Method for the dynamic control of a vehicle's lighting system, computer component, computer program and lighting system for implementing the method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method, a computer component, a computer program, and a lighting system for the dynamic control of a vehicle's lighting, controlled by a control unit (2) to provide a plurality of lighting configurations for said system (1), and, furthermore, at least one sensor (3) for acquiring data on the vehicle's external environment. The method includes pre-learning the control unit (2) for prolonged stops or parking of the vehicle, in order to control said lighting system by providing modified lighting configurations according to the lighting devices (5) that are on and the circumstances, in order to reduce energy consumption. Figure for the abstract: Figure 1

Description

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

[0001] The present invention is related to the field of lighting and / or signaling devices for motor vehicles, in particular automobiles, and more particularly to the management of energy consumption by these devices.

[0002] Indeed, a recurring problem in the field of lighting devices concerns energy consumption, and the technologies of these devices are evolving to limit energy consumption and increase their lifespan. In addition to these solutions relating to the devices themselves, the problem of managing vehicle lighting to limit energy consumption persists. In fact, regulations in force in different countries around the world impose various parameters for vehicle lighting, such as size, arrangement, range, width, etc. For example, Regulation No. 48 of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) provides uniform requirements for vehicle type approval with regard to the installation of lighting and signaling devices.In general, regulations aim to ensure the safety and proper functioning of lighting devices. Certain parameters, such as range, width, and intensity, are defined to guarantee good visibility of the vehicle from the outside and good visibility for occupants of the vehicle's surroundings. However, visibility conditions vary widely while driving, depending on natural factors like the time of day and weather, as well as environmental factors such as street lighting (especially in urban areas), traffic density, and so on. Consequently, regulations often result in lighting levels exceeding what is necessary for the safety of road users, due to the combined effect of lights from various vehicles and / or their surroundings.Thus, saving energy for vehicle lighting while complying with regulations remains a problem in the field.

[0003] On the other hand, car manufacturers are increasingly adopting digital lighting systems for mid-range and high-end products. These digital lighting systems generally include semiconductor light sources, the operation of which can involve high energy consumption. Furthermore, temperature control in these components is a very sensitive aspect, and This is generally achieved by derating, which means reducing the current supplying the light source so that the output flux and operating temperature decrease accordingly. The performance of light sources must therefore be significantly oversized to cope with these overheating issues, allowing operating values ​​to be reduced while still remaining within acceptable limits.

[0004] These questions are even more important in the case of new electric vehicles, where energy saving is crucial, as it has a direct impact on the vehicle's range and therefore on CO2 emission values.

[0005] Finally, in some cases, it is useful to be able to improve visual comfort if the environment allows it, in order to increase user safety by limiting light pollution in their fields of vision.

[0006] The present invention therefore aims to provide solutions for managing vehicle lighting and optimizing the energy consumption of the lighting system of these vehicles while respecting regulations, and even improving visual comfort and user safety.

[0007] This objective is achieved by a method for the dynamic control of a vehicle lighting system, said system comprising, on the one hand, a plurality of lighting devices controlled by a control unit to provide a plurality of lighting configurations of said system and, on the other hand, at least one sensor for acquiring data on the external environment of the vehicle, said method being characterized in that it comprises the following steps implemented by the control unit, when said vehicle is in operation with a first lighting configuration, referred to as the initial configuration, of said system: - Calculation of the distance and / or time separating said vehicle from another vehicle or obstacle, then comparison of this distance and / or time with at least one threshold value recorded in the control unit, - Acquisition of the vehicle's speed to determine if the vehicle is stationary and to start a measurement of the stopping time, then comparison of the stopping time with at least one threshold value recorded in the control unit, to determine a prolonged stop and trigger the activation of a parking light function, - Control of said lighting system to provide a second lighting configuration, modified from the initial configuration by reducing at least one width and / or range and / or intensity of lighting of at least one of said lighting devices used, when said vehicle has been stopped for a period exceeding said value.

[0008] According to another feature, the method also includes prior learning, by the control unit, of traffic conditions by recognizing ca characteristics of vehicles or obstacles, moving or stationary, around the vehicle equipped with said system, in order to discriminate between characteristics of situations of said vehicle in free-flowing traffic and situations of said vehicle in congested traffic, then the implementation of: - Acquisition of the speed of said vehicle and comparison of this speed with at least one speed threshold recorded in the control unit, - Measurement of the durations during which the speed is above and / or below said speed threshold and measurement of the frequency of crossing said speed threshold, - Discrimination, based on said comparisons, measurements and learning, between a situation where said vehicle is currently traveling in free-flowing traffic and a situation where said vehicle is currently traveling in congested traffic, - Decision between activating or deactivating said parking lighting feature or another specific feature of congested traffic.

[0009] According to another feature, the method also includes prior learning of the control unit to recognize urban area characteristics, rural road characteristics, and motorway characteristics, from data provided by at least one sensor during a prior training phase, and then deciding whether a lighting function in urban areas, rural areas, or on motorways should be activated or deactivated based on a comparison between the data provided by said sensor of the system with said learned characteristics, and then when the vehicle is parked: - Activation of the aforementioned parking lighting feature, - Activation of one of the aforementioned lighting features in urban areas, outside urban areas or on highways, - Control of said lighting system to provide the second lighting configuration by adjusting at least the intensity of at least one of said lighting devices used according to the current situation of said vehicle in built-up area, outside built-up area or on motorway.

[0010] According to another feature, said control of said lighting system to provide the second lighting configuration also includes control of at least one other lighting device to supplement or replace those modified, in particular if the modification consists of switching off one of said devices.

[0011] According to another feature, said control of said lighting system to provide the second lighting configuration includes control of the photometry of at least one of said devices.

[0012] According to another feature, following one of the said reductions, the control unit implements the following steps: - Monitoring the activation of hazard lights, to determine if the parking said vehicle is reported, and - Control of said lighting system to modify said second lighting configuration by reducing the intensity, possibly to zero, of at least one of said devices, at least during each period when the hazard warning lights are switched on intermittently.

[0013] According to another feature, at least one of the automotive lighting devices has a matrix arrangement of luminous pixels in rows and columns.

[0014] According to another feature, in said second configuration, certain rows or columns are turned off relative to the initial light intensity.

[0015] According to another feature, the steps implemented by the control unit when the vehicle is in motion and parked are carried out periodically with a period of less than 1 second, and in particular less than 0.5 seconds.

[0016] According to another feature, the learning by the control unit involves the use of a computer machine learning algorithm.

[0017] According to another feature, the data on the external environment of the vehicle acquired by at least one sensor includes at least two types of data from among the lighting devices currently active on said vehicle, the external light intensity, the number of cars around and the distance to them, the current speed of the vehicle or the presence and color of traffic lights, the positioning coordinates and the surrounding road signs.

[0018] According to another feature, the plurality of sensors includes at least one of an external light sensor, an activation sensor for said lighting devices, at least one camera, a geo-positioning sensor, a radar, a lidar or infrared sensors.

[0019] Another objective of the present application is to propose a computer element that makes it possible to overcome at least partially the disadvantages of the prior art.

[0020] This goal is achieved by a computer element comprising means for implementing the steps of a process according to various embodiments of the invention.

[0021] Another objective of the present application is to propose a computer program that makes it possible to overcome at least partially the disadvantages of the prior art.

[0022] This goal is achieved by a computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a control unit, cause the control unit to execute the steps of a process according to various embodiments of the invention.

[0023] Another objective of the present application is to propose a vehicle lighting system that makes it possible to overcome at least partially the disadvantages of the prior art.

[0024] This objective is achieved by a vehicle lighting system comprising: - a plurality of lighting devices; - a plurality of sensors configured to provide certain external data; and - a control unit to carry out the steps of the process according to various embodiments of the invention.

[0025] According to another feature, at least one of the lighting devices comprises a matrix arrangement of semiconductor light sources.

[0026] According to another feature, the matrix arrangement comprises at least 2000 semiconductor light sources.

[0027] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading the following description of various embodiments, made with reference to the accompanying drawings. Indeed, to supplement the description and to allow for a better understanding of the invention, a set of drawings is provided. These drawings illustrate one embodiment of the invention and form an integral part of the description, which should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention, but merely as an example of how the invention can be implemented. The drawings include the following figures:

[0028] [Fig.1] [Fig.1] represents a schematic view of a system according to various embodiments of the invention;

[0029] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] represents a schematic view of a process according to various embodiments of the invention;

[0030] The present invention relates to a method for the dynamic control of a vehicle lighting system (1), as well as a computer component, a computer program, and a lighting system for implementing the method. This application refers to a control unit that controls the lighting but is also trained through at least one learning cycle and performs calculations, comparisons, etc. Those skilled in the art will understand that this may involve several control units for the different tasks, cooperating to implement the invention, or a single unit performing all the tasks. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will naturally understand, by the nature of the tasks performed, that such a unit will generally include at least one processor executing instructions, and that various forms of implementation are possible; therefore, it is not necessary to provide details on the types of hardware that may be used or are used.The drawings shown on the figures pages are provided solely as examples and in a very schematic manner, so that a person skilled in the art can imagine all kinds of variations based on the content of this application.

[0031] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in this document shall be interpreted in accordance with industry usage, particularly in the field of lighting and signaling. Motor vehicles, particularly automobiles. For example, the terms "range," "width," and "intensity" are commonly used and may be interpreted to also cover other terms used to define light beams (in particular, vertical and horizontal angles or focal lengths). Similarly, other terms such as "field of vision" (often expressed in degrees) may be used without any particular limitation in this application.It is also understood that terms in common usage should be interpreted as being customary in the art concerned and not in an idealized or overly formal sense, and should not be interpreted restrictively unless expressly defined as such in this document.

[0032] In the present application, as is generally accepted in the field of patent applications, the terms "includes", "comprises" and "includes" and their derivatives (such as "comprising", "comprising", etc.) should not be understood in an exclusionary sense, that is to say, these terms should not be interpreted as excluding the possibility that what is described and defined may include other elements, steps, etc.

[0033] In this application, the terms "lighting system" and "lighting device" refer to both the lighting itself and the signaling, including in particular: devices that illuminate the vehicle's surroundings, - either to be able to see, such as dipped headlights (LB, according to Anglo-Saxon terminology "low beam") or main beam headlights (HB, according to Anglo-Saxon terminology "high beam") even if the latter are generally prohibited under certain conditions, particularly in built-up areas, - either to be seen, such as position lights (PL, according to the Anglo-Saxon terminology "position light"), rear position lights (RPL, according to the Anglo-Saxon terminology "rear position light") or daytime running lights (DRL, according to the Anglo-Saxon terminology "day running light") but also the devices which allow a driver's actions to be signaled to other road users, such as stop lights (SL, according to the Anglo-Saxon terminology "stop light"), direction indicator lights (turn signals or TI, according to the Anglo-Saxon terminology "tum indicator") or hazard lights (W, according to the Anglo-Saxon terminology "warning").

[0034] The lighting system (1) therefore comprises a plurality of lighting (or signaling) devices (5) which may be of the type of the examples (PL, LB, HB, DRL, SL, TI, W) provided above, which are neither exhaustive nor limiting. In general, it will be considered that the system also includes the control unit (2) which allows the system (1) to be operated and the process to be implemented. Each device may include one or more light source(s) (6) depending on the type of lighting (incandescent bulbs or light-emitting diode (LED), for example).

[0035] In general, the present invention aims to save energy consumed for lighting vehicles that are stationary, parked, or even stopped for extended periods beyond a certain time. Indeed, when parked, it can sometimes be useful to maintain lighting, at least to be seen, but energy consumption can be reduced because circumstances generally allow it. Thus, vehicle lighting generally does not require as much energy as it currently consumes under these conditions. The present invention therefore proposes to overcome this shortcoming by providing adaptive lighting solutions for vehicles.

[0036] Certain embodiments of the invention therefore relate to a method for the dynamic control of a vehicle lighting system (1), said system (1) comprising, on the one hand, a plurality of lighting devices (5) controlled by a control unit (2) to provide a plurality of lighting configurations of said system (1) and, on the other hand, at least one sensor (3) for the acquisition of data on the external environment of the vehicle.

[0037] In general, the method comprises the following steps implemented by the control unit (2), when said vehicle is in operation with a first lighting configuration, referred to as the initial configuration, of said system (1): - Calculation of a distance and / or a time that separates 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), - Acquisition of the speed of said vehicle to determine if the vehicle is stationary and to start a measurement of the stopping time, then comparison of the stopping time with at least one threshold value recorded in the control unit (2), to determine a prolonged stop and trigger the activation of a parking light function, - Control of said lighting system (1) to provide a second lighting configuration, modified from the initial configuration by reducing at least one width and / or range and / or intensity of lighting of at least one of said lighting devices (5) used, when said vehicle has been parked for a period exceeding said value.

[0038] In certain advantageous embodiments, the method also includes prior learning by the control unit (2) of traffic conditions by recognizing characteristics of vehicles or obstacles, moving or stationary, around the vehicle equipped with said system (1), in order to discriminate characteristics of situations of said vehicle in free-flowing traffic and of vehicles are trained to operate in heavy traffic. Following this training, when the vehicle is in motion, the control unit is capable of implementing the following steps: - Acquisition of the speed of said vehicle and comparison of this speed with at least one speed threshold recorded in the control unit (2), - Measurement of the durations during which the speed is above and / or below said speed threshold and measurement of the frequency of crossing said speed threshold, - Discrimination, based on said comparisons, measurements and learning, between a situation where said vehicle is currently traveling in free-flowing traffic and a situation where said vehicle is currently traveling in congested traffic, - Decision between activating or deactivating said parking lighting feature or another specific feature of congested traffic.

[0039] In certain embodiments, the method includes prior training of the control unit (2) to recognize urban area characteristics from data provided by at least one sensor during a preliminary training phase, and then deciding whether an urban lighting function should be activated or deactivated based on a comparison between the data provided by said sensor (3) of the system (1) and said learned urban area characteristics. Thus, the control unit in the vehicle for controlling the lighting system is able to recognize that the vehicle is traveling in an urban area and dynamically adapt the lighting if the function is activated.It should be noted that the various functionalities and lighting configurations resulting from their activation may of course be subject to authorization by the driver, for example by a prior configuration on their dashboard or an agreement to be validated when the control unit detects the appropriate conditions for the activation of the functionalities.

[0040] Thanks to this learning process that allows it to discriminate between built-up areas and other types of roads, the control unit can then implement, when it has determined that the vehicle is parked or stopped for an extended period, the following steps: Activation of said parking lighting function, Activation of one of said lighting functions in built-up areas, outside built-up areas or on motorways, Control of said lighting system (1) to provide the second lighting configuration by adjusting at least the intensity of at least one of said lighting devices (5) used according to the current situation of said vehicle in built-up area, outside built-up area or on motorway.

[0041] It is understood that this provides a method for saving energy from the lighting system (1) when the vehicle is stopped. The range and width of the Low beam headlights (LB) can be dimmed, for example, but the lighting can still be maintained, for instance, by retaining only the flat beam (known as the "fiat beam"). Alternatively, these headlights can be replaced by the parking lights. Furthermore, this type of functionality is particularly useful for daytime running lights that are no longer required, especially if the parking lights still indicate the vehicle's dimensions. Moreover, the fact that the road type is recognized allows the system to take into account the distance at which the vehicle must be seen and define the range of variation in the lighting parameters of this second configuration (increased or decreased intensity and / or range and / or width depending on the road type). Finally, some embodiments provide for the acquisition and calculation of ambient light levels by the control unit to adjust the parameters of this second configuration.

[0042] Generally, and in various embodiments, the learning processes of the control unit (2) involve the use of a machine learning algorithm, for example, using neural networks, classifiers, etc. This machine learning algorithm can be used both for designing the light patterns of the case and / or for classifying each situation in a predefined use case. Each of the two options follows its own machine learning algorithm. Once the corresponding results are validated, the values ​​of the control unit are used for the corresponding steps of the method of the invention.On the other hand, to monitor the traffic conditions and circumstances in which the vehicle is located, the steps implemented by the control unit (2) when the vehicle is in motion are preferably carried out periodically with a period of less than 1 second, and in particular less than 0.5 seconds.

[0043] In various embodiments, the data on the external environment of the vehicle acquired by at least one sensor (3) includes at least two types of data from among the lighting devices (5) currently active on said vehicle, the external light intensity, the number of cars around and the distance to them, the current speed of the vehicle or the presence and color of traffic lights, the positioning coordinates and the surrounding road signs.

[0044] Similarly, in various embodiments, the plurality of sensors (3) includes at least one of an external light sensor, an activation sensor for said lighting devices (5), at least one camera, a geo-positioning sensor, a radar, a lidar or infrared sensors.

[0045] Through learning, the control unit can then monitor the vehicle's environment while it is in motion to propose various lighting configurations. Indeed, the vehicle in motion generally has (Rarely, a lighting configuration, preferably compliant with regulations) which depends on traffic conditions and circumstances and involves activating various system devices. The learning process is called "preliminary" because it precedes the steps of the process that are implemented while the vehicle is in motion (acquisition, calculation, detection, comparison, etc.), but it should be noted that this learning can either be carried out before the installation of the control unit on the vehicle, or after this installation so that the learning is performed under real-world conditions.

[0046] In some embodiments, the control unit undergoes two training processes. Both training processes include machine learning steps, where the control unit is trained with training data provided by the plurality of sensors.

[0047] The first training process concerns the design of different lighting patterns of embodiment, each associated with a plurality of data values. This first training process comprises: - Training the control unit to design a light pattern of embodiments in response to a set of training data - testing the control unit by comparing the chosen light pattern with the expected optimal results.

[0048] Different use cases are defined, and the optimal lighting pattern is found for each use case, using the algorithm mentioned above.

[0049] The second training process concerns the classification of a situation within a predefined use case. This second training process includes - training the control unit to classify a situation within a predefined use case using a set of training data - a test of the control unit by comparing the chosen predefined case with the expected optimal results.

[0050] In this embodiment, different situations are set up, each with different data obtained by the sensors. The control unit is trained to identify which use case best corresponds to the situation.

[0051] Once the two training processes are completed, the control unit is installed in a vehicle to perform light control of the lighting system. However, as mentioned elsewhere in this application, prior training or learning can be performed after installation on the vehicle, and this will then constitute real-world learning. Validation of the learning will then be carried out by an action (by an automated supervisor and / or a user overseeing the operation) on the control unit, either on-site or remotely.

[0052] The operation of this lighting system would then be to provide a preliminary light pattern, depending on the lighting functionality chosen by the vehicle user.

[0053] In certain embodiments, during the use of said vehicle equipped to implement the present invention, every 0.2 seconds, for example, the lighting system control unit receives data from a plurality of sensors. This data includes external vehicle data (active lighting functionality, ambient light intensity, number of cars around and distance from them, current vehicle speed, and the presence and color of traffic lights, etc.). Through its training / learning process, the control unit will classify the environment into a use case and associate a lighting pattern with this situation. The lighting system then projects the new light pattern, which provides adequate illumination with minimal energy consumption. This process is repeated, for example, every 0.2 seconds.It should be noted that the term "lighting pattern" is used in this application with the same meaning as the term "lighting configuration" and that it is not limited to a pattern in the strict sense and therefore does not necessarily imply a variation in photometry.

[0054] In certain embodiments, following the provision of said second configuration to the lighting system (1) by the control unit (2), the latter implements the following steps: Monitoring the activation of hazard warning lights (W), to determine if the vehicle's parking is signaled, and Control of said lighting system (1) to modify said second lighting configuration by reducing the intensity, possibly to zero, of at least one of said devices (5), at least during each period when the hazard warning lights are switched on intermittently.

[0055] Thus, it is understood that the illumination of at least one of the lights will vary intermittently, in opposition to the intermittent illumination of the hazard warning lights. When the vehicle has been stopped for a certain time, either in a traffic jam or parked, the control unit can decide to adjust the lighting parameters of the various devices, notably with intermittent operation (turn signals). It should be noted that this functionality can easily be extended to the turn signals (direction indicators) since these are the same devices (5) but which illuminate on only one side of the vehicle. In such cases, it is possible, for example, to stipulate that, while the hazard warning lights or turn signals are illuminated, the parking lights, low beams, or daytime running lights are switched off (at least on the side where the lights are flashing).On the other hand, particularly in the case of a reduction in the intensity of the turn signals, the control unit can monitor the steering angle of the vehicle and cancel. This reduction in intensity occurs as soon as the steering angle changes, so that a maneuver initiated by the driver becomes more visible. It is therefore understandable that, thanks to this monitoring of vehicle immobility in specific circumstances, the control unit can also integrate a similar function to limit the power consumption of certain lights (lighting devices) during the various signaling signals provided by the vehicle.

[0056] By reducing the beam width, substantial savings can be achieved while maintaining satisfactory visibility for free-flowing traffic in urban areas. In particular, with LED lighting devices (5), it is possible to obtain simple beams of light (vertical or horizontal) which are generally sufficient to meet regulatory requirements. On the other hand, by reducing the beam range and / or intensity, even more substantial savings can be achieved by taking advantage of the fact that vehicle density in congested traffic renders the standard intensity and / or range of lighting devices (5), especially low-beam headlights (LB) and / or daytime running lights (DRL), unnecessary.

[0057] It should be noted that for the detection of an agglomeration the control unit can use image recognition from an on-board camera to identify buildings and for example measure their density, but it can also use the geo-positioning signal to determine if the vehicle is in town and other possibilities are therefore conceivable, so these examples are not limiting.

[0058] Similarly, it should be noted that for the detection of congested traffic, the control unit preferably uses the aforementioned speed comparison and the monitoring of vehicle stops or decelerations as explained above, but these examples are not exhaustive, and the control unit may also, as a complement or alternative, use distance sensors (for example, ultrasonic sensors) to determine the proximity of other vehicles (possibly combining this distance with image recognition to identify that they are indeed vehicles and not just any obstacles). In some embodiments, the discrimination of the situational characteristics of said vehicle in motion incorporates a calculation of a time to collision and a comparison of this time with a threshold, for example, two seconds.Thus, when a pre-collision time of less than two seconds is detected, the control unit can deduce (preferably with the context provided by other information) that safety distances are reduced due to heavy traffic.

[0059] In certain embodiments, said control of said lighting system (1) to provide the second or third lighting configuration also includes control of at least one other lighting device to supplement or replace those modified, in particular if the modification consists of switching off one of said devices. Indeed, particularly to continue meeting regulatory criteria concerning vehicle visibility (especially its dimensions) and / or the illumination of the vehicle's surroundings, it is possible to combine the use of various types of devices while reducing energy consumption. Thus, it is possible to reduce the intensity of one light or turn it off and turn on another, possibly with a limited intensity as well. For example, daytime running lights can replace dipped headlights, possibly supplemented by parking lights. Numerous configurations are therefore possible thanks to the implementation of the present invention.

[0060] In certain embodiments, at least one of the automotive lighting devices (5) comprises a matrix arrangement of luminous pixels (2) in rows and columns. In some specific cases, the matrix includes at least 2000 solid-state light sources. A matrix arrangement is a typical example of this method. The rows can 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 the rows and columns allows independent control of the angle and range, in addition to the intensity, and enables the management of several light sources simultaneously. In some of these embodiments, following one of these reductions, certain rows or columns are dimmed relative to the initial light intensity.Indeed, modern lighting devices often incorporate "solid-state" light sources, and this invention allows us to take advantage of these types of devices, which notably enable photometric adaptation. The term "solid-state" refers to the 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 greater resistance to shock and vibration than brittle glass tubes / bulbs and long, thin filament wires. They also eliminate filament evaporation, which can increase the lifespan of the lighting device.Examples of these types of lighting include semiconductor light-emitting diodes (LEDs), organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), or polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs) as light sources rather than electric filaments, plasma, or gas. This process aims to find the optimal light pattern to be projected by a lighting device. Predetermined use cases are defined, and a corresponding light pattern is projected when the process identifies that the vehicle falls within one of these cases. predefined use cases. An optimal lighting scheme is therefore found without excessive computational cost, since there are a reasonable number of predefined use cases.

[0061] Thus, in certain embodiments, said control of said lighting system (1) to provide the second or third lighting configuration includes control of the photometry of at least one of said devices. Indeed, the various devices emit a light beam that is specific to them and that has a particular shape, defined by the photometry. The invention provides for modifying this photometry in certain cases. For example, dipped headlights having a beam illuminating a symmetrical area close to the vehicle (called the "fiat") and an asymmetrical area further away. The invention provides, for example, for maintaining only the "fiat" area when driving in city traffic. In another example, for daytime running lights, it is possible to maintain only the illumination necessary to indicate the vehicle's dimensions.Modifying photometry thus makes it possible to preserve user safety while saving energy by eliminating unnecessary portions of light beams in certain circumstances.

[0062] Particularly advantageously, some embodiments provide that, when the method has been implemented to provide the second configuration (with reductions in certain lighting), when the vehicle has flashing lights on, the control unit (2) can, depending on the circumstances, implement steps of: - Monitoring the vehicle's current steering angle and / or the activation of turn signals (TI) to determine if a turning maneuver has begun in a particular direction, and Control of said lighting system (1), on the side of the direction of the turning maneuver initiated, to restore the initial values ​​of the width and / or range and / or intensity of the lighting of the device or devices whose lighting has been reduced.

[0063] Thus, when the control unit detects that the vehicle driver wishes to begin a maneuver while the lighting has been modified, the control unit dynamically adapts the lighting to the driver's behavior. In some of these embodiments, this adaptive control of said lighting system (1), on the side of the direction of the initiated turning maneuver, to restore the initial values ​​of the width and / or range and / or intensity of the lighting of the device or devices whose lighting has been reduced, includes dynamic control of the lighting as a function of the steering angle of said vehicle as the maneuver progresses.The invention therefore allows that even if the energy saving function in urban areas has been activated and the lighting has been adapted to the current traffic, the driver's maneuvers are taken into account and the lighting of at least one of the lights will be increased, at least on the side of the turn which corresponds to the most relevant side, so that at a minimum, the vehicle is better seen, or even so that the driver can see better where he is. is heading.

[0064] It is understood that the present invention proposes a method for adaptively managing or controlling vehicle lighting according to traffic conditions. This method involves the use of a control unit (2) having computing resources and connected to sensors (3) to control the vehicle's lighting system (1). Such computing resources are known per se and can be implemented by a computer element. Thus, some embodiments also relate to a computer element comprising means for implementing the steps of a method according to the invention. Similarly, it is known that such computer means for implementing such a method generally require a computer program unless analog programming is envisaged.Thus, some 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 process according to the invention. Finally, since the invention is intended to be mounted on a vehicle, some embodiments relate to a vehicle lighting system (1) comprising: . - a plurality of lighting devices (5); - a plurality of sensors (3) configured to provide certain external data; and - a control unit (2) to carry out the steps of the process according to the invention.

[0065] As mentioned above in this application, in certain embodiments of such a system, at least one of the lighting devices (5) comprises a matrix arrangement of semiconductor light sources (2). In some of these embodiments, the matrix arrangement comprises at least 2000 semiconductor light sources (2).

[0066] This application describes various technical features and advantages with reference to the figures and / or various embodiments. Those skilled in the art will understand that the technical features of a given embodiment can in fact be combined with features of another embodiment unless the contrary is explicitly stated, or it is obvious that such features are incompatible, or that the combination does not provide a solution to at least one of the technical problems mentioned in this application. Furthermore, the technical features described in a given embodiment can be isolated from the other features of that embodiment unless the contrary is explicitly stated.

[0067] Detailed list of references in the figures: 1 lighting system 2 control units 3 sensors 5. Lighting (and / or signaling) device

Claims

Claims

1. Method for the dynamic control of a lighting system (1) of a vehicle, said system (1) comprising, on the one hand, a plurality of lighting devices (5) controlled by a control unit (2) to provide a plurality of lighting configurations of said system (1) and, on the other hand, at least one sensor (3) for the acquisition of data on the external environment of the vehicle, said method being characterized in that it comprises the following steps implemented by the control unit (2), when said vehicle is in circulation with a first, so-called initial, lighting configuration of said system (1): - Calculation of a distance and / or a time which separates 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), - Acquisition of the speed of said vehicle to determine whether the vehicle is stationary and start a measurement of the stopping time, then comparison of the stopping time with at least one threshold value recorded in the control unit (2), to determine a prolonged stop and trigger the activation of a parking lighting functionality, - Control of said lighting system (1) to provide a second lighting configuration, modified compared to the initial configuration by reducing at least one width and / or a range and / or a lighting intensity of at least one of said lighting devices (5) used, when said vehicle has been stopped for a duration greater than said value.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises prior learning, by the control unit (2), of traffic conditions by recognizing characteristics of vehicles or obstacles, in motion or stationary, around the vehicle equipped with said system (1), in order to discriminate characteristics of situations of said vehicle in circulation in fluid traffic and situations of said vehicle in circulation in congested traffic, then the implementation of: - Acquisition of the speed of said vehicle and comparison of this speed with at least one speed threshold recorded in the control unit (2), - Measurements of the durations during which the speed is higher and / or lower than said speed threshold and measurements of the frequency of fran- determination of said speed threshold, - Discrimination, from said comparisons, measurements and learning, between a situation where said vehicle is currently traveling in fluid traffic and a situation where said vehicle is currently traveling in congested traffic, - Decision between activating or deactivating said parking lighting functionality or another functionality specific to congested traffic.

3. Method according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that it also comprises a prior learning of the control unit (2) to recognize characteristics of built-up areas, characteristics of roads outside built-up areas and characteristics of motorways, from the data provided by at least one sensor during a prior training phase, then decide whether a lighting functionality in built-up areas, outside built-up areas or on motorways must be activated or deactivated on the basis of the comparison between the data provided by said sensor (3) of the system (1) with said learned characteristics, then when parking the vehicle: - Activation of said lighting functionality when parking, - Activation of one of said lighting functionalities in built-up areas, outside built-up areas or on motorways,- Control of said lighting system (1) to provide the second lighting configuration by adjusting at least the intensity of at least one of said lighting devices (5) used depending on the current situation of said vehicle in built-up areas, outside built-up areas or on the motorway.,

4. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said control of said lighting system (1) to provide the second lighting configuration also comprises control of at least one other lighting device to supplement or replace those modified, in particular if the modification consists of switching off one of said devices.

5. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein said controlling said lighting system (1) to provide the second lighting configuration comprises controlling the photometry of at least one of said devices.

6. A method according to any preceding claim, in which, following one of said reductions, the control unit (2) implements steps of: - Monitoring the activation of hazard lights (W), to determine whether the parking of said vehicle is signaled, and - Controlling said lighting system (1) to modify said second lighting configuration by reducing the intensity, possibly to zero, of at least one of said devices (5), at least during each period when the hazard lights are switched on intermittently.

7. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which at least one of the automotive lighting devices (5) comprises a matrix arrangement of luminous pixels (2) in rows and columns.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein in said second configuration some rows or columns are turned off relative to the initial light intensity.

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

10. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the learning by the control unit (2) comprises the use of a computer-assisted automatic learning algorithm.

11. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the data on the external environment of the vehicle acquired by at least one sensor (3) comprises at least two types of data among the lighting devices (5) currently active on said vehicle, the external light intensity, the number of cars around and the distance from them, the current speed of the vehicle or the presence and color of traffic lights, the positioning coordinates and the surrounding road signs.

12. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the plurality of sensors (3) comprises at least one of an external light sensor, an activation sensor of said lighting devices (5), at least one camera, a geo-positioning sensor, a radar, a lidar or infrared sensors.

13. A computer element comprising means for implementing the steps of a method according to any one of the preceding claims. previous.

14. 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 any one of claims 1 to 11.

15. Vehicle lighting system (1) comprising: - a plurality of lighting devices (5); - a plurality of sensors (3) configured to provide certain external data; and - a control unit (2) for carrying out the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

16. System (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein at least one of the lighting devices (5) comprises a matrix arrangement of semiconductor light sources (2).

17. System (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the matrix arrangement comprises at least 2000 semiconductor light sources (2).

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