Vehicular illumination device, vehicle system, and vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11066009-B2
Application number	US-201615771367-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 26, 2016
Priority date	Oct 27, 2015
Publication date	Jul 20, 2021
Grant date	Jul 20, 2021

Abstract

A vehicle illumination device which is provided in a vehicle capable of travelling in an automatic driving mode includes an illumination unit configured to display stop warning information forewarning stop of the vehicle toward a front of the vehicle, and an illumination controller configured to control the illumination unit such that the stop warning information is displayed toward the front of the vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle system which is provided in a vehicle capable of travelling in an automatic driving mode, the vehicle system comprising:
a first illumination unit configured to irradiate light toward an outside of the vehicle;
a detector that detects an emergency vehicle and acquires position information of the emergency vehicle; and
a vehicle controller configured to, upon detection of an emergency vehicle notify the emergency vehicle by controlling the first illumination unit to irradiate light to the emergency vehicle based on the position information of the emergency vehicle.

2. The vehicle system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first illumination unit is configured to irradiate a light pattern which has a ring shape or a linear shape toward the outside of the vehicle, and
wherein the vehicle controller is configured to control the first illumination unit to irradiate the light pattern toward the emergency vehicle based on the position information of the emergency vehicle.

3. A vehicle comprising the vehicle system according to claim 1 .

4. A vehicle system comprising:
a detector configured to detect an object;
a position information acquisition unit configured to acquire position information of the object;
a vehicle illumination device which is provided in a vehicle capable of travelling in an automatic driving mode, comprising:
a first illumination unit configured to irradiate light toward an outside of the vehicle; and
an illumination controller configured to control the first illumination unit to irradiate light to the object based on position information of the object, and

a mobile terminal,
wherein the object is a pedestrian carrying the mobile terminal,
wherein the vehicle system further includes a first wireless communication unit configured to transmit or receive an illumination control signal,
wherein the vehicle illumination device further includes a second illumination unit configured to irradiate light toward the outside of the vehicle,
wherein the mobile terminal includes:
a second wireless communication unit configured to transmit or receive the illumination control signal;
a display unit configured to irradiate light; and
a controller configured to control an illumination state of the display unit, and

wherein:
(A) when the first wireless communication unit receives the illumination control signal from the second wireless communication unit, the illumination controller controls the second illumination unit such that the illumination state of the second illumination unit corresponds to the illumination state of the display unit, based on the received illumination control signal, or
(B) when the second wireless communication unit receives the illumination control signal from the first wireless communication unit, the controller controls the display unit such that the illumination state of the display unit corresponds to the illumination state of the second illumination unit, based on the received illumination control signal.

5. The vehicle system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
the emergency vehicle,
wherein the vehicle system further includes a first wireless communication unit configured to transmit or receive an illumination control signal,
wherein the vehicle system further includes a second illumination unit configured to irradiate light toward the outside of the vehicle,
wherein the emergency vehicle includes:
a second wireless communication unit configured to transmit or receive the illumination control signal;
a display unit configured to irradiate light; and
a controller configured to control an illumination state of the display unit, and
wherein:
(A) when the first wireless communication unit receives the illumination control signal from the second wireless communication unit, the illumination controller controls the second illumination unit such that the illumination state of the second illumination unit corresponds to the illumination state of the display unit, based on the received illumination control signal, or
(B) when the second wireless communication unit receives the illumination control signal from the first wireless communication unit, the controller controls the display unit such that the illumination state of the display unit corresponds to the illumination state of the second illumination unit, based on the received illumination control signal.

6. A vehicle system which is provided in a first vehicle capable of travelling in an automatic driving mode, the vehicle system comprising:
a first illumination unit configured to irradiate light toward an outside of the first vehicle;
a detector that detects a second vehicle and acquires position information of the second vehicle; and
a vehicle controller configured to, upon detection of a second vehicle, notify the second vehicle by controlling the first illumination unit to irradiate light to the second vehicle based on the position information of the second vehicle,
wherein the first illumination unit is configured to irradiate a light pattern which has a ring shape toward the outside of the first vehicle.

Assignees

• Koito Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Tatara Naoki
• Okamura Toshihiro
• Masuda Takeshi
• Takii Naoki

Classifications

• B60Q1/507

  specific to autonomous vehicles · CPC title

• B60Q1/544

  for indicating other states or conditions of the vehicle occupants, e.g. for indicating disabled occupants · CPC title

• B60Q1/543

  for indicating other states or conditions of the vehicle (indicating taxis' state of hire or fare G07B13/045) · CPC title

• B60Q2300/45

  Special conditions, e.g. pedestrians, road signs or potential dangers · CPC title

• G08G1/162

  event-triggered · CPC title