Method for contextually controlling lighting along streets

By installing the Car2X module in the street lighting device, receiving vehicle environmental monitoring information and adjusting lighting, the problem of insufficient lighting for unconnected traffic participants and objects is solved, and more efficient energy use and traffic safety is achieved.

CN119948900APending Publication Date: 2025-05-06VOLKSWAGEN AG
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202380070517.5
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2022-10-06
Filing Date
2023-10-02
Publication Date
2025-05-06

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The prior art has difficulty in effectively adjusting street lighting to accommodate traffic participants and/or objects that are not involved in the networking.

Method used

By installing the Car2X module in the street lighting device, environmental monitoring information from vehicles equipped with the Car2X module is received and street lighting is adjusted based on this information to ensure that unnetworked traffic participants and objects can also be properly illuminated.

Benefits of technology

Illumination adjustments for all traffic participants and objects are achieved without the need for expensive modifications to traffic participants or objects, saving energy, reducing carbon dioxide emissions, and improving traffic safety.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

A method for contextually controlling lighting along a street. The invention relates to a method for contextually controlling lighting along a street (16), at least one street lighting device (12) of the group (10) of street lighting devices is equipped with a Car2X module and receives information of the approaching vehicle (18) and adapts the lighting of each street lighting device (12) of the group of street lighting devices as needed on the basis of the transmitted information. In this case, the information detected by the approaching vehicle (18) via the environment monitoring device thereof is transmitted, in particular, to a street lighting device (12) comprising a Car2X module, such that the lighting of each street lighting device (12) in a group of street lighting devices is independently adapted to a traffic participant and / or an object not equipped with a Car2X module.
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Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for controlling lighting along a street in a situational manner, wherein at least one street lighting device in a group of street lighting devices is equipped with a Car2X module and receives information about an approaching vehicle and adjusts the lighting of each street lighting device in the group of street lighting devices as required based on the transmitted information. In this case, the information detected by the approaching vehicle via its environment monitoring device is transmitted in particular to the street lighting device equipped with the Car2X module, so that the lighting of each street lighting device in the group of street lighting devices is adjusted independently according to traffic participants and / or objects that are not equipped with the Car2X module.

[0002] The development of connected mobility is progressing steadily, with the goal of integrating urban infrastructure into the network. This includes street lighting and traffic control systems such as traffic lights.

[0003] Networking has great potential for street lighting in particular, as it allows intelligent and demand-based control, which can significantly reduce energy consumption, reduce the CO2 footprint of street lighting, and also reduce light pollution, especially in inner-city areas. In addition, it is conceivable to adapt the lighting requirements to the respective situation.

[0004] Several solutions have been proposed in the prior art. For example, document DE 10 2013 002 876 B4 shows a method for operating street lighting, in which route data describing the path of the traffic participant along the street are received via a communication link between at least one traffic participant and a communication device associated with the light source, and the light source is switched from a basic state to an illuminated state based on the route data.

[0005] Document US 9,706,624 B2 discloses a lighting method, system and street lamp. Here, the lighting of the street lamp is activated only when the vehicle is within the lighting range of the street lamp. To this end, the street lamp is equipped with a communication module, which is used to receive driving information (longitude and latitude) from the vehicle.

[0006] Document DE 10 2017 205 075 A1 relates to a method for controlling infrastructure lighting by a vehicle, wherein wireless communication exists between the vehicle and at least one light source of the infrastructure lighting, in particular a street lighting, and at least one device of the vehicle is functionally coupled to the infrastructure lighting. The street lighting is switched on when the vehicle approaches a certain distance and the further travel path of the vehicle is selectively taken into account.

[0007] However, none of the solutions known to date take into account the fact that not all traffic participants are able to participate in the communication between each other (Car2Car) and with the environment (Car2X) and may not be able to do so in the future. This includes vehicles or traffic participants without appropriate equipment, such as pedestrians, cyclists, etc.

[0008] Documents US 2020 / 0170093 A1 and EP 3770488 A1 show methods for adjusting lighting based on data measured from street lighting. The disadvantages here are the technical complexity for equipping street lighting devices and the different perspectives of data acquisition from the vehicle driver.

[0009] The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a method for regulating street lighting, in which in particular traffic participants and / or objects not participating in the network are taken into account.

[0010] This object is achieved according to the invention by a method according to claim 1 and a computer program product according to claim 11. Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are provided by the further features mentioned in the dependent claims.

[0011] In a method for controlling lighting along a street in a situational manner, at least one street lighting device in a group of street lighting devices along the street receives information about at least one approaching vehicle equipped with a Car2X module using a Car2X module and adjusts the lighting of each street lighting device in the group of street lighting devices as needed based on the transmitted information, wherein the at least one approaching vehicle transmits information detected by its environmental monitoring device to the at least one street lighting device including the Car2X module, so that the lighting of each street lighting device in the group of street lighting devices is adjusted or can be adjusted according to traffic participants and / or objects not equipped with a Car2X module.

[0012] The lighting of streets is provided by a number of street lighting installations. This includes all lighting fixtures that illuminate a street or traffic area. Lighting fixtures can be free-standing luminaires, also known as street lamps, or they can be suspended luminaires mounted on buildings or elsewhere. Street lighting installations can illuminate urban areas, rural areas, tunnels and traffic areas on any type of traffic surface.

[0013] According to the method of the invention, street lighting devices are to be influenced or adjusted in groups. For example, a group of street lighting devices may include street lighting devices between two intersections or a section of a certain route. Street lighting devices may be street lighting devices on both sides of a street or also on one side of a street. Other combinations are also possible within the scope of the invention. In any case, a group of street lighting devices is a number of at least two street lighting devices that are controlled by the method of the invention according to the same input values, so that a group of street lighting devices is meaningfully grouped in this context. For ease of reading, only "group" is mentioned below.

[0014] In a group of street lighting devices, at least one street lighting device is equipped with a Car2X module in order to receive information. A plurality of street lighting devices in the group can also be equipped in this way in order to control the street lighting more precisely.

[0015] The Car2X module should not be limited to one technology, C-V2X (Cellular Vehicle to Everything) or DSRC technology can be used here, or other or online-based solutions can be used. DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communication) is a vehicle-to-vehicle communication technology based on semi-passive transponder technology without driver involvement, and the communication area of ​​semi-passive transponder technology is very small. C-V2X is a solution that allows communication with the mobile phone network.

[0016] In the method according to the invention, at least one street lighting device equipped with a Car2X module receives information from at least one approaching vehicle that also has a Car2X module. Networked vehicles always send status information to the surrounding environment, which is then received, analyzed and used by other traffic participants or receivers. This information includes the vehicle's current position, speed, direction of travel and, if necessary, information about the planned route. As is known in the prior art, this allows the street lighting device to be turned on when a vehicle approaches and turned off after the vehicle leaves the illuminated area. Therefore, the side road where the vehicle intends to turn can also be illuminated in time to indicate the route to the driver and inform other traffic participants, such as pedestrians, that the vehicle is approaching. The light color and / or light intensity can also be affected, and the lighting can also be activated, for example flashing or pulsating. Each street lighting device can be controlled and adjusted individually here.

[0017] Thus, based on the information transmitted to at least one street lighting device with a Car2X module, each street lighting device in the relevant group can be used to control individually. This can be achieved by a controller in the street lighting device with a Car2X module, which street lighting device forms a central intelligent system. However, the control can also be carried out at different locations. This can be a location in the area of ​​a group of street lighting devices, where the control device can be safely and reliably arranged and can communicate with the street lighting devices in the group. However, the control device can also be arranged at completely different locations and can also be provided as an online solution or cloud solution. In this case, a stable communication connection is established between the street lighting device with a Car2X module and the control device, and a stable communication connection is established from the control device to the other street lighting devices in the group in order to transmit control signals for adjusting the lighting.

[0018] According to the method of the invention, in addition to the transmitted status information of the vehicle, further information of at least one approaching vehicle, namely surrounding monitoring information of the approaching vehicle, is taken into account in order to adjust the street lighting for road users and / or objects without a Car2X module.

[0019] Today's vehicle types have a large number of sensors for monitoring or detecting the surroundings. These include temperature, rain or snow, the presence and relative position of other road users or objects, etc. This type of environmental monitoring can also be used to detect and identify non-networked road users and / or objects. This can be done, for example, by monitoring or identifying the surroundings using cameras, lidar or radar and corresponding subsequent evaluation in the vehicle.

[0020] The information generated in this way is now transmitted to the street lighting devices equipped with the Car2X module, so that the adjustment of the street lighting can be based on a broader data base and take into account the non-networked traffic participants and / or objects. Traffic participants include a plurality of pedestrians, cyclists, scooter or motorcycle riders, etc., as well as (old) vehicles without a Car2X module. Non-networked objects can be parked bicycles, motorcycles, scooter riders, etc., as well as various objects that interfere with traffic. For example, they also include cargo that has fallen from a vehicle or fallen trees. The use of plural terms is intended to indicate that at least one traffic participant and / or at least one object that does not have a Car2X module for lighting matching is to be taken into account.

[0021] Taking into account non-networked traffic participants and / or objects, i.e. those without a Car2X module, their paths of movement or positions should be illuminated so that non-networked traffic participants can move safely around them and be fully visible. Visibility should be ensured for non-networked objects so that approaching vehicles are aware of their presence and accidents or damage are prevented. The more networked vehicles transmit information from their environmental monitoring to the street lighting devices equipped with Car2X modules, the more accurate and efficient the lighting adjustment will be. The networked vehicles thus act like sensors for non-networked traffic participants and / or objects, so that they do not need to be equipped with their own sensors, for example on the street lighting devices, or actively provide information, for example in the form of applications on the mobile devices of traffic participants.

[0022] Thus, street lighting can be switched on and off, adjusted in brightness and / or light color, etc., as required, individually on each street lighting device in the relevant group and not only for road users with a Car2X module, but also for other road users and / or objects without such a module. Such a networked system can be used for all road users without expensive modifications or outlays. This not only saves energy and reduces CO2 consumption for street lighting, but also increases traffic safety for non-networked road users and / or objects and all other road users.

[0023] In a first preferred embodiment, a vulnerable road user is detected by means of an environment monitoring device of the at least one approaching vehicle, and the lighting of a plurality of street lighting devices belonging to a lighting area in which the vulnerable road user is located and active in a group of street lighting devices is adjusted according to the vulnerable road user.

[0024] A subgroup of road users that are not networked or not equipped with a Car2X module are vulnerable road users (VRU), also known as unprotected road users. This group includes road users who are particularly vulnerable to injury or death on the street because they are not surrounded by a protective shell such as a vehicle body. Vulnerable road users therefore include pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. The aim of this concept is to provide better protection for these vulnerable road users by adapting the road lighting.

[0025] For this purpose, vulnerable traffic participants should be detected and identified during the environmental monitoring of at least one approaching vehicle, which is usually the case with current vehicles. This can involve one or more vulnerable traffic participants. The information about vulnerable traffic participants in the surroundings of at least one vehicle approaching a street lighting device equipped with a Car2X module is then transmitted to the Car2X module of the street lighting device. The relevant control device can then adjust the lighting of the street lighting device, whose lighting area illuminates the position or movement path of the vulnerable traffic participant, for example by switching on, adjusting the brightness and / or light color or the like, so that one or more vulnerable traffic participants are more visible to all other traffic participants. If such a traffic participant now leaves the lighting area, the lighting of the relevant street lighting device is switched off or dimmed. This significantly reduces the risk of accidents for vulnerable traffic participants and also reduces energy consumption. In addition, better lighting can also increase the personal safety of these vulnerable traffic participants, not only protecting them from the surrounding traffic, but also preventing them from unnecessary attacks or assaults.

[0026] However, in principle, vulnerable traffic participants can also participate in street traffic networking via their own sensors and / or applications on mobile devices, so that passive detection of them according to the above-mentioned design and the resulting protection are unnecessary or only auxiliary.

[0027] According to a second embodiment of the method according to the invention, for adjusting the illumination of a plurality of street lighting devices of a group of street lighting devices, possible directions of movement and / or possible speeds of movement of traffic participants and / or objects not equipped with a Car2X module are estimated. This also includes the above-mentioned vulnerable traffic participants.

[0028] When a traffic participant and / or an object not equipped with a Car2X module is detected, its position and current movement are usually recorded. If the traffic participant or object is moving, the vehicle also detects the direction of travel and can also detect or at least determine the speed of movement. The vehicle's surroundings monitoring device detects such a traffic participant and / or such an object. If the traffic participant is a non-networked vehicle and indicates an upcoming turn via a turn indicator, this can also be information for estimating the movement of the non-networked traffic participant.

[0029] As described above, this information is transmitted to the street lighting device equipped with the Car2X module. The relevant control device can estimate the possible direction of movement and / or possible speed of movement of the non-networked traffic participant based on the available information, especially in the case that multiple approaching vehicles detect the same non-networked traffic participant and / or the same non-networked object. Based on the direction of movement and the speed of movement, it is possible to calculate the position of the traffic participant and / or the object at a later point in time, as long as the direction of movement and the speed of movement do not change. However, since this situation cannot be excluded, this calculation can only be an estimate and can be adjusted or updated using additional information provided by other approaching vehicles or subsequent data records of the same vehicle. Other factors that influence the estimate include local conditions, that is, whether there are crossroads or branching sidewalks, house entrances or the like nearby, which may lead to a change in the direction of movement. If there are none, it can be estimated fairly reliably that the probability of a change in the direction of movement is low.

[0030] If the possible direction of movement and / or possible speed of movement of traffic participants and / or objects are known without the Car2X module, the street lighting devices belonging to the lighting area in which the objects and / or traffic participants are located or moving can be adjusted to switch on, adjust the brightness and / or light color as described above, and switch off or dim after leaving the lighting area.

[0031] This makes it possible to estimate the behaviour of non-networked road users, so that they can also benefit from the advantages of such networked street lighting. At the same time, they can be seen more clearly by other road users.

[0032] An unconnected object with a direction of movement and / or a speed of movement can also be an object that moves unintentionally and unintentionally, such as a branch that has fallen from a tree or a load that has fallen from a vehicle. In this case, this embodiment of the method has the advantage that by adjusting the lighting in the movement area of ​​the object, in particular by adjusting the color, attention can be drawn to a possible danger posed by an uncontrolled moving object.

[0033] In order to further optimize the method of the present invention, a stopped traffic participant equipped with a Car2X module transmits the information detected by its environment monitoring device to the at least one street lighting device including a Car2X module. Therefore, a stopped vehicle, in particular a parked and / or charging vehicle, should also send information to at least one street lighting device including a Car2X module. Even if a vehicle is parked at a charging station or is charging at a charging station, the vehicle's environment monitoring device can detect information about passing vehicles and non-networked traffic participants, thereby helping to adjust the street lighting. This means that a stopped vehicle with a Car2X module can also serve as a sensor in the sense of the method according to the present invention.

[0034] In order to avoid unnecessarily increasing its energy load, it can be provided that the stationary vehicle does not monitor the surroundings and transmit information permanently, but transmits information alternately and / or in different time windows, for example. This can also be done depending on the energy reserves of the vehicle, in particular the charge level of the electric vehicle, and the progress of the charging process.

[0035] The matching of street lighting can also lead to dazzle for traffic participants. To avoid this, the lighting of multiple street lighting devices is adjusted to reduce or avoid dazzle for traffic participants, taking environmental information into account. The dazzle caused by the light of street lighting is very uncomfortable and also poses a safety hazard. For example, on rainy days or in dim light, when the street lighting is very bright, glare will be generated. Therefore, environmental information should be taken into account according to the design scheme. In order to support and / or ensure the driving of the vehicle itself, environmental information is regularly detected by the vehicle's environmental monitoring device, so that the environmental information can also be transmitted to the method of the present invention and used. For this purpose, this information also includes the occurrence and intensity of rain, snow or fog, as well as the surrounding light conditions. From this, it can be inferred whether there is a glare risk for one or more street lighting devices in the group, and therefore its lighting can be adjusted, for example, its intensity can be reduced. If there is no glare risk, there is no need to change the lighting.

[0036] According to another embodiment of the method of the invention, the lighting of a plurality of street lighting devices in a group of street lighting devices is adjusted in order to mark dangerous locations. Dangerous locations may be places where accidents have occurred, vehicles have broken down, cargo has been lost, objects have fallen or similar situations have occurred. In order to prevent further accidents from occurring at these dangerous locations and / or to make it easier for emergency rescue personnel to find dangerous locations, the lighting of the street lighting devices in the lighting area where the dangerous locations are located can be adjusted. For example, colored lights and / or pulsed or flashing lights can be used. In so-called light corridors, the lights of a plurality of street lighting devices arranged in the direction of the dangerous location are adjusted so that they visually lead to the dangerous location, which can also serve as an appropriate warning and / or auxiliary means for marking dangerous locations.

[0037] As mentioned above, hazardous locations can be identified by the environmental monitoring devices of connected vehicles, which can be supplemented by status information provided by vehicles that have been involved in an accident or have broken down, if the vehicle is connected to the Internet.

[0038] A next refinement of the method for situation-based control of street lighting devices provides that the at least one street lighting device comprising a Car2X module forwards the transmitted information to an evaluation unit, which statistically evaluates the forwarded information in order to optimize the adjustment of the lighting of a plurality of street lighting devices in the group of street lighting devices based on the evaluation.

[0039] In this case, at least one street lighting device with a Car2X module is not only connected to any type of control device, but can also forward information received from the street lighting device to an evaluation device. The evaluation device can be located at the same location, in the same facility or in the same device as the control device, but can also be independent of the control device.

[0040] In the simplest case, the evaluation device can be a computing device in the sense of a computer or an application on a server, which can statistically analyze the information transmitted to it. For example, it can be determined at which times the traffic density is highest or that the traffic density is so high that it is unnecessary or unreasonable to switch off or dim the street lighting between individual vehicles and / or other traffic participants, so that continuous switching can be achieved to reduce the number of switching cycles and extend their service life. In this way, the influence of the day of the week, school holidays or public holidays can also be identified and the adjustment of the street lighting can be modified or optimized.

[0041] Advantageously, provision can be made for the at least one street lighting device comprising the Car2X module to receive further information related to traffic from an external data source and to adjust the lighting of a plurality of street lighting devices of the group of street lighting devices based on the further information. This information can be, for example, information about events and major events that are expected to lead to an increase in traffic flow, or about events that affect the traffic conditions in the vicinity so that an adjustment of the control of the street lighting devices is necessary. For example, large concerts, football matches or similar major events or activities attract a large number of spectators. Information about events and other events that affect traffic, such as construction sites, accidents requiring emergency services, storms, etc., can be provided by external data service providers. These are usually online-based systems, such as weather information services.

[0042] If information is received about an event that affects traffic, the street lighting can be adapted, for example to guide traffic via light corridors or, where permitted, to set a scene for the area around the event location or only at the event location by means of the color and / or pulsation of the lights, in order to put arriving visitors into the mood of the event. For example, the colors of a football club that is about to host a football match can be used to create an atmosphere.

[0043] The lighting can also be adjusted to increase the attention of road users in order to guide a large number of road users as harmoniously and as safely as possible. This can be achieved, for example, by causing the lighting to flicker slightly, but this flickering can unconsciously increase the attention of the observer.

[0044] This refinement can in particular also be used for a method of influencing street lighting of the type described above, but without taking into account non-networked traffic participants and / or taking into account information from surroundings monitoring devices of approaching vehicles.

[0045] If it is desired to influence the comfort of the vehicle driver or the feeling of safety during driving, it is advantageous if the illumination of the plurality of street lighting devices is adapted to the illumination of the at least one oncoming vehicle and / or to the geometry of the at least one oncoming vehicle.

[0046] Here, the light color and / or light intensity of the street lighting device can be adapted, in particular adjusted, to the lighting situation of the approaching vehicle when it passes through its illuminated area, so that the vehicle occupants benefit from improved illumination of the driving route, preferably without strong light and shadow changes and / or in particular safety-relevant areas are illuminated. For this purpose, the street lighting device may need to be equipped with a matrix lighting device, which can aim and selectively focus the emitted light. For this purpose, it is also necessary that the approaching vehicle sends information about its own lighting (light color, intensity, orientation) to at least one street lighting device with a Car2X module.

[0047] In the same way, the geometry of the approaching vehicle can also be taken into account. The geometry here describes the type of vehicle, such as an off-road vehicle, a sports car or a vehicle with a medium seat height. The driver of a sports car sits significantly lower than in an off-road vehicle. Therefore, the illumination of the street lighting device will dazzle the driver of a vehicle with one vehicle geometry, while the driver of a vehicle with another vehicle geometry will not be dazzled. If the approaching vehicle transmits its vehicle type, or even its exact geometry or at least the seat height of its driver to the networked street lighting device, this can avoid or at least reduce the dazzle of the above-mentioned driver by adjusting the light intensity and / or the lighting direction when the vehicle passes through the illuminated area.

[0048] In addition to adjusting street lighting according to traffic conditions at the location of the street lighting device, the disclosed method may also provide that the at least one street lighting device including a Car2X module transmits the transmitted information to other vehicles equipped with a Car2X module and / or street lighting devices equipped with a Car2X module in another group of street lighting devices.

[0049] Thus, information received by at least one street lighting device including a Car2X module is transmitted to other networked road users. For example, information about vulnerable road users, dangerous locations, traffic jams, etc. can be transmitted to approaching vehicles so that their drivers can be informed early and adjust their driving style.

[0050] Alternatively or additionally, this information can also be transmitted to other groups of street lighting devices, in particular to adjacent groups of street lighting devices. It is particularly meaningful if non-networked traffic participants and / or non-networked objects move from the operating range of one group of street lighting devices to another group, since previously recorded and analyzed information can be reused.

[0051] The above method can preferably be implemented by a computer program product, the computer program product comprising instructions, which when executed by a computer cause the computer program product to perform the method according to one of the preceding claims. Thus, the method according to the invention can be implemented in software or an application on a computing device or the like.

[0052] In order to be able to implement the method according to the invention, certain technical requirements must of course be met. Thus, the street lighting devices must be individually controllable and their light color and / or light intensity must be adjustable. In some embodiments of the method, matrix lighting may be required, i.e., an embodiment in which the street lighting device consists of a plurality of individually controllable light sources, so that the emitted light can also be aligned and focused.

[0053] It is also important that this information is provided by the vehicle during networked driving so that at least one street lighting device equipped with a Car2X module receives the necessary input information.

[0054] It should be noted that almost all of the above-described embodiments can of course also be implemented independently of the detection of traffic participants and / or objects by an environment monitoring device of an approaching vehicle without a Car2X module, as long as such detection is not a critical feature of the respective embodiment.

[0055] The method according to the invention solves the aforementioned technical problem of the invention, namely that the street lighting is adjusted to non-networked road users and / or objects. As a result, road users who are unable or unwilling to participate in networked driving can also benefit from the advantages of the invention without additional effort or additional equipment. Furthermore, by adjusting the street lighting according to needs, energy can be saved and CO2 emissions can be reduced.

[0056] Unless otherwise indicated in individual cases, the embodiments of the invention mentioned in this application can each be advantageously combined with one another.

[0057] The present invention is described in the following embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings:

[0058] Figure 1 An exemplary first application case of the method according to the invention is shown, and

[0059] Figure 2 , 3 , 4 show exemplary further applications of the method according to the invention.

[0060] Figure 1A section of a street is shown, on which a vehicle 18 with a Car2X module is traveling. The vehicle continuously transmits status information, which can be received and analyzed by other road users (not shown) with Car2X modules. Street lighting devices 12 are provided on both sides of the street 16, one of which (reference numeral 14) is equipped with a Car2X module. The street lighting devices on the left side of the street in the figure belong to a group 10.2 of street lighting devices, and the street lighting devices on the right side belong to a group 10.1 of street lighting devices. The street lighting devices in a group 10.2 can also be adjusted in the same way.

[0061] According to the method of the invention, the vehicle 18 detects environmental conditions and situations in its immediate surroundings by means of an environmental monitoring device. This also includes the movement of pedestrians 22, who are also vulnerable traffic participants 24. During the environmental monitoring process, the position, direction of movement and speed of movement of pedestrians 22 can be determined by repeated detection.

[0062] All information is transmitted from the vehicle 18 to the street lighting device 14 equipped with the Car2X module. This information can now be used to determine in which lighting area 15 the pedestrian 22, 24 is located, or at what speed the pedestrian is passing through which lighting area 15. On this basis, the lighting of these street lighting devices, marked 12.1, can be adjusted so that the area around the pedestrian 22, 24 is brighter than the area (marked 12.2) that the pedestrian has passed or will pass later. The area (marked 12.3) that is far enough away from the pedestrian 22, 24 can be dimmed, as long as there are no other traffic participants there. The evaluation of the transmitted information and the resulting control of the street lighting devices 12, 14 are performed by a computing device on the street lighting device 14 equipped with the Car2X module and are implemented in the form of a computer program.

[0063] Since the street 16 shown has no intersections, the further movement direction 28 and movement speed of the pedestrians 22, 24 can also be estimated so that the street lighting devices 12, 14 can illuminate the pedestrians' paths in an estimated manner. This does not affect the adjustment of the street lighting devices according to the networked vehicles 18, which can be determined and controlled at the same time.

[0064] Figure 2A second exemplary application of the method is shown. Here, the groups 10 of the street lighting devices 12 and 14 are selected differently, that is, the street lighting devices 12 and 14 on both sides of the street belong to one group 10. The vehicle 18 with the Car2X module detects the surroundings of the vehicle and the dangerous location 30 where the accident occurred by means of an environmental monitoring device. The vehicle 18 transmits this information to the street lighting device 14 with the Car2X module via the Car2X module. Therefore, the street lighting device 12.1 in the lighting area 15 where the dangerous location 30 is located will emit a particularly bright red light to mark the dangerous location. The adjacent street lighting device 12.2 then emits a strong light in a pulsating manner to warn the approaching traffic participants. The street lighting device 12.3 provides lighting for the vehicle 18 without taking into account the dangerous location 30. The street lighting device 14 can also transmit information about the dangerous location 30 to the street lighting device with the Car2X module in the adjacent area (for example, above the dangerous location 30 in the figure) so that the street lighting can also be adjusted there.

[0065] In contrast to a dangerous position 30 in the sense of an accident, a non-networked object 26 may also be standing or lying at this position, for example a vehicle parked in the second row or cargo lost in a vehicle.

[0066] Figure 3 and Figure 4 The structure and Figure 1 and Figure 2 The same principles apply as in the previous figures, so only the differences are explained below.

[0067] exist Figure 3 In the example, vehicle 18 detects that a vehicle 22 without a Car2X module is parked in front of it, which turns right and flashes and wants to enter the street 16 from here. The possible movement direction 28 of vehicle 22 can be easily determined, so that the street lighting device 12.1 can be presumably turned on or made brighter before the vehicle 22 completes the turning action.

[0068] Figure 4 A street 16 is shown with an adjacent parking lane, on which a charging station 32 for electric vehicles is also provided. In this case, all street lighting devices 12, 14 belong to a group 10. Both non-networked vehicles 26 and networked vehicles 20 are parked in the parking lane, some of which are also connected to the charging station 32 for charging. The charging vehicle 20 has a sufficiently high energy level and uses its environmental monitoring device to detect its surroundings and transmit this information to the street lighting device 14. In this case, the non-networked vehicle 26, non-networked traffic participants 22, 24 in the form of motorcycles or scooters are detected in the same way as the vehicle 18. The non-charged vehicle 20 can also detect the surroundings at longer time intervals and transmit this information to the street lighting device 14. Figure 1As shown, it is possible to determine in which lighting areas 15 of street lighting devices 12 , 14 non-networked road users 22 , 24 move, so that their lighting is adjusted, i.e., it is turned on at least when these road users 22 , 24 pass by and is dimmed if no other road users are following.

[0069] Attached Icon Marking List

[0070] 10A set of street lighting

[0071] 12Street lighting fixtures

[0072] 14 Street lighting installations with Car2X modules

[0073] 15 Lighting Areas

[0074] 16 Street

[0075] 18 Approaching vehicles with Car2X modules

[0076] 20 parked vehicles with Car2X modules

[0077] 22 Traffic participants not connected to the Internet

[0078] 24 Vulnerable Traffic Users (VRU)

[0079] 26 Objects not connected to the Internet

[0080] 28 possible directions of movement

[0081] 30 Dangerous Location

[0082] 32 Charging Stations

Claims

1. A method for situationally controlling lighting along a street (16), wherein: At least one street lighting device (14) in a group (10) of street lighting devices (12, 14) along a street (16) receives information of at least one approaching vehicle (18) equipped with a Car2X module by means of a Car2X module, and adjusts the lighting of each street lighting device (12, 14) in the group (10) of street lighting devices (12, 14) as required based on the transmitted information, characterized in that the at least one approaching vehicle (18) transmits information detected by its environment monitoring device to at least one street lighting device (14) including the Car2X module, so that the lighting of each street lighting device (12, 14) in the group (10) of street lighting devices (12, 14) is adjusted according to traffic participants (22) and / or objects (26) not equipped with a Car2X module.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that A vulnerable road user (24) is detected by means of an environment monitoring device of at least one approaching vehicle (18), and the lighting of a plurality of street lighting devices (12, 14) belonging to a lighting area (15) in which the vulnerable road user (24) is located and moving is adjusted in accordance with the vulnerable road user (24) in a group (10) of street lighting devices (12, 14).

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: In order to adjust the lighting of a plurality of street lighting devices (12, 14) of a group (10) of street lighting devices (12, 14), possible directions of movement (28) and / or possible speeds of movement of traffic participants (22) and / or objects (26) not equipped with a Car2X module are estimated.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that A stopped road user (20) equipped with a Car2X module transmits information detected by its surrounding monitoring device to the at least one street lighting device (14) including the Car2X module.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The lighting of a plurality of street lighting devices (12, 14) is adjusted in order to reduce or avoid glare for road users (18, 22, 24, 26), wherein environmental information is taken into account.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The lighting of a plurality of street lighting fixtures (12, 14) in a set (10) of street lighting fixtures (12, 14) is adjusted to mark a hazardous location (30).

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The at least one street lighting device (14) comprising a Car2X module forwards the transmitted information to an evaluation unit, which statistically evaluates the forwarded information in order to optimize the adjustment of the lighting of a plurality of street lighting devices (12, 14) in the group (10) of street lighting devices (12, 14) based on the evaluation.

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The at least one street lighting device (14) comprising a Car2X module receives additional traffic-related information from an external data source and adjusts the lighting of a plurality of street lighting devices (12, 14) in a group (10) of street lighting devices (12, 14) based on the additional information.

9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The illumination of a plurality of street lighting devices (12, 14) is adjusted as a function of the illumination of the at least one approaching vehicle (18) and / or the geometry of the at least one approaching vehicle (18).

10. The method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that The at least one street lighting device (14) comprising a Car2X module transmits the transmitted information to other vehicles equipped with Car2X modules and / or street lighting devices equipped with Car2X modules in another group (10.2) of street lighting devices.

11. A computer program product comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer program product to perform the method according to one of the preceding claims.

Citation Information

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