A system for automatically calibrating sensors of a vehicle includes an electronic control unit, a projector communicatively coupled to the electronic control unit, a first sensor communicatively coupled to the electronic control unit, and a second sensor communicatively coupled to the electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to project, with the projector, a calibration pattern onto a surface, capture, with the first sensor, a first portion of the calibration pattern, capture, with the second sensor, a second portion of the calibration pattern, and calibrate the first sensor and the second sensor based on at least one feature sensed within the first portion of the calibration pattern and the second portion of the calibration pattern.

A vehicular forward viewing image capture system includes an accessory module configured for attachment at an in-cabin side of a windshield of a vehicle, whereby a CMOS image sensor views through the windshield forward of the vehicle. With the accessory module attached at the in-cabin side of the windshield, and while the vehicle is traveling along a road, captured image data is processed to determine movement of an object of interest viewed by the image sensor. Multiple frames of captured image data are processed in determining movement of the object of interest. The accessory module includes an electrical connector for electrically connecting to a vehicle wiring system of the vehicle. Image data captured by the image sensor may be processed for an automatic headlamp control system of the equipped vehicle. The vehicular forward viewing image capture system may compensate for misalignment of the image sensor.

A vehicular forward viewing image capture system includes an accessory module configured for attachment at an in-cabin side of a windshield of a vehicle, whereby a CMOS image sensor views through the windshield forward of the vehicle. With the accessory module attached at the in-cabin side of the windshield, and while the vehicle is traveling along a road, captured image data is processed to determine movement of an object of interest viewed by the image sensor. Multiple frames of captured image data are processed in determining movement of the object of interest. The accessory module includes an electrical connector for electrically connecting to a vehicle wiring system of the vehicle. Image data captured by the image sensor may be processed for an automatic headlamp control system of the equipped vehicle. The vehicular forward viewing image capture system may compensate for misalignment of the image sensor.

Systems and methods for moving an illumination spot of a searchlight beam at a constant groundspeed. The method includes receiving state data comprising an attitude for the mobile platform. The method computes an elevation angle, theta, of the beam as a function of the attitude, an elevation actuator angle and a known mounting orientation for the searchlight. Responsive to receiving a searchlight control command from a user input device, the method determines a respective rate of change of theta, dtheta/dt, and rate of change of Psi, dPsi/dt, required to maintain the constant groundspeed of the illumination spot, as a function of the state data. The method updates theta responsive to the determined dtheta/dt and generates actuator control commands for an elevation actuator based thereon. The method updates Psi responsive to the determined dPsi/dt, and generates actuator control commands for an azimuth actuator based thereon.

Systems and methods for moving an illumination spot of a searchlight beam at a constant groundspeed. The method includes receiving state data comprising an attitude for the mobile platform. The method computes an elevation angle, theta, of the beam as a function of the attitude, an elevation actuator angle and a known mounting orientation for the searchlight. Responsive to receiving a searchlight control command from a user input device, the method determines a respective rate of change of theta, dtheta/dt, and rate of change of Psi, dPsi/dt, required to maintain the constant groundspeed of the illumination spot, as a function of the state data. The method updates theta responsive to the determined dtheta/dt and generates actuator control commands for an elevation actuator based thereon. The method updates Psi responsive to the determined dPsi/dt, and generates actuator control commands for an azimuth actuator based thereon.

The invention provides a method for managing image data in a motor vehicle lighting system, the lighting system including at least one lighting module intended to project light beams, the light beams being generated from data relating to the selection of at least one image, each image being respectively defined by a matrix including a plurality of horizontal or vertical rows of pixels, with each pixel having a numerical value related to a light intensity of the pixel. The method includes determining whether the pixel under analysis is considered to be a significant point of inflection of the image, so as to transmit it to at least one lighting module, so that it is able to project a resulting image.

The invention provides a method for managing image data in a motor vehicle lighting system, the lighting system including at least one lighting module intended to project light beams, the light beams being generated from data relating to the selection of at least one image, each image being respectively defined by a matrix including a plurality of horizontal or vertical rows of pixels, with each pixel having a numerical value related to a light intensity of the pixel. The method includes determining whether the pixel under analysis is considered to be a significant point of inflection of the image, so as to transmit it to at least one lighting module, so that it is able to project a resulting image.

A method for operating adjustable headlights of a vehicle, the method may include sensing, by a vehicle night-vision sensor, an environment of the vehicle to provide sensed information; searching, in the sensed information, for a headlight adjustment event identifier, the headlight adjustment event identifier identifies a future occurrence of a headlight adjustment event, the headlight adjustment event requires an adjustment of a lighting pattern formed by at least one of the adjustable highlights of the vehicle; and when finding the headlight adjustment event identifier then adjusting the lighting pattern according to the headlight adjustment event, wherein the adjusting begins before the future occurrence of the headlight adjustment event or immediately at a beginning of the headlight adjustment event.

A method for operating adjustable headlights of a vehicle, the method may include sensing, by a vehicle night-vision sensor, an environment of the vehicle to provide sensed information; searching, in the sensed information, for a headlight adjustment event identifier, the headlight adjustment event identifier identifies a future occurrence of a headlight adjustment event, the headlight adjustment event requires an adjustment of a lighting pattern formed by at least one of the adjustable highlights of the vehicle; and when finding the headlight adjustment event identifier then adjusting the lighting pattern according to the headlight adjustment event, wherein the adjusting begins before the future occurrence of the headlight adjustment event or immediately at a beginning of the headlight adjustment event.

A lighting device comprising at least four optical devices. Each optical device has an associated light source and comprises a first surface with a plurality of micro sized facets. Each facet has a respective orientation and said plurality of facets has an optical axis which extends parallel to the normal vector to an average orientation of all said respective orientations. The optical devices are divided over at least two sets of optical devices which are designed to mutually issue a different pattern during operation as the optical devices of different sets are arranged in a mutually alternating manner.