VEHICLE CAPABLE OF PROJECTING LIGHT ONTO A ROADWAY AND CONTROL METHOD FOR THE SAME
The vehicle's light-emitting module addresses visibility issues by projecting controlled light patterns onto the road, enhancing pedestrian and driver awareness during reversing, especially in adverse conditions.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- DE102019218225
- Authority / Receiving Office
- DE · DE
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2018-12-04
- Filing Date
- 2019-11-26
- Publication Date
- 2025-01-30
- Estimated Expiration
- 2039-11-26
AI Technical Summary
Existing vehicle systems face challenges in providing clear visual cues for pedestrians and drivers during low-light or noisy conditions, particularly when reversing, due to reduced camera image quality and limited effectiveness of ultrasonic sensors.
A vehicle-mounted light-emitting module that projects light onto the road using a reflection unit and a light source, controlled by a drive unit to alter current direction, creating a vibrating plate that reflects light in specific patterns and directions, enhancing visibility.
The system effectively projects light onto the road, allowing pedestrians to recognize the vehicle's presence and drivers to identify obstacles, even in low-light or noisy conditions, by varying light patterns and intensity based on vehicle sensors and gear conditions.
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Abstract
Description
AREA
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle capable of projecting various types of light beams onto a roadway and a control method for the same. BACKGROUND
[0002] The information in this section merely provides background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
[0003] Due to the recent development of various sensors, cameras, and display technologies, drivers are provided with various information in various forms to assist in vehicle driving. Generally, when reversing, a driver sees a rear object with the naked eye, for example, by turning their head backward or using an interior or side mirror. However, in recent years, many drivers have increasingly turned to using cameras and sensors to detect rear objects.
[0004] The Fig. 1A to 1C show exemplary forms or configurations in which information is provided to a driver during reversing of an ordinary vehicle.
[0005] In relation to Fig. 1A, when entering the R range, an image from a rearview camera is displayed on a display of a head unit. At this time, a guide line 111 indicating the path the vehicle will take when traveling straight backward and the width of the vehicle, and a guide line 113 indicating the path the vehicle will take when the steering wheel is turned, can be displayed on the corresponding image.
[0006] Fig. 1B shows a screen in which an aroundview monitor (AVM) function is executed using a plurality of cameras mounted at various positions. Here, an image captured by a specific camera may be displayed in one area 121 of the screen, and a top-view image showing a periphery of the vehicle viewed from top to bottom, obtained by processing and synthesizing images captured by a plurality of cameras, may be displayed in another area 123 of the screen.
[0007] When a vehicle is reversed, the Fig. 1B together with the panoramic view image shown in Fig. 1A is displayed. Consequently, the driver can obtain more information than in the case where only the image shown in Fig. 1A is displayed. However, it has been found that despite the provision of the surround view function, there remains a problem that the quality of an image captured by the camera is degraded at night or on rainy days, as shown in Fig. 1C, and it is therefore difficult for the driver to detect a pedestrian.
[0008] Even when using a warning sound from the ultrasonic sensor in addition to a camera image, it was found that the detection range of the ultrasonic sensor is smaller than that of the camera. Furthermore, when a commercial vehicle or the like is reversing, a warning sound may be emitted to the outside, but a pedestrian may not be able to hear the warning sound if they are wearing headphones or are in a noisy environment. SUMMARY
[0009] The present disclosure provides a vehicle capable of projecting a light onto a roadway and a control method for the same, such that a pedestrian behind the vehicle easily recognizes the light and, in the presence of a pedestrian within the range within which the light is projected, the driver easily recognizes the pedestrian using the light radiated onto the pedestrian's body.
[0010] Additional advantages, objects, and features of the present disclosure will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or learned from practice of the present disclosure. The objects and other advantages of the present disclosure may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the accompanying drawings.
[0011] In one form of the present disclosure, a light-emitting module includes: a reflection unit and a light source unit configured to emit light toward the reflection unit, wherein the reflection unit includes a magnet having a first pole and a magnet having a second pole that oppose each other while being spaced apart from each other, a plate along the edge of which a wire is arranged in a multiple number of turns in one direction, the plate being arranged between the magnet having a first pole and the magnet having a second pole, and a reflection surface arranged on top of the plate, and wherein the light source unit emits light toward the reflection surface.
[0012] The light-emitting module may further include a drive unit configured to apply current to the wire and alternately change the direction of the current.
[0013] The light-emitting module may further include at least one elastic member disposed on the underside of the plate to support the plate and enable vibration of the plate.
[0014] The plate may vibrate in a rocking motion with respect to the position of at least one elastic element depending on the alternating change of the current direction through the drive unit.
[0015] The light emitted from the light source unit can be reflected by the reflection surface and projected in a transversely reciprocating manner in response to the vibration of the plate.
[0016] The at least one elastic element may include a plurality of elastic elements. The plurality of elastic elements may be arranged parallel to one another in a direction intersecting the direction of a magnetic flux generated by the magnet with a first pole and the magnet with a second pole, and the direction in which the plurality of elastic elements are arranged parallel to one another may be parallel to the axis of the rocking movement.
[0017] The wire may extend from the drive unit and may be connected to the plate via the elastic element.
[0018] When the wire is energized, a force may be applied to a first side portion of the plate adjacent to the magnet with a first pole in a first direction that intersects the direction of the current and the direction of flow of the magnetic flux between the magnet with a first pole and the magnet with a second pole, and a force may be applied to a second side portion of the plate adjacent to the magnet with a second pole in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction.
[0019] The wire can split into two pieces from one end. The two pieces of wire can extend from different points on the edge of the plate to form an equal number of turns in one direction along the edge of the plate, and can converge at the opposite end of the wire.
[0020] The light-emitting module may further include a control unit configured to determine at least one of an on / off pattern of the light source unit and a time period at which the drive unit alternately changes the current direction.
[0021] The control unit may determine at least the on / off pattern and / or the time period depending on the state of a vehicle transmission and the position of an obstacle sensed by a sensor.
[0022] The light source unit may contain a plurality of light sources.
[0023] The light sources of the plurality of light sources may be arranged parallel to one another in the vertical direction and have different angles of incidence with respect to the reflection surface.
[0024] The light-emitting module may be arranged at the rear of the vehicle to project light onto a roadway behind the vehicle.
[0025] It should be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present disclosure are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the present disclosure as claimed.
[0026] Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are provided for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. DRAWINGS
[0027] In order that the disclosure may be well understood, various embodiments thereof will now be described, given by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: the Fig. 1A to 1C show exemplary embodiments in which information is provided to a driver during reversing of an ordinary vehicle; Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the structure of a light-emitting module; the Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B are views showing the working principle of a reflection unit; the Fig. 4A to 4C show examples of the structure of the reflection unit; the Fig. 5A to 5D show examples of the arrangement of wires in the reflection unit; Fig. 6 shows an example of the configuration of a reflection unit drive circuit; Fig. Fig. 7 is a view showing the operation of the light-emitting module; Fig. Fig. 8 is a view showing a method of projecting light onto only a specific area of a roadway; Fig. 9 shows an example of the execution of a light projection control on a roadway in response to the detection of an obstacle; and Fig. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a process for controlling light emission during reversing using the light-emitting modules.
[0028] The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0029] The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate similar or corresponding parts and features.
[0030] It will be appreciated that the present disclosure should not be limited to the exemplary embodiments and may be modified in various ways. In the drawings, in order to clearly and concisely explain the present disclosure, illustration of elements unrelated to the description is omitted, and the same or very similar elements are identified by the same reference numerals throughout the description.
[0031] When an element is described as "including" another element, the element should not be understood to exclude other elements anywhere in the description unless there is a specific conflicting description, and the element may include at least one other element. Where possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or similar parts.
[0032] Also, terms such as 'unit' or 'module', etc., should be understood as a unit that processes at least one function or operation and that may be embodied in a manner of hardware (e.g., a processor), software, or a combination of hardware and software. For example, a light-emitting module may be referred to as a 'light-emitting device', a reflection unit as a 'reflector', a light source unit as a 'light source', a control unit as a 'controller', and a drive unit 400 as a 'driver' or 'drive device'.
[0033] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a reflection angle of light emitted from a light source is controlled by controlling the vibration of a reflection structure using the Lorentz force law, thereby enabling projection of the light onto a roadway located in a specific direction of a vehicle.
[0034] Hereinafter, the structure of a light-emitting module according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with respect to Fig. 2 will be briefly described.
[0035] Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the structure of a light-emitting module applicable to the embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0036] In relation to Fig. 2, the light-emitting module may include a reflection unit 200, a light source unit 400 configured to emit light to be reflected by the reflection unit 200, a control unit 500, and a drive unit 400 configured to apply drive power to the reflection unit 200 and the light source unit 400 in response to a control signal from the control unit 500. The control unit 500 performs overall control of the light-emitting module based on information exchanged with various sensors and / or controllers provided in a vehicle.
[0037] The light source unit 400 may include at least one light source, and each light source may be arranged to emit light toward a reflection surface of the reflection unit 200. Examples of the light source may include a light-emitting diode, a laser diode, and the like. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Considering visibility and straightness, the light source unit 400 may include a light source capable of emitting laser light.
[0038] The reflection unit 200 includes a reflection surface that performs a mechanical movement to reflect the light emitted from the light source unit 400 so that the light is projected in a desired direction.
[0039] The drive unit 300 can selectively change the light-emitting state of the light source of the light source unit 400 in response to a control signal from the control unit 500. Furthermore, the drive unit 300 can control the area within which the light is projected from the reflection unit 200 by changing the direction of the current applied to the reflection unit 200.
[0040] The control unit 500 may determine the operating mode of the light-emitting module based on information obtained from at least the sensors (e.g., a rear lateral side ultrasonic sensor, a blind spot detection (BSD) sensor, a vision sensor, a LIDAR sensor, etc.) and / or the reversing-related sensors (e.g., a transmission controller for detecting an R range, a head unit, an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) controller, etc.) provided in the vehicle. For example, the control unit 500 may determine the type of light source to be turned on, the illumination pattern, brightness, and the like of the light source unit 400, and at least the duration and / or amplitude of the vibration to be applied to the reflection surface of the reflection unit 200.
[0041] Below, the operation of the respective components will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.
[0042] First, the operating principle of the reflection unit according to the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is explained with respect to the Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B. In the following drawings, which show the Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B, a Cartesian coordinate system is used for ease of explanation.
[0043] The Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B are views showing the operating principle of the reflection unit applicable to the present disclosure.
[0044] Regarding the Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B, a plate 230 is arranged between a magnet 210 having a first pole (here, an N-pole) and a magnet 220 having a second pole (here, an S-pole), which are opposite each other. Consequently, the direction of the magnetic flux density B is oriented from the N-pole to the S-pole (i.e., the y-axis direction). Furthermore, wires can be arranged such that the current flows along the side surfaces of the plate 230 clockwise or counterclockwise with respect to the plane (i.e., the xy-plane).
[0045] As in Fig. 3A, when the current I flows counterclockwise with respect to the plane, according to the Lorentz force law, a force is exerted on the side surface of the plate 230 adjacent to the magnet 210 with a first pole in the upward direction (i.e., in the z-axis direction) and a force is exerted on the side surface of the plate 230 adjacent to the magnet 220 with a second pole in the downward direction (i.e., in the "z" axis direction).
[0046] As in Fig. 3B, on the other hand, when the current I flows clockwise with respect to the plane, the directions in which the force is exerted on the side surfaces of the plate 230 are relative to the directions shown in Fig. 3A are reversed.
[0047] The structure of the reflection unit, which is made to vibrate by the force exerted on the plate, as described above with respect to the Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B, will now be discussed in relation to the Fig. 4A to 4C are described.
[0048] The Fig. 4A to 4C show examples of the structure of the reflection unit applicable to the present disclosure.
[0049] A description of the components mentioned above in relation to the Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B will be omitted. With regard to the Fig. 4A and Fig. 4B, the bottom surface of the plate 230 is supported by elastic members 241 and 242. The elastic members 241 and 242 serve to enable vibration of the plate 230, which manifests itself in the form of a rocking motion in the yz plane according to a change in the direction of the Lorentz force corresponding to a change in the direction of the current. Therefore, the elastic members 241 and 242 may be springs, but are not limited thereto, as long as they are capable of supporting the plate 230 and enabling vibration of the plate 230. For example, two elastic members 241 and 242 may be arranged to be spaced apart from each other in a direction (here, the x-axis direction) that intersects the direction (i.e., the y-axis direction) of the magnetic flux B. An imaginary line connecting the points where the two elastic elements 241 and 242 are connected to the underside of the plate 230 may correspond to the axis of the vibration movement.
[0050] The top surface of the plate 230 may be provided with a reflection surface 250 that reflects light emitted from a light source (not shown) to be described later. An imaginary surface 250' perpendicular to the reflection surface 250 and arranged in the xy plane may be illustrated to assist in explaining the direction of movement of the plate, but may not be an actual component. For example, the imaginary surface 250' may correspond to the projection direction of the reflected light, which changes depending on the vibration of the plate in the state where the light source (not shown) is fixed.
[0051] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 4A, when the current I flows counterclockwise with respect to the plane, according to the Lorentz force law, a force is exerted on the side surface of the plate 230 adjacent to the magnet 210 with a first pole in an upward direction (i.e., in the z-axis direction), and a force is exerted on the side surface of the plate 230 adjacent to the magnet 220 with a second pole in a downward direction (i.e., in the "z" axis direction). Consequently, when viewed from the front (i.e., when viewed in the "x" axis direction), the imaginary surface 250' may move to tilt to the right.
[0052] As in Fig. 4B, on the other hand, when the current I flows clockwise with respect to the plane, the directions in which the force is exerted on the side surfaces of the plate 230 are relative to the directions shown in Fig. 4A are reversed. Consequently, when viewed from the front (i.e., when viewed in the x-axis direction), the imaginary surface can move 250' to tilt to the left.
[0053] When the direction in which the current flows along the side surfaces of the plate 230 is alternately changed, the imaginary surface 250' vibrates in this way, as in Fig. 4C, when viewed from the front (i.e., when viewed in the x-axis direction), along a fan-shaped or arc-shaped path. Consequently, even when a point light source fixed at a certain point is used, the light emitted from the point light source can be reflected by the vibrating reflection surface 250 and thus projected along a linear path by the left-right reciprocating movement. As a result, it is possible to enlarge the output range of the light in the transverse direction by using the reflection unit 200 according to the embodiment, and also possible to adjust the output range of the light by controlling the amplitude of the vibration. The amplitude of the vibration can be controlled by controlling at least the elasticity of the elastic members 241 and 242, the weight of the plate 230, the magnitude of the current I, the magnitude of the magnetic flux B, and / or the frequency for switching the current direction.
[0054] Next, the arrangement of wires in the reflection unit with respect to the Fig. 5A to 5D. The Fig. 5A to 5D show examples of the arrangement of wires in the reflection unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 5A to 5D illustrate that wires are arranged around the plate 230 when viewed in plan view, but this is for a better understanding of the present disclosure. In reality, the wires may be arranged on the side surfaces of the plate 230 or arranged in the edge of the plate 230. To be connected to the drive unit 300, the wires may be arranged as shown in FIGS. Fig. 4A to 4C, may be arranged on the plate 230 via the elastic members 241 and 242. For example, if the elastic members 241 and 242 are springs, each wire may pass through the center of the corresponding spring in the direction in which the springs extend.
[0055] Regarding the Fig. 5A and Fig. 5B, current paths corresponding to two turns can be formed around the plate 230 due to the wires. When viewed from a top view, the wires can diverge from a current input path I_in in opposite directions, extend along the edge of the plate 230 in the same direction (here, clockwise) to form one turn each, and converge at a current output path I_out. Consequently, the amount of current flowing through a single turn of the wire due to the divergence is half (1 / 2) of the total amount of current I. However, due to the presence of two turns of wire, the total amount of electric charge affected by the magnetic flux B on one side surface of the plate is equal to I. The purpose of this configuration is to reduce the magnitude of the current flowing through each turn of the wire so that the direction of the direct current is quickly changed.
[0056] As in the Fig. 5C and Fig. 5D, in the case where the number of turns of each wire diverging from the current input path is increased from one to four, the total number of turns of the wire becomes eight. Consequently, the total amount of electric charge influenced by the magnetic flux B on one side surface of the plate 230 is 4I. In the case where the wires are arranged in the order shown in the Fig. 5C and Fig. 5D, while the magnitude of the current is reduced due to the resistance of the wires, the magnitude of the vibration generated by the Lorentz force is increased due to the increase in the number of turns, thereby making it possible to quickly change the direction of the current.
[0057] Next, a reflection unit driving circuit 310 of the driving unit 300 for driving the reflection unit with respect to Fig. 6 are described.
[0058] Fig. 6 shows an example of the configuration of a reflection unit driving circuit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0059] In relation to Fig. 6, the reflection unit driving circuit 310 may include a first switch 311, a second switch 312, a first terminal 313, and a second terminal 314.
[0060] The first switch 311 may be configured such that the first terminal 313 is connected to a power source V DD or a ground GND, and the second switch 312 may be configured such that the second terminal 314 is connected to the power source V DD or selectively connected to ground GND. The first terminal 313 and the second terminal 314 are connected to wires of the reflection unit 200. Each switch can be implemented as a semiconductor-based switching element.
[0061] When one switch is connected to the power source, the other switch is connected to ground. For example, when the first switch 311 is connected to the power source and the second switch 312 is connected to ground, the current flows from the first terminal 313 to the second terminal 314 via the reflection unit 200. When the first switch 311 is connected to ground and the second switch 312 is connected to the power source, the current flows from the second terminal 314 to the first terminal 313 via the reflection unit 200.
[0062] As such, the drive unit 300 changes the operating modes of the switches 311 and 312 of the reflection unit drive circuit 310 and thereby changes the direction in which the current flows through the wires of the reflection unit 200.
[0063] Hereinafter, the process in which the light emitted from the light source unit 400 is reflected by the reflection unit 200 and projected onto a roadway will be explained with reference to Fig. 7 are described.
[0064] Fig. 7 is a view showing the operation of the light-emitting module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0065] In relation to Fig. 7, the light source unit 400 includes two light sources 410 and 420 arranged to be parallel to each other in the vertical direction and emit light at an angle below the horizontal plane. The angle at which the light from the first light source 410 is incident on the reflection surface 250 and the angle at which the light from the second light source 420 is incident on the reflection surface 250 are different from each other. For example, the angle of incidence of the light from the first light source 410 with respect to a perpendicular line to the reflection surface 250 may be larger than the angle of incidence of the light from the second light source 420.
[0066] The reflection unit 200 is arranged at a predetermined angle so that the light emitted by the light source unit 400 and reflected by the reflection surface 250 is projected onto a roadway.
[0067] In this state, when the plate 230 with the reflection surface 250 attached thereto is vibrated by the drive unit, the reflected light 710 from the first light source 410, which has a relatively large angle of incidence, can be projected onto a portion of the roadway relatively close to the light-emitting module, and the reflected light 720 from the second light source 420, which has a relatively small angle of incidence, can be projected onto a portion of the roadway relatively far from the light-emitting module. At this time, the reflected light 710 and the reflected light 720 can each be projected onto the roadway in a transversely reciprocating manner, as indicated by the arrows, due to the vibration of the plate 230.
[0068] Therefore, as the vibration angle of the plate 230 increases, the path along which the reflected light 710 and the reflected light 720 are each projected onto the roadway becomes longer, and as the vibration angle of the plate 230 decreases, the path along which the reflected light 710 and the reflected light 720 are each projected onto the roadway becomes shorter. The reciprocating speed of the reflected light 710 and the reflected light 720 can each be proportional to the vibration frequency of the plate 230.
[0069] In addition, since the number of light sources with different angles of incidence with respect to the reflection surface 250 increases, light rays from the vehicle can be projected onto a larger number of areas of the roadway, wherein the areas are spaced from the vehicle by different distances.
[0070] However, in the state where the vibration of the plate 230 is maintained, it is also possible to project light only onto a specific area of the roadway by switching the light source on and off. This will be explained below with reference to Fig. 8 are described.
[0071] Fig. 8 is a view showing a method of projecting light onto only a specific area of the roadway according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0072] With regard to the Fig. 8, the light emitted by a specific light source is projected onto the roadway while reciprocating along a linear path 810 in the transverse direction due to the vibration of the reflection surface 250. With respect to the Fig. In the lower example shown in Figure 8, when intending to project the light only onto a specific area 820 within the path 810, the drive unit 300 may control the light source such that the light is turned on only during the period during which the light from the light source is projected onto the specific area 820 defined by two endpoints 821 and 822. The drive unit 300 may control the reflection unit such that the reflection unit maintains the vibration state regardless of whether the light source is turned on or off. If control is repeatedly performed in this manner while projecting light in the reciprocating manner, the light will be projected only onto the specific area 820.
[0073] By controlling in this manner, the light-emitting module is capable of projecting light onto a roadway on which an obstacle, including a pedestrian, is located. Therefore, a driver can detect the presence of the obstacle using the light projected onto the roadway even if the obstacle does not appear in an image captured by a rearview camera. This will be explained below with reference to Fig. 9 are described.
[0074] Fig. 9 shows an example of an implementation of light projection control onto a roadway in response to detection of an obstacle according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. The light projection control shown in Fig. 9 will be described on the assumption that the light-emitting modules 911 and 912 are provided on the right rear side and the left rear side of the vehicle 910, respectively, and that each of the light-emitting modules 911 and 912 includes two light sources for projecting light beams onto two areas of the roadway spaced from the vehicle by different distances, respectively.
[0075] In relation to Fig. 9, the vehicle 910 can sense the position of a pedestrian 920 using an ultrasonic sensor or a rearview camera. Based on the sensed position of the pedestrian 920, the light-emitting module control unit 500 can determine the vibration angle of the reflection unit 200 and the on / off timing of the light sources of the light-emitting modules to control the light emitting modules so that light beams are projected onto the roadway 930 around the pedestrian 920. Consequently, the light-emitting modules 911 and 912 can project light beams onto a plurality of points or locations on the roadway 930 around the pedestrian 920. For example, the light-emitting modules 911 and 912, each including two light sources, project light beams onto four locations on the roadway at the same time.Consequently, the light-emitting modules can be controlled such that the pedestrian 920 is located at any time between the four projection locations or between at least two projection locations depending on the distance between the pedestrian 920 and the vehicle 910.
[0076] The projected light beams can be controlled such that at least their brightness and / or color differ depending on the distance between the vehicle 910 and the pedestrian 920. To project light beams of different colors, light sources configured to emit light beams with specific color temperatures or specific colors can be used, or color filters can be arranged on the front sides of the light sources.
[0077] The following describes the process for controlling light emission during reversing using the light-emitting modules according to an embodiment with respect to Fig. 10 are described.
[0078] Fig. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the process for controlling light emission during reversing using the light-emitting modules according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0079] In relation to Fig. 10, when a driver shifts into the R range (S1010), the rear ultrasonic sensor can be activated (S1020).
[0080] When the position of an obstacle is detected by the ultrasonic sensor (S1030), the light-emitting module may be activated (S1040). Subsequently, the light-emitting module may be controlled to project light onto a roadway at a position corresponding to the position of the obstacle (S1050). For this purpose, the control unit 500 may receive information about the state of the transmission from the controller that collects information about the state of the transmission, in particular the transmission controller, and information about the distance to the obstacle and the position of the obstacle from the ultrasonic sensor, and determine at least the type of light source to be turned on, the on / off pattern, the vibration frequency, and / or the vibration angle, and transmit a signal corresponding to the determination result to the drive unit 300.The drive unit 300 can control the light emission of the light source unit 400 and the change in the direction of the current applied to the reflection unit 200 in response to the signal from the control unit 500.
[0081] If the sensed position of the obstacle is within a predetermined distance (here, 2 m) (S1060), the projection type of the light emitted by the light-emitting module may be changed (S1070). Here, the change in the projection type of the light may include changing at least the color of the light projected onto the road surface, the intensity of the light projected onto the road surface, and / or the vibration frequency.
[0082] Although the configuration in which the light-emitting module is mounted at the rear of the vehicle and projects light onto the roadway behind the vehicle has been described as an example, this is merely illustrative. The present disclosure is not limited to a specific mounting position of the light-emitting module in the vehicle, a specific number of light-emitting modules, or a specific light projection direction.
[0083] The present disclosure described above can be implemented as computer-readable code of a computer-readable medium on which programs are recorded. The computer-readable medium includes all types of recording devices on which data readable by a computer system is stored. Examples of the computer-readable medium may include a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state disk (SSD), a silicon disk drive (SDD), ROM, RAM, a CD-ROM, a magnetic tape, a floppy disk, and an optical data storage device.
[0084] As is apparent from the above description, a vehicle according to at least one aspect of the present disclosure configured as described above is capable of efficiently projecting light onto a roadway.
[0085] In particular, it is possible to selectively project light onto a plurality of locations on the roadway using a relatively small number of light sources by controlling the vibration of a reflection plate having a relatively simple structure. Consequently, the light-emitting module can be downsized and have improved operating efficiency.
[0086] In addition, it is possible to change the light projection type depending on the pedestrian's position by collaborating with various pedestrian sensing devices. As a result, the pedestrian can easily detect the projected light, and the driver can easily detect the pedestrian even in low-light situations.
[0087] It will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that the effects achievable by the present disclosure are not limited to those specifically described above, and other effects of the present disclosure will be more clearly understood from the above detailed description.
[0088] The above-mentioned detailed description is not to be construed as limiting the present disclosure in any aspect, and should be considered as an example. The scope of the present disclosure should be determined by a fair interpretation of the appended claims, and all equivalent modifications made without departing from the present disclosure should be included in the following claims.
Claims
[1] Light-emitting module, comprising: a reflection unit (200); and a light source unit (400) configured to emit light to the reflection unit (200), wherein the reflection unit (200) comprises: a magnet (210) having a first pole (N-pole) and a magnet (220) having a second pole (S-pole) which are opposite to each other while being spaced apart from each other; a plate (230) along the edge of which a wire is arranged in a multiple number of turns in one direction, the plate (230) being arranged between the magnet (210) having a first pole and the magnet (220) having a second pole; and a reflection surface arranged on an upper side of the plate, and wherein the light source unit (400) is configured to emit light to the reflection surface; the light-emitting module further comprising: a drive unit (300) configured to supply the wire with current (I); and at least one elastic element (241, 242) arranged on an underside of the plate (230), wherein the drive unit (300) is configured to alternately change a direction of the current (I), wherein the at least one elastic element (241, 242) is configured to support the plate (230) and to enable vibration of the plate (230), and wherein the plate (230) is configured to vibrate in a rocking motion with respect to a position of the at least one elastic element (241, 242) based on an alternating change in the current direction through the drive unit (300). [2] The light-emitting module according to claim 1, wherein the light emitted from the light source unit (400) is reflected by the reflection surface (250) and projected in a transversely reciprocating manner in response to the vibration of the plate (230). [3] The light-emitting module according to claim 2, wherein the at least one elastic element (241, 242) comprises a plurality of elastic elements, wherein the plurality of elastic elements are arranged parallel to each other in a direction intersecting a direction of a magnetic flux generated by the magnet (210) having a first pole and the magnet (220) having a second pole, and wherein the direction in which the plurality of elastic elements are arranged parallel to each other is parallel to an axis of the rocking movement. [4] The light-emitting module according to claim 1, wherein the wire extends from the drive unit (300) and is connected to the plate (230) via the elastic member (241, 242). [5] A light-emitting module according to claim 1, wherein when current (I) is applied to the wire, a force is exerted on a first side portion of the plate (230) adjacent to the magnet (210) having a first pole in a first direction intersecting a direction of the current (I) and a direction of flow of the magnetic flux between the magnet (210) having a first pole and the magnet (220) having a second pole, and a force is applied to a second side portion of the plate (230) adjacent to the magnet (220) having a second pole in a second direction opposite to the first direction. [6] The light-emitting module of claim 1, wherein the wire diverges into two parts from one end thereof, and wherein the two parts of the wire extend from different points of the edge of the plate (230) to form a mutually equal number of turns in the one direction of the edge of the plate (230), and converge at an opposite end of the wire. [7] The light-emitting module according to claim 1, further comprising: a control unit (500) configured to determine at least one of an on / off pattern of the light source unit (400) and a time period at which the drive unit (400) alternately changes the current direction. [8] The light-emitting module according to claim 7, wherein the control unit (500) is configured to determine at least the on / off pattern and / or the time period based on a state of a transmission of a vehicle (910) and a position of an obstacle sensed by a sensor. [9] The light-emitting module according to claim 1, wherein the light source unit (400) comprises a plurality of light sources. [10] The light-emitting module according to claim 9, wherein the light sources of the plurality of light sources are arranged parallel to each other in a vertical direction, and the light sources of the plurality of light sources have different angles of incidence with respect to the reflection surface (250). [11] Vehicle (910) having at least one light-emitting module according to claim 1. [12] The vehicle (910) of claim 11, wherein the at least one light-emitting module is disposed on a rear side of the vehicle to project light onto a roadway behind the vehicle.
Citation Information
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