Projection of a pre-definable light pattern
AssigneeAudi AG
InventorsJose Roberto Vargas Rivero, Carsten Gut, Johannes Reim
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention is directed to methods and devices to improve light patterns used to inform or assist an observer or a driver. The invention is related to an illuminating device and to a method for projecting a pre-definable light pattern using the illuminating device of the vehicle into an area surrounding the vehicle. According to the invention, a projection surface is determined in the area surrounding the vehicle, a position of a predefined observer has been determined or provided, and a light unit of the illuminating device is controlled pixel-wise according to the determined projection surface and the determined position of the predefined observer in order to produce the pre-definable light pattern.
Claims16
A method for projecting a pre-definable light pattern using an illuminating device of a vehicle in an area surrounding the vehicle, the method comprising:
- determining a projection surface in the area surrounding the vehicle for a perspective of a predefined observer;
- determining or providing a position of the predefined observer for the perspective;
- and
- pixel-wise controlling of a light unit of the illuminating device based on the determined projection surface and the determined position of the predefined observer for generating the pre-definable light pattern, wherein:
- the projection surface is determined based on a change of a position of the vehicle or an object in an area surrounding the vehicle, or
- the position of the predefined observer is determined or provided based on a trajectory of the predefined observer.
An illuminating device for a vehicle, the illuminating device comprising:
- a light unit;
- a processing unit configured to determine a projection surface in an area surrounding the vehicle for a perspective of a predefined observer and to determine or provide a position of the predefined observer for the perspective;
- and
- a control device configured to pixel-wise control the light unit based on the determined projection surface and the determined position of the predefined observer to generate the pre-definable light pattern,
- wherein the processing unit is configured to:
- determine the projection surface based on a change of a position of the vehicle or an object in the area surrounding the vehicle, or
- determine or provide the position of the predefined observer based on a head position or a trajectory of the predefined observer.
A vehicle comprising:
- an illuminating device, the illuminating device comprising:
- a light unit;
- a processing unit configured to determine a projection surface in an area surrounding the vehicle for a perspective of a predefined observer and to determine or provide a position of the predefined observer for the perspective;
- and
- a control device configured to pixel-wise control the light unit based on the determined projection surface and the determined position of the predefined observer to generate the pre-definable light pattern,
- wherein the processing unit is configured to:
- determine the projection surface based on a change of a position of the vehicle or an object in the area surrounding the vehicle, or
- determine or provide the position of the predefined observer based on a head position or a trajectory of the predefined observer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.