Vehicle with road surface rendering function

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12522141-B2
Application number	US-202418430516-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 1, 2024
Priority date	Feb 14, 2023
Publication date	Jan 13, 2026
Grant date	Jan 13, 2026

Abstract

A vehicle with a road surface rendering function includes a projection member, a controller, and a detection device. The projection member is configured to project perform light projection for road surface rendering at least toward a road surface ahead of the vehicle. The controller is configured to control the light projection for the road surface rendering by the projection member. The detection device is configured to perform detection of a road surface rendered image rendered on the road surface by the projection member. The controller is configured to determine whether the road surface rendered image has a bright spot based on the detection of the road surface rendered image by the detection device. The controller is configured to suppress the light projection for the road surface rendering by the projection member when the road surface rendered image has the bright spot.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A vehicle with a road surface rendering function, the vehicle comprising:
a projection member configured to perform light projection for road surface rendering at least toward a road surface ahead of the vehicle; a controller configured to control the light projection for the road surface rendering by the projection member; and a detection device configured to perform detection of a road surface rendered image rendered on the road surface by the projection member, wherein the controller is configured to;
determine whether the road surface rendered image has a bright spot caused by unexpected reflection from road conditions, based on the detection of the road surface rendered image by the detection device; and
suppress the light projection for the road surface rendering by the projection member when the road surface rendered image has the bright spot.

2 . The vehicle with the road surface rendering function according to claim 1 ,
wherein the detection device is an external camera configured to capture an image of the road surface where the projection member has performed the light projection for the road surface rendering, and wherein the controller is configured to
extract a highest brightness in a detection image corresponding to the road surface rendered image included in the image captured by the external camera, and
suppress the light projection for the road surface rendering by the projection member by reducing a light intensity when the highest brightness is equal to or higher than a threshold.

3 . The vehicle with the road surface rendering function according to claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to
determine whether an illuminance of the light projection by the projection member after the light intensity has been reduced is equal to or lower than a lower limit illuminance, and stop the light projection for the road surface rendering by the projection member when the illuminance of the light projection by the projection member is equal to or lower than the lower limit illuminance.

4 . The vehicle with the road surface rendering function according to claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to, after the light projection for the road surface rendering by the projection member has been stopped,
continue to stop the light projection for the road surface rendering by the projection member until the vehicle passes through a road surface part determined as having the bright spot in the road surface rendered image, and resume the light projection for the road surface rendering by the projection member after the vehicle has passed through the road surface part determined as having the bright spot in the road surface rendered image.

5 . A vehicle with a road surface rendering function, the vehicle comprising:
a projection member including a light source and configured to perform light projection for road surface rendering at least toward a road surface ahead of the vehicle; a detection device including a camera and configured to perform detection of a road surface rendered image rendered on the road surface by the projection member; and circuitry configured to:
control the light projection for the road surface rendering by the projection member,
determine whether the road surface rendered image has a bright spot caused by unexpected reflection from road conditions, based on the detection of the road surface rendered image by the detection device; and
suppress the light projection for the road surface rendering by the projection member when the road surface rendered image has the bright spot.

Assignees

• Subaru Corp

Inventors

• Yamasaki Kentarou
• Kinoshita Makoto

Classifications

• B60R2300/30

  characterised by the type of image processing · CPC title

• G06T2207/30252

  Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle · CPC title

• B60Q2400/50

  Projected symbol or information, e.g. onto the road or car body · CPC title

• G06T2207/30168

  Image quality inspection · CPC title

• G06T7/0002

  Inspection of images, e.g. flaw detection · CPC title