driver of the location of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle.

[0023] In other features, the directional alert includes at least one of a visual alert, a tactile alert, and an audible alert.

[0024] In other features, the at least one sensor includes at least one of a radar, an infrared camera, an infrared sensor, a visible light sensor, and a gated shortwave infrared sensor.

[0025] In other features, the first active headlight and the second active headlight are high beam headlights.

[0026] A system is disclosed for warning a driver of a VRU in a vehicle while the vehicle is moving on a road. The vehicle includes at least one first active headlight on a driver's side of the vehicle and at least one second active headlight on a passenger side of the vehicle. The system includes a detection module and a control module in communication with the detection module. The detection module includes at least one sensor configured to detect a VRU on or adjacent to a road that is beyond the maximum range of the first active headlight and the second active headlight. The control module is configured to: receive data indicating a detected VRU; receive data indicating visibility conditions of adjacent vehicles and a vehicle speed; determine a position of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle based on the received data, the position including the driver's side or the passenger side of the vehicle; and in response to determining the position of the detected VRU, temporarily flash an intensity of a light output from the first active headlight on the driver's side of the vehicle or the second active headlight on the passenger side of the vehicle to warn the driver of the position of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle only when the visibility condition is below a visibility threshold and the vehicle speed is above a speed threshold.

[0027] The present invention may also include the following technical solutions:

[0028] 1. A system for warning a driver of a vulnerable road user (VRU) in a vehicle while the vehicle is moving, the system comprising:

[0029] a detection module comprising at least one sensor configured to detect a VRU on or adjacent to a road on which the vehicle is moving;

[0030] A control module in communication with the detection module, the control module being configured to:

[0031] receiving data indicating a detected VRU;

[0032] determining a position of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle based on the received data, wherein the position includes a driver side or a passenger side of the vehicle, and

[0033] In response to determining the location of the detected VRU, temporarily flashing the intensity of light output from at least one of a first active headlight on the driver's side of the vehicle and a second active headlight on the passenger side of the vehicle to alert the driver of the location of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle.

[0034] 2. A system according to technical solution 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one of a radar, an infrared camera, an infrared sensor, a visible light sensor, and a gated shortwave infrared sensor.

[0035] 3. A system according to technical solution 2, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to detect a VRU that is beyond the maximum range of the first active headlight and the second active headlight.

[0036] 4. The system according to technical solution 1, wherein the control module is configured as follows:

[0037] determining a confidence value for the detected VRU; and

[0038] Only if the determined confidence value is greater than a confidence threshold value is the intensity of the light output from the first active headlight on the driver's side or the second active headlight on the passenger's side temporarily flashed.

[0039] 5. The system according to technical solution 4, wherein the control module is configured as follows:

[0040] receiving data indicating the likelihood of the presence of an animal; and

[0041] The confidence threshold is adjusted based on the likelihood that the animal is present.

[0042] 6. The system according to technical solution 1, wherein the control module is configured as follows:

[0043] detecting whether the driver is looking in the direction of the detected VRU; and

[0044] The intensity of the light output from the first active headlight on the driver's side or the second active headlight on the passenger's side is temporarily flashed only if the driver is not looking in the direction of the detected VRU.

[0045] 7. The system according to technical solution 1, wherein the control module is configured as follows:

[0046] Detecting the presence of oncoming vehicular traffic; and

[0047] Only in the absence of oncoming vehicle traffic is the intensity of the light output from the first active headlight on the driver's side or the second active headlight on the passenger's side temporarily flashed.

[0048] 8. The system according to technical solution 1, wherein the control module is configured as follows:

[0049] receiving data indicative of visibility conditions and vehicle speeds of neighboring vehicles; and

[0050] The intensity of the light output from the first active headlight on the driver's side or the second active headlight on the passenger's side of the vehicle is temporarily flashed only when visibility conditions are below a visibility threshold and the vehicle speed is above a speed threshold.

[0051] 9. The system according to technical solution 1, wherein the control module is configured to activate a direction alarm in the vehicle in response to determining the position of the detected VRU to warn the driver of the position of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle.

[0052] 10. A system according to technical solution 9, wherein the direction alarm includes at least one of a visual alarm, a tactile alarm, and an auditory alarm.

[0053] 11. A system according to technical solution 1, wherein the first active headlight and the second active headlight are high-beam headlights.

[0054] 12. A method for warning a driver in a vehicle of a vulnerable road user (VRU), the method comprising:

[0055] detecting a VRU on or adjacent to a road on which the vehicle is moving with at least one sensor;

[0056] determining a location of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle, wherein the location includes a driver side or a passenger side of the vehicle; and

[0057] In response to determining the location of the detected VRU, temporarily flashing the intensity of light output from at least one of a first active headlight on the driver's side of the vehicle and a second active headlight on the passenger side of the vehicle to alert the driver of the location of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle.

[0058] 13. The method according to technical solution 12, wherein:

[0059] The method further comprises determining a confidence value for the detected VRU; and

[0060] Temporarily flashing the intensity of the light output includes temporarily flashing the intensity of the light output from the first active headlight on the driver's side or the second active headlight on the passenger's side only if the determined confidence value is above a confidence threshold.

[0061] 14. The method according to technical solution 13 further comprises:

[0062] receiving data indicative of a likelihood of animal presence, the data comprising at least one of a location of a road on which the vehicle is moving, a time of day, and a season of year; and

[0063] The confidence threshold is adjusted based on the likelihood that the animal is present.

[0064] 15. A method according to technical solution 13, wherein the intensity of the temporarily flashing light output includes temporarily flashing the intensity of the light output from the first active headlight on the driver's side or the second active headlight on the passenger side of the vehicle only when the driver is not looking in the direction of the detected VRU and does not detect oncoming vehicle traffic.

[0065] 16. The method according to technical solution 15, wherein:

[0066] The method further includes receiving data indicative of visibility conditions and vehicle speeds of neighboring vehicles; and

[0067] The intensity of temporarily flashing the light output includes temporarily flashing the intensity of the light output from the first active headlight on the driver's side or the second active headlight on the passenger's side only when visibility conditions are below a visibility threshold and the vehicle speed is above a speed threshold.

[0068] 17. The method according to technical solution 12 further includes activating a direction alarm in the vehicle in response to determining the position of the detected VRU to warn the driver of the position of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle, wherein the direction alarm includes at least one of a visual alarm, a tactile alarm, and an auditory alarm.

[0069] 18. A method according to technical solution 12, wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one of a radar, an infrared camera, an infrared sensor, a visible light sensor, and a gated shortwave infrared sensor.

[0070] 19. A method according to technical solution 12, wherein the first active headlight and the second active headlight are high-beam headlights.

[0071] 20. A system for warning a driver of a vulnerable road user (VRU) in a vehicle while the vehicle is moving on a road, the vehicle comprising at least one first active headlight on the driver's side of the vehicle and at least one second active headlight on the passenger side of the vehicle, the system comprising:

[0072] a detection module including at least one sensor configured to detect a VRU on or adjacent to a roadway that is beyond a maximum range of the first active headlight and the second active headlight;

[0073] A control module in communication with the detection module, the control module being configured to:

[0074] receiving data indicating a detected VRU,

[0075] receiving data indicating visibility conditions and vehicle speeds of neighboring vehicles,

[0076] determining a position of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle based on the received data, wherein the position includes a driver side or a passenger side of the vehicle, and

[0077] In response to determining the location of the detected VRU, only when visibility conditions are below a visibility threshold and the vehicle speed is above a speed threshold, temporarily flashing the intensity of light output from a first active headlamp on the driver's side of the vehicle or a second active headlamp on the passenger side of the vehicle to alert the driver of the location of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle.

[0078] Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description, claims and drawings.The detailed description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0079] The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which:

[0080] Figure 1 is a functional block diagram of an example system for detecting and warning a driver of vulnerable road users according to the present disclosure;

[0081] Figure 2 is a functional block diagram of a vehicle according to the present disclosure, the vehicle including a system for detecting and warning a driver of vulnerable road users;

[0082] Figure 3 is a flow chart of an example control process for detecting and warning a driver of vulnerable road users according to the present disclosure;

[0083] Figure 4 is a flow chart of another example control process for detecting and warning a driver of vulnerable road users according to the present disclosure;

[0084] Figure 5 is a flow chart of another example control process for detecting and warning a driver of vulnerable road users according to the present disclosure; and

[0085] Figure 6 is a flow chart of another example control process for detecting and warning a driver of a vulnerable road user according to the present disclosure.

[0086] In the drawings, reference numerals may be repeated to identify similar and / or identical elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0087] Moving vehicles frequently encounter objects on or near the road, such as vulnerable road users (VRUs). Often, the driver of the vehicle is unaware of the VRU (e.g., an individual / person of any size and / or shape, an animal of medium to large size, etc.) and / or has minimal reaction time to identify the VRU. This can occur under a variety of conditions. For example, accidents involving VRUs often occur in low-light, low-visibility conditions while traveling at relatively high speeds (e.g., greater than 60 kph, etc.) on predominantly straight rural roads. Such conditions result in thousands of fatal accidents each year. In many cases, the number of accidents and / or the impact of the accidents could have been reduced if the driver had been aware of the oncoming VRU earlier.

[0088] The system and method according to the present disclosure provide accurate detection of VRUs on or near the road and provide VRU warnings to the driver of the vehicle moving along the road by temporarily flashing or adjusting the light intensity of the selected active headlights in the vehicle. In various embodiments, the system and method herein detects VRUs with an acceptable range of vehicle configuration using one or more sensors. Example sensors may include radars (e.g., long-range radars), infrared cameras (e.g., long-range long-wave infrared cameras), infrared sensors (e.g., long-range gated near-infrared sensors), visible light sensors, gated short-wave infrared sensors, etc., which may be able to detect VRUs beyond the maximum range of the headlights, and in some cases, beyond the driver's visibility range (e.g., invisible to the driver). Then, once detected, the system and method can warn the driver of the VRU by temporarily flashing or adjusting the light intensity of one of the active headlights (e.g., a headlight that actively provides light) on the side of the vehicle closest to the detection of the VRU. In this way, by utilizing, for example, existing basic decorative hardware (e.g., headlights, control modules, etc.), the driver can be warned of the VRU and its position relative to the vehicle before it is visible to the driver and / or within the range of the headlights. As such, in response to an advance warning, the driver can take action (eg, maneuver safely around an oncoming VRU, etc.), thereby reducing the chance of an accident.

[0089] Reference now Figure 1 , a block diagram of an example system 100 for detecting and alerting a driver of a VRU in a vehicle while the vehicle is moving is presented. Figure 1 The system 100 can be used in any suitable vehicle, such as an electric vehicle (e.g., a pure electric vehicle, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, etc.), an internal combustion engine vehicle, etc. Additionally, the system 100 can be applicable to an autonomous vehicle, a semi-autonomous vehicle, or a non-autonomous vehicle. In addition, the vehicle can include, for example, a car, an SUV, a truck, etc.

[0090] like Figure 1As shown in FIG. 1 , the system 100 generally includes a control module 102, a detection module 104 in communication with the control module 102, and one or more sensors in communication with the control module 102. Figure 1 In the example of FIG. 1 , the one or more sensors include a speed sensor 106 , a steering wheel angle sensor 108 , a driver monitoring sensor 110 , and one or more visibility sensors 112 . Figure 1 System 100 is illustrated as including certain sensors, but it should be appreciated that one or more other sensors may be employed if desired.

[0091] The modules and sensors of the system 100 may share parameters via a network 114, such as a controller (or car) area network (CAN). In such an example, the parameters may be shared via one or more data buses of the network 114. As such, a given module and / or sensor may make various parameters available to other modules and / or sensors via the network 114.

[0092] Continue to refer Figure 1 , the system 100 may further include a headlight control module 116 that communicates with the control module 102 via the network 114. In such an example, the headlight control module 116 may be Figure 1 . In other examples, if the control module 102 performs the functions of the headlight control module 116, the headlight control module 116 can be integrated into the control module 102 and / or eliminated. Regardless of the configuration, the headlight control module 116 and / or the control module 102 can control the driver-side headlights 118 and the passenger-side headlights 120 of the vehicle, as further explained herein. The headlights 118, 120 include static headlights, such as high-beam headlights, low-beam headlights, fog lights, light bars, etc. In such examples, each static headlight can include one or more lights.

[0093] The speed sensor 106 monitors the speed of the vehicle (e.g., miles per hour, kilometers per hour, etc.). For example, the speed sensor 106 may include a vehicle speed sensor (VSS) that measures the transmission / transaxle output or wheel speed. The speed sensor 106 may then provide data indicating the speed of the vehicle to the control module 102 and / or another control module in the vehicle (e.g., via a signal). In other examples, the control module 102 may receive data indicating the accelerator pedal position of the vehicle. In such examples, the control module 102 may determine or calculate the speed of the vehicle based on the accelerator pedal position.

[0094] The steering wheel angle sensor 108 monitors the rotational position, movement, etc. of the steering wheel and generates a signal based on the position, movement, etc. of the steering wheel. The generated signal can then be provided to the control module 102 and / or another control module in the vehicle (e.g., a steering control module). As an example, the steering control module can control the vehicle steering via an electronic power steering (EPS) motor based on the generated signal. However, the vehicle may include another type of steering system. The steering control module and / or the EPS motor can then provide a signal to the control module 102.

[0095] In various embodiments, the control module 102 may use the monitored position, movement, etc. of the steering wheel to determine the curvature of the road on which the vehicle is traveling. For example, such data may be used to determine whether the vehicle is traveling along a relatively straight or curved road (or along a relatively straight portion or a curved portion of a road). In other examples, such determinations may be made by other sensors and / or modules. For example, the control module 102 may determine whether the vehicle is traveling along a relatively straight road or a curved road based on a mapping system (e.g., GPS, etc.) in communication with the control module 102.

[0096] The driver monitoring sensor 110 monitors the driver of the vehicle. For example, the driver monitoring sensor 110 can be a component of a driver monitoring system. In such an example, the driver monitoring sensor 110 captures the driver's data and provides the data to, for example, another suitable control module in the control module 102 and / or the system 100. The control module 102 (and / or another control module in the driver monitoring system) can analyze the data to determine that the driver is looking in a specific direction, such as the direction of the detected VRU (as further explained below). In some examples, the driver monitoring sensor 110 includes one or more cameras positioned in the vehicle (e.g., in the steering column, in an entertainment center adjacent to the driver, etc.) and pointing to the driver.

[0097] Figure 1One or more visibility sensors 112 monitor visibility conditions of the area surrounding the vehicle. For example, the visibility sensor 112 may include a front camera module and / or another suitable device for detecting objects and / or capturing data indicating visibility conditions of neighboring vehicles. In such an example, the visibility sensor 112 may detect low visibility conditions, such as fog, smoke, rain, snow, darkness, etc. In some embodiments, the visibility sensor 112 may additionally or alternatively include a precipitation sensor, a light detection sensor, and / or other sensors that detect low visibility conditions. For example, a precipitation sensor may detect rain, snow, etc., and a light detection sensor may detect darkness. Regardless of the device employed, the visibility sensor 112 may collect data indicating visibility conditions of neighboring vehicles and provide the data to the control module 102 and / or another suitable control module in the system 100.

[0098] exist Figure 1 In an example of the present invention, the detection module 104 detects a VRU on a road or adjacent to a road on which the vehicle is moving, and provides data indicating the detected VRU to the control module 102 and / or another suitable control module in the system 100. For example, the detection module 104 may include one or more detection devices mounted on the vehicle. During operation, the detection device of the detection module 104 may emit waves (e.g., light waves, ultrasonic waves, microwave signals, etc.) and then receive reflected waves to detect objects. In some examples, depending on, for example, the type of (one or more) detection devices used, the detection module 104 may detect VRUs that are about 100 meters, about 130 meters, etc. away from the vehicle. In such an example, the detection module 104 may detect VRUs that are beyond the maximum range of the vehicle's headlights. For example, the range of a high-beam headlight may be up to about 20 meters.

[0099] In various embodiments, the detection module 104 may include, for example, one or more sensors capable of detecting a VRU beyond the maximum range of the headlights. In some examples, the sensor may include a radar (e.g., a long-range radar), an infrared camera (e.g., a long-range long-wave infrared camera), an infrared sensor (e.g., a long-range gated near-infrared sensor), a visible light sensor, a gated short-wave infrared sensor, etc. Such a device may generally detect a VRU by detecting radiant heat associated with an object. In other examples, if desired, the detection module 104 may include another suitable device for detecting a VRU.

[0100] For example, Figure 2 Depicted include Figure 1 The detection module 104, the driver side headlight 118, the passenger side headlight 120, and the visibility sensor 112 of the vehicle 250. Figure 2In the example of FIG. 2 , the headlights 118 , 120 are high-beam headlights having light ranges depicted by overlapping regions 218 , 220 (indicated by lines having a dashed-dashed configuration). Additionally, the visibility sensor 112 may be, for example, a front camera module and / or another suitable device for detecting objects and / or capturing data indicative of visibility conditions of neighboring vehicles 250 . Figure 2 In the example of , visibility sensor 112 has a range depicted by area 212 (indicated by a line having a dash-dot-dashed configuration). Figure 2 The detection module 104 (eg, a long wavelength infrared device, etc.) has a detection range depicted by area 204 (indicated by a line having a dash-dot-dot-dashed configuration).

[0101] As shown, the detection range of the detection module 104 extends beyond the light range of the headlights 118, 120 and into the VRU 260 located on the side of the road. In this way, when the vehicle 250 travels along the road, the detection module 104 detects the VRU 260 before the headlights 118, 120 of the VRU 260 are illuminated and / or the front camera module of the VRU 260 is detected.

[0102] Continue to refer Figure 1 , the control module 102 or the detection module 104 determines the position of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle based on the data from the detection module 104. For example, the control module 102 may receive data from the VRU (e.g., Figure 2 The control module 102 may also include data on the angle of the reflected wave relative to the vehicle of the VRU 260 (e.g., the direction of travel of the vehicle). In such an example, the control module 102 may determine whether the detected VRU is on the driver's side of the vehicle or on the passenger's side of the vehicle based on the angle of the reflected wave relative to the vehicle (e.g., the direction of travel of the vehicle). In other examples, the detection module 104 may make a similar determination and then provide the location of the detected VRU to the control module 102.

[0103] The control module 102 may then temporarily flash (e.g., adjust, etc.) the intensity of the light output from the driver-side headlight 118 or the passenger-side headlight 120 in response to the determined location of the detected VRU. For example, once the location of the detected VRU is known, the control module 102 may adjust the light intensity of the headlights 118, 120 on the side of the vehicle closest to where the VRU was detected. For example, if the VRU is detected on the driver's side of the vehicle, the control module 102 adjusts the light intensity of the driver's side headlight 118. However, if the VRU is detected on the passenger side of the vehicle, the control module 102 adjusts the light intensity of the passenger-side headlight 120. In such an example, the adjustment of the light intensity of the particular headlight 118, 120 on the side of the vehicle closest to where the VRU was detected effectively alerts the driver not only to the VRU, but also to the location of the VRU relative to the vehicle.

[0104] In various embodiments, the headlights 118, 120 include static headlights, such as high-beam headlights. In such an example, the control module 102 can temporarily flash the light intensity of the headlights 118, 120 by interrupting the power to the headlights 118, 120, thereby causing the light intensity of the headlights to change. For example, the headlights 118, 120 can flash at a sufficient frequency (e.g., 1 / 30 second, etc.) to make the headlights 118, 120 appear as if they are momentarily reducing the light intensity without highlighting the VRU. This can be repeated over a period of time to visually warn the driver of the VRU. In such an example, the overall light intensity from the vehicle is reduced to warn the driver of the VRU, as compared to a conventional system that increases the light intensity with a dedicated spotlight to highlight and track the object as the vehicle moves. As such, even during low visibility conditions (e.g., during rainy / humid conditions), the adjustment of the light intensity of the static headlights provides an energy-efficient way to warn the driver of the VRU.

[0105] In some examples, the control module 102 may temporarily flash (e.g., adjust, etc.) the light intensity of the two headlights 118, 120. For example, the VRU may be located in the middle area of ​​the road lane along which the vehicle is traveling. In such an example, once the VRU is detected and the position of the VRU is determined, the control module 102 may reduce the light intensity of the two headlights 118, 120 as explained above. For example, the area in front of the moving vehicle may be divided into three or more areas. For example, these areas may include a driver's side area covering the area on the driver's side in front of the moving vehicle, a passenger side area covering the area on the passenger side in front of the moving vehicle, and an intermediate area between the driver's side area and the passenger side area. When the VRU is determined to be in the driver's side area or the passenger side area, the control module 102 may adjust the light intensity of the driver's side headlight 118 or the passenger side headlight 120 as explained above. However, when it is determined that the VRU is in the middle area, the control module 102 may adjust the light intensity of the two headlights 118, 120. In such an example, the middle area may be defined by an offset (e.g., half a meter, one meter, etc.) on each side of the centerline of the vehicle.

[0106] In various embodiments, the control module 102 may suppress or prevent adjustment of the light intensity if one or more conditions are met. In other words, the control module 102 may adjust the light intensity of one or both headlights 118, 120 only if certain (certain) conditions apply. Otherwise, the light intensity of one or both headlights 118, 120 is maintained (e.g., not adjusted). Such conditions may be environmental conditions, such as based on visibility, road characteristics, road position, vehicle characteristics, driver characteristics, etc. For example, and as further explained herein, the control module 102 may adjust the light intensity of the headlights 118, 120, and / or the detection module 104 may be activated (e.g., to detect a VRU) only during low light / low visibility conditions when the vehicle is traveling in a straight line at high speed on a rural road and when the driver is not yet looking in the direction of a VRU. Under such optional conditions, the system 100 may minimize unnecessary alerts and, in turn, minimize unnecessary distractions for the driver.

[0107] For example, the control module 102 may maintain (e.g., not adjust) the light intensity of the headlights 118, 120 based on data from the driver monitoring sensor 110. For example, the control module 102 may detect whether the driver is looking in the direction of the detected VRU based on data from the driver monitoring sensor 110. This detection may be based on the head position of the driver relative to the detected VRU. If the driver is looking in the direction of the detected VRU (e.g., within a limited time period, etc.), the control module 102 may maintain the light intensity of the headlights 118, 120. In other words, the light intensity of the headlights 118, 120 may be adjusted only if the driver is not looking in the direction of the detected VRU.

[0108] Additionally, the control module 102 may maintain the light intensity of the headlights 118, 120 based on data from the visibility sensor(s) 112. For example, one of the visibility sensors 112 (e.g., a front camera module, etc.) may detect the presence of oncoming vehicular traffic. In response to detecting the oncoming vehicular traffic, the control module 102 may maintain the light intensity of the headlights 118, 120. As such, the light intensity of the headlights 118, 120 may be adjusted only in the absence of oncoming vehicular traffic.

[0109] In other examples, one or more visibility sensors 112 may detect low visibility conditions as explained above. In such examples, the control module 102 may receive data indicating visibility conditions of neighboring vehicles. As explained above, visibility conditions may be affected based on darkness levels, rain, snow, smoke, fog, etc. as detected by (one or more) visibility sensors 112. In some examples, the control module 102 may then assign a value representing the visibility condition. For example, a lower value may indicate poor visibility, while a higher value may indicate acceptable visibility. The control module 102 may then adjust the light intensity of the headlights 118, 120 only when the visibility condition (e.g., the assigned value) is below a visibility threshold.

[0110] In various embodiments, the control module 102 may adjust the light intensity of the headlights 118, 120 only if the vehicle is traveling at a sufficiently high speed. For example, as explained above, the control module 102 may receive data indicating the speed of the vehicle from the speed sensor 106. In such an example, the control module 102 may adjust the light intensity of the headlights 118, 120 only if the vehicle speed is above a speed threshold. In such an example, the speed threshold may be a set value (e.g., 60 kph, 65 kph, 70 kph, 80 kph, 90 kph, etc.). In other examples, the speed threshold may vary depending on, for example, the characteristics of the road, the location of the road (e.g., rural, in a city, etc.), the time of day, the season (e.g., fall, summer, etc.), etc.

[0111] Additionally, the control module 102 may temporarily flash (e.g., adjust, etc.) the light intensity of the headlights 118, 120 based on the confidence value of the detected VRU. For example, the control module 102 and / or the detection module 104 may determine a confidence value associated with the detected VRU. The confidence value may be an assigned value that indicates a confidence level that the detected VRU is in fact a VRU and not a non-user (e.g., an object such as a bush, tree, rock, road sign, mailbox, post, etc.). In various embodiments, the detection module 104 may include a neural network with deep learning capabilities and / or machine learning capabilities for assigning confidence values.

[0112] For example, the detection module 104 may include an infrared device as explained above (e.g., a long wavelength infrared device, etc.). In such an example, the infrared device detects an object (e.g., a VRU, an inanimate object, etc.) based on the heat from the object. When an object (e.g., a person, an animal, etc.) is moving, the infrared device generates and detects a higher amount of heat than when the object (e.g., a bush, a mailbox, etc.) is stationary. Subsequently, the assigned confidence value may be set or adjusted depending on the amount of heat detected.

[0113] Additionally, in some examples, the confidence value may depend on the distance between the moving vehicle and the detected object. For example, as the detection module 104 gets closer to the object (e.g., due to the moving vehicle), the detection module may become more accurate and confident. As such, the confidence value may change (e.g., decrease or increase) as the distance between the detection module 104 and the object decreases. However, in such examples, as the distance (e.g., the distance to brake) decreases, the driver's available reaction time also decreases.

[0114] Then, only if the determined confidence value is above the confidence threshold, the control module 102 may temporarily flash the light intensity of the headlights 118, 120. In other words, if the determined confidence value is below the confidence threshold, the control module 102 may maintain the light intensity. In such an example, the confidence threshold may be a percentage, such as 80% confidence that the detected object is a VRU, 70% confidence that the detected object is a VRU, 60% confidence that the detected object is a VRU, and so on.

[0115] In addition, in various embodiments, the confidence threshold and / or any other thresholds herein (e.g., visibility thresholds, speed thresholds, etc.) can be adjusted as desired. For example, the control module 102 can receive data indicating the likelihood of animal presence. Such data may include, for example, the location of the road (e.g., rural, in the city, etc.), the time of day, the season (e.g., autumn, etc.), and / or other data indicating the presence of the animal or the movement of the animal. For example, deer may be more likely to move in rural areas during the evening (e.g., between 6 and 9 p.m.) and during the rutting season that typically occurs in the fall of the United States. As such, when such conditions exist, deer are more likely to cross roads and / or be near roads. In addition, in some examples, the control module 102 can receive data from a database that indicates the frequency of VRUs in the area based on past VRU detections.

[0116] Either threshold may be adjusted based on the data received. For example, if the vehicle is traveling on rural roads in the fall between 6 and 9 p.m., the confidence threshold may be lowered, thereby providing a higher sensitivity of the system 100. However, if the vehicle is traveling on urban roads in the fall between 6 and 9 p.m., the confidence threshold may be increased, thereby providing a lower sensitivity of the system 100.

[0117] In various embodiments, the control module 102 may activate additional alarms in the vehicle to warn the driver of the position of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle. For example, when a VRU is detected on the driver's side of the vehicle, the control module 102 may activate an audible alarm through the driver's side speaker, or when a VRU is detected on the passenger side of the vehicle, the control module 102 may activate an audible alarm through the passenger's side speaker. Additionally and / or alternatively, the control module 102 may activate a tactile alarm that the driver may perceive. For example, when a VRU is detected, a specific side of the steering wheel or a specific side of the seat may vibrate, thereby alerting the driver of the detected VRU. In addition, another visual warning is performed by causing the display to provide a direction indicator (e.g., a flashing light, an arrow, etc.), lowering or flashing the ambient light on the driver's side or the passenger side of the vehicle, etc. In some examples, a visual alarm displayed may be provided on a windshield (e.g., a head-up display, etc.), on a display of an entertainment center adjacent to the driver, etc.

[0118] Figure 3-Figure 6 The diagram shows the Figure 1 The control module 102 and the detection module 104 of the present invention are used to detect and warn the driver of VRU in the vehicle. Although the example control process 300, 400, 500, 600 is relative to the control module 102 and the detection module 104, Figure 1 Although the system 100 is described in detail, any of the control processes 300, 400, 500, 600 may be used by any suitable system. Figure 3-Figure 6 In the example of FIG. 1 , the control processes 300 , 400 , 500 , 600 may be initiated when the system 100 , the control module 102 , etc., is powered on and / or at another suitable time.

[0119] like Figure 3 As shown in , control begins at 302, where a determination is made as to whether a VRU is detected on or adjacent to a road. For example, the control module 102 may receive data indicating a detected VRU from the detection module 104, as described above with respect to Figure 1-Figure 2 In such an example, the detection module 104 may include at least one sensor, such as a long wavelength infrared device, for detecting a VRU. If the detection module 104 does not detect a VRU and / or the control module 102 does not receive data indicating a detected VRU, control may return to the control module 102. Figure 3 However, if the detection module 104 detects a VRU and / or the control module 102 does receive data indicating a detected VRU at 302, control continues to 304.

[0120] At 304, the control module 102 identifies the position of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle based on the data from the detection module 104. For example, the position of the detected VRU may be determined based on the angle of the reflected wave from the VRU received by the detection module 104 relative to the vehicle. In various embodiments, the determined position may be the driver's side of the vehicle or the passenger side of the vehicle. Control then proceeds to 306.

[0121] At 306, the control module 102 determines whether the detected location of the VRU is on the driver's side of the vehicle. If so, control proceeds to 308, where the control module 102 temporarily flashes (e.g., adjusts, etc.) the driver's side headlights (e.g., Figure 1 If no at 306, control proceeds to 310 where the control module 102 temporarily flashes (eg, adjusts, etc.) the light intensity from the passenger side headlight (eg, Figure 1 In some examples, the adjustment of the light intensity may be controlled by interrupting power to one of the headlights, thereby causing the light intensity of the headlight to be temporarily reduced. In various embodiments, the light intensity of both headlights (e.g., the driver and passenger side headlights 118, 120) may be adjusted if, for example, the detected VRU is located in a mid-region of a lane of a road along which the vehicle is traveling as explained above.

[0122] In such an example, the driver side headlights and the passenger side headlights may be high beam headlights, low beam headlights, fog lights, light bars, etc. For example, the control module 102 may determine whether the high beam headlights are occupied, and if so, control the driver side and / or passenger side high beam headlights to flash or otherwise reduce the light intensity. In other examples, if the high beam headlights are not occupied, the control module 102 may control the driver side and / or passenger side low beam headlights (or other suitable lights) to flash or otherwise reduce the light intensity.

[0123] After the control module 102 adjusts the light intensity of the driver-side headlights and / or the passenger-side headlights, control continues to 312. At 312, as explained above, the control module 102 may optionally activate a directional alert in the vehicle. For example, the control module 102 may activate another visual alert by causing a display to provide a directional indicator, lowering or flashing ambient light on the driver-side or passenger-side of the vehicle, etc., activate a tactile alert through a steering wheel, seat, etc., and / or activate an audible alert through a speaker in the vehicle (e.g., a driver-side speaker or a passenger-side speaker). In various embodiments, the optional activation of the directional alert may be performed prior to adjusting the driver-side headlights and / or the passenger-side headlights (e.g., Figure 3 ) or simultaneously if desired. Control can then be as follows Figure 3, or return to 302 if desired.

[0124] like Figure 4 As shown in , control begins at 302, where a determination is made as to whether a VRU is detected on or adjacent to a road, as described above with respect to Figure 1-Figure 3 If no VRU is detected, control may return to 302. However, if a VRU is detected, control proceeds to 304 where the control module 102 determines or otherwise identifies the position of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle, as described above with respect to the Figure 1-Figure 3 Control then continues to 406 .

[0125] At 406, the control module 102 determines a confidence value associated with the detected VRU. For example, and as explained above, the control module 102 may assign a value (e.g., a percentage, etc.) that indicates a confidence level that the detected VRU is actually a VRU and not a non-user (e.g., an object such as a bush, tree, rock, road sign, mailbox, post, etc.). The assigned confidence value may be based on, for example, the amount of heat detected by the detection module 104, the distance between the moving vehicle and the detected object, etc. Control then proceeds to 408.

[0126] At 408, the control module 102 determines a confidence threshold. For example, as explained above, the control module 102 can determine and / or adjust the confidence threshold based on the likelihood of the presence of a VRU (e.g., an individual, an animal, etc.). In such an example, the control module 102 can receive data indicating the likelihood of the presence of an animal, such as the location of the road on which the vehicle is traveling (e.g., rural, in a city, etc.), the time of day, the season (e.g., autumn, etc.), etc. Additionally, in some examples, the control module 102 can receive data from a database indicating the frequency of VRUs in the area based on past VRU detections. In various embodiments, the determination of the confidence threshold can occur before, after, or simultaneously with the determination of the confidence value. Control then proceeds to 410.

[0127] At 410, the control module 102 determines whether the confidence value satisfies a confidence threshold. For example, the control module 102 may make this determination by comparing the confidence value (and / or another representative value) to a confidence threshold (and / or another representative value). If the confidence value is less than the confidence threshold, control may return to 302 or another suitable step (such as 406 or 408). However, if the confidence value is greater than or equal to the confidence threshold, control continues to 306.

[0128] At 306, the control module 102 determines whether the detected location of the VRU is on the driver's side of the vehicle, as described above with respect to Figure 1-Figure 3 If yes, control proceeds to 308 where the control module 102 temporarily flashes the driver side headlights (eg, Figure 1 If no at 306, control proceeds to 310 where the control module 102 temporarily flashes the passenger side headlights (e.g., Figure 1 The light intensity of the passenger side headlight 120). Then, the control can be as follows Figure 4 , or return to 302 if desired.

[0129] like Figure 5 As shown in , control begins at 302, where a determination is made whether a VRU is detected on or adjacent to a road, as described above with respect to Figure 1-Figure 4 If no, control may return to 302. If yes, control proceeds to 304, where the control module 102 determines or otherwise identifies the position of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle, as described above with respect to Figure 1-Figure 4 Control then continues with 506 .

[0130] At 506, the control module 102 determines whether the vehicle driver is looking in the direction of the location of the detected VRU. For example, the control module 102 can detect whether the driver is looking in the direction of the detected VRU based on data captured from the driver monitoring sensor 110 (e.g., one or more cameras) in the vehicle. If the driver is looking in the direction of the detected VRU, control returns to 302. However, if the control module 102 does not determine that the driver is looking in the direction of the detected VRU, control continues to 508.

[0131] At 508, the control module 102 determines whether any oncoming vehicle traffic is detected. In such an example, the control module 102 may detect oncoming vehicle traffic from a front camera module (e.g., Figure 1 The vehicle may be detected by a plurality of sensors 112 (one of the visibility sensors 112) to receive data indicating the presence of an oncoming vehicle approaching the vehicle. If an oncoming vehicle is detected, control returns to 302. Otherwise, control continues to 306.

[0132] At 306, the control module 102 determines whether the detected location of the VRU is on the driver's side of the vehicle, as described above with respect to Figure 1-Figure 4If yes, control proceeds to 308 where the control module 102 temporarily flashes the light intensity of the driver side headlight. If no, control proceeds to 310 where the control module 102 temporarily flashes the light intensity of the passenger side headlight as explained above. Control may then proceed as follows: Figure 5 , or return to 302 if desired.

[0133] like Figure 6 As shown in , control begins at 602, where the control module 102 determines whether a visibility condition is satisfied. For example, the control module 102 can obtain information from one or more sensors (e.g., Figure 1 (One or more) visibility sensors 112) receive data indicating one or more visibility conditions of neighboring vehicles. For example, the sensor may include a front camera module and / or another suitable sensor that detects low visibility conditions (such as the presence of smoke, fog, rain, snow, darkness, etc.). If any one or more of the low visibility conditions are detected, the control module 102 may determine that the visibility condition is met at 602. In other examples, the control module 102 may assign a value representing the visibility condition of the neighboring vehicle based on the received data. If the assigned value is below a visibility threshold (e.g., which indicates a low visibility condition), the control module 102 may determine that the visibility condition is met at 602. Regardless, if the visibility condition is met at 602, control continues to 604. Otherwise, control may return to 602 (e.g., Figure 6 ), or end if desired.

[0134] At 604, the control module 102 determines whether the vehicle condition is satisfied. For example, as explained above, the control module 102 may obtain the vehicle condition from a speed sensor (e.g., Figure 1 If the vehicle is traveling at a speed greater than a speed threshold (e.g., 60 kph, 65 kph, 70 kph, 80 kph, 90 kph, etc.), the control module 102 may determine at 604 that the vehicle condition is satisfied. Additionally, in some examples, as explained above, the control module 102 may receive speed data from a steering wheel angle sensor (e.g., Figure 1 The control module 102 may determine that the vehicle is being controlled to travel along a relatively straight road (or portion of a road) using the steering wheel angle sensor 108. In such an example, the control module 102 may determine that the vehicle is being controlled to travel along a relatively straight road (or portion of a road). If so, then at 604, the control module 102 may determine that the vehicle condition is satisfied. Regardless, if the vehicle condition is satisfied at 604, control continues to 606. Otherwise, control may return to 602 (eg, Figure 6 ), or end if desired.

[0135] At 606, the control module 102 determines whether the road condition is satisfied. In such an example, the control module 102 may receive data indicating the type of road along which the vehicle is traveling (e.g., curved or straight), the location of the road along which the vehicle is traveling (e.g., rural or in an urban area), etc. Such data may be obtained from, for example, a mapping system (e.g., GPS, etc.) in communication with the control module 102. If the road is straight and / or in a rural location, then at 606, the control module 102 may determine that the road condition is satisfied. If so, control continues to 302. Otherwise, control may return to 602 (e.g., Figure 6 ), or end if desired.

[0136] At 306, the control module 102 determines whether the detected location of the VRU is on the driver's side, as described above with respect to Figure 1-Figure 5 If yes, control proceeds to 308 where the intensity of the driver's side headlight is temporarily blinked (e.g., adjusted, etc.) as explained above. If no, control proceeds to 310 where the intensity of the passenger's side headlight is temporarily blinked as explained above. Control may then proceed as follows: Figure 6 , or return to 302 if desired.

[0137] The foregoing description is merely illustrative in nature and is by no means intended to limit the present disclosure, its application or use. The broad teachings of the present disclosure can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, although the present disclosure includes specific examples, the true scope of the present disclosure should not be so limited, because other modifications will become apparent after studying the drawings, the specification and the following claims. It should be understood that, without changing the principles of the present disclosure, one or more steps in the method can be performed in different orders (or simultaneously). In addition, although each embodiment is described above as having certain features, any one or more of those features described with respect to any embodiment of the present disclosure can be implemented in the features of any other embodiment and / or combined with the features of any other embodiment, even if the combination is not explicitly described. In other words, the described embodiments are not mutually exclusive, and the permutation of one or more embodiments with each other is still within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0138] Spatial and functional relationships between elements (e.g., between modules, circuit elements, semiconductor layers, etc.) are described using various terms, including "connected," "engaged," "coupled," "adjacent," "immediately adjacent," "on," "above," "below," and "disposed." Unless explicitly described as "direct," when a relationship between a first and a second element is described in the above disclosure, the relationship may be a direct relationship in which no other intervening elements exist between the first and second elements, but may also be an indirect relationship in which one or more intervening elements exist between the first and second elements (either spatially or functionally). As used herein, the phrase "at least one of A, B, and C" should be interpreted to mean a logical (A or B or C) using a non-exclusive logical "or," and should not be interpreted to mean "at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C."

[0139] In the various figures, the direction of the arrow, as indicated by the arrow head, generally indicates the flow of information (such as data or instructions) of interest to the illustration. For example, when element A and element B exchange various information, but the information transmitted from element A to element B is relevant to the illustration, the arrow may point from element A to element B. The unidirectional arrow does not imply that no other information is transmitted from element B to element A. In addition, for information sent from element A to element B, element B may send a request or receipt confirmation to element A for the information.

[0140] In this application, including the definitions below, the term "module" or the term "controller" may be replaced with the term "circuit". The term "module" may refer to, be part of, or include: an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC); a digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital discrete circuit; a digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital integrated circuit; a combinational logic circuit; a field programmable gate array (FPGA); a processor circuit (shared, dedicated, or grouped) that executes code; a memory circuit (shared, dedicated, or grouped) that stores code executed by the processor circuit; other suitable hardware components that provide the described functionality; or a combination of some or all of the above, such as in a system on a chip.

[0141] The module may include one or more interface circuits. In some examples, the interface circuit may include a wired or wireless interface connected to a local area network (LAN), the Internet, a wide area network (WAN), or a combination thereof. The functions of any given module of the present disclosure may be distributed among multiple modules connected via the interface circuit. For example, multiple modules may allow load balancing. In a further example, a server (also referred to as a remote or cloud) module may implement some functions on behalf of a client module.

[0142] The term "code" as used above may include software, firmware, and / or microcode, and may refer to a program, a routine, a function, a class, a data structure, and / or an object. The term "shared processor circuit" covers a single processor circuit that executes some or all code from multiple modules. The term "group processor circuit" covers a processor circuit that executes some or all code from one or more modules in combination with an additional processor circuit. References to multiple processor circuits cover multiple processor circuits on discrete dies, multiple processor circuits on a single die, multiple cores of a single processor circuit, multiple threads of a single processor circuit, or a combination of the above. The term "shared memory circuit" covers a single memory circuit that stores some or all code from multiple modules. The term "group memory circuit" covers a memory circuit that stores some or all code from one or more modules in combination with additional memory.

[0143] The term "memory circuit" is a subset of the term "computer-readable medium". The term "computer-readable medium" as used herein does not encompass transient electrical or electromagnetic signals propagated through a medium (such as on a carrier wave); therefore, the term "computer-readable medium" may be considered to be tangible and non-transitory. Non-limiting examples of non-transitory tangible computer-readable media are non-volatile memory circuits (such as flash memory circuits, erasable programmable read-only memory circuits, or mask read-only memory circuits), volatile memory circuits (such as static random access memory circuits or dynamic random access memory circuits), magnetic storage media (such as analog or digital magnetic tape or hard drives), and optical storage media (such as CDs, DVDs, or Blu-ray discs).

[0144] The apparatus and method described in the present application can be implemented in part or in whole by a special-purpose computer, which is created by configuring a general-purpose computer to perform one or more specific functions embodied in a computer program. The functional blocks, flow chart components and other elements described above act as software specifications, which can be translated into computer programs by the routine work of skilled technicians or programmers.

[0145] The computer program includes processor executable instructions stored on at least one non-transitory tangible computer readable medium. The computer program may also include or rely on stored data. The computer program may include a basic input / output system (BIOS) that interacts with the hardware of the special-purpose computer, device drivers that interact with specific devices of the special-purpose computer, one or more operating systems, user applications, background services, background applications, etc.

[0146] A computer program may include: (i) descriptive text to be parsed, such as HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), XML (Extensible Markup Language), or JSON (JavaScript Object Notation), (ii) assembly code, (iii) object code generated by a compiler from source code, (iv) source code for execution by an interpreter, (v) source code for compilation and execution by a just-in-time compiler, etc. By way of example only, source code may be written using syntax from languages ​​including: C, C++, C#, Objective-C, Swift, Haskell, Go, SQL, R, Lisp, Fortran, Perl, Pascal, Curl, OCaml, HTML5 (Hypertext Markup Language Version 5), Ada, ASP (Active Server Pages), PHP (PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor), Scala, Eiffel, Smalltalk, Erlang, Ruby, Visual Lua, MATLAB, SIMULINK, and

Claims

1. A system for warning a driver of a vulnerable road user (VRU) in a vehicle while the vehicle is moving, the system comprising: a detection module comprising at least one sensor configured to detect a VRU on or adjacent to a road on which the vehicle is moving; A control module in communication with the detection module, the control module being configured to: receiving data indicating a detected VRU; determining a position of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle based on the received data, wherein the position includes a driver side or a passenger side of the vehicle, and In response to determining the location of the detected VRU, temporarily flashing the intensity of light output from at least one of a first active headlight on the driver's side of the vehicle and a second active headlight on the passenger side of the vehicle to alert the driver of the location of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the control module is configured to: determining a confidence value for the detected VRU; and Only if the determined confidence value is greater than a confidence threshold value is the intensity of the light output from the first active headlight on the driver's side or the second active headlight on the passenger's side temporarily flashed.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the control module is configured to: receiving data indicating the likelihood of the presence of an animal; and The confidence threshold is adjusted based on the likelihood that the animal is present.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the control module is configured to: detecting whether the driver is looking in the direction of the detected VRU; and The intensity of the light output from the first active headlight on the driver's side or the second active headlight on the passenger's side is temporarily flashed only if the driver is not looking in the direction of the detected VRU.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the control module is configured to: Detecting the presence of oncoming vehicular traffic; and Only in the absence of oncoming vehicle traffic is the intensity of the light output from the first active headlight on the driver's side or the second active headlight on the passenger's side temporarily flashed.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the control module is configured to: receiving data indicative of visibility conditions and vehicle speeds of neighboring vehicles; and The intensity of the light output from the first active headlight on the driver's side or the second active headlight on the passenger's side of the vehicle is temporarily flashed only when visibility conditions are below a visibility threshold and the vehicle speed is above a speed threshold.

7. A method for warning a driver in a vehicle of a vulnerable road user (VRU), the method comprising: detecting a VRU on or adjacent to a road on which the vehicle is moving with at least one sensor; determining a location of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle, wherein the location includes a driver side or a passenger side of the vehicle; and In response to determining the location of the detected VRU, temporarily flashing the intensity of light output from at least one of a first active headlight on the driver's side of the vehicle and a second active headlight on the passenger side of the vehicle to alert the driver of the location of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein: The method further includes determining a confidence value for the detected VRU; and Temporarily flashing the intensity of the light output includes temporarily flashing the intensity of the light output from the first active headlight on the driver's side or the second active headlight on the passenger's side only if the determined confidence value is above a confidence threshold.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising: receiving data indicative of a likelihood of animal presence, the data comprising at least one of a location of a road on which the vehicle is moving, a time of day, and a season of year; and The confidence threshold is adjusted based on the likelihood that the animal is present.

10. A system for warning a driver of a vulnerable road user (VRU) in a vehicle while the vehicle is moving on a road, the vehicle comprising at least one first active headlight on the driver's side of the vehicle and at least one second active headlight on the passenger side of the vehicle, the system comprising: a detection module including at least one sensor configured to detect a VRU on or adjacent to a roadway that is beyond a maximum range of the first active headlight and the second active headlight; A control module in communication with the detection module, the control module being configured to: receiving data indicating a detected VRU, receiving data indicating visibility conditions and vehicle speeds of neighboring vehicles, determining a position of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle based on the received data, wherein the position includes a driver side or a passenger side of the vehicle, and In response to determining the location of the detected VRU, only when visibility conditions are below a visibility threshold and the vehicle speed is above a speed threshold, temporarily flashing the intensity of light output from a first active headlamp on the driver's side of the vehicle or a second active headlamp on the passenger side of the vehicle to alert the driver of the location of the detected VRU relative to the vehicle.

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