Optical wireless communication system for a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10958356-B2
Application number	US-201916508480-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 11, 2019
Priority date	Jul 11, 2018
Publication date	Mar 23, 2021
Grant date	Mar 23, 2021

Abstract

An optical wireless communication system for a vehicle comprises a photonic device and control electronics configured to control the photonic device. The photonic device comprises a plurality of photonic components arranged in a two-dimensional matrix array, and the control electronics are configured to control individually or in groups the photonic components of the plurality of photonic components. Each photonic component or each group of photonic components is configured, where appropriate conjointly with an optic, so as to emit and/or receive at least one optical wireless communication signal in a propagation direction that is discriminable relatively to a propagation direction of optical wireless communication signals emitted and/or received, respectively, by at least one other photonic component or by at least one other group of photonic components of the plurality of photonic components.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An optical wireless communication system for a vehicle comprising at least one photonic device and control electronics configured to control the at least one photonic device, wherein the at least one photonic device comprises a plurality of photonic components and the control electronics are configured to control individually or in groups the photonic components of the plurality of photonic components, each photonic component or each group of photonic components being configured to emit and/or receive at least one optical wireless communication signal in a propagation direction that is discriminable relative to a propagation direction of optical wireless communication signals emitted and/or received, respectively, by at least one other photonic component or by at least one other group of photonic components of the plurality of photonic components, wherein
the plurality of photonic components comprises at least one photonic component or one group of photonic components configured to emit successive optical wireless communication signals, each signal comprising a light pulse, and the control electronics are furthermore configured to control an intensity and a duration of a light pulse, and the time interval separating two consecutive light pulses, and wherein
the time interval separating two consecutive light pulses is selected so that it allows the transmission of all data from the emitting vehicle in a predetermined time interval via a single emission cone from the emitting vehicle.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the photonic components of a given plurality are arranged in a two-dimensional matrix array.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the photonic components of a given plurality form a monolithic array.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the photonic components of the at least one photonic device are configured conjointly with a forming optic of the at least one photonic device.

5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of photonic components comprises at least one first photonic component or one first group of photonic components configured to emit an optical wireless communication signal in a first emission cone and at least one second photonic component or one second group of photonic components configured to emit an optical wireless communication signal in a second emission cone, the first and second emission cones being distinct from each other.

6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of photonic components comprises at least one first photonic component or one first group of photonic components configured to receive an optical wireless communication signal in a first reception cone and at least one second photonic component or one second group of photonic components configured to receive an optical wireless communication signal in a second reception cone, the first and second reception cones being distinct from each other.

7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of photonic components comprises at least one among a photonic component or a group of photonic components configured to emit an optical wireless communication signal the wavelength of which belongs to a spectrum visible to the human eye and at least one second photonic component or one second group of photonic components configured to emit an optical wireless communication signal outside of the spectrum visible to humans, including the infrared or the ultraviolet.

8. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of photonic components comprises at least one among a photonic component or a group of photonic components configured to receive an optical wireless communication signal the wavelength of which belongs to a spectrum visible to the human eye and at least one second photonic component or one second group of photonic components configured to receive an optical wireless communication signal outside of the spectrum visible to humans, including the infrared or the ultraviolet.

9. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of photonic components comprises at least one photonic component or one group of photonic components configured to emit an optical wireless communication signal the wavelength of which belongs to a spectrum visible to humans, the optical wireless communication signal being parameterized so as to participate, concomitantly or successively to its communication function, in at least one regulated photometric function chosen from a high-beam function, a low-beam function, a daytime-running-light function, a position-light function and a fog-light function.

10. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of photonic components comprises at least one photonic component or one group of photonic components configured to successively emit and receive the at least one optical wireless communication signal.

11. The system according to claim 1 , furthermore comprising a camera that is functionally connected to the control electronics and configured to locate, or identify, a target with which to communicate.

12. The system according to claim 1 , furthermore comprising additional communication circuitry functionally connected to the control electronics and configured to implement at least one of the communication technologies among Wifi™ technology, Bluetooth® technology and omnidirectional optical wireless communication technology.

13. A luminous device at least partially performing at least one regulated photometric function and comprising at least one communication system according to claim 1 .

14. A motor vehicle comprising a luminous device which at least partially performs at least one regulated photometric function and comprises at least one communication system according to claim 1 .

15. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the photonic components of a given plurality of photonic components form a monolithic array.

16. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the photonic components of the at least one photonic device are configured conjointly with a forming optic of the photonic device.

17. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of photonic components comprising at least one first photonic component or one first group of photonic components are configured to emit an optical wireless communication signal in a first emission cone and at least one second photonic component or one second group of photonic components are configured to emit an optical wireless communication signal in a second emission cone, the first and second emission cones being distinct from each other.

18. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of photonic components comprising at least one first photonic component or one first group of photonic components are configured to receive an optical wireless communication signal in a first reception cone and at least one second photonic component or one second group of photonic components are configured to receive an optical wireless communication signal in a second reception cone, the first and second reception cones being distinct from each other.

Assignees

• Valeo Vision

Inventors

• De-Lamberterie Antoine
• Amiel Francois-Xavier
• Mbata Samira
• Dubois Vincent
• Canonne Thomas
• Lefaudeux Nicolas
• Thin Guillaume
• Hoang Van Thai

Classifications

• H04B10/503

  Laser transmitters · CPC title

• H04B10/116 Primary

  Visible light communication · CPC title

• H04B10/502

  LED transmitters · CPC title

• H04B10/67

  Optical arrangements in the receiver · CPC title

• H04B10/1123

  Bidirectional transmission · CPC title