Assembly for a Vehicle, Lighting Unit, Vehicle, and Vehicle Comprising an Assembly

Abstract

An arrangement or a projection headlight with a modulator, in particular with a DMD, is disclosed. In this case, a projection lens of the arrangement not only images the image content of the modulator in the surrounding area, but also images the surrounding area on the modulator. The modulator can thus guide the imaging of the surrounding area to a camera and reflect light from a light source into the surrounding area.

Claims

1-12. (canceled)

13. An optical arrangement comprising: a light source that emits light; a light passage; a spatial modulator that controls the emitted light received from the light source, wherein the spatial modulator directs the emitted light from the light source through the light passage; a camera that captures an image from incident light entering the light passage and reflecting off the spatial modulator; and a controller that controls the spatial modulator, wherein the controller controls the spatial modulator to direct the emitted light through the light passage based on the image captured by the camera.

14. The optical arrangement of claim 13, wherein the controller uses an image processing algorithm to analyze the image captured by the camera, and wherein the controller controls the spatial modulator based on how the image is analyzed using the image processing algorithm.

15. The optical arrangement of claim 14, wherein the image processing algorithm is used to analyze image characteristics of the image captured by the camera, and wherein the image characteristics are selected from the group consisting of: edges in the image, structures in the image, and contrast in the image.

16. The optical arrangement of claim 15, wherein the controller controls the spatial modulator based on the image characteristics.

17. The optical arrangement of claim 13, wherein the controller controls the spatial modulator based on how edges in the image are analyzed and directs the emitted light through the light passage such that edges in a surrounding region captured by the camera are more brightly illuminated by the emitted light.

18. The optical arrangement of claim 13, wherein the controller controls the spatial modulator based on how contrast in the image is analyzed and directs the emitted light through the light passage onto a surrounding region captured by the camera such that contrast for an observer is increased.

19. The optical arrangement of claim 13, wherein the spatial modulator includes a plurality of mirrors, wherein each of the plurality of mirrors is tiltable in both in a first mirror position in which the emitted light is reflected out through the light passage and in a second mirror position in which incident light entering through the light passage is guided towards the camera.

20. The optical arrangement of claim 13, wherein the spatial modulator includes a plurality of mirrors, wherein each of the plurality of mirrors is independently tiltable, and wherein incident light entering through the light passage that is reflected by one of the plurality of mirrors towards the camera corresponds to a pixel of the image.

21. The optical arrangement of claim 13, further comprising: a lens, wherein the lens, the spatial modulator and an image sensor of the camera are arranged in a Scheimpflug configuration

22. The optical arrangement of claim 13, wherein the camera includes an image sensor with light-sensitive areas corresponding to pixels of the image, wherein the spatial modulator includes a plurality of mirrors, and wherein incident light entering through the light passage is guided by each of the plurality of mirrors towards a corresponding one of the light-sensitive areas.

23. The optical arrangement of claim 13, further comprising: a deflection mirror disposed between the light source and the spatial modulator, wherein emitted light from the light source is reflected by the deflection mirror onto the spatial modulator.

24. The optical arrangement of claim 13, further comprising: a deflection mirror disposed between the spatial modulator and the camera, wherein incident light from the light passage that is reflected by the spatial modulator is deflected by the deflection mirror towards the camera.

25. A method comprising: orienting each of a plurality of mirrors of a spatial modulator both in a first mirror position and in a second mirror position, wherein in the first mirror position emitted light from a light source is reflected by the plurality of mirrors out through a light passage, and wherein in the second mirror position incident light entering the light passage is reflected by the plurality of mirrors towards an image sensor of a camera; and capturing an image from the incident light that is reflected towards the image sensor of the camera, wherein the emitted light is directed out through the light passage based on the image captured by the camera.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising: analyzing the image captured by the camera using an image processing algorithm to detect edges in the image; and controlling each of the plurality of mirrors of the spatial modulator in the first mirror position such that edges in a surrounding region captured by the camera are more brightly illuminated.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising: analyzing the image captured by the camera using an image processing algorithm; and controlling each of the plurality of mirrors of the spatial modulator in the first mirror position based on how the image is analyzed using the image processing algorithm.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising: directing the emitted light through the light passage such that structures in a surrounding region captured by the camera are more brightly illuminated by the emitted light based on how structures in the image are analyzed using the image processing algorithm.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising: directing the emitted light through the light passage such that contrast perceived by an observer of a surrounding region captured by the camera is increased based on how contrast in the image is analyzed using the image processing algorithm.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein the image sensor of the camera includes light-sensitive areas corresponding to pixels of the image captured by the camera, further comprising: independently orienting each of the plurality of mirrors of the spatial modulator in the second mirror position such that the incident light entering through the light passage is reflected by each of the plurality of mirrors towards one of the light-sensitive areas that corresponds to a pixel of the image.

31. A lamp of a motor vehicle, comprising: a light source that emits light; a light passage; a spatial modulator that controls the emitted light received from the light source, wherein the spatial modulator directs the emitted light from the light source through the light passage onto a surrounding region of the motor vehicle; a camera that captures an image from incident light entering the light passage and reflecting off the spatial modulator, wherein the image depicts the surrounding region of the motor vehicle; and a controller that controls the spatial modulator, wherein the controller controls the spatial modulator to direct the emitted light through the light passage based on the image captured by the camera.

32. The lamp of claim 31, wherein the controller controls the spatial modulator based on edges detected in the image and directs the emitted light through the light passage such that edges in the surrounding region of the motor vehicle are more brightly illuminated by the emitted light.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0050] The accompanying drawings, where like numerals indicate like components, illustrate embodiments of the invention.

[0051] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of an arrangement for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0052] FIGS. 2a, 2b and 2c each schematically show a surroundings portion of the arrangement of FIG. 1.

[0053] FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c each schematically show a surroundings portion of the arrangement of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0054] Reference will now be made in detail to some embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

[0055] FIG. 1 shows an arrangement 1 for a vehicle lamp 2. The vehicle lamp 2 is shown schematically with a dash-dotted line. The vehicle lamp 2 in turn can be part of a vehicle 4, which for the sake of simplicity is marked with the same dash-dotted line. The arrangement 1 has a modulator 6, which is arranged on a circuit board 8. The modulator 6 is designed, for example, as a digital micromirror actuator, or DMD. On its modulator side 10 facing away from the circuit board 8, the modulator has a multiplicity of mirrors or micromirrors, each of which forms a light pixel and is tiltable between two mirror positions. The modulator 6 points with its modulator side 10 toward a light passage of the arrangement 1 with a lens 12.

[0056] Furthermore, the arrangement 1 has a light source 14. Light 16 is emittable via the latter toward a deflection mirror 18. The light 16 is directed to the modulator side 10 of the modulator 6 via said deflection mirror. The deflection mirror 18 and the light source 14 are arranged here in such a way that the light 16 radiates approximately radially or perpendicularly with respect to a main axis 20 of the lens 12 to the deflection mirror 18. Viewed in the direction of the main axis 20, the modulator 6 is arranged on the axis of the lens 12. Furthermore, viewed in the direction of the main axis 20, the light source 14 is arranged between the modulator 6 and the lens 12 radially outside of the main axis 20. In a first position of a respective mirror of the modulator 6, the respective light that is incident on its respective mirror is then reflected toward the lens 12 in order to be emitted into the surrounding area.

[0057] Furthermore, the arrangement 1 from FIG. 1 has a camera 22. The camera is designed, for example, as a CCD or CMOS camera with a multiplicity of sensor pixels. The sensor pixels can be implemented with or without a color filter. The camera has an image sensor 24. The latter is arranged, for example, in such a way that it extends approximately perpendicularly to the plane of the modulator side 10 of the modulator 6 and/or at a parallel distance from the main axis 20. It preferably faces the main axis 20. Light or a light image that enters the arrangement 1 via the lens 12 can be directed toward a deflection mirror 26 in a second position of the mirrors of the modulator 6. The light image can be guided further via said deflection mirror to the camera 22, in particular to the image sensor 24. So that the image sensor 24 can record the light entering via the lens 12 without parallax, the camera 12 has a pivotable or tiltable lens element or lens 28. The camera 22 can thus image the modulator side 10 of the modulator 6 via the lens 28 in a Scheimpflug configuration from an oblique axis. This means that in the second switch position of the mirrors of the modulator 6 or some of the mirrors of the modulator 6, the camera can then display the light image that is reflected via the modulator 6, without parallax. A simple assignment of the image pixels of the image sensor 24 and the light pixels of the modulator 6 is thus made possible.

[0058] Furthermore, the arrangement 1 can have a control means or be connected to a control means wirelessly or via a cable. The control means is designed as a control unit 30, for example. The control unit 30 can control the light source 14 and/or the camera 22 and/or the modulator 6, for example. Furthermore, the control means, in particular in the form of the control unit 30, or a further control means, which is provided in the arrangement 1 or is connected to the arrangement 1 via cable or wirelessly, can have an image processing algorithm 32.

[0059] The image processing algorithm can be used for pattern recognition in which, for example, one or more of the following methods can be used: grayscale value correlation, geometric or edge-based pattern recognition, and pattern recognition with feature trees. Alternatively or additionally, it would be conceivable to use an artificial intelligence (AI) method, for example for classification, or another method. If no AI method is used, the latency time of the image processing algorithm could possibly be reduced due to the lower computational complexity. In the arrangement 1, the object or image recognition of the image processing algorithm is preferably designed in such a way that specific image contents, such as edges, are ascertainable. The light from the light source 14 can then be formed via the modulator 6 in such a way that the visibility, for example for a vehicle driver, is improved on the basis of the ascertained image contents, such as the edges. Demands on object recognition of the arrangement 1 may be lower in comparison with object recognition in driver assistance systems, for example. Very reliable object recognition is essential for driver assistance systems. In contrast to driver assistance systems, improved full-area illumination is made available in the arrangement 1, for example to the vehicle driver, who continues to control the vehicle independently. The image processing algorithm can thus be configured in a comparatively simple manner and/or require comparatively little computing capacity, which leads to a low latency time. If, for example, a computer-implemented neural network is used as the AI method, the demands in terms of training data for training the network are comparatively low. The neural network can also be designed to be comparatively simple.

[0060] The use of the arrangement 1 from FIG. 1 will now be explained below with reference to FIGS. 2a to 2c. FIG. 2a shows the detail of a surrounding area of the vehicle 4, which is a front view of a vehicle driver and a front surrounding area of the vehicle. Here, a road 34 can be seen on which a person 36 is standing. A tree 38 is also shown. In addition, it is night and foggy. The light source 14 of the arrangement 1 from FIG. 1 emits light with the modulator 6 in the direction ahead of the vehicle, i.e., at least onto the road 34 and onto objects, such as the person 36, which are present in the fully illuminated region. For this purpose, the mirrors or at least some of the mirrors of the modulator 6 are in their first switch positions. In order to now improve visibility, a light image of part of the detail of the surrounding area shown in FIG. 2a is guided to the modulator 6 via the lens 12 of the arrangement 1 from FIG. 1. At least some of the mirrors or all of the mirrors are then briefly switched to their second switch positions via the control unit 30. The light image is then guided via the deflection mirror 26 and the lens 28 to the image sensor 24 and is thereby captured. The light image is then analyzed via the image processing algorithm 32 and a contrast is ascertained. An overlay image 40, which is shown in FIG. 2b, is then ascertained therefrom. The mirrors of the modulator 6 are now controlled by the control unit 30 in such a way that the light 16 from the light source 14 forms the overlay image 40 after the modulator 6. The overlay image is then projected into the surrounding area via the lens 12, preferably at least partially or completely into the region that is capturable by the camera. The result is then shown in FIG. 2c. It can be seen that part of the surroundings portion is irradiated with a modulated light distribution, i.e., with the overlay image 40 from FIG. 2b. A contrast is thus clearly enhanced and immediately perceptible to a vehicle driver.

[0061] The overlay image 40 is preferably generated by controlling the modulator 6 accordingly. The camera 22 preferably records the light images or images in the dark state, i.e., when the light source 14 is switched off. Advantageously, therefore, no synchronization or adaptation of overlay regions and specific regions of the light image is required.

[0062] FIGS. 3a and 3c show a further possibility of improving the visibility for a vehicle driver. FIG. 3a corresponds to FIG. 2a in this case. In contrast to FIGS. 2a to 2c, the light image is analyzed by the image processing algorithm 32 in such a way that edges are ascertainable. The control unit 30 from FIG. 1 thus ascertains an overlay image 42, see FIG. 3b, in which edge enhancement takes place. The overlay image 42 from FIG. 3b is then emitted from the arrangement 1 into the surrounding area by way of the modulator 6 being controlled accordingly via the control unit 30. FIG. 3c shows the overlay image 42 projected into the surrounding area together with the surrounding area. The edges of the surroundings portion in the region of the projected overlay image are clearly more visible to the vehicle driver.

[0063] A size of the overlay image in the embodiments can preferably be adjusted, in particular by the control unit. This is preferably accomplished by controlling the modulator accordingly. The size of the overlay image is adjusted, for example, in dependence on the object size(s) and/or the object position(s) of the object or of the objects that are to be illuminated more intensely.

[0064] It is conceivable that an overlay image in which both the contrast and the edges are enhanced is ascertained and/or formed. In addition, it is alternatively or additionally conceivable to create an overlay image in which alternatively or additionally at least one other property of the light image and/or alternatively or additionally at least one other image structure is/are ascertained and enhanced.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0065] Arrangement 1

[0066] Vehicle lamp 2

[0067] Vehicle 4

[0068] Modulator 6

[0069] Circuit board 8

[0070] Modulator side 10

[0071] Lens 12

[0072] Light source 14

[0073] Light 16

[0074] Deflection mirror 18

[0075] Main axis 20

[0076] Camera 22

[0077] Image sensor 24

[0078] Deflection mirror 26

[0079] Lens 28

[0080] Control unit 30

[0081] Image processing algorithm 32

[0082] Road 34

[0083] Person 36

[0084] Tree 38

[0085] Overlay image 40

[0086] Although the present invention has been described in connection with certain specific embodiments for instructional purposes, the present invention is not limited thereto. Accordingly, various modifications, adaptations, and combinations of various features of the described embodiments can be practiced without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.