EXTERNAL LIGHTING DEVICE FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

A design screen and at least one detection device with an image capturing device and a carrier medium are provided in an external lighting device for a motor vehicle. The carrier medium is a flat waveguide on which a coupling region and a decoupling region are provided. The carrier medium is adapted to the surface shape of the design screen. The coupling region and the decoupling region are each a holographic element. Light incident on the external lighting device from the surroundings is coupled into the carrier medium via the coupling region, is transported to the decoupling region by internal reflection in the waveguide, and is decoupled at the decoupling region. The image capturing device detects the decoupled light and provides image data which correlates to the detected light.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. An external lighting device for lighting surroundings of a motor vehicle, comprising: a design screen having a surface shape; and at least one capturing device with an image capturing device, and a carrier medium embodied as a light guide having an external light input region and an external light output region, and adapted to the surface shape of the design screen, the external light input region being embodied as a first holographic element with a first deflection structure to couple external light incident on the first deflection structure from the surroundings into the carrier medium, the carrier medium being configured to transmit the external light from the external light input region to the external light output region by internal reflection, the external light output region being embodied as a second holographic element with a second deflection structure to couple the external light incident on the second deflection structure out of the carrier medium, and the image capturing device being configured to capture the external light coupled out of the external light output region and provide image data correlated with the external light captured by the image capturing device.

12. The external lighting device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the external light input region and the external light output region each have at least one of a volume holographic grating and a surface holographic grating.

13. The external lighting device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the carrier medium is one of integrated into the design screen and secured on the design screen.

14. The external lighting device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the carrier medium is embodied as one of a transparent plate, a film and a coating.

15. The external lighting device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the at least one capturing device includes two capturing devices spatially separated on mutually opposite edge regions of the design screen.

16. The external lighting device as claimed in claim 15, wherein at least one object is in the surroundings, and wherein the external lighting device further comprises an evaluation device configured, by evaluating the image data, to capture the at least one object in the surroundings, recognize the object by applying an object recognition criterion, and provide object data describing the object.

17. The external lighting device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the external lighting device illuminates another vehicle, and further comprises: a lighting unit configured to illuminate part of the surroundings; and a control device for controlling the lighting unit, wherein the evaluation device, by applying the object recognition criterion, is configured to recognize the other vehicle as moving toward the carrier medium and emitting oncoming light, and after the other vehicle has been recognized, provide a low-beam signal for the lighting unit by applying a driving situation criterion, and wherein the control device is configured to set a light intensity of the lighting unit in response to the low-beam signal provided by the evaluation device.

18. The external lighting device as claimed in claim 14, further comprising: a sensor device, and a light source configured to emit pulsed light into the surroundings, wherein the first deflection structure of the external light input region is configured to couple the pulsed light emitted by the light source and reflected at the object in the surroundings into the carrier medium, wherein the carrier medium further includes a sensor output coupling region and is configured to transmit the pulsed light incident on and coupled by the external light input region to the sensor output coupling region by internal reflection. the sensor output coupling region being embodied as a third holographic element with a third deflection structure to couple the pulsed light that was coupled into the carrier medium out of the carrier medium, wherein the sensor device is configured to capture the pulsed light coupled out of the sensor output coupling region, and provide sensor data describing a time of flight of the pulsed light emitted by the light source, reflected at the object, and captured by the sensor device, and wherein the evaluation device is configured, by evaluating the sensor data, to provide distance data describing a distance between the object and the at least one capturing device.

19. The external lighting device as claimed in claim 18, wherein a light source input region and a light source output region are provided on the carrier medium, wherein the light source input region is embodied as a fourth holographic element with a fourth deflection structure to couple the pulsed light incident on the fourth deflection structure from the light source into the carrier medium, wherein the carrier medium is configured to transmit the pulsed light from the light source input region to the light source output region by internal reflection, and wherein the light source output region is embodied as a fifth holographic element with a fifth deflection structure to couple the pulsed light incident on the fifth deflection structure out of the carrier medium and emit the pulsed light into the surroundings.

20. The external lighting device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the carrier medium is one of integrated into the design screen and secured on the design screen.

21. The external lighting device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the carrier medium is embodied as one of a transparent plate, a film and a coating.

22. The external lighting device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the at least one capturing device includes two capturing devices spatially separated on mutually opposite edge regions of the design screen.

23. The external lighting device as claimed in claim 11, wherein at least one object is in the surroundings, and wherein the external lighting device further comprises an evaluation device configured, by evaluating the image data, to capture the at least one object in the surroundings, recognize the object by applying an object recognition criterion, and provide object data describing the object.

24. The external lighting device as claimed in claim 23, wherein the external lighting device illuminates another vehicle, and further comprises: a lighting unit configured to illuminate part of the surroundings; and a control device for controlling the lighting unit, wherein the evaluation device, by applying the object recognition criterion, is configured to recognize the other vehicle as moving toward the carrier medium and emitting oncoming light, and after the other vehicle has been recognized, provide a low-beam signal for the lighting unit by applying a driving situation criterion, and wherein the control device is configured to set a light intensity of the lighting unit in response to the low-beam signal provided by the evaluation device.

25. The external lighting device as claimed in claim 11, wherein at least one object is in the surroundings, wherein the external lighting device further comprises: a sensor device; and a light source configured to emit pulsed light into the surroundings, wherein the first deflection structure of the external light input region is configured to couple the pulsed light emitted by the light source and reflected at the object in the surroundings into the carrier medium, wherein the carrier medium further includes a sensor output coupling region and is configured to transmit the pulsed light incident on and coupled by the external light input region to the sensor output coupling region by internal reflection. the sensor output coupling region being embodied as a third holographic element with a third deflection structure to couple the pulsed light coupled into the carrier medium out of the carrier medium, wherein the sensor device is configured to capture the pulsed light coupled out of the sensor output coupling region, and provide sensor data describing a time of flight of the pulsed light emitted by the light source, reflected at the object, and captured by the sensor device, and wherein the evaluation device is configured, by evaluating the sensor data, to provide distance data describing a distance between the object and the at least one capturing device.

26. The external lighting device as claimed in claim 25, wherein a light source input region and a light source output region are provided on the carrier medium, wherein the light source input region is embodied as a fourth holographic element with a fourth deflection structure to couple the pulsed light incident on the fourth deflection structure from the light source into the carrier medium, wherein the carrier medium is configured to transmit the pulsed light from the light source input region to the light source output region by internal reflection, and wherein the light source output region is embodied as a fifth holographic element with a fifth deflection structure to couple the pulsed light incident on the fifth deflection structure out of the carrier medium and emit the pulsed light into the surroundings.

27. A motor vehicle situated in surroundings, comprising: a chassis; and an external lighting device including a design screen having a surface shape, and at least one capturing device including, a carrier medium, adapted to the surface shape of the design screen and embodied as a light guide having an external light input region and an external light output region, configured to transmit external light from the external light input region to the external light output region by internal reflection, the external light input region being embodied as a first holographic element with a first deflection structure to couple the external light incident on the first deflection structure from the surroundings into the carrier medium and the external light output region being embodied as a second holographic element with a second deflection structure to couple the external light incident on the second deflection structure out of the carrier medium, and an image capturing device configured to capture the external light coupled out of the external light output region and provide image data correlated with the external light captured by the image capturing device.

28. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 27, wherein the external lighting device illuminates another vehicle, wherein the carrier medium is one of integrated into the design screen and secured on the design screen, and wherein the external lighting device further comprises: a lighting unit configured to illuminate part of the surroundings; an evaluation device coupled to the image capturing device and configured to recognize the other vehicle as moving toward the carrier medium and emitting oncoming light, by applying an object recognition criterion to the image data provided by the image capturing device, and generate a low-beam signal, after the other vehicle has been recognized, by applying a driving situation criterion to the image data, and a control device, coupled to the evaluation device and the lighting unit, configured to set a light intensity of the lighting unit in response to the low-beam signal provided by the evaluation device.

29. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 27, wherein at least one object is in the surroundings, wherein the external lighting device further comprises: a light source configured to emit pulsed light into the surroundings, and a sensor device configured to capture the pulsed light and provide sensor data describing a time of flight of the pulsed light emitted by the light source, reflected at the object, and captured by the sensor device, wherein the first deflection structure of the external light input region is configured to couple the pulsed light emitted by the light source and reflected at the object into the carrier medium, wherein the carrier medium includes a sensor output coupling region embodied as a third holographic element with a third deflection structure and is configured to transmit the pulsed light incident on and coupled by the external light input region to the sensor output coupling region by internal reflection, the sensor output coupling region being configured to couple the pulsed light out of the carrier medium and into the sensor device, and wherein the evaluation device is configured to provide, by evaluating the sensor data, distance data describing a distance between the object and the at least one capturing device.

30. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 29, wherein the carrier medium further includes a light source input region embodied as a fourth holographic element with a fourth deflection structure to couple the pulsed light from the light source incident on the fourth deflection structure into the carrier medium, and a light source output region embodied as a fifth holographic element with a fifth deflection structure to couple the pulsed light incident on the fifth deflection structure out of the carrier medium and emit the pulsed light into the surroundings, and wherein the carrier medium is configured to transmit the pulsed light from the light source input region to the light source output region by internal reflection.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] Exemplary embodiments are described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

[0039] FIG. 1 is a schematic front left side view of a motor vehicle with an external lighting device;

[0040] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of an external lighting device for a motor vehicle with a capturing element secured on a design screen;

[0041] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an external lighting device for a motor vehicle with a capturing element integrated into a design screen;

[0042] FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of a capturing element for a design screen of a motor vehicle; and

[0043] FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of a distance determination using an external lighting device of a motor vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] The exemplary embodiments explained below concern embodiments of the external lighting device and motor vehicle. In the exemplary embodiments, the described components of the embodiments each constitute individual features which should be considered independently of one another and which each also develop the invention independently of one another. Therefore, the disclosure is also intended to encompass combinations of the features of the embodiments other than the combinations presented. Furthermore, the embodiments described can also be supplemented by further features from among those already described.

[0045] In the figures, identical reference characters in each case designate functionally identical elements.

[0046] FIG. 1 schematically depicts a motor vehicle 40 with an external lighting device 30 as a left front headlight at the front in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The external lighting device 30 has a design screen 31, a lighting unit 34 arranged behind the latter, the lighting unit being configured to emit white lighting unit light through the design screen 31, and a capturing device 10. The capturing device 10 has a capturing element 11 and an image capturing device 35, which here is arranged behind the design screen 31. The external lighting device 30 includes two capturing elements 11, specifically one in a region of the design screen 31 that is at the front in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and one in a region of the design screen 31 that is at the rear in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. As an alternative thereto, the external lighting device 30 can have only one capturing element 11 or more than two capturing elements 11. The external lighting device 30 is configured to provide image data that are correlated with light 100 (represented by the reference sign 100 in FIG. 4) that impinges on the two capturing elements 11 from the surroundings. The external lighting device 30 thus makes it possible to capture the surroundings of the motor vehicle 40. A respective capture region 46, 46′ of the two capturing elements 11 is depicted schematically as capturing region 46 at the front in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and as capturing region 46′ at the rear in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, in each case in the form of regions schematically depicted in conical fashion in FIG. 1. The front capturing element 11 is designed “to look” at least partly in front of the motor vehicle 40 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and next to the motor vehicle in the transverse direction of the vehicle, that is to say to capture the surroundings there. By contrast, the rear capturing element 11 with the capture region 46′ is configured to capture only a lateral region of the surroundings of the motor vehicle 40, that is to say the region to the left of the motor vehicle 40 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0047] A further external lighting devices 30 as right front headlight (not depicted schematically here) at the front and also two further external lighting devices 30 as respective rear lights (not depicted schematically) may be integrated into the motor vehicle 40. If the motor vehicle 40 includes at least these four external lighting devices 30, complete all-round capturing of the surroundings of the motor vehicle 40 is possible.

[0048] FIG. 2 schematically depicts the external lighting device 30, wherein the capturing element 11 is positioned on the design screen 31 by a securing unit 32. In this case, the capturing element 11 can have a slight curvature and can thus be positioned parallel to a surface shape 33 of the design screen 31 but at a predefined distance from the surface of the design screen 31. Moreover, FIG. 2 schematically depicts the fact that the capturing device 10 can have as components of the external lighting device 30, in addition to the image capturing device 35, an evaluation device 36 and a control device 37 for controlling the lighting unit 34.

[0049] FIG. 3 schematically depicts the external lighting device 30, wherein three capturing elements 11 are integrated directly into the design screen 31. For this purpose, for example, transparent plates shaped in the manner adapted to the local surface course of the design screen 31 are integrated into the design screen 31. Moreover, FIG. 3 schematically depicts the respective image capturing devices 35 for the two upper capturing elements 11, which image capturing devices here are positioned behind the design screen 31 and thus in a manner not directly visible to an observer. Moreover, it becomes clear here that the respective capturing elements 11 can be arranged in a manner spatially separated from one another, for example on mutually opposite edge regions of the design screen 31, or can extend for example over an entire longitudinal side of the design screen 31 running in the longitudinal direction of travel.

[0050] FIG. 4 schematically depicts the functioning of the external lighting device 30. It becomes clear here that the capturing device 10 includes a carrier medium 12, which is embodied as a light guide and on which an input coupling region 16 and an output coupling region 18 are provided. The carrier medium 12 with the input coupling region 16 and the output coupling region 18 is the planar capturing element 11 for the design screen 31, the capturing element being adapted to the surface shape 33 of the design screen 31.

[0051] The input coupling region 16 is embodied as a holographic element 14 with a first deflection structure 20. The first deflection structure 20 is designed to couple light 100 that is incident on the first deflection structure 20 from the surroundings of the motor vehicle 40 into the carrier medium 12. The carrier medium 12 is configured to transmit the coupled-in light 100 from the input coupling region 16 to the output coupling region 18 by internal reflections. The output coupling region 18 is embodied as a holographic element 14 with a second deflection structure 22. The second deflection structure 22 is designed to couple the transmitted light 100 that is incident on the second deflection structure 22 out of the carrier medium 12. Arranged directly behind that is the image capturing device 35, for example. The image capturing device 35 is configured to capture the light 100 that is coupled out of the capturing element 11 at the output coupling region 18 and to provide it as image data that correlate with the captured light 100. The image capturing device 35 can thus be embodied as a camera sensor, for example. The input coupling region 16 and the output coupling region 18 have at least one optical grating, in particular a volume holographic grating or a surface holographic grating, as deflection structure 20, 22. In this case, the capturing element 11 itself can be embodied as a transparent plate, film or coating.

[0052] The evaluation device 36 can be configured, by evaluating the image data provided by the image capturing device 35, to capture at least one object 42 in the surroundings, to recognize the captured object 42 by applying an object recognition criterion and to provide object data describing the recognized object 42.

[0053] FIG. 5 schematically depicts a wall in the surroundings of the motor vehicle 40 as such an object 42. The object 42, that is to say the wall, is situated at a distance 44 from the motor vehicle 40. The external lighting device 30 additionally includes a light source 38 and a sensor device 39. Moreover, a sensor output coupling region 15 is provided on the carrier medium 12, the sensor output coupling region being embodied as a holographic element 14 with a third deflection structure 24. The light source 38 is configured to emit pulsed light 100′ directly into the surroundings of the motor vehicle 40. The pulsed light 100′ can be infrared laser light, for example. As is depicted schematically in FIG. 5, the pulsed light 100′ emitted by the light source 38 can also be emitted to the object 42 indirectly, specifically through the planar carrier medium 12, that is to say through the capturing element 11. For this purpose, a light input coupling region 17 and a light output coupling region 19 are provided on the planar carrier medium 12. In this case, the light input coupling region 17 is embodied as a holographic element 14 with a fourth deflection structure 26, which is designed to couple the pulsed light 100′ that was emitted by the light source 38 and is incident on the fourth deflection structure 26 into the carrier medium 12. The carrier medium 12 is configured to transmit the coupled-in pulsed light 100′ from the light input coupling region 17 to the light output coupling region 19 by internal reflection. The light output coupling region 19 is embodied as a holographic element 14 with a fifth deflection structure 28, which is designed to couple the transmitted light 100′ that was emitted by the light source 38 and is incident on the fifth deflection structure 28 out of the carrier medium 12 and to emit the light into the surroundings, that is to say in the direction of the object 42. The light 100″ reflected at the wall, which light was first emitted by the light source 38 and then reflected at the object 42 in the surroundings, can be coupled into the carrier medium 12 again by the input coupling region 16 if this reflected light 100″ is incident on the first deflection structure 20.

[0054] The carrier medium 12 is configured to transmit this coupled-in reflected light 100″ from the input coupling region 16 to the sensor output coupling region 15 by internal reflection. The sensor output coupling region 15 with the third deflection structure 24 serves the purpose that the reflected light 100″ impinging on the third deflection structure 24 is coupled out of the carrier medium 12. The sensor device 39 is configured to capture the light 100″ that is coupled out at the sensor output coupling region 15 and to provide it in the form of sensor data. The sensor data describe a time of flight of the light 100″ that was emitted by the light source 38 and was reflected at the object 42 and was captured by the sensor device 39. The evaluation device 36 is then configured to provide distance data by evaluating the sensor data. The distance data describe the distance 44 between the object 42 and the capturing device 10, that is to say ultimately the motor vehicle 40.

[0055] The evaluation device 36 is configured, moreover, by applying the object recognition criterion, to recognize a vehicle that is moving toward the capturing element 11 and is emitting light. If the vehicle that is moving toward the capturing element 11 and emitting light has been recognized, a low-beam signal for the lighting unit 34 is provided by applying a driving situation criterion. The control device 37 of the external lighting device 30, which is schematically depicted in FIG. 2, is designed to set a light intensity of the lighting unit 34 in a manner corresponding to the low-beam signal provided by the evaluation device 36. If it is thus recognized for example that a vehicle is moving toward the motor vehicle 40, it may be recognized that the motor vehicle 40 is currently travelling with high beam activated, for example, but the high beam should be switched to low beam on account of the other vehicle approaching from the front. In this case, the control device 37 can reduce the light intensity of the lighting unit 34 after receiving the low-beam signal. The oncoming vehicle can be recognized for example on the basis of a color of the headlight light emitted by the vehicle, where the headlight light was captured as light 100 by one of the image capturing devices 35 of the motor vehicle 40. On the basis of movement data of the motor vehicle 40 itself, the data being provided by the evaluation device 36, and also the information stored in the object recognition criterion, for example concerning the object recognition of vehicles, it is possible moreover unambiguously to recognize that an object 42 is situated in the surroundings of the motor vehicle 40, which object is recognized as an illuminated vehicle, and the recognized vehicle is travelling toward the motor vehicle 40 from the front, and so the high beam of the motor vehicle 40 should thus be deactivated. Such evaluation and control commands for the luminous intensity of the lighting unit 34 can thus be determined and carried out by the external lighting device 30.

[0056] Described herein is the integration of a holographic element (HOE) into a vehicle lighting system, that is to say the external lighting device 30 for the motor vehicle 40. Using the external lighting device 30, image contents containing the surroundings of the motor vehicle 40 can be recorded by capturing elements 11 arranged in the design screen 31 or on the design screen 31 of the motor vehicle 40. This affords the following advantages: by virtue of the planar embodiment of the capturing element 11, the latter can become soiled less rapidly, can be kept transparent and can thus not be directly visible and can be equipped with various optical functions such as, for example, the provision of image data and/or the emission of pulsed light 100′ by the light source 38. By virtue of the position of the design screen 31, moreover, an exposed location on the motor vehicle 40 is chosen which enables an optimum overview of the surroundings, such that particularly reliable surroundings data can ultimately be provided. The information provided by the external lighting device 30 can contribute for example to at least partly autonomous parking, to recognition of objects 42 that are approaching or are already in the blind spot, to emergence from entries obstructing the view toward the left and right, or to fully automated parking and the associated recognition of free spaces. Moreover, the external lighting device 30 can register possible dazzling of oncoming vehicles and make the associated information available for setting the lighting unit 34, that is to say determine the corresponding low-beam signal and provide it for the control device 37 of the lighting unit 34.

[0057] Moreover, by laser distance measurement, the respective capturing elements 11 can determine the distance 44 between the motor vehicle 40 and the object 42 in the surroundings of the motor vehicle 40 and thus increase a measurement accuracy of sensors of the motor vehicle 40 during parking, for example. The laser distance measurement is effected by capturing and evaluating the light 100″ that was emitted by the light source 38 and reflected at the object 42.

[0058] For this purpose, the external lighting device 30 can either be equipped with a separate securing unit 32, to which the capturing element 11 is secured. As an alternative thereto, the design screen 31 itself can the capturing element 11. In this case, the capturing element 11, that is to say the planar carrier medium 12, can be relatively small and thus implement approximately punctiform measurement, but can also be embodied in planar fashion in order for example to enable large-angle recordings of the surroundings.

[0059] It is possible moreover to use a plurality of capturing elements 11 with a plurality of image capturing devices 35 in order to counteract possible loss of light or loss of recording quality. The image capturing devices 35 can each be installed behind the design screen 31, either behind the bodywork itself or in a concealed position within the external lighting device 30, and thus be concealed. It is possible moreover to emit light 100′ from the light source 38 into the surroundings directly or through the capturing element 11 in order thus to illuminate the surroundings or just, as described above, to measure the distance to the object 42, that is to say to determine the distance 44.

[0060] A description has been provided with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof and examples, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the claims which may include the phrase “at least one of A, B and C” as an alternative expression that means one or more of A, B and C may be used, contrary to the holding in Superguide v. DIRECTV, 358 F3d 870, 69 USPQ2d 1865 (Fed. Cir. 2004).