Remote control system for connected lighting devices, interacting with a motor vehicle

Abstract

System (SYS1) for remote control of outdoor lighting devices (1010) each comprising wireless location and communication means; said devices being fixedly arranged within an operational zone (PRK) and capable of interacting with a motor vehicle (VHL) entering said operational zone (PRK); said vehicle being equipped with wireless location and communication means (1001) capable of connecting with the outdoor lighting devices to exchange distance measurements between the vehicle and each of the outdoor lighting devices during the movement of the vehicle in said zone;said system further comprising lighting management means (1002) capable of controlling the lighting of the exterior lighting devices according to the position of the vehicle in relation to each of the exterior lighting devices by applying a pre-programmed lighting control logic to generate determined visual effects. (Figure 1);

Description

Title of the invention: Remote control system for connected lighting devices, interacting with a motor vehicle

[0001] The present invention relates generally to the field of communication between a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, and connected objects in the environment of the vehicle and relates more particularly to a remote control system for connected lighting devices, interacting with a motor vehicle.

[0002] It is known to use wireless remote control systems to control a remotely connected object from a motor vehicle.

[0003] Such systems are notably used in certain vehicles to remotely control the opening of a garage door, gate, or other automated opening and closing access devices. Such systems can be integrated into a remote control unit or embedded in the vehicle's telematics system.

[0004] It is known that systems can locate a connected object in the immediate vicinity of a vehicle through access systems, such as ADML (acronym for "Hands-Free Access and Start"), or positioning systems using wireless communication technologies such as UWB (Ultra Wide Band), BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), ...

[0005] It is also known as connected lighting devices, or lamps, also called "smart lamps", the use of which can be configured from a portable terminal such as for example a smartphone, or from a control box of a home automation system to manage the interior and exterior lighting of a house, also called a "smart home".

[0006] Although connected lighting systems that react based on object detection are known, none of these systems defines a pairing and interaction between vehicles and connected lighting devices arranged in the vehicle's immediate environment, to manage lighting based on distance measurements between vehicles and connected lighting devices and a generic or customized program, or control logic.

[0007] The present invention provides a simple and inexpensive solution that does not require additional sensors beyond those already installed in connected vehicles. The invention utilizes the pre-existing embedded systems and equipment in such vehicles. The intelligence (the computing components) can be partially or fully embedded in the vehicles or located in external systems such as a control center for a smart home, a parking garage, etc.

[0008] To this end, the present invention has as its first object a remote control system for outdoor lighting devices, each comprising wireless location and communication means; said outdoor lighting devices being fixedly arranged within an operational zone and capable of interacting with a motor vehicle entering said operational zone; said vehicle being equipped with wireless location and communication means capable of connecting with the outdoor lighting devices to exchange distance measurements between the vehicle and each of the outdoor lighting devices during the movement of the vehicle in said zone;said system further comprising lighting management means capable of controlling the lighting of the exterior lighting devices according to the position of the vehicle relative to each of the exterior lighting devices by applying a pre-programmed lighting control logic to generate specific visual effects.

[0009] According to one feature, the lighting control logic is pre-programmed to vary the light intensity and / or the color of the lighting according to sequences of determined duration, of each of the exterior lighting devices according to the position of the vehicle in relation to each of the exterior lighting devices.

[0010] According to another feature, the vehicle's location and communication means and each of the exterior lighting devices respectively utilize UWB and / or BLE communication technology.

[0011] According to a first system architecture as described above, the lighting management means are arranged in the vehicle and are coupled to an interior lighting system of the vehicle; said lighting management means being capable of controlling the interior lighting system of the vehicle in coordination with each of the exterior lighting devices by applying the pre-programmed lighting control logic to generate the determined visual effects.

[0012] According to a feature of this first architecture, the lighting management means are further coupled to a sound diffusion equipment of the vehicle; said lighting management means being capable of controlling the sound diffusion equipment in coordination with the vehicle's interior lighting system and the exterior lighting devices.

[0013] According to a second system architecture as described above, the lighting management means capable of controlling each of the exterior lighting devices are centralized in a management unit external to the vehicle, dedicated to managing the lighting of each of the exterior lighting devices, and capable of communicating with each of the exterior lighting devices; said management unit controlling the lighting of each of the exterior lighting devices according to the position of the vehicle in relation to each of the exterior lighting devices, transmitted by each of the exterior lighting devices, and applying the pre-programmed lighting control logic to generate the determined visual effects.

[0014] According to a feature of this second architecture, the vehicle includes means for managing lighting and sound inside the vehicle, coupled respectively to an interior lighting system of the vehicle and to a sound diffusion equipment of the vehicle; said means for managing lighting and sound being capable of controlling the sound diffusion equipment and the interior lighting system of the vehicle in coordination with each of the exterior lighting devices.

[0015] The present invention has as its second object a method implemented by the first architecture of the system as described above, consisting, after pairing of each of the exterior lighting devices and the vehicle, of periodically exchanging distance measurements between the vehicle's location and communication means and each of the exterior lighting devices, of providing the lighting management means in the vehicle, the relative positions of the vehicle with respect to each of the exterior lighting devices in order to establish visual effects and sound effects and / or voice messages, applying a pre-programmed logic, of controlling the sound diffusion equipment and the interior lighting system of the vehicle and, in a coordinated manner, of controlling each of the exterior lighting devices via the vehicle's location and communication means, applying the pre-programmed logic.

[0016] The present invention has as its third object a method implemented by the second architecture of the system as described above, consisting, after pairing each of the exterior lighting devices and the vehicle, of periodically exchanging distance measurements between the vehicle's localization and communication means and each of the exterior lighting devices, of providing the lighting and sound management means inside the vehicle with the relative positions of the vehicle with respect to each of the exterior lighting devices in order to determine first visual effects and audible messages according to a first pre-programmed logic, of providing the exterior lighting management unit, via each of the exterior lighting devices, with the relative positions of the vehicle with respect to each of the exterior lighting devices in order to determine second visual effects according to a second pre-programmed logic,to be controlled by the external management unit, each of the outdoor lighting devices and, optionally, to control outdoor lighting devices without location tracking means, connected to the management unit.

[0017] The present invention relates, as a fourth object, to a computer program product comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, lead it to implement the steps of the process implemented by the first system architecture as described above.

[0018] The present invention has as its fifth object a computer program product comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, lead the latter to implement the steps of the process implemented by the second architecture of the system as described above.

[0019] The invention has the advantage of providing remotely controlled lighting that interacts with a vehicle, suitable for various applications such as vehicle guidance lighting to, for example, guide the vehicle to an available parking space in an underground or outdoor parking lot at night, and / or for parking assistance. It can provide visual effects such as light displays of varying intensity and / or changing colors and durations, flashing lights, scrolling lights, etc., linked to the guidance and subsequent parking of the vehicle.

[0020] Other advantages and features of the present invention will become clearer from the following description, given solely by way of non-limiting example and with reference to the drawings in which:

[0021] [Fig.1] illustrates a block diagram of a first architecture of a system according to the invention;

[0022] [Fig.2] illustrates by means of a sequence diagram, the main steps of a control process implemented by the first architecture of the system according to the invention;

[0023] [Fig.3] illustrates a block diagram of a second system architecture according to the invention; and

[0024] [Fig.4] illustrates by means of a sequence diagram, the main steps of a control process implemented by the second architecture of the system according to the invention.

[0025] The architectures of a system according to the invention and as described below, with reference to the figures, are based preferentially but not exclusively on UWB and / or BLE localization and communication technology, it being specified that the BLE means considered here have means for measuring distance.

[0026] It should be noted that UWB technology generally relies on an infrastructure that typically includes:

[0027] an object equipped with an electronic chip, or "tag" (phone, tag, ...);

[0028] a beacon allowing to cover a determined geographical area, or operational area, and thus capture the signal of the object containing the chip (tag, or "BLE" beacon, UWB anchor, ...);

[0029] an anchor equipped with an antenna, which captures the information and transmits it to a communication gateway, or "gateway" in Anglo-Saxon terminology;

[0030] a "gateway" that transmits information to onboard or offboard computing and interpretation tools (intelligence); and

[0031] a portable terminal which allows the user to access and interpret information: tablet, laptop, smartphone, etc. or even an HMI (acronym for Human Machine Interface) of a motor vehicle coupled to a telematics box of the vehicle.

[0032] Fig. 1 schematically illustrates a first SYS1 architecture of a control system according to the invention.

[0033] In this first architecture, a VHL vehicle includes UWB and / or BLE 1001 location and communication means belonging, for example, to a VHL vehicle telematics unit, also called BT A, an acronym for "Autonomous Telematics Unit". Such a unit is generally used to manage communications and data exchanged between a vehicle and external communication equipment (servers, road or parking infrastructure, other vehicles, etc.).

[0034] The localization and communication means 1001 comprise at least two antennas 10 and 11 associated respectively with two anchors 12 and 13. Two antennas 10 and 11 are sufficient to perform localization by triangulation (localization in two dimensions). A solution allowing for better coverage / precision, but also more expensive, consists of using a third antenna (localization in three dimensions) or even more.

[0035] In the SYS1 architecture of [Fig. 1], a fixed number of lighting devices 1010, also incorporating UWB and / or BLE location and communication means (not shown), are arranged in a fixed manner in the immediate vicinity of the VHL vehicle within a defined area, referred to as the operational zone, PRK, typically extending approximately one hundred meters around the VHL vehicle and providing a location accuracy on the order of ten centimeters. In the remainder of this description, the fixedly arranged lighting devices 1010 within the operational zone PRK will be referred to as "exterior" lighting devices.

[0036] The VHL vehicle further includes lighting and sound management means 1002 receiving information delivered by the location and communication means 1001, in particular distance measurements exchanged periodically between the exterior lighting devices 1010 and the VHL vehicle.

[0037] The management means 1002 are coupled to a sound diffusion system 1003 of the VHL vehicle having at least one loudspeaker, not shown, capable of broadcasting sound effects and / or voice messages to the user, and to an interior lighting system 1004 of the VHL vehicle, in particular a system ambient lighting, not shown, capable of creating visual effects in the vehicle's interior.

[0038] The management means 1002 establish visual and sound effects from the relative positions of the VHL vehicle with respect to each of the exterior lighting devices 1010.

[0039] In this first SYS1 architecture, according to [Fig.1], the control intelligence of the exterior lighting devices 1010 (calculations and interpretation) is centralized in the management means 1002 of the motor vehicle VHL.

[0040] Figure 2 illustrates, by means of a sequence diagram, a sequence of the main steps of a process implemented by the first SYS1 architecture of the control system according to the invention.

[0041] The method consists, after establishing secure connections: pairing after identification by code, ID, security keys, ... with the exterior lighting devices 1010, of periodically exchanging distance measurements between each of the exterior lighting devices 1010 and the VHL vehicle.

[0042] The method then consists, based on the relative positions between each of the exterior lighting devices 1010 and the VHL vehicle, of providing A2 to the control means 1002 the relative positions of the VHL vehicle with respect to each of the exterior lighting devices 1010 in order to establish A3 coordinated visual and sound effects and / or voice messages, applying pre-programmed logic, and to control A4 the sound broadcasting equipment 1003 and the interior lighting system 1004 of the VHL vehicle. And, in a coordinated manner, the control means 1002 control A6 each of the exterior lighting devices 1010 by transmitting A5 via the location and communication means 1001 of the VHL vehicle, applying the pre-programmed logic. The state of the exterior lighting devices 1010 is periodically updated A7 to track and adapt to the movement of the VHL vehicle within the operational area PRK.

[0043] Figure 3 illustrates a second SYS2 architecture of a control system according to the invention in which the control intelligence of the lighting of the outdoor lighting devices 1010 is centralized in a unit 1011 dedicated to the management of the lighting of each of the outdoor lighting devices 1010. The outdoor lighting management unit 1011 is hosted, for example, in a server located in a lighting management station or center of a public or private infrastructure such as a parking lot.

[0044] In this second SYS2 architecture, the system still uses the same localization and communication means, 1001 associated with anchors 12, 13 and antennas 10, 11, and the same sound diffusion equipment 1003 and internal lighting system 1004 of the VHL vehicle.

[0045] These same localization and communication means 1001 always exchange distance measurements with each of the outdoor lighting devices 1010.

[0046] The management means 1002' are, however, relieved of the control intelligence for the lighting of each of the external lighting devices, which is hosted here in the centralized "external" management unit 1011, dedicated to managing the visual effects of each of the external lighting devices 1011. The management means 1002' continue to establish visual effects but only for the internal lighting system 1004 by applying a first pre-programmed logic which remains coordinated with a second pre-programmed logic, applied by the external management unit 1011.

[0047] By first and second “coordinated” logics, we mean logics producing visual and sound effects that are functionally and / or entertainingly integrated into the same theme (same scenario).

[0048] The exterior lighting management unit 1011 is connected by wired links, or wireless links (both types of link are represented by dashed lines) to each of the exterior lighting devices 1010 which always exchange with the communication and location means 1001 of the VHL vehicle.

[0049] The exterior lighting management unit 1011 receives the distance measurements from each exterior lighting device 1010 and, after processing the relative distance measurements between the VHL vehicle and the exterior lighting devices 1010, applies the pre-programmed logic to control each of the exterior lighting devices 1010 in return.

[0050] Other lighting devices 1012, without means of localization, can be connected, by wired or wireless links, to the management unit 1011 to provide additional lighting.

[0051] The main steps of a process, implemented by the second SYS2 architecture, are described below with reference to [Fig.4].

[0052] The method consists, after establishing secure connections: pairing after identification by code, ID, security keys, etc. with the exterior lighting devices 1010, of periodically exchanging B1 distance measurements between each of the exterior lighting devices 1010 and the VHL vehicle, of providing B2 to the lighting and sound management means 1002' inside the VHL vehicle, the relative positions of the VHL vehicle with respect to each of the exterior lighting devices 1010 in order to establish B3 first visual effects and sound effects and / or voice messages, according to a first pre-programmed logic, of providing B5 to the exterior lighting management unit 1011, via B6 each of the exterior lighting devices 1010, the relative positions of the VHL vehicle with respect to each of the exterior lighting devices 1010 in order to establish B7 second visual effects according to a second pre-programmed logic, and to be controlled B8 by the outdoor lighting management unit 1011, each of the outdoor lighting devices 1010 and optionally control B9 outdoor lighting devices 1010 without means of location, connected to the outdoor lighting management unit 1011 by wired or wireless links.

[0053] The status of the exterior lighting devices 1010 and 1012 is periodically updated B10, Bll to follow and adapt to the movement of the VHL vehicle in the operational area PRK.

[0054] The processes implemented by the first and second architectures SYS1 and SYS2 of the system according to the invention respectively implement computer program products comprising instructions which, when the programs are executed by a computer, lead the latter to implement the steps of the processes according to the invention.

[0055] These programs are implemented partially or totally located in the VHL vehicle or either partially or totally relocated in systems external to the vehicle such as a control center of a connected home, a parking lot, etc.

[0056] Ultimately, the invention enhances the personalization of lighting effects made possible by lighting devices in numerous applications, particularly "smart home" applications or public or private parking infrastructure for guiding and then parking vehicles. The lighting effects can serve purely decorative, aesthetic, or entertaining purposes if they are not used to guide the user.

[0057] An example scenario implementing the system according to the invention is described below. This scenario applies to the guidance and then the parking of a vehicle in a parking space in an underground car park.

[0058] In this example, the vehicle is first guided to an available parking space. To do this, exterior lighting devices, positioned along the parking lot's access aisle leading to an available space, illuminate with a steady or scrolling green light. The interior lighting can also be synchronized with the same color to indicate the assigned color to the driver, in addition to a voice prompt. The scrolling can also be synchronized to follow the vehicle's movement. The guidance lighting is activated following a secure pairing with the vehicle moving within the parking lot. The guidance, or escort, lighting can vary depending on the vehicle's proximity to the parking space. Once the vehicle reaches the parking space, the lighting can change color and / or intensity.Four lighting devices positioned respectively at the four corners of the parking space, . To visually delineate the parking space, lights are activated and flash synchronously throughout the parking maneuver until the vehicle comes to a complete stop. The lighting then turns green, indicating to the driver that the vehicle is correctly parked in the space. The interior lighting is synchronized with the same color to indicate to the driver the available space assigned to them, accompanied by a voice prompt informing the driver that their vehicle has been registered, from the start of the guidance process until the vehicle is parked. Other scenarios are, of course, possible and can be pre-programmed in the vehicle and / or by the parking manager and / or the user of the smart home control center.

Claims

Demands

1. A system (SYS1; SYS2) for the remote control of outdoor lighting devices (1010), each comprising wireless location and communication means; said outdoor lighting devices (1010) being fixedly arranged within an operational zone (PRK) and capable of interacting with a motor vehicle (VHL) entering said operational zone (PRK); said vehicle (VHL) being equipped with wireless location and communication means (1001) capable of connecting with the outdoor lighting devices (1010) to exchange distance measurements between the vehicle (VHL) and each of the outdoor lighting devices (1010) during the movement of the vehicle (VHL) within said zone (PRK); said system (SYS1; SYS2) further comprising lighting management means (1002;1011) capable of controlling the lighting of the exterior lighting devices (1010) according to the position of the vehicle (VHL) relative to each of the exterior lighting devices (1010) by applying a pre-programmed lighting control logic to generate specific visual effects, characterized in that the location and communication means (1001) of the vehicle (VHL) and of each of the exterior lighting devices (1010) respectively utilize UWB and / or BLE communication technology and have distance measurement means.

2. System (SYS1, SYS2) according to the preceding claim, wherein the lighting control logic is preprogrammed to vary the light intensity and / or color of the lighting according to predetermined time sequences, of each of the exterior lighting devices (1010) as a function of the position of the vehicle (VHL) relative to each of the exterior lighting devices (1010).

3. A system (SYS1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lighting management means (1002) are arranged in the vehicle (VHL) and are coupled to an interior lighting system (1004) of the vehicle (VHL); said lighting management means (1002) being capable of controlling the interior lighting system (1004) of the vehicle (VHL) in coordination with each of the outdoor lighting devices (1010) by applying pre-programmed lighting control logic to generate the determined visual effects.

4. System (SYS1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the lighting management means (1002) are further coupled to a sound diffusion equipment (1003) of the vehicle (VHL); said lighting management means (1002) being capable of controlling the sound diffusion equipment (1003) in coordination with the interior lighting system (1004) of the vehicle (VHL) and the exterior lighting devices (1010).

5. System (SYS2) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the lighting management means capable of controlling each of the exterior lighting devices (1010) are centralized in a management unit (1011) external to the vehicle (VHL), dedicated to managing the lighting of each of the exterior lighting devices (1010), and capable of communicating with each of the exterior lighting devices (1010); said management unit (1011) controlling the lighting of each of the exterior lighting devices (1010) according to the position of the vehicle (VHL) relative to each of the exterior lighting devices (1010) transmitted by each of the exterior lighting devices (1010), and applying the pre-programmed lighting control logic to generate the determined visual effects.

6. System (SYS2) according to the preceding claim, wherein the vehicle (VHL) comprises means for managing the lighting and sound inside the vehicle (VHL), coupled respectively to an interior lighting system (1004) of the vehicle (VHL) and to a sound diffusion device (1003) of the vehicle (VHL); said means for managing the lighting and sound (1002') being capable of controlling the sound diffusion device (1003) and the interior lighting system (1004) of the vehicle (VHL) in coordination with each of the exterior lighting devices (1010).

7. A method implemented by the system (SYS1) according to claims 3 and 4, consisting, after pairing of each of the exterior lighting devices (1010) and the vehicle (VHL), of periodically exchanging (A1) distance measurements between the location and communication means (1001) of the vehicle (VHL) and each of the exterior lighting devices (1010), to provide (A2) to the lighting management means (1002) in the vehicle (VHL), the relative positions of the vehicle (VHL) with respect to each of the exterior lighting devices (1010) to establish (A3) visual effects and sound effects and / or voice messages, applying pre-programmed logic, to control (A4) the sound broadcasting equipment (1003) and the interior lighting system (1004) of the vehicle (VHL) and, in a coordinated manner, to control (A6) each of the exterior lighting devices (1010) via (A5) the location and communication means (1001) of the vehicle (VHL), applying the pre-programmed logic.

8. A method implemented by the system (SYS2) according to claims 5 and 6, consisting, after pairing each of the exterior lighting devices (1010) and the vehicle (VHL), of periodically exchanging (B1) distance measurements between the vehicle's (VHL) location and communication means (1001) and each of the exterior lighting devices (1010), of providing (B2) to the vehicle's (VHL) lighting and sound management means (1002') the relative positions of the vehicle (VHL) with respect to each of the exterior lighting devices (1010) to determine (B3) first visual effects and audible messages according to a first pre-programmed logic, of providing (B5) to the exterior lighting management unit (1011) via (B6) each of the exterior lighting devices (1010),the relative positions of the vehicle (VHL) with respect to each of the exterior lighting devices (1010) to determine (B7) second visual effects according to a second pre-programmed logic, to be controlled (B8) by the exterior management unit (1011), each of the exterior lighting devices (1010) and to control (B9), optionally, exterior lighting devices (1012) without means of localization, connected to the management unit (1011).

9. Product computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the steps of the processes according to claims 3 and 4 or 5 and 6.

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