METHOD FOR OPERATING AN AUTOMOTIVE LIGHTING DEVICE AND AUTOMOTIVE LIGHTING DEVICE

Abstract

This invention provides a method for operating an automotive lighting device including a plurality of solid-state light sources. This method includes acquiring image data of a working zone in front of the automotive lighting device, transforming the image data into a luminance map, providing a desired light pattern, calculating an adapted light pattern which provides the desired light pattern when projected over the luminance map and projecting the adapted light pattern.

Claims

1. A method for operating an automotive lighting device with a matrix arrangement of light pixels, the method comprising: acquiring image data of a working zone in front of the automotive lighting device; transforming the image data into a luminance map; providing a desired light pattern; calculating an adapted light pattern which provides the desired light pattern when projected over the luminance map; and projecting the adapted light pattern.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method is performed more than about twice per second.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transforming the image data into a luminance map is carried out by a control unit which is configured to transform the image data into a luminance map by: training the control unit to provide a luminance map with a training dataset of image data; and testing the control unit comparing the luminance map provided by the control unit with measured luminance map.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the training the control unit includes the use of a machine learning algorithm.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the calculating the adapted light pattern is carried out by a control unit which is configured to calculate the adapted light pattern by: training the control unit to calculate an adapted light pattern in response to a training dataset of luminance map and desired light pattern; and testing the control unit comparing the calculated adapted light pattern with measured light pattern.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the training the control unit includes the use of a machine learning algorithm.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the luminance map isolates the position of the road from the position of other objects in the working zone.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image data comprises RGB pixels.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image data is acquired by an infrared camera.

10. (canceled)

11. A computer program including instructions which, when the program is executed by a control unit, cause the control unit to: acquire image data of a working zone from the camera; transform the image data into a luminance map; provide a desired light pattern; calculate an adapted light pattern which provides the desired light pattern when projected over the luminance map; and project the adapted light pattern with the matrix arrangement of solid-state light sources.

12. An automotive lighting system comprising: a matrix arrangement of solid-state light sources; a camera configured to acquire image data; and a control 9unit configured to: acquire image data of a working zone from the camera; transform the image data into a luminance map; provide a desired light pattern; calculate an adapted light pattern which provides the desired light pattern when projected over the luminance map; and project the adapted light pattern with the matrix arrangement of solid-state light sources.

13. The automotive lighting system according to claim 12, wherein the matrix arrangement comprises at least 2000 solid-state light sources.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0042] To complete the description and in order to provide for a better understanding of the invention, a set of drawings is provided. Said drawings form an integral part of the description and illustrate an embodiment of the invention, which should not be interpreted as restricting the scope of the invention, but just as an example of how the invention can be carried out. The drawings comprise the following figures:

[0043] FIG. 1 shows a general perspective view of an automotive lighting device according to the invention.

[0044] FIG. 2 shows an example of a blocks diagram of the operation of this lighting device.

[0045] FIG. 3 shows an example of an image acquired by the camera in a method according to the invention.

[0046] FIG. 4 shows a first image of an example of a method according to the invention.

[0047] FIG. 5 shows a vehicle of the invention which has adapted the light pattern due to a method according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0048] In In these figures, the following reference numbers have been used: [0049] 1 Headlamp [0050] 2 LED [0051] 3 Control unit [0052] 4 Camera [0053] 5 Adapted light pattern [0054] 100 Automotive vehicle

[0055] The example embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those of ordinary skill in the art to embody and implement the systems and processes herein described. It is important to understand that embodiments can be provided in many alternate forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein.

[0056] Accordingly, while embodiment can be modified in various ways and take on various alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown in the drawings and described in detail below as examples. There is no intent to limit to the particular forms disclosed. On the contrary, all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the appended claims should be included.

[0057] FIG. 1 shows a general perspective view of an automotive lighting device according to the invention.

[0058] This headlamp 1 is installed in an automotive vehicle 100 and comprises [0059] a matrix arrangement of LEDs 2, intended to provide a light pattern; [0060] a control unit 3 to perform a control of the operation of the LEDs 2; and [0061] a camera 4 intended to provide some external data.

[0062] This matrix configuration is a high-resolution module, having a resolution greater than 2000 pixels. However, no restriction is attached to the technology used for producing the projection modules.

[0063] The control unit, previously to its installation in the automotive headlamp, has undergone two training processes.

[0064] Both training processes comprise some machine learning steps, where the control unit is trained with training data provided by the plurality of sensors.

[0065] The first training process is concerning the transformation of the image data into a luminance map. This first training process comprises [0066] training the control unit to provide a luminance map with a training dataset of image data; and [0067] testing the control unit comparing the luminance map provided by the control unit with measured luminance map.

[0068] Different image data are provided, and the correspondent luminance map is created, due to the aforementioned algorithm.

[0069] The second training process is concerning the calculation of the adapted light pattern. This second training process comprises [0070] training the control unit to calculate an adapted light pattern in response to a training dataset of luminance map and desired light pattern; and [0071] testing the control unit comparing the calculated adapted light pattern with measured light pattern.

[0072] In this case, different luminance maps are provided, together with different desired light patterns. The control unit is trained to create the optimal light pattern which, in the particular light circumstances, achieves a final desired light pattern.

[0073] Once both training processes are finished, the control unit is installed in an automotive vehicle 100 of FIG. 1, to perform the luminous control of the headlamp 1.

[0074] FIG. 2 shows an example of a blocks diagram of the operation 200 of this lighting device: a preliminary light pattern is provided 210 by the lighting device, according to the lighting functionality selected by the vehicle user. If no more light was present in the vehicle (in the event of a perfectly dark scenario), the adapted light pattern would coincide with this preliminary pattern. The invention aims to find which adapted light pattern, in combination with the existing luminous map, provides a desired light pattern, which corresponds to the map that would be created by the preliminary light pattern in the event of a perfectly dark scenario.

[0075] Each 0.2 seconds, the control unit of the lighting device receives an RGB image data which has been acquired by the camera 220. From this image, objects are classified, extracting the road feature 230 and the rest of the objects present in the image. Then, these data is converted into a luminance map 240 by the control unit. The control unit compares the luminance map with the desired light pattern 250 and then creates an adapted light pattern which 260, in combination with the luminance map estimated in the previous steps, provides the user with the desired light pattern.

[0076] The headlamp will project the adapted light pattern, which provides an adequate lighting at the minimum power consumption.

[0077] This process is repeated each 0.2 seconds.

[0078] FIG. 3 shows an example of an image acquired by the camera. This image is used to create a luminance map where some details are particularly relevant. First detail is the luminous intensity of the lights of the preceding vehicle, which affect to the visual comfort of the driver. Second detail is the flash on the road, due to the reflection of the light emitted by the lampposts on the wet pavement. These details are considered by the control unit when creating the adapted light pattern that will be projected by the lighting device.

[0079] FIG. 4 shows a first image of an example of a method according to the invention. This is a first descriptive image of the luminance map obtained by the control unit. In this luminance map, the light projected by a vehicle and by a lamppost are shown in this figure. The automotive vehicle 100 of the invention projects a preliminary light pattern, but this preliminary light pattern collides with the light patterns provided by the other objects.

[0080] FIG. 5 shows the vehicle 100 of the invention which has adapted the light pattern 5 due to a method according to the invention, to achieve the desired light pattern in view of the luminance map calculated in FIG. 4.