Self-adjusting lighting based on viewing location

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10137830-B2
Application number	US-201414558075-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 2, 2014
Priority date	Dec 2, 2014
Publication date	Nov 27, 2018
Grant date	Nov 27, 2018

Abstract

For automatically adjusting a vehicle light level based on a viewing location of an occupant, a system, apparatus, method, and computer program product are disclosed. The apparatus, in one embodiment, includes an image sensor, an occupant viewing location module that determines an illuminable region corresponding to a viewing location of a vehicle occupant based on data from the image sensor, a light level module that determines a light level for the illuminable region, and an illumination control module that adjusts an illumination setting of at least one light associated with the illuminable region based on the determined light level. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes an occupant recognition module that identifies the vehicle occupant, wherein the light level module determines the light level based on the identity of the vehicle occupant.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
an image sensor;
an occupant viewing location module that determines an illuminable region corresponding to a viewing location of a vehicle occupant based on data from the image sensor;
an occupant recognition module that:
matches the vehicle occupant with one of a plurality of stored profiles, and
identifies a seat position of the vehicle occupant, the seat position being one of a driver seat, a front passenger seat, and a rear passenger seat;

a light level module that:
determines a light level for the illuminable region based on values in the matching profile and further based on the seat position, wherein the matching profile includes different light levels for the same illuminable region associated with different seat positions of the occupant, and
identifies an illumination limit for the illuminable region, the illumination limit based on a driver of the vehicle; and

an illumination control module that adjusts an illumination setting of at least one light associated with the illuminable region based on a lesser value of the determined light level and the illumination limit, in response to the determined seat position being one of the front passenger seat and the rear passenger seat.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the illuminable region comprises a dashboard, the at least one light associated with the illuminable region comprises a dashboard light, and the illumination control module increases the illumination setting of the dashboard light in response to a driver looking at the dashboard.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the illuminable region comprises a rear window, the at least one light associated with the illuminable region comprises a dome light, and the illumination control module decreases the illumination setting of the dome light in response to a driver looking at the rear window.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a driving environment module that determines an ambient light level, wherein the light level module determines the light level based on the ambient light level.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a vehicle status module that determines a status of the vehicle, wherein the light level module determines the light level based on the determined status.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the status of the vehicle comprises a speed of the vehicle, the light level module determining a first light level in response to the vehicle being stopped and a second light level, different than the first light level, in response to the vehicle being in motion.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a tinted lens module that determines whether the vehicle occupant is wearing a tinted lens and increases the determined light level in response to the vehicle occupant wearing a tinted lens.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an illumination return module that reverts the illumination setting of the at least one light to a prior value in response to the occupant looking away from the illuminable region.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one light provides illumination at one of a plurality of illumination levels and the illumination control module sets the at least one light at an illumination level closest to the determined light level.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the illumination value for the illuminable region associated the driver seat position is a different illumination value than the illumination value associated with the front passenger seat position for the same illuminable region.

11. A method comprising:
determining, by use of a processor, that an automobile occupant is looking at an illuminable region;
identifying the automobile occupant, wherein identifying the automobile occupant comprises matching the automobile occupant with one of a plurality of stored profiles;
determining a seat position of the automobile occupant, the seat position being one of a driver seat, a front passenger seat, and a rear passenger seat;
determining a light level for the illuminable region based on values in the matching profile and further based on the seat position, wherein the matching profile includes different light levels for the same illuminable region associated with different seat positions of the occupant;
identifying an illumination limit for the illuminable region, the illumination limit based on a driver of the automobile;
comparing the determined light level for the illuminable region to the illumination limit in response to the determined seat position being one of the front passenger seat and the rear passenger seat; and
adjusting an illumination value of at least one light associated with the illuminable region based on a lesser value of the determined light level and the illumination limit, in response to the determined seat position being one of the front passenger seat and the rear passenger seat.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
determining that the automobile occupant is no longer looking at the illuminable region; and
reverting the illumination value to a prior value in response to the automobile occupant no longer looking at the illuminable region.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
initiating a timer in response to adjusting the illumination value of the at least one light; and
reverting the illumination value to a prior value in response to expiration of the timer.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising associating a user profile with the automobile occupant, the user profile including user preferences for light levels, wherein adjusting the illumination value based on the automobile occupant comprises determining a light level preference for the illuminable region based on the user profile.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
storing a stationary lighting profile and a moving lighting profile for the illuminable region; and
determining whether the automobile is stationary,
wherein adjusting the illumination value of the at least one light comprises:
retrieving an illumination value from the stationary lighting profile in response to the automobile being stationary, and
retrieving an illumination value from the moving lighting profile in response to the automobile being in motion.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein adjusting the illumination level based on the automobile occupant comprises:
identifying a plurality of illumination levels compatible with the at least one light; and
setting the at least one light to one of a plurality of illumination levels closest to a light level preference associated with the automobile occupant.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the illumination value for the illuminable region associated the driver seat position is a different illumination value than the illumination value associated with the front passenger seat position for the same illuminable region.

18. A program product comprising a computer readable storage medium that stores code executable by a processor, the executable code comprising code to perform:
detecting that a vehicle occupant is looking at an illuminable area;
identifying the automobile occupant, wherein identifying the automobile occupant comprises matching the automobile occupant with one of a plurality of stored profiles;
determining a seat position of the automobile occupant, the seat position being one of a driver seat, a front passenger seat, and a rear passenger seat;
determining a light level for the illuminable area based on values in the m

Assignees

• Lenovo Singapore Pte Ltd
• Lenovo Singapore Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Peterson Nathan J
• Caliendo Jr Neal Robert
• Mese John Carl
• Vanblon Russell Speight
• Weksler Arnold S

Classifications

• B60Q3/18 Primary

  for varying the light intensity · CPC title

• B60Q3/47

  Circuits; Control arrangements · CPC title

• B60Q3/80

  Circuits; Control arrangements (for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47) · CPC title

• B60Q3/44

  Spotlighting, e.g. reading lamps · CPC title