System and method for controlling an ambient lighting system of a vehicle

Abstract

Method for controlling an ambient lighting system (1) of a vehicle, comprising: Sensing, by a controller (7), an approach of a user to the vehicle; capturing, by the controller (7), an image of the user relative to a vehicle body in response to sensing the approach of the user; Determining, by the controller (7), a movement of the user from the image, the movement having a directionality with respect to the vehicle body; and Operating, by the controller (7), an ambient light (1) according to the movement with the directionality with respect to the vehicle body; in response to determining the movement with directionality with respect to the vehicle body, switching on, by the controller (7), at least one sector adjacent to the user among sectors of the ambient light (1) along the direction of movement of the user, and Determining, by the controller (7), the user's movement speed in order to adjust the speed at which the sector of the ambient light (1) is switched on according to the user's movement speed.

Description

BACKGROUNDArea of ​​Revelation

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a technology for controlling a lighting system of a vehicle, and more particularly, to an ambient lighting system provided on a vehicle body that is interactively controlled based on a user's movement. Description of related technology

[0002] In addition to the basic function of conventional vehicle lighting as a light for illuminating the area around a vehicle, additional functions have been developed in recent years, such as performing a welcome function through the control, which is activated when the user approaches. Furthermore, in the future era of autonomous vehicles, it will be possible to actively connect and control the space within the vehicle in various ways. Various lighting devices mounted to generate light within the vehicle can help meet such requirements through more interactive action with the user.

[0003] The above background explanation is intended only to assist in understanding the background of the present disclosure and is not intended to imply that the present disclosure falls within the scope of related art already known to a person skilled in the art. DEPICTION

[0004] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a system and method for controlling an ambient lighting system that enables an ambient lighting system provided on a vehicle body to be controlled more interactively based on a user's movement, thereby forming a user interface that provides a luxurious and intelligent image of the vehicle.

[0005] A method for controlling an ambient lighting system of a vehicle according to the present disclosure may include sensing a user's approach to the vehicle; capturing an image of the user relative to the vehicle body as the user approaches the vehicle; determining a movement of the user with a directionality relative to the vehicle body from the image; and operating an ambient light based on the movement with directionality relative to the vehicle body.

[0006] In particular, the controller may be configured to sense the user's approach by detecting whether a user's detection body is approaching the vehicle body based on a signal from a contactless receiver provided within a vehicle. The controller may be configured to capture the image of the user approaching a vehicle using a camera mounted in the vehicle and determine the user's movement from a plurality of continuously captured images. The controller may then be configured to determine the movement with the directionality with respect to the vehicle body as the user's leftward movement or rightward movement with respect to the vehicle body.

[0007] When the user's movement is determined with directionality relative to the vehicle body, the controller may be configured to turn on at least one sector adjacent to the user among sectors of the ambient light along the user's direction of movement. The controller may be configured to determine the user's movement speed to adjust the speed at which the sector of the ambient light is turned on based on the user's movement speed. When the movement is stopped, the controller may be configured to turn off the ambient light. In particular, when the user's movement is stopped, the controller may be configured to turn off the ambient light after a predetermined reference time has elapsed.

[0008] Furthermore, the controller may allow all the ambient light sectors that are turned on based on the user's movement relative to the vehicle body to continuously maintain the turned-on state until the user's movement stops and the ambient light is completely turned off. The controller may be configured to sequentially turn off the rearward sectors that the user has passed through among the ambient light sectors that are turned on based on the user's movement relative to the vehicle body. The controller may further be configured to determine the user's movement speed to adjust the speed at which the ambient light sector is turned off based on the user's movement speed.

[0009] When the user approaches the exterior of the vehicle body, the controller may be configured to turn on at least one sector adjacent to the user among the sectors of the ambient light. Upon determining the user's movement with directionality with respect to the vehicle body, the controller may be configured to turn on at least one adjacent sector of the turned-on sector of the ambient light along the user's direction of movement. Furthermore, the controller may be configured to determine the user's movement speed to adjust the speed at which the sector of the ambient light is turned on based on the user's movement speed. When the user's movement stops, the controller may be configured to turn off the ambient light after a predetermined reference time has elapsed.

[0010] The controller may allow all the ambient light sectors that are turned on according to the user's movement relative to the vehicle body to remain turned on until the user's movement stops and the ambient light is completely turned off. The controller may be configured to sequentially turn off the sectors in the rear area that the user has traversed among the ambient light sectors that are turned on based on the user's movement relative to the vehicle body. The controller may also be configured to determine the user's movement speed to adjust the speed at which the ambient light sector is turned off based on the user's movement speed.

[0011] A method for controlling an ambient lighting system of a vehicle according to the present disclosure may include sensing the closing of a door of a vehicle body; and operating sectors located on the surface of the closed door among sectors of the ambient lighting to flash and illuminate, respectively, when the closing of the door of the vehicle body is detected.

[0012] In addition to the sectors located on the surface of the closed door, the controller can be configured to control sectors of the ambient lighting of at least some sections adjacent to the door to flash or illuminate together. In particular, the controller can be configured to control the sectors to flash or illuminate the ambient lighting multiple times.

[0013] The present disclosure can enable the ambient lighting system provided on the vehicle body to be controlled more interactively based on the movement of a user, thereby forming the user interface for providing the luxurious and intelligent image of the vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present disclosure will be better understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a vehicle with an ambient lighting system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Fig. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling the ambient lighting system of the vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating operation of the ambient lighting system according to a user's motion according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Fig. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling the ambient lighting system of the vehicle according to another embodiment of the present disclosure; and Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a method of controlling the ambient lighting system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure when a door of the vehicle body is closed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] It is understood that the term “vehicle” or “the vehicle” or similar terms used herein include motor vehicles in general such as passenger cars including SUVs, buses, trucks, various commercial vehicles, watercraft including various boats and ships, aircraft and the like, as well as hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, internal combustion engines, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, hydrogen vehicles and vehicles with other alternative fuels (e.g., fuels that are not derived from crude oil).

[0016] Although one embodiment is described as using a plurality of units to perform the example process, it should be understood that the example process may also be performed by one or a plurality of modules. Furthermore, it should be understood that the term controller refers to a hardware device including a memory and a processor. The memory is configured to store the modules, and the processor is specifically configured to execute these modules to perform one or more processes, which are described in more detail below.

[0017] Furthermore, control logic may be embodied as a non-transitory computer-readable medium on a computer-readable medium containing executable program instructions executed by a processor, a controller / control unit, or the like. Examples of the computer-readable medium include, but are not limited to, ROM, RAM, CD-ROM, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, flash drives, smart cards, and optical data storage devices. The computer-readable recording medium may also be distributed in a network of coupled computer systems such that the computer-readable medium is stored and executed in a distributed manner, for example, through a telematics server or a CAN (Controller Area Network).

[0018] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. When used herein, the singular forms "a" and "an" are intended to include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It is understood that the terms "comprises" and / or "comprising," when used herein, indicate the presence of the recited features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components and / or groups thereof. When used herein, the term "and / or" includes any combination of one or more of the recited features.

[0019] Unless specifically stated or clear from the context, the term "about" should be understood as within a normal range of tolerance, such as within two standard deviations of the mean. "About" can be understood as within 10%, 9%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4%, 3%, 2%, 1%, 0.5%, 0.1%, 0.05%, or 0.01% of the stated value. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, all values ​​provided herein are modified by the term "about."

[0020] Fig. 1 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle having an ambient lighting system of a vehicle to which the present disclosure can be applied, and the ambient lighting system of the vehicle may include a lamp 1 provided in a vehicle body, at least one LF antenna 3 provided in a vehicle and configured to sense a movement of a user outside the vehicle, at least one camera 5 (or other imaging device) provided in the vehicle to photograph or capture an image of a user outside the vehicle, and a controller 7 configured to operate the ambient lighting system 1 based on signals from the LF antenna 3 and the camera 5.

[0021] The ambient light 1 may include a plurality of light-emitting devices 9 (LEDs) arranged spaced apart along the vehicle body, allowing a user outside the vehicle body to recognize whether at least the adjacent light-emitting device 9 is turned on. Such an arrangement of the light-emitting devices 9 may be divided into equally spaced sectors. Here, although the plurality of light-emitting devices 9 may be included in one sector, one light-emitting device 9 may be classified into a sector to be operated by the controller 7. In other words, the sector of the ambient light 1 refers to at least one row of light-emitting devices 9 arranged along the circumferential direction of the vehicle body.

[0022] In addition, the light emitting device 9 of the ambient light 1 is not limited to displaying that only one row is formed along the circumferential direction of the vehicle body, and a plurality of rows may be arranged along the circumferential direction of the vehicle body to form the ambient light 1, for example, as shown in Fig. 1, when the sector is classified in the minimum unit in the case where the ambient lamp 1 has three rows of light emitting devices 9 along the circumferential direction of the vehicle, one sector 11 may have three light emitting devices 9 forming one column.

[0023] With reference to Fig. 2, an embodiment of a method for controlling the ambient lighting system 1 of the vehicle according to the present disclosure may include sensing an approach of a user outside the vehicle (S10), capturing an image of the user relative to the vehicle body as the user approaches the vehicle body (S20), determining a movement of the user, the movement having a direction relative to the vehicle body, from the image (S30), and operating the ambient lighting system 1 based on the user's movement with directionality relative to the vehicle body (S40). It is understood that the method described herein may be performed by a controller.

[0024] In other words, in the present disclosure, the controller 7 may be configured to operate the ambient light 1 to interactively generate a luxurious and intelligent image outside the vehicle body with respect to the movement of a user when the user approaches a vehicle (e.g., generate an aesthetically pleasing image).

[0025] Furthermore, the controller 7 may be configured to detect whether the user recognition body (e.g., the user terminal) in the possession of the user is approaching the vehicle based on a signal from a contactless receiver mounted within the vehicle, thereby sensing the user's approach. In particular, the user recognition body may refer to any media capable of providing information that serves as proof of a legitimate user of the vehicle (e.g., providing authentication as user identity / permission to use the vehicle), such as a conventional smart key or a smartphone registered by the user.The contactless receiver refers to any device capable of detecting the presence of the user detection body by approaching the vehicle body without touching the user detection body, and may include an LF antenna 3 and auxiliary devices therefor.

[0026] Furthermore, the controller 7 may be configured to capture the image of the user approaching the vehicle using the camera 5 mounted in the vehicle, and to determine the user's movement from a plurality of continuously captured images. In other words, the controller 7 may be configured to analyze the image captured by the camera 5 to determine the user's movement relative to the vehicle body. A plurality of cameras 5 may be installed in the vehicle to continuously capture images in all directions outside the vehicle body.

[0027] In particular, the controller 7 may be configured to determine the user's movement with directionality relative to the vehicle body as the user's leftward movement or rightward movement relative to the vehicle body. In other words, when the user approaches the exterior of the vehicle body as described above, the controller 7 may be configured to detect the user's approach through the LF antenna 3 and auxiliary devices thereof, and operate the camera 5 to determine the user's movement relative to the vehicle body. The user's movement serves to allow the user to approach the vehicle body, and the controller 7 may be configured to determine whether the user is moving to the right or to the left of the detected location. In other words, the controller 7 may be configured to determine a user's movement relative to the vehicle body using image analysis.

[0028] In response to determining the user's movement with directionality relative to the vehicle body, the controller 7 may be configured to turn on at least one sector adjacent to the user among the sectors of the ambient light 1 according to the user's direction of movement. In other words, when the user moves to the right relative to the vehicle body, the controller 7 may be configured to turn on the sectors of the ambient light 1 to turn on the ambient light 1 sequentially, following the user (e.g., turned on sequentially in the user's direction of movement while the user moves in a detected direction to illuminate a path along which the user moves).At this time, the controller 7 can be configured to determine the user's movement speed to adjust the speed at which the sector of the ambient light 1 is turned on according to the user's movement speed, so as to be nearly synchronized with the user's movement. Accordingly, the sectors can be turned on both in the same direction as the user's movement path and on the same path, so that the user perceives that the lights light up along with the user's movement.

[0029] The controller 7 may be configured to turn off the ambient light 1 when the user's movement stops. Specifically, when the user's movement stops, the controller 7 may be configured to immediately turn off all sectors of the ambient light 1, but after the user's movement stops, the ambient light 1 may be enabled or permitted to turn off after a predetermined reference time, thereby creating a softer sensation. Accordingly, the reference time may be set, for example, to a time within a few seconds according to the manufacturing intent described above.

[0030] The controller 7 may allow all the sectors of the ambient light 1 that are turned on according to the user's movement with respect to the vehicle body to maintain the turned-on state until the user's movement stops and the ambient light 1 is completely turned off. In other words, in response to sensing that the user is approaching the vehicle and moving along the perimeter of the vehicle body and the ambient light 1 begins to be turned on from any sector thereof, the controller 7 may be configured to turn on the adjacent sectors one by one while the user is moving, and the sectors in the rear area that the user has traversed may also be kept turned on and then turned off together when the user stops, and all of the sectors of the ambient light 1 are turned off as described above.

[0031] Here, unlike the above, the controller 7 may be configured to sequentially turn off the sectors in the rear area through which the user has passed, among the sectors of the ambient light 1 that are illuminated according to the user's movement relative to the vehicle body. Specifically, when the user moves along the perimeter of the vehicle body, only the sectors around the user among the sectors of the ambient light 1 may be sequentially turned on and then off, thereby creating the scene in which only the local sectors of the ambient light 1 emit light according to the user's movement. In other words, the sectors behind the user may be turned off while the user passes through the sectors, while the sectors along the user's path are turned on.Accordingly, the controller 7 may be configured to determine the user's movement speed to adjust the speed at which the sector of the ambient light 1 is turned off according to the user's movement speed, thereby creating the situation where light is turned off while leaving an afterglow behind the user according to the user's movement.

[0032] Fig. 4 shows another embodiment of the present disclosure, and all configurations are substantially the same as those of the embodiment of Fig. 2, except that the controller 7 may be configured to turn on at least one sector adjacent to the user among the sectors of the ambient light when the user approaches the exterior of the vehicle body (S25). In other words, the controller 7 may be configured, in response to the non-contact receiver such as the LF antenna 3 and auxiliary devices thereof sensing the user's approach to the exterior of the vehicle, to operate the camera 5 to determine the user's location relative to the vehicle body and first turn on the sector adjacent to the user among the sectors of the ambient light 1.

[0033] When the user's movement is determined with directionality relative to the vehicle body, the controller 7 may be configured to subsequently turn on at least one adjacent sector of the turned-on sector of the ambient light along the user's direction of movement. Also in this case, the controller 7 may be configured to determine the user's movement speed to adjust the speed at which the ambient light sector is turned on based on the user's movement speed to be nearly synchronized with the user's movement, thereby generating the state in which the sectors are turned on to enable more interactive generation.

[0034] When the user's movement stops, the controller 7 can be configured to turn off the ambient light 1 after a predetermined reference time has elapsed. Also in this case, the reference time can be conveniently set within a few seconds so that the ambient light 1 is turned off at the appropriate time. The controller 7 can be configured to allow all of the sectors of the ambient light 1 that are turned on according to the user's movement relative to the vehicle body to continuously maintain the turned-on state until the user's movement stops and the ambient light 1 is completely turned off.Alternatively, the controller 7 may also be configured to sequentially turn off the sectors in the rear area through which the user has passed among the sectors of the ambient light 1 that are turned on according to the user's movement with respect to the vehicle body, and may also be configured to adjust the speed at which the sector of the ambient light 1 is turned off according to the user's movement speed.

[0035] With reference to Fig.5, an embodiment of the present disclosure is configured to include sensing, by the controller, the closing of the vehicle body door (S100); and operating the sectors located on the surface of the closed door among the sectors of the ambient light to illuminate or flash when the vehicle body door is sensed (S110). In other words, the controller may be configured to operate the sectors of the ambient light provided on the closed door to illuminate or flash when the vehicle body door is closed.

[0036] In addition to the sectors located on the surface of the closed door, the controller may be configured to illuminate the ambient light sectors of at least some sections adjacent to the door together, for operation therewith. For example, it may also be possible to illuminate all sectors of the side surface of the vehicle body to which the closed door belongs together. The controller may allow the ambient light sectors to illuminate multiple times. For example, the controller may allow the ambient light sectors to illuminate twice after the door is closed.

[0037] Although an embodiment of the present disclosure has been shown and described, one skilled in the art will recognize that the present disclosure may be improved and modified in various ways without departing from the technical spirit of the present disclosure, which is provided by the following claims.

Claims

[1] Method for controlling an ambient lighting system (1) of a vehicle, comprising: Sensing, by a controller (7), an approach of a user to the vehicle; capturing, by the controller (7), an image of the user relative to a vehicle body in response to sensing the approach of the user; Determining, by the controller (7), a movement of the user from the image, the movement having a directionality with respect to the vehicle body; and Operating, by the controller (7), an ambient light (1) according to the movement with the directionality with respect to the vehicle body; in response to determining the movement with directionality with respect to the vehicle body, switching on, by the controller (7), at least one sector adjacent to the user among sectors of the ambient light (1) along the direction of movement of the user, and Determining, by the controller (7), the user's movement speed in order to adjust the speed at which the sector of the ambient light (1) is switched on according to the user's movement speed. [2] The method of claim 1, wherein sensing the approach of the user comprises detecting whether a user detection body possessed by the user is approaching the vehicle body based on a signal from a contactless receiver (3) mounted within a vehicle. [3] The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the controller (7) is arranged to capture the image of the user approaching the vehicle body with a camera (5) provided in the vehicle, and to determine the movement of the user from a plurality of continuously captured images. [4] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the controller (7) is arranged to determine the movement of the user with directionality with respect to the vehicle body as the left movement or the right movement of the user with respect to the vehicle body. [5] The method of claim 1, further comprising: in response to determining that the user's movement stops, switching off the ambient light (1) by the controller (7). [6] The method of claim 5, further comprising: in response to determining that the user's movement stops, turning off the ambient light (1) by the controller (7) after a predetermined reference time has elapsed. [7] The method according to claim 1, wherein the controller (7) allows all the sectors of the ambient light (1) that have been turned on according to the user's movement with respect to the vehicle body to continuously maintain a turned-on state until the user's movement stops and the ambient light (1) is completely turned off. [8] The method of claim 1, further comprising: successive switching off, by the controller (7), of the sectors in the rear area crossed by the user, among the sectors of the ambient light (1) switched on according to the user's movement with respect to the vehicle body. [9] The method of claim 8, further comprising: Determining, by the controller (7), the user's movement speed in order to adjust the speed at which the sector of the ambient light (1) is switched off according to the user's movement speed. [10] The method of claim 4, further comprising: in response to sensing that the user is approaching the vehicle, switching on, by the controller (7), at least one sector adjacent to the user among the sectors of the ambient light (1). [11] The method of claim 10, further comprising: in response to determining the movement with directionality with respect to the vehicle body, switching on, by the controller (7), at least one adjacent sector of the switched-on sector of the ambient light (1) along the direction of movement of the user. [12] The method of claim 11, further comprising: Determining, by the controller (7), the user's movement speed in order to adjust the speed at which the sector of the ambient light (1) is switched on according to the user's movement speed. [13] The method of claim 11, further comprising: in response to determining that the user's movement stops, turning off, by the controller (7), the ambient light (1) after a predetermined reference time has elapsed. [14] The method of claim 11, wherein the controller (7) allows all the sectors of the ambient light (1) that are turned on according to the user's movement with respect to the vehicle body to continuously maintain a turned-on state until the user's movement stops and the ambient light (1) is completely turned off. [15] The method of claim 11, further comprising: successive switching off, by the controller (7), of the sectors in the rear area crossed by the user, among the sectors of the ambient light (1) switched on according to the user's movement with respect to the vehicle body. [16] The method of claim 15, further comprising: Determining, by the controller (7), the user's movement speed in order to adjust the speed at which the sector of the ambient light (1) is switched off according to the user's movement speed.

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