System for imaging

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016207443-A1
Application number	US-201414915963-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 3, 2014
Priority date	Sep 3, 2013
Publication date	Jul 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system ( 90 ) for emitting shaped light ( 26 ) from a vehicle ( 10 ) and for projecting the shaped light ( 26 ) onto a surface ( 18 ) external to the vehicle ( 10 ), the system comprising a controller, one or more light sources and at least one light emitter, wherein the at least one light emitter is arranged to emit at least a first light signal directed towards said surface ( 18 ) external to the vehicle ( 10 ), the light emitter comprising a projection head arranged to direct light externally to the vehicle ( 10 ) and a beam shaper element, wherein the at least one light emitter is coupled to at least one of said light sources by one or more optical fibres.

First claim

1 . A system for emitting shaped light from a vehicle and projecting the shaped light onto a surface external to the vehicle, the system comprising a controller, one or more light sources and at least one light emitter, wherein the at least one light emitter is arranged to emit at least a first light signal directed towards said surface external to the vehicle, the light emitter comprising a projection head arranged to direct light externally to the vehicle and a beam shaper element, wherein the at least one light emitter is coupled to at least one of said light sources by one or more optical fibers.

2 . A system as claimed in claim 1 , comprising cooling means for controlling the temperature of the one or more light sources.

3 . A system as claimed in claim 1 , comprising a protective housing, wherein at least said light source is disposed within said protective housing.

4 . A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said light source comprises a plurality of light sources.

5 . A system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the at least one light source comprises at least three light sources comprising a red light source, a green light source and a blue light source.

6 . A system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said light sources are lasers.

7 . A system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein each of the at least one light emitters is coupled to each of the plurality of light sources by said optical fibers via a combining means and a switching means, wherein the controller is coupled to each light source of the plurality of light sources for activating and deactivating each light source and wherein the controller is coupled to the switching means for selecting a color of light to be transmitted via the one or more optical fibers to each of the at least one light emitters.

8 . A system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the beam shaper element comprises any one or any combination of: a transmissive LCD, a lens, a collimator, a diffuser, a mask, a gobo, a static slide, a scanning device, a rastering device and/or a vectoring device.

9 . A system as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the scanning device, rastering device or vectoring device comprises any one or more or a combination of: a mirror galvanometer scanner, a MEMS scanner, an acousto-optic modulator and a piezo-driven scanner.

10 . A system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to receive first data relating to the orientation of the vehicle in three-dimensions; and is configured to receive second data relating to the orientation in three dimensions of the projection head and/or beam shaper element of the or each light emitter and in dependence upon said first data and said second data, the controller being configured to control the output of the or each light emitter such that the projected shaped light emitted by the system is appropriately positioned on said surface external to the vehicle and at an appropriate distance from the vehicle.

11 . A vehicle comprising a system as claimed in claim 1 .

12 . A vehicle as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the first light signal comprises shaped light comprising one or more visible images, said one or more visible images comprising: a moving element and/or a colored element and/or a graphical referencing element suitable for communicating an intention of the driver of the vehicle and/or for assisting a driver of the vehicle in gauging a distance relative to the vehicle.

13 . A vehicle as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the first light signal comprises a graphical referencing element for indicating the size of the vehicle, comprising a pair of spaced parallel straight longitudinal lines along the path ahead of the vehicle, wherein the transverse position of each of said spaced and parallel straight lines is determined by said controller such that the pair is spaced by a distance that is no less than the width of the vehicle.

14 . A vehicle as claimed in claim 11 , comprising a protective housing, wherein at least said light source is disposed within said protective housing, and said protective housing is disposed in the boot of the vehicle.

15 . A vehicle comprising a system for emitting shaped light and for projecting the emitted shaped light onto a surface external to the vehicle, the projected shaped light thereby forming one or more visible images on said surface external to the vehicle, which one or more visible images comprise a graphical referencing element suitable for assisting a driver of the vehicle in gauging a distance relative to the vehicle, the graphical referencing element comprising a visible image indicative of the width of the vehicle.

16 . (canceled)

17 . A vehicle according to claim 15 , wherein the system is configured to project a graphical referencing element for gauging a distance relative to the vehicle comprising: a primary pair of spaced and parallel straight longitudinal lines along the path ahead of the vehicle; a primary pair of spaced and parallel straight transverse lines across the path ahead of the vehicle; and a grid comprising a plurality of straight transverse lines across the path ahead of the vehicle and a plurality of straight longitudinal lines along the path ahead of the vehicle, which grid is disposed entirely within and spaced from a perimeter defined by said primary pairs of spaced and parallel straight longitudinal and transverse lines.

18 . A vehicle according to claim 15 , wherein the system is configured to project a graphical referencing element for gauging a distance relative to the vehicle comprising: a primary pair of spaced and parallel straight longitudinal lines along the path ahead of the vehicle; a single straight transverse line across the path ahead of the vehicle extending between and terminating on said straight longitudinal lines of the primary pair; and an arrow commencing on a medial point of said single straight transverse line and extending longitudinally therefrom and extending beyond the termination of the straight longitudinal lines of said primary pair such that the point of the arrow provides an indicator of the centremost point of a lane on a road.

19 - 47 . (canceled)

48 . A method of projecting a visible image externally of a vehicle, the method comprising:
determining a position in three-dimensions of the vehicle; and in dependence upon said determined position of the vehicle projecting a shaped visible light from the shaped light emitter onto a surface external to the vehicle, the projected shaped light thereby forming one or more visible images on a surface external to the vehicle.

49 . (canceled)

50 . A method of projecting a visible image externally of a vehicle according to claim 48 wherein the method further comprises: moving the projection head and/or beam shaper element of the shaped-light emitter and/or controlling the color of the projected shaped visible light and/or computing an accurate positioning of the shaped-projected light in correspondence with the position of the road wheels of the vehicle such that the one or more visible images comprise: a moving element and/or a colored element and/or a graphical referencing element suitable for communicating an intention of the driver of the vehicle and/or for assisting a driver of the vehicle in gauging a distance relative to the vehicle.

51 - 54 . (canceled)

55 . A vehicle as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the first light signal comprises a visible warning externally of the vehicle in the region of an o

Assignees

• Jaguar Land Rover Ltd

Inventors

• Widdowson Paul
• Cund Mark

Classifications

• B60Q1/0011 Primary

  with light guides for distributing the light between several lighting or signalling devices · CPC title

• B60Q2400/50

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

• B60Q1/02

  the devices being primarily intended to illuminate the way ahead or to illuminate other areas of way or environments · CPC title

• B60Q1/52

  for indicating emergencies · CPC title

• B60Q1/26 Primary

  the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic · CPC title