Method for dynamically controlling vehicle lighting system, computing element, computer program and lighting system for implementing method

Abstract

The invention relates to a method, a computing element, a computer program and a lighting system for dynamically controlling the lighting of a vehicle, which lighting system is controlled by a control unit (2) to provide a plurality of lighting configurations of the system (1), and at least one sensor (3) for acquiring so-called driving data, the method comprises pre-training a control unit (2) to detect the travel of the vehicle in the urban area and to distinguish between unblocked traffic and congested traffic, the lighting system is configured to control the lighting system by reducing at least one lighting width of at least one of the used lighting devices to provide a modified lighting configuration when the vehicle is currently traveling in smooth traffic in an urban area, and / or control the lighting system by providing a modified lighting configuration by at least reducing the range and / or lighting intensity of at least one of the used lighting devices (LB, DRL) while the vehicle is currently traveling in congested traffic of the urban area.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to the field of lighting and / or signal transmission devices for motor vehicles, particularly automobiles, and more specifically to energy management of these devices.

[0002] In reality, recurring issues in the lighting equipment sector involve energy consumption, and improvements are being made to the technology of these devices to limit energy consumption and extend their lifespan. Beyond these solutions related to the equipment itself, the issue of managing vehicle lighting to limit energy consumption remains persistent. Specifically, current regulations in different countries around the world set forth various parameter requirements for vehicle lighting, such as size, arrangement, range, and width. For example, UNECE Regulation 48 provides uniform regulations for the approval of lighting and luminous signaling equipment installed on vehicles. Generally, these regulations aim to ensure that lighting equipment is safe and operational, and also to ensure that some parameters of the lighting equipment, such as its range, width, and intensity, are defined to ensure that vehicles are clearly visible from the outside and that users inside the vehicle can clearly see the area around the vehicle. However, when vehicles are on the road, visibility conditions vary significantly due to natural factors (such as time and / or weather) and environmental factors (such as public lighting (especially in urban areas), vehicle density on the road, etc.). Therefore, due to the cumulative effect of lighting on various vehicles and / or the area around them, regulations often result in lighting exceeding the levels required for the safety of road users. Therefore, conserving energy used for vehicle lighting while still complying with regulations remains a challenge in this field.

[0003] Furthermore, automakers are increasingly incorporating digital lighting equipment into mid-range and high-end products. These digital lighting devices typically include semiconductor light sources, the operation of which involves considerable energy consumption. Additionally, controlling the temperature of these components is a highly sensitive aspect and is usually implemented through derating, meaning a reduction in the current supplying the light source, which in turn lowers the outlet flux and operating temperature. Therefore, the light source must provide excess performance characteristics to address these overheating issues, maintaining acceptable levels even with reduced operating values.

[0004] These issues are even more important for new electric vehicles, which are crucial for energy conservation, as they directly affect the vehicle's driving range and, consequently, CO2 emissions.

[0005] Finally, in some cases, if the surrounding area allows, it is useful to improve visual comfort, thereby enhancing user safety while still limiting visual light pollution in the user's field of vision.

[0006] Therefore, the object of this invention is to provide a solution for managing vehicle lighting and optimizing the energy consumption of these vehicle lighting systems, while still complying with regulations, or even improving user visual comfort and safety. An additional technical challenge lies in differentiating driving conditions (especially in urban areas based on traffic) to appropriately adapt the lighting while still meeting legislative requirements.

[0007] This objective is achieved by a method for dynamically controlling a vehicle's lighting system, the system comprising, on one hand, multiple lighting devices controlled by a control unit for providing multiple lighting configurations of the system, and on the other hand, at least one sensor for acquiring data related to the vehicle's driving and operating conditions, the data being referred to as driving data, the method comprising: The control unit learns in advance to identify features of urban areas from data provided by at least one sensor during a pre-training phase. It then determines whether to activate or deactivate lighting functions in urban areas based on a comparison between the driving data provided by the system's sensors and the learned urban area features. The method is characterized in that it includes the control unit learning driving conditions in advance by identifying features of vehicles or obstacles, whether moving or stationary, around the vehicle equipped with the system, in order to distinguish features of the vehicle moving in open traffic from features of the vehicle moving in congested traffic from the most relevant driving data, and then implementing the following steps by the control unit: - Calculate the distance and / or time interval between the vehicle and another vehicle or obstacle, and then compare the distance and / or time interval with at least one threshold recorded in the control unit. - Obtain the speed of the vehicle and compare it with at least one speed threshold recorded in the control unit. - Measure the duration for which the speed is above and / or below the speed threshold, and measure the frequency of speed exceeding the speed threshold. - Through the learning process, based on the measurement and comparison of the driving data, it is possible to distinguish between the vehicle's current movement in free-flowing traffic and its current movement in congested traffic. And when the vehicle is moving in the first lighting configuration—referred to as the nominal lighting configuration—the system (1): - Control the lighting system to provide at least one second lighting configuration, which is modified relative to the nominal configuration by reducing the width of the lighting beam when the vehicle is moving in unobstructed traffic in an urban area, or - Control the lighting system to provide a third lighting configuration that is modified relative to the nominal configuration by reducing the range and / or intensity and, where possible, the width of the lighting beam as the vehicle moves through congested traffic in an urban area.

[0008] According to another specific feature, controlling the lighting system to provide the second lighting configuration or the third lighting configuration also includes controlling at least one other lighting device to supplement or replace those modified lighting devices, especially when the modification includes turning off one of the devices.

[0009] According to another specific feature, controlling the lighting system to provide the second lighting configuration or the third lighting configuration includes controlling the luminous intensity of at least one of the devices.

[0010] According to another specific feature, the feature that distinguishes the situation of the vehicle moving on the road combines the calculation of the time interval before the collision and the comparison of that time interval with a threshold—for example, two seconds.

[0011] According to another specific feature, after one of the reductions, the control unit performs the following steps: - Monitor the vehicle's current steering angle and / or the activation of the turn indicators to determine whether turning maneuvers in a certain direction have begun, and - Control the lighting system on the side of the direction in which the turning maneuver begins to restore the initial values ​​of the lighting width and / or range and intensity of one or more devices whose lighting has been reduced.

[0012] According to another specific feature, the control of the lighting system on the side of the direction in which the turning maneuver begins, in order to restore the initial values ​​of the lighting width and / or range and intensity of one or more devices that have had their lighting reduced after one of the reductions, includes dynamically controlling the lighting based on the steering angle of the vehicle during the maneuver.

[0013] According to another specific feature, at least one of the automotive lighting devices has an array arrangement of light-emitting pixels in rows and columns.

[0014] According to another specific feature, after one of the reductions, some rows or columns are turned off relative to the initial luminescence intensity.

[0015] According to another specific feature, the steps implemented by the control unit when the vehicle is moving are periodically executed at a period of less than 1 second, and especially less than 0.5 seconds, to periodically determine whether to change from one lighting configuration to another.

[0016] According to another specific feature, the learning process of the control unit includes the use of computer machine learning algorithms.

[0017] According to another specific feature, the data about the external area around the vehicle acquired by at least one sensor includes at least two types of data among the following: the lighting equipment currently activated on the vehicle, the external luminous intensity, the number of cars around the vehicle and their distances from the vehicle, the vehicle's current speed or the presence and color of traffic lights, location coordinates, and nearby road signs.

[0018] According to another specific feature, the plurality of sensors include at least one of an external light sensor, a sensor for activating the lighting device, at least one camera, a global positioning sensor, radar, lidar, or an infrared sensor.

[0019] Another objective of this application is to propose a computing element that can at least partially overcome the shortcomings of the prior art.

[0020] This objective is achieved by a computing element comprising means for cooperating with at least one sensor (3) to implement steps of a method according to various embodiments of the present invention.

[0021] Another objective of this application is to propose a computer program that can at least partially overcome the shortcomings of the prior art.

[0022] This objective is achieved by a computer program comprising instructions that, when executed by a control unit, cause the control unit to cooperate with at least one sensor (3) in performing the steps of a method according to various embodiments of the invention.

[0023] Another objective of this application is to provide a vehicle lighting system that can at least partially overcome the shortcomings of the prior art.

[0024] This objective is achieved by a vehicle lighting system, which includes: - Multiple lighting fixtures; - Multiple sensors configured to provide certain data regarding the vehicle's driving and operating conditions; and - A control unit, which is used to perform the steps of the method according to various embodiments of the present invention.

[0025] According to another specific feature, at least one of the lighting devices has an array arrangement of semiconductor light sources.

[0026] According to another specific feature, the array arrangement includes at least 2,000 semiconductor light sources.

[0027] Further specific features and advantages of the invention will become clearer upon reading the following description of various embodiments given with reference to the accompanying drawings. In fact, a set of drawings is provided to supplement the specification and to better understand the invention. These drawings illustrate one embodiment of the invention and form part of the specification; they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, but are merely examples of how the invention can be practiced. These drawings include the following figures: [ Figure 1 ] Figure 1 Schematic diagrams of systems according to various embodiments of the present invention are shown; [ Figure 2 ] Figure 2 Schematic diagrams of methods according to various embodiments of the present invention are shown.

[0028] This invention relates to a method, computing element, computer program, and lighting system for dynamically controlling a vehicle's lighting system (1). This application relates to a control unit that controls lighting and is trained during at least one learning process to perform calculations, comparisons, etc. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that multiple control units may exist for different tasks, collaboratively implementing the invention, or a single unit may exist to perform all tasks. Furthermore, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that, due to the nature of the tasks performed, such a unit will typically have at least one processor for executing instructions, and various embodiments are possible, and therefore details regarding the types of hardware used or that may be used are not required. The accompanying drawings, presented on the drawing page, are provided by way of example only in a highly illustrative manner, and those skilled in the art will be able to conceive of any type of variation from the content of this application.

[0029] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used in this document (including technical and scientific terms) shall be interpreted in accordance with standard practices in the industry, particularly in the field of lighting and signaling for motor vehicles, especially automobiles. For example, the terms “range,” “width,” and “intensity” are commonly used and may be interpreted in a way that also encompasses other terms used to define a beam of light (particularly by vertical and horizontal angles or by focal length). Similarly, other terms such as “field of view” (usually expressed in degrees) may be used without implying any particular limitation in this application. It should also be understood that unless explicitly defined herein, commonly used terms should be interpreted according to conventions in the relevant field, rather than with idealized or overly formal meanings, and should not be construed as restrictive.

[0030] In this application, as is generally accepted in the field of patent applications, the terms “comprises,” “has,” and “includes,” and their derivatives (such as “comprising,” “having,” etc.) should not be understood in an exclusive sense, that is, these terms should not be interpreted as excluding the possibility that the described and defined content may include other elements, steps, etc.

[0031] In this application, the terms "lighting system" and "lighting equipment" should be understood to mean both actual lighting and signal transmission, especially: Equipment that can illuminate the area around a vehicle. - In order to be able to see, for example, low beam (LB) or high beam (HB), even though the latter is usually prohibited under certain conditions, especially in urban areas; - Or so that they can be seen, such as position lights (PL), rear position lights (RPL), or daytime running lights (DRL). It can also be a device that can indicate the driver's actions to other users, such as brake lights (SL), turn signals (TI), or warning lights (W).

[0032] Therefore, the lighting system (1) has multiple lighting (or signal transmission) devices (5), which can be of the type of the examples (PL, LB, HB, DRL, SL, TI, W) provided above, which are neither exhaustive nor restrictive. Generally, the system will also be considered to have a control (or command) unit (2) capable of controlling the system (1) and implementing the method. Each device may have one or more light sources (6) depending on the type of lighting (e.g., incandescent bulbs or light-emitting diodes (LEDs)).

[0033] In general, this invention aims to save energy consumed by vehicle lighting in urban areas, preferably based on driving conditions and especially on traffic (smooth or congested traffic). Specifically, in urban areas, public lighting can usually at least partially compensate for the decrease in brightness caused by weather or insufficient sunlight (e.g., at night), while in traffic congestion, the close proximity of vehicles affects the various types of lighting and signal transmissions actually necessary for ensuring user safety. Therefore, vehicle lighting typically does not need to consume as much energy as vehicles currently do under these conditions. Therefore, this invention proposes to address this drawback by providing an adaptive lighting solution for vehicles.

[0034] Therefore, some embodiments of the present invention relate to a method for dynamically controlling a lighting system (1) of a vehicle, the system (1) comprising, on the one hand, a plurality of lighting devices (5) controlled by a control unit (2) for providing a plurality of lighting configurations of the system (1), and on the other hand, at least one sensor (3) for acquiring data (referred to as driving data) related to the vehicle's driving and operating conditions, particularly information about the external area surrounding the vehicle, and also information related to the vehicle's driving but also inherent to the vehicle. A large amount of such data about the external surrounding area may exist, and this data may involve multiple sensors of various types, and those skilled in the art will know that the most relevant data will be determined based on the data to be collected. Therefore, by way of non-limiting example, the following information, which is generally most relevant to achieving the objectives of the present invention, will be mentioned: - Information about the vehicle's speed or even acceleration (e.g., by means of its speed sensor or by means of a gyroscope); - Information about the steering wheel angle (using sensors in the steering wheel or gyroscopes (e.g., the gyroscope in the ESP system)). - Information about the gradient of the road on which the vehicle is traveling (e.g., by means of a level sensor or a gyroscope), especially for identifying mountain roads; - Information about the distance to vehicles or obstacles (which can be measured by various sensors, lasers, or cameras); - Information about speed relative to other vehicles (e.g., by using the vehicle's speed sensor and distance information integrated over time); - Information about the vehicle's location (e.g., geolocation via GPS); - Information about ambient light conditions (e.g., which can be measured by lighting and / or brightness sensors that are typically present on some vehicles).

[0035] In general, the method includes: the control unit (2) learning in advance to identify features of urban areas from data provided by at least one sensor during a pre-training phase, and then determining whether to activate or deactivate lighting functions in urban areas based on a comparison between the data provided by the sensor (3) of the system (1) and the learned features of urban areas. Thus, the control unit present in the vehicle for controlling the lighting system is able to recognize the fact that the vehicle is moving in urban areas and can dynamically adapt the lighting when the function is activated. It should be noted that the various functions and the lighting configuration resulting from their activation can, of course, be authorized by the driver, for example, by means of pre-configuration on their dashboard or by consent given when the control unit detects appropriate conditions for activating the function.

[0036] Typically, and in various embodiments, the learning process of the control unit (2) includes the use of computer machine learning algorithms, such as neural networks or classifier machine learning algorithms. This machine learning algorithm can be used either to design the illumination pattern for the use case and / or to classify each case in a predefined use case. Each of these two options follows its own machine learning algorithm. Once the corresponding result has been verified, the value from the control unit is used in the corresponding step of the method of the present invention. Furthermore, in order to monitor driving conditions and the environment in which the vehicle itself is located, the steps implemented by the control unit (2) while the vehicle is moving are preferably performed periodically at a period of less than 1 second, and especially less than 0.5 seconds, to periodically determine whether to change from one lighting configuration to another.

[0037] In various embodiments, the data about the external area around the vehicle acquired by at least one sensor (3) includes at least two types of data among the following: currently activated lighting devices (5) on the vehicle, external luminous intensity, number of cars around the vehicle and their distance from the vehicle, the vehicle's current speed or the presence and color of traffic lights, location coordinates, and nearby road signs.

[0038] Similarly, in various embodiments, the plurality of sensors (3) include at least one of an external light sensor, a sensor for activating the lighting device (5), at least one camera, a global positioning sensor, radar, lidar, or infrared sensor.

[0039] Preferably, the method further includes the control unit (2) learning driving conditions in advance by identifying features of vehicles or obstacles, whether moving or stationary, around the vehicle equipped with the system (1), in order to distinguish features of the vehicle moving in free traffic from features of the vehicle moving in congested traffic. The driving data provided to the control unit during this learning process not only allows selection of the most relevant data (and therefore sensors), but also allows the control unit to then use that relevant data to identify driving conditions in real time. Therefore, the training for identifying urban areas does not, in principle, use the same (or all of the same) information as that used for identifying congested traffic, nor does it use measurements from the same sensors, and the unit uses relevant data for each differentiation task it requires. Through this learning, the control unit can then monitor the area around the vehicle while it is moving in order to propose various lighting configurations. Specifically, moving vehicles typically have lighting configurations that preferably comply with regulations, which depend on driving conditions and environmental circumstances and involve various devices that activate the system. This learning is called "pre-learning" because it occurs before the methodological steps (acquisition, calculation, detection, comparison, etc.) implemented while the vehicle is moving. However, it should be noted that this learning can be performed before or after the control unit is installed on the vehicle, allowing the learning to be performed under real-world conditions.

[0040] In some embodiments, the control unit is the object of two training processes. These two training processes include a machine learning step, in which the control unit is trained using training data provided by multiple sensors.

[0041] The first training process involves designing emission patterns for various operating modes, each emission pattern being associated with multiple data values. This first training process includes: - Train the control unit in response to the training dataset to design an operating mode luminous pattern; - The control unit is tested by comparing the selected light pattern with the expected optimal results.

[0042] Using the algorithm described above, different use cases were defined, and the optimal luminous pattern was found for each use case.

[0043] The second training process involves classifying cases from predefined use cases. This second training process includes: - Use the training dataset to train the control unit to classify situations in predefined use cases; - The control unit is tested by comparing the selected predefined conditions with the expected best results.

[0044] In this embodiment, various scenarios are implemented, each with different data obtained from the sensors. The control unit is trained to identify which use case best fits that scenario.

[0045] Once these two training processes are completed, the control unit is installed in the vehicle to perform illumination control of the lighting system. However, as mentioned elsewhere in this application, pre-learning or training can be performed after installation in the vehicle, and then it will be a learning process under real-world conditions. This learning will then be verified by actions performed locally or remotely on the control unit (by a machine monitor and / or the user monitoring the operation).

[0046] The operation of the lighting system will then be used to provide an initial luminous pattern based on the lighting functions selected by the vehicle user.

[0047] In some embodiments, during use of the vehicle equipped for implementing the invention, the control unit of the lighting system receives data from multiple sensors, for example every 0.2 seconds. This data includes external vehicle data (active lighting function, external luminous intensity, number of vehicles around the vehicle and their distances to the vehicle, the vehicle's current speed, or the presence and color of traffic lights, etc.). Through training / learning, the control unit classifies the surrounding area in the use case and associates a lighting map with that situation. The lighting system then projects a new luminous pattern to provide appropriate illumination with minimal energy consumption. This process is repeated, for example, every 0.2 seconds. It should be noted that the term "luminous pattern" is used in this application with the same meaning as the term "lighting configuration," and it does not limit the actual pattern in any way, and therefore does not necessarily involve changes in luminous intensity.

[0048] Therefore, when the vehicle moves with the first lighting configuration of the system (1), the present invention provides the following steps of implementing the method by a control unit (2), the first lighting configuration being referred to as the initial or more precisely the nominal lighting configuration, as it corresponds to the lighting configuration specified by current regulations under the condition that the vehicle is moving. Specifically, the initial or nominal configuration can be obtained from legislation and varies depending on ambient lighting or weather. Thus, the nominal configuration corresponds to the first lighting configuration applied by implementing the method when lighting functions are disabled in urban areas or when the vehicle moves under undifferentiated traffic conditions (e.g., free or congested).

[0049] Therefore, when the vehicle is moving in this nominal configuration, the control unit (2) monitors the driving conditions by including the following steps: - Calculate the distance and / or time interval between the vehicle and another vehicle or obstacle, and then compare the distance and / or time interval with at least one threshold recorded in the control unit (2). - Obtain the speed of the vehicle and compare it with at least one speed threshold recorded in the control unit (2). - Measure the duration for which the speed is above and / or below the speed threshold, and measure the frequency of speed exceeding the speed threshold. - Through these learning processes, based on the measurement and comparison of the driving data, it is possible to distinguish between a vehicle currently moving in free-flowing traffic and a vehicle currently moving in congested traffic. And then when the vehicle moves in the first lighting configuration—referred to as the nominal lighting configuration—the system (1): - Control the lighting system (1) to provide at least one second lighting configuration, which is modified relative to the nominal configuration by at least reducing the illumination width (of the beam) of at least one of the lighting devices (5) used (e.g., LB and / or DRL type) when the vehicle is moving in unobstructed traffic in an urban area. and / or - Control the lighting system (1) to provide a third lighting configuration that is modified relative to the nominal configuration when the vehicle is moving in congested traffic in an urban area by at least reducing the illumination range and / or intensity and possibly the width of at least one of the lighting devices (5) used (e.g., LB and / or DRL types).

[0050] Significant energy savings can be achieved while maintaining satisfactory visibility in urban areas with smooth traffic flow by reducing the width of the illumination. In particular, in the case of LED lighting fixtures (5), a simple (vertical or horizontal) beam can be obtained that is generally sufficient to meet regulatory requirements. Furthermore, even greater energy savings can be achieved by reducing the illumination range and / or intensity, thanks to the fact that vehicle density in congested traffic makes the standard intensity and / or range of lighting fixtures (5), especially low beam (LB) and / or daytime running lights (DRL), unnecessary.

[0051] It should be noted that, in order to detect urban areas, the control unit may use image recognition based on the onboard camera to identify buildings and, for example, measure their density. However, the control unit may also use GPS signals to determine whether the vehicle is in a town, and so other possibilities are conceivable. Therefore, these examples are not limiting.

[0052] Similarly, it should be noted that, in order to detect congested traffic, the control unit preferably uses the speed comparisons described above and tracks instances of vehicles stopping or decelerating. However, these examples are not limiting, and the control unit may also additionally or alternatively use distance sensors (e.g., ultrasonic distance sensors) to determine proximity to other vehicles (possibly simultaneously combining this distance with image recognition to identify whether they are indeed vehicles rather than some kind of obstacle). In some embodiments, features distinguishing the movement of the vehicles on the road are combined to calculate the time interval prior to collision and compare this time interval with a threshold—e.g., two seconds. Therefore, if a collision-preceding time of less than two seconds is detected, the control unit can infer (preferably in conjunction with context provided by other information) that the safe distance has decreased due to traffic congestion.

[0053] In some embodiments, controlling the lighting system (1) to provide a second or third lighting configuration also includes controlling at least one other lighting device to supplement or replace those modified lighting devices, particularly where the modification involves turning off one of the devices. Specifically, in order to continue to meet regulatory standards regarding the visibility of the vehicle (especially its outline) and / or the lighting of the area around the vehicle, various types of devices can be used in combination while still reducing energy consumption. This allows for reducing the intensity of one lamp or turning off one lamp and turning on another, possibly with the same limited intensity. For example, daytime running lights can replace low beams, possibly supplemented by position lights. Thus, many configurations are possible by implementing the invention.

[0054] In some embodiments, at least one of the automotive lighting devices (5) has an array arrangement of luminescent pixels (2) arranged in rows and columns. In some specific cases, the array comprises at least 2000 solid-state light sources. The array arrangement is a typical example of this process. Rows may be grouped together according to projection distance ranges, with each column of each group representing an angular range. The angle value depends on the resolution of the array, which typically includes between 0.01° and 0.5° per column. This control over rows and columns allows for independent control of angles and ranges in addition to intensity control, and allows for the simultaneous management of multiple light sources. In some embodiments of these embodiments, after one of the reductions, some rows or columns are turned off relative to the initial luminous intensity. Specifically, modern lighting devices typically have “solid-state” light sources, and the present invention makes it possible to utilize this type of device, particularly for adapting luminous intensity. The term “solid-state” refers to light emitted by solid-state electroluminescence, which uses semiconductors to convert electricity into light. Compared to incandescent lighting, solid-state lighting produces visible light with lower heat generation and less energy dissipation. Compared to fragile glass tubes / bulbs and thin filaments, the typically lighter weight of solid-state electronic lighting devices offers greater shock and vibration resistance. They also do not suffer from filament evaporation, which extends the lifespan of the lighting device. Some examples of these lighting types include semiconductor light-emitting diodes (LEDs), organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), or polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs) as the light source, rather than filaments, plasma, or gas. This method aims to find the optimal light pattern projected by the lighting device. Predefined use cases are defined, and when the method identifies the vehicle itself as being in one of these predefined use cases, the corresponding light pattern is projected. Therefore, due to the existence of a reasonable number of predefined use cases, the optimal light pattern can be found without excessive computational cost.

[0055] Therefore, in some embodiments, controlling the lighting system (1) to provide a second or third lighting configuration includes controlling the luminance of at least one of the devices. Specifically, each device emits a beam of light specific to that device and having a particular shape defined by the luminance. In some cases, the invention provides for modification of this luminance. For example, low beams include a beam illuminating a symmetrical area (referred to as a “flat area”) near the vehicle and an asymmetrical area further away. For example, the invention provides for retaining only the “flat area” when the vehicle is moving in a congested town. In another example, for daytime running lights, only the illumination necessary to indicate the vehicle's outline may be retained. Thus, modifying the luminance allows for user safety to be ensured by eliminating portions of the beam that are unnecessary in certain situations, while still conserving energy.

[0056] Particularly advantageously, some embodiments specify that when the method has been implemented to provide a second or third configuration (with reduced lighting) – since the vehicle is in an urban area, especially when the vehicle is moving in congested traffic – the control unit (2) performs the following steps: - Monitor the vehicle's current steering angle and / or the activation of the turn indicator (TI) to determine if turning maneuvers in a certain direction have begun, and - Control the lighting system (1) on the side of the direction in which the turning maneuver begins to restore the initial values ​​of the lighting width and / or range and / or intensity of one or more devices whose lighting has been reduced.

[0057] Therefore, when the control unit detects that the driver of the vehicle wants to begin maneuvering after the lighting has been modified, the control unit dynamically adapts the lighting according to the driver's behavior. In some of these embodiments, such adaptive control of the lighting system (1) on the side in which the turning maneuver begins to restore the initial values ​​of the lighting width and / or range and / or intensity of one or more devices whose lighting has been reduced includes dynamically controlling the lighting according to the steering angle of the vehicle during the maneuver. Thus, the present invention enables the maneuver performed by the driver to be taken into account even when energy-saving functions have been activated in urban areas and the lighting has been adapted to the current traffic, and if the driver wants to begin overtaking maneuvers or if they are turning, the lighting of at least one of the lights will be enhanced—at least on the side of the turn (corresponding to the most relevant side)—so that at least the vehicle can be seen more clearly, and possibly simultaneously, the driver can see the road conditions ahead more clearly.

[0058] It should be understood that the present invention provides a method for adaptive control or management of vehicle lighting based on driving conditions. This method involves using a control unit (2) with computing resources connected to a sensor (3) to control the vehicle's lighting system (1). Such computing resources are known in themselves and can be implemented by computing elements. Therefore, some embodiments also relate to a computing element comprising means for implementing the steps of the method according to the invention. Similarly, it is known that such computing means for implementing this method typically requires a computer program unless simulation programming is not contemplated. Therefore, some embodiments relate to a computer program comprising instructions that, when executed by the control unit (2), cause the control unit to perform the steps of the method according to the invention. Finally, since the invention is intended to be integrated into a vehicle, some embodiments relate to a vehicle lighting system (1) comprising: - Multiple lighting fixtures (5); - Multiple sensors (3) configured to provide certain data about the vehicle's driving and traffic conditions; and - Control unit (2), which is used to perform the steps of the method according to the invention.

[0059] As mentioned above in this application, in some embodiments of such a system, at least one of the lighting devices (5) has an array arrangement of semiconductor light sources (2). In some of these embodiments, the array arrangement includes at least 2000 semiconductor light sources (2).

[0060] This application describes various technical features and advantages with reference to the accompanying drawings and / or various embodiments. Those skilled in the art will understand that technical features of a given embodiment can actually be combined with features of another embodiment unless explicitly stated otherwise, or if these features are clearly incompatible, or if the combination does not provide a solution to at least one of the technical problems mentioned in this application. Furthermore, unless explicitly stated otherwise, the technical features described in a given embodiment can be separated from other features of that embodiment.

[0061] A detailed list of reference numerals in the attached figures: .

Claims

1. A method for dynamically controlling a lighting system (1) of a vehicle, the system (1) comprising, on one hand, a plurality of lighting devices (5) controlled by a control unit (2) for providing a plurality of lighting configurations of the system (1), and on the other hand, at least one sensor (3) for acquiring data related to the driving and operating conditions of the vehicle, the data being referred to as driving data, the method comprising: The control unit (2) learns in advance to identify features of urban areas from data provided by at least one sensor during a pre-training phase, and then determines whether to activate or deactivate lighting functions in urban areas based on a comparison between the driving data provided by the sensor (3) of the system (1) and the learned features of urban areas. The method is characterized in that it includes the control unit (2) learning driving conditions in advance by identifying features of vehicles or obstacles, whether moving or stationary, around the vehicle equipped with the system (1), in order to distinguish features of the vehicle moving in open traffic from features of the vehicle moving in congested traffic from the most relevant driving data, and then implementing the following steps by the control unit (2): - Calculate the distance and / or time interval between the vehicle and another vehicle or obstacle, and then compare the distance and / or time interval with at least one threshold recorded in the control unit (2). - Obtain the speed of the vehicle and compare it with at least one speed threshold recorded in the control unit (2). - Measure the duration for which the speed is higher than and / or lower than the speed threshold, and measure the frequency of exceeding the speed threshold. - Through the learning process, based on the measurement and comparison of the driving data, a distinction is made between the vehicle's movement in smooth traffic and its movement in congested traffic. And when the vehicle is moving in the first lighting configuration—referred to as the nominal lighting configuration—the system (1): - Control the lighting system (1) to provide at least one second lighting configuration, which is modified relative to the nominal configuration by reducing the width of the lighting beam when the vehicle is moving in unobstructed traffic in an urban area, and / or - Control the lighting system (1) to provide a third lighting configuration that is modified relative to the nominal configuration by at least reducing the illumination range and / or intensity and, possibly, the width of the lighting beam as the vehicle moves in congested traffic in an urban area.

2. The method as described in claim 1, wherein, Controlling the lighting system (1) to provide the second lighting configuration or the third lighting configuration also includes controlling at least one other lighting device to supplement or replace those modified lighting devices, especially when the modification includes turning off one of the devices.

3. The method as described in any of the preceding claims, wherein, Controlling the lighting system (1) to provide the second lighting configuration or the third lighting configuration includes controlling the luminance of at least one of the devices.

4. The method as described in any of the preceding claims, wherein, The features that distinguish the situation of the vehicle moving on the road are combined with calculating the time interval before the collision and comparing that time interval with a threshold—for example, two seconds.

5. The method as described in any one of the preceding claims, wherein, After the reduction, the control unit (2) performs the following steps: - Monitor the vehicle's current steering angle and / or the activation of the turn indicator (TI) to determine whether turning maneuvers in a certain direction have begun, and - Control the lighting system (1) on the side of the direction in which the turning maneuver begins to restore the initial values ​​of the lighting width and / or range and intensity of one or more devices whose lighting has been reduced.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein, The control of the lighting system (1) is performed on the side of the direction in which the turning maneuver begins, in order to restore the initial values ​​of the lighting width and / or range and intensity of one or more devices whose lighting has been reduced after the reduction, including dynamically controlling the lighting according to the steering angle of the vehicle during the maneuver.

7. The method as described in any of the preceding claims, wherein, At least one of the automotive lighting devices (5) has an array arrangement of light-emitting pixels (2) arranged in rows and columns.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein, After one of the reductions, some rows or columns are turned off relative to the initial luminescence intensity.

9. The method as described in any of the preceding claims, wherein, The steps implemented by the control unit (2) when the vehicle is moving are performed periodically at a cycle of less than 1 second, and especially less than 0.5 seconds, to periodically change from one lighting configuration to another.

10. The method as described in any of the preceding claims, wherein, The learning process of the control unit (2) includes the use of computer machine learning algorithms.

11. The method as described in any of the preceding claims, wherein, Data about the external area around the vehicle acquired by at least one sensor (3) includes at least two types of data, such as the currently activated lighting device (5) on the vehicle, external luminous intensity, number of vehicles around the vehicle and their distance from the vehicle, the vehicle's current speed or the presence and color of traffic lights, location coordinates, and nearby road signs.

12. The method as described in any of the preceding claims, wherein, The plurality of sensors (3) include at least one of an external light sensor, a sensor for activating the lighting device (5), at least one camera, a global positioning sensor, radar, lidar, or an infrared sensor.

13. A computing element comprising means for cooperating with at least one sensor (3) to perform the steps of the method as described in any of the preceding claims.

14. A computer program comprising instructions that, when executed by a control unit (2), cause the control unit to cooperate with at least one sensor (3) in performing the steps of the method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12.

15. A vehicle lighting system (1), comprising: - Multiple lighting fixtures (5); - Multiple sensors (3), the multiple sensors being configured to provide certain data about the vehicle’s driving and traffic conditions; as well as - Control unit (2), the control unit being used to perform the steps of the method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12.

16. The system (1) as described in the preceding claim, wherein, At least one of the lighting devices (5) has an array arrangement of semiconductor light sources (2).

17. The system (1) as described in the preceding claim, wherein, The array arrangement includes at least 2,000 semiconductor light sources (2).

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