Method for dynamically controlling a vehicle lighting system, computer component, computer program and lighting system for implementing the method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for controlling a lighting system comprising a plurality of lighting devices (5) controlled by a control unit (2) configured to provide a plurality of lighting configurations of said system (1) providing projected light in a lighting field and a plurality of light sensors (3) configured to acquire a reflection of said projected light in a detection field, said control unit (2) being configured to receive data on the external environment of the vehicle from the light sensors, the method comprising determining an area of ​​interest for the light sensors, in the detection field, according to a monitoring of the vehicle's environment, and controlling said lighting system (1) to provide a second modified lighting configuration to adapt the projected light to the determined area of ​​interest.and the integration of data provided by the light sensor within the area of ​​interest to assist the user. Figure for the abbreviation: Figure 1,

Description

Title of the invention: Method for dynamically controlling a vehicle lighting system, computer element, computer program and lighting system for implementing the method

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of lighting (and / or signaling) devices for vehicles, more particularly for motor vehicles such as automobiles, equipped with Lidar-type technology. The invention relates more particularly to the management of these devices to assist users (in other words, the driver or a person inside or outside the vehicle).

[0002] The present invention relates to the field of lighting (and / or signaling) devices for vehicles, more particularly for motor vehicles such as automobiles, equipped with Lidar-type technology. The invention relates more particularly to the management of these devices to assist users (in other words, the driver or a person inside or outside the vehicle).

[0003] In fact, several technical problems are emerging in the field of lighting devices for vehicles using the detection of light signals in order to better assist users. This assistance to users, often called driving assistance, includes the use of sensors in order to inform the driver (or directly inform the vehicle or any user who may have access to the information) of the presence of objects surrounding the vehicle or of any type of configuration of the vehicle constituting relevant information for the users.This type of user assistance is well-known in the field of motor vehicles, for example with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Autonomous Driving Systems (ADS), which operate at different speed ranges (generally lower speeds for ADAS and higher speeds for AD) and have varying levels of assistance as defined by regulations in different countries. The various functionalities are therefore well-known and do not need to be described in detail in this application, which aims to improve this assistance. To achieve this objective, sensors play a crucial role, as they receive information from outside the vehicle containing the... Data is then interpreted to create a map of surrounding objects. Many different sensors are designed to perform this task. The majority of them use ultrasound, with acoustic pulses. Cameras are also adapted to capture ambient infrared or visible light. In some cases, however, for example, when the detection area is too large or the ambient light is too low or too high, etc., cameras may be unsuitable for accurate detection. Lidar technology (for Light Detection and Ranging or Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging) is a well-known laser (or light) remote sensing technology that uses a telemetry technique based on analyzing the properties of a light beam reflected back to its emitter.

[0004] An advantageous type of LiDAR technology has been developed using visible light, so as to allow sensors to use the reflection of light emitted by the vehicle's lighting system to thereby provide detection in the vehicle's environment. This technology generally uses the blue wavelength (410-490 nm) for its ease of discrimination compared to natural light (emanating from the sun), since vehicle lighting systems generally emit light with a peak in the blue wavelength, the main advantage however being that the vehicle's lighting system is used for detection.The same device, which may be used for lighting functions (including a low beam, or LB abbreviated in English, a high beam, or HB abbreviated, a daytime running light, or DRL abbreviated, a position light, or PL abbreviated, a stop light, or stop light, a reverse light, or CL abbreviated, a corner light, or CL abbreviated, or a turn indicator, or TI abbreviated), may also be used for object detection. The term “light sensors” is understood in this document as the sensor as a whole, which generally comprises a photodiode (a semiconductor component capable of capturing radiation from the optical domain and converting it into an electrical signal), generally behind an optical system for transmitting and / or filtering the light.Such a sensor transmits the electrical signal to the control unit, possibly via a dedicated microchip that may be integrated within the sensor itself. The term “Lidar” is therefore used in this application to refer to this technology, which utilizes the visible light emitted by the vehicle's lighting system (without requiring additional emitting devices). This technology has been used in many different ways, including, for example, as disclosed in the application below. in patent applications EP4201740, EP4201741, EP4202496, EP4202503, EP4202495, EP4202384 and WO202330817. These applications teach the use of several light emitters (lighting devices) with different parameters such as frequency (of the signal), wavelength, waveform, projection / reflection angle, lenses and so on, the signal being acquired by several respective sensors dedicated to these various parameters (with filters, detection angles, lenses and so on).The present application uses this technology on the basis of coding, by the light emitted by the lighting devices of a vehicle, a signal which is returned to sensors and analyzed by a processing unit (or “control unit”) configured to calculate various characteristics, in particular for example the time of flight (ToF, acronym in English for Time of Flight) of the signal coded in the emitted light and to enable various functionalities, such as obtaining information concerning surrounding objects.

[0005] User assistance, such as AD or ADAS, raises a number of problems, particularly due to the various levels of assistance. While this assistance may be improved by the detection of visible light, several problems nevertheless remain. For example, a disadvantage in the prior art is that the use of visible light sensors is generally limited by the light projection field imposed by regulations. It is therefore difficult, under certain conditions, to provide precise assistance due to poor detection and poor integration of the vehicle's environment.

[0006] The present invention aims to overcome at least certain drawbacks of the priori by proposing solutions for the management of vehicle lighting and the optimization of assistance to users, preferably while limiting the increase in costs and / or energy consumption and while complying with regulations.

[0007] This objective is achieved by a method according to various embodiments of the invention described in the present application.

[0008] Other advantageous characteristics and features of the invention are described in the present application and address additional technical problems.

[0009] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading the description of various embodiments below, made with reference to the accompanying drawings. In fact, a set of drawings is provided for the purpose of supplementing the description and enabling a better understanding of the invention. These drawings illustrate one embodiment of the invention and form an integral part of the description. They should not be interpreted to limit the scope of the invention, but only as an example of a possible embodiment of the invention. The drawings include the following figures:

[0010] [Fig.l] shows a schematic view of a vehicle lighting system according to certain embodiments;

[0011] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] shows a schematic view of a vehicle and its lighting field before and after implementation of the invention according to certain embodiments;

[0012] [Fig.3] [Fig.3] shows a schematic view of a vehicle lighting device and its lighting field before and after implementing the invention according to certain other embodiments.

[0013] The present invention relates to a method for dynamically controlling a lighting system (1) for a vehicle, as well as a computer element, a computer program and a lighting system for implementing the method. The present application mentions a control unit which controls the lighting, but which is also configured to control the lighting and detection functions, for example by performing calculations, comparisons, and so on. Those skilled in the art will of course understand that several control units may be provided for the different tasks and cooperate to implement the invention, or that a single unit may perform all the tasks.Furthermore, the person skilled in the art will naturally understand that, due to the nature of the tasks performed, such a unit will generally comprise at least one processor executing instructions and that various forms of implementation are possible (using different electronic components) and that it is therefore not necessary to give details on the types of hardware that can be used or used. The drawings presented on the figure pages are given only as an example and in a very schematic manner, so as to allow the person skilled in the art to envisage any type of variants on the basis of the content of the present application.

[0014] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein shall be interpreted in accordance with professional practice, particularly in the field of lighting and signaling of motor vehicles, particularly automobiles. It is also understood that terms in common usage shall be interpreted as being customary in the relevant art, and not in an idealized or overly formal sense, and shall not be interpreted in a limiting manner, unless expressly defined as such herein. Furthermore, in the present application, as is generally accepted in the field of patent applications, the terms "comprising", "comprise" and "comprises" and their derivatives (including "comprising", "comprises", etc.) should not be understood in an exclusive sense, in other words these terms should not be interpreted as excluding the possibility that what is described or defined may include other elements, steps, etc.

[0015] The expressions “lighting system” and “lighting device” are understood in the present application both for lighting itself and for signaling, in particular: devices for illuminating the vehicle's surroundings, - either to enable one to see, for example dipped beam headlights (LB), cornering lights (CL) or main beam headlights (HB), even if the latter are generally prohibited under certain conditions, particularly in urban areas, - or to enable one to be seen, such as position lights (PL), rear position lights (RPL) or daytime running lights (DRL), but also devices that signal a driver's actions to other users, such as brake lights (SL), direction indicator lights (turn signals or TI,according to the English terminology “Turn Indicator”) or hazard lights (W, according to the English terminology “Warning”).

[0016] The lighting system (1) therefore comprises a plurality of lighting (or signaling) devices (5) which may be of the type of the examples (PL, CL, LB, HB, DRL, SL, TI, W) given above, which are neither exhaustive nor limiting. Generally speaking, it will be considered that the system also comprises the control (or processing) unit (2) which makes it possible to control the system (1) and to implement the process. Each device may comprise one or more light sources depending on the type of lighting (incandescent bulbs or light-emitting diode (LED), for example). Furthermore, the light sensors (3) are considered to be part of the lighting system, so that the sensors may be incorporated in the headlights or elsewhere.These considerations of the system comprising the control unit and the sensors therefore do not limit the scope in any way, and those skilled in the art will be aware of the various ways of implementing the invention for the present disclosure.

[0017] In some embodiments, at least one of the lighting devices comprises a matrix arrangement of light pixels in the form of rows and columns. In some particular cases, the matrix comprises at least 2000 solid-state light sources. A matrix arrangement is a typical example of this process. Rows may be grouped into projected distance intervals and each column in each group represents an angle interval. This angle value depends on the resolution of the matrix, which is generally between 0.01° per column and 0.5° per column. This control of rows and columns allows independent control of angle and range, in addition to intensity, and allows for multiple light sources to be managed simultaneously. In some of these embodiments, following one of said reductions, certain rows or columns are deactivated compared to the initial light intensity. In fact, modern lighting devices often include “solid-state” light sources and the invention makes it possible to take advantage of this type of device which notably allows for adaptation of photometry. The term “solid-state” refers to light emitted by solid-state electroluminescence, which uses semiconductors to convert electricity into light. Compared to incandescent lighting, solid-state lighting creates visible light with reduced heat production and less energy dissipation.The generally low mass of a solid-state electronic lighting device offers better resistance to shock and vibration than fragile glass tubes / bulbs and long, thin filaments. Filament evaporation is also eliminated, increasing the lifespan of the lighting device. Examples of such lighting types include semiconductor light-emitting diodes (LEDs), organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), and polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs) used as light sources instead of electric filaments, plasma, or gas. This process aims to determine the optimal light pattern to be projected by a lighting device. Predetermined usage scenarios are defined, and a corresponding light pattern is projected when the process identifies that the vehicle is in one of the predefined usage scenarios.An optimal light pattern is thus determined without excessive computational cost, due to the reasonable number of predefined usage scenarios.

[0018] In fact, the present invention aims to adapt the lighting to the needs of the sensors. This adaptation is facilitated in the case of LEDs, which allow total control of the activated (lit) elements but also of the various parameters of the light beams (orientation / angle, range, intensity,...), including photometry (e.g. the size and shape of the illumination field).

[0019] Some embodiments of the present invention relate to a method for dynamically controlling a lighting system (1) for a vehicle, said system (1) comprising, on the one hand, a plurality of lighting devices (5) controlled by a control unit (2) comprising processing means for providing a plurality of lighting configurations of said system (1) providing light projected into a lighting field and, on the other hand, a plurality of light sensors (3) configured to acquire a portion of a reflection of said light projected within a detection field, said control unit (2) being further configured to receive data from the light sensors to acquire data on the vehicle's external environment. Such a process, implemented by said control unit (2), includes, when said vehicle is traveling with a first lighting configuration, referred to as the initial lighting configuration, of said system (1): - Monitoring the speed of said vehicle and comparing this speed to at least one speed threshold recorded in the control unit (2), and / or - Calculation of a distance and / or time separating said vehicle from another vehicle or obstacle, then comparison of this distance and / or time to at least one threshold value recorded in the control unit (2), and / or - Monitoring the activation of at least the plurality of lighting devices (5), said at least one lighting device being of the turn signal type (TI), or of the hazard warning light type (W) or of the brake light type (SL), and, optionally, measuring the time elapsed since this activation in order to determine an activation duration, and / or - Monitoring the steering angle of the vehicle and comparing this angle with at least one steering threshold value stored in the control unit (2), and - Determination of at least one area of ​​interest for the light sensors, within said detection field, according to at least one of said monitoring and comparisons, and - Command said lighting system (1) to provide at least a second lighting configuration, modified from the initial configuration, allowing the projected light to be adapted to the area of ​​interest by activating at least part of at least one lighting device (5) and / or by modifying the orientation of the projected light from at least one lighting device (5) to the determined area of ​​interest, and - Integration of data provided by the light sensor within the area of ​​interest to assist the user based on the data provided by the light sensor within the area of ​​interest.

[0020] It is therefore understood that the various monitoring and comparisons allow the control unit to determine what type of conditions the vehicle is traveling in and to adapt the lighting field to the needs of the detection function in order to optimize assistance to the user.

[0021] The invention advantageously modifies the lighting so as to allow the emission of light specifically within areas of interest which are most useful for assistance (AD or AD AS).

[0022] In certain embodiments, for example as illustrated in [Fig. 2], said second lighting configuration, which allows the projected light to be adapted to the area of ​​interest, is obtained by lowering the orientation of the illumination field of at least some of the lighting devices (5) when the vehicle speed is below a threshold. For short-range applications, such as the AD function or the AD AS function at low speed, the parking function, etc., the detection area is very close to the vehicle, and it is necessary to detect any small object near the vehicle and / or near the ground that falls outside the light zone. Consequently, in order to detect a nearby area, the lighting must be adapted to the requirements of the sensors (see [Fig. 2]).Advantageous embodiments reuse the low beam leveling system, for example, which essentially serves to adjust to the correct position to ensure good visibility and to change the orientation of the light source in order to enter the detected area (and be able to detect small objects such as brush). The leveling system is already controlled by the control unit and can be easily associated with the needs of the ADAS. As can be seen in [Fig. 2], the invention makes it possible to reduce the dark area of ​​the sensor near the vehicle so as to improve the performance of the AD. In another example, when the level 3 AD function is activated, the vehicle will monitor its surroundings instead of the driver, so that the lights can be reused to maximize detection performance with reduced illumination for the driver.

[0023] In some embodiments, for example as illustrated in [Fig. 3], said second lighting configuration, making it possible to adapt the projected light to the area of ​​interest, is obtained by activating various elements of lighting devices of the plurality of lighting devices (5), said elements providing a signature of the vehicle by the daytime running lights (DRL). In fact, vehicles are generally provided with a signature obtained by the shape of their daytime running lights (DRL), which can be activated in whole or in part depending on the needs. For example, when the driver is looking for a parking space, the parking sensor used in the ADAS / AD functions must have a wide field of vision (FoV). On the other hand, when driving at high speed, for example on a highway, a reduced FoV is necessary.For a LiDAR using visible light waves emitted by a daytime running light or a position light for object detection, the FoV is defined by the light emitter which is defined by the lighting system. The invention overcomes this drawback by dynamically adapting the FoV of the sensor according to the driving conditions. This can be done by modifying the signature of the DRL (and / or the PL position light). A set of signatures can be predefined and the control unit can then automatically switch from one to the other accordingly. of the vehicle mode (low-speed maneuvering, high-speed driving, cornering, etc.). As can be seen in [Fig. 3], reduced illumination can be set for high speed (upper line in [Fig. 3]) and can be switched to expanded illumination for low-speed maneuvering (lower line in [Fig. 3]). The advantages of adapting the detection area to the needs of the ADAS function lie, on the one hand, in maximizing the performance of the ADAS and optimizing safety and, on the other hand, in reducing the vehicle's energy consumption due to the fact that only the necessary element of the DRL / PL is activated. These embodiments therefore allow for optimization of assistance and energy consumption.

[0024] Various pieces of information can be used to determine driving conditions and the area of ​​interest. The control unit may have determined that the vehicle driver is driving slowly and may need more light near the vehicle. The use of turn signals can help the control unit determine that the driver is looking for a parking space. Various types of information provided by different sensors can be used, and the steering angle is a good example for driver maneuvering.In addition, in some embodiments, the method further comprises at least one prior learning and training of the control unit (2) to make it recognize driving conditions of the vehicle, each of which is associated with determined areas of interest for the light sensors in order to assist the user according to driving conditions, among at least the following conditions: - driving at a speed higher than a threshold, requiring a long range of the lighting field, with an area of ​​interest far from the vehicle at a distance greater than a distance threshold, - driving at a speed lower than a threshold, requiring a short range of the lighting field, with an area of ​​interest close to the vehicle at a distance less than a distance threshold, - driving in reverse, - searching for a parking space, - parking maneuver.

[0025] By way of example, reversing requires a short beam range, with the area of ​​interest behind the vehicle, whereas searching for a parking space generally involves low speed and, preferably, the activation of the turn signals (TS), and a parking maneuver involves a change in the steering angle once the conditions for searching for a parking space are met. These examples are not limiting, and those skilled in the art will be aware of the various possible driving conditions requiring a change in the beam range, as well as the drive mode. of the control unit to enable it to recognize these conditions in real time. Therefore, in certain embodiments, the various steps of the process implemented by the control unit (2) when the vehicle is moving are carried out periodically with a period of less than 1 second and, more particularly, of less than 0.5 seconds.

[0026] It is known from visible light detection technology (also known as flash Lidar) that lighting devices project light incorporating a signal (by a specific waveform of variation in lighting intensity: a succession of high-frequency switching on and off) and that the sensors detect this high-frequency signal to allow the control unit to calculate a correlation between the transmitted and received signals. The distribution of various sensors to meet the assistance needs and the variation of the lighting pattern (or field) according to the invention can further benefit from the use of various signals (various specific waveforms) within the various lighting devices and / or various elements of the lighting devices. The system can thus have various information coded at various locations within the lighting field and the detection field.Thus, in some embodiments, the lighting devices (5) comprise groups of light sources and all sources of the same group share a light characteristic, which is not shared by any other light source of a different group. For example, said light characteristic may be at least one of frequency, color and waveform.

[0027] A person skilled in the art will understand from reading the present disclosure that the present invention proposes a method for adaptively managing or controlling vehicle lighting based on the needs for detecting visible light to assist users. This method uses a control unit (2) provided with computing resources and connected to sensors (3) to control the vehicle lighting system (1). These computing resources are known per se and can be implemented by a computing element. Thus, certain embodiments also relate to a computing element comprising means for implementing the steps of a method according to the invention. In this respect, it is known that such computing means for implementing such a method generally require a computer program unless analog programming is envisaged.Thus, certain embodiments relate to a computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a control unit (2), cause the control unit to execute the steps of a method according to the invention. Finally, insofar as the invention is intended to be mounted on a vehicle, . Some embodiments relate to a lighting system (1) for a vehicle comprising: - a plurality of lighting devices (5); - a plurality of light sensors (3); - a control unit (2) for carrying out the steps of the method according to one of the embodiments described in this document.

[0028] Finally, the present invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising such a lighting system (1) according to some of these embodiments.

[0029] The present application describes various technical characteristics and advantages with reference to the figures and / or to the various embodiments. Those skilled in the art will understand that the technical characteristics of a given embodiment may in fact be combined with characteristics of another embodiment unless expressly indicated otherwise or unless these characteristics are clearly incompatible or the combination does not make it possible to solve at least one of the technical problems mentioned in the present application. The technical characteristics described in a given embodiment may also be isolated from the other characteristics of this embodiment unless expressly indicated otherwise.

[0030] Detailed list of references in the Figures: 1 lighting system 2 control unit 3 light sensor 5 lighting (and / or signaling) device

Claims

1. Claims A method for dynamically controlling a lighting system (1) for a vehicle, said system (1) comprising a plurality of lighting devices (5) controlled by a control unit (2) comprising processing means for providing a plurality of lighting configurations of said system (1) projecting light into a lighting field and a plurality of light sensors (3) configured to acquire part of a reflection of said projected light within a detection field, said control unit (2) being further configured to receive data from the light sensors to acquire data on the external environment of the vehicle, the method being characterized in that it is implemented by said control unit (2) and comprises, when said vehicle is traveling with a first lighting configuration, called initial lighting configuration, of said system (1): - Monitoring the speed of said vehicle and comparing this speed with at least one speed threshold recorded in the control unit (2), and / or - Calculation of a distance and / or a time separating said vehicle from another vehicle or obstacle, then comparison of this distance and / or this time with at least one threshold value recorded in the control unit (2), and / or - Monitoring the activation of at least one lighting device of the plurality of lighting devices (5), said at least one lighting device being of the turn signal type (TI), or of the hazard warning light type (W) or of the brake light type (SL), and, optionally, measuring the time elapsed since this activation in order to determine an activation duration, and / or - Monitoring the steering angle of the vehicle and comparing this angle with at least one steering threshold value stored in the control unit (2), and - Determining at least one area of ​​interest for the light sensors, within said detection field, according to at least one of said monitoring and comparisons, and - Commanding said lighting system (1) to provide at least one second lighting configuration, modified with respect to the initial configuration, making it possible to adapt the projected light to the area of ​​interest by activating at least a part of at least one lighting device (5) and / or by modifying the orientation of the projected light from at least one lighting device (5) to the determined area of ​​interest, and - Integrating the data provided by the light sensor within the area of ​​interest to assist the user on the basis of the data provided by the light sensor within the area of ​​interest.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein said second lighting configuration, making it possible to adapt the projected light to the area of ​​interest, is obtained by lowering the orientation of the lighting field of at least a part of the lighting devices (5), when the speed of the vehicle is below a threshold.

3. A method according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein said second lighting configuration, for adapting the projected light to the area of ​​interest, is obtained by activating various elements of lighting devices of the plurality of lighting devices (5), said elements providing a signature of the vehicle by the daytime running lights (DRL).

4. Method according to any one of claims 1 or 3, characterized in that it further comprises at least one prior learning and training of the control unit (2) to make it recognize driving conditions of the vehicle, each of which is associated with determined areas of interest for the light sensors in order to assist the user according to driving conditions, among at least the following conditions: - driving at a speed higher than a threshold, requiring a long range of the lighting field, with an area of ​​interest far from the vehicle at a distance greater than a distance threshold, - driving at a speed lower than a threshold, requiring a short range of the lighting field, with an area of ​​interest close to the vehicle at a distance lower than a distance threshold, - driving in reverse, - searching for a parking space, - parking maneuver.

5. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the lighting devices (5) comprise groups of light sources and all sources of the same group share a light characteristic, which is not shared by any other light source of a different group.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the light characteristic is at least one of frequency, color, and waveform.

7. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the light sources are at least one laser emitter or solid state light sources.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the solid state light sources comprise light emitting diodes.

9. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the light sensors comprises an optical system in front of the sensor.

10. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the steps implemented by the control unit (2) when the vehicle is moving are carried out periodically with a period of less than 1 second and, more particularly, of less than 0.5 seconds.

11. Computer element comprising means for implementing the process according to any one of the preceding claims.

12. A computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a control unit (2), cause the control unit to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

13. Lighting system (1) for a vehicle, comprising: - a plurality of lighting devices (5); - a plurality of light sensors (3); - a control unit (2) for carrying out the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

14. Motor vehicle, comprising a lighting system (1) according to previous claim.

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