Dynamic Lighting Apparatus for Gaze-Driven Visual Zone Highlighting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current interior and exterior lighting systems in vehicles lack the ability to accurately and dynamically highlight visual zones based on the driver's or occupant's line of sight, leading to inefficient illumination and potential distractions or hazards in low-light environments.
Innovation Solution
A dynamic lighting apparatus that uses a three-dimensional model to determine the occupant's point of origin and gaze direction, plotting a virtual projection to identify areas of interest and control illumination sources accordingly, thereby selectively highlighting visual zones within or outside the vehicle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional interior and exterior lighting systems are used, then the vehicle provides basic illumination capabilities, but the system cannot accurately highlight visual zones based on occupant's line of sight, leading to inefficient illumination and potential distractions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical/optical lighting control with a computational approach. A processor executes instructions to determine gaze direction by analyzing image data from cameras, calculate a virtual projection representing the occupant's line of sight, and selectively control illumination sources based on where the projection intersects with the vehicle environment. This substitution of mechanical control with computational processing enables accurate visual zone highlighting while maintaining system adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a virtual projection as an intermediary element that bridges the occupant's gaze direction and the lighting control system. The virtual projection is calculated based on the determined gaze direction and serves as a mediator to identify which visual zones should be illuminated. This intermediary allows the system to translate abstract gaze information into concrete lighting control decisions without requiring direct mechanical coupling between eye tracking and light control.
2Illumination intensity
If illumination is provided in all areas, then visibility is maximized, but energy consumption increases and distractions may occur in low-light environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by selectively illuminating only the specific visual zones that the occupant is currently viewing, rather than providing uniform illumination across all areas. The processor controls individual illumination sources based on where the virtual projection intersects with the vehicle environment, creating localized illumination zones that match the occupant's attention. This approach maximizes visibility where needed while minimizing energy consumption in unviewed areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting system is made dynamic by continuously adjusting illumination based on real-time gaze detection. As the occupant's gaze direction changes, the virtual projection is recalculated and the illumination sources are dynamically reconfigured to highlight new visual zones. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to respond to changing viewing requirements without wasting energy on static, pre-configured illumination patterns.
3Measurement precision
If the system uses three-dimensional modeling and virtual projection, then accuracy of determining areas of interest is improved, but computational requirements and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-defining the vehicle environment as a three-dimensional model with multiple predefined areas of interest before runtime. These areas are established in advance and associated with specific illumination sources. When gaze detection occurs, the system only needs to determine where the virtual projection intersects with these pre-established areas, rather than performing complex real-time analysis of the entire environment. This preprocessing significantly reduces computational requirements during actual gaze analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the vehicle environment into discrete, predefined areas of interest, each associated with specific illumination sources. This segmentation allows the system to process gaze information by checking intersections with individual predefined areas rather than analyzing continuous space. The segmentation approach simplifies computational geometry operations and enables faster determination of which zones require illumination.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a method for selectively highlighting visual zones associated with a vehicle. A point of origin and a gaze direction of a vehicle occupant are determined and a virtual projection plotted corresponding to the gaze of the vehicle occupant. The virtual projection extends from the determined point of origin in a direction of the determined gaze direction. With reference to a three-dimensional model comprising a plurality of pre-defined areas of interest, an intersection of the virtual projection with one of the plurality of areas of interest is identified. The method comprises controlling an illumination source that is associated with the determined one of said plurality of areas of interest so as to highlight a visual zone associated with the vehicle.