# US 10,479,269 B2 · Lighting apparatus for vehicle and vehicle having the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,479,269 B2 - Document ID: US10479269B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/114,860 - Filed: 2018-08-28 - Published: 2018-12-20 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2016-05-16 - Assignees: LG Electronics Inc. - Applicants: LG Electronics Inc. - Inventors: Ana Kim; Geunhyeong Kim - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10479269B2 ## CPC - B60Q 1/085: {due to special conditions, e.g. adverse weather, type of road, badly illuminated road signs or potential dangers (B60Q1/10, B60Q1/12, B60Q1/1423 take precedence)} - B60Q 1/2607: {comprising at least two indicating lamps} - B60Q 1/507: {specific to autonomous vehicles} - B60Q 1/543: {for indicating other states or conditions of the vehicle (indicating taxis' state of hire or fare G07B13/045)} - B60Q 1/545: {for indicating other traffic conditions, e.g. fog, heavy traffic} - G03B 21/008: {using micromirror devices} - G03B 21/147: {Optical correction of image distortions, e.g. keystone} - G03B 21/2013: {Plural light sources} - G03B 21/2053: {Intensity control of illuminating light (controlled by video signal processing H04N5/74 or H04N9/31)} - G03B 21/206: {Control of light source other than position or intensity} - G03B 21/2066: {Reflectors in illumination beam (in projection beam G03B21/28)} - H04N 9/3138: {using arrays of modulated light sources (electroluminescent display devices G09G3/30)} - H04N 9/3179: {Video signal processing therefor} - H04N 9/3182: {Colour adjustment, e.g. white balance, shading or gamut (white balance per se H04N9/73; control of amplitude of colour signals H04N9/68; colour control circuits for displays in general G09G5/02, G09G3/2003, G09G3/3607)} - H04N 9/3185: {Geometric adjustment, e.g. keystone or convergence (optical or mechanical adjustment of convergence H04N9/317; using scanning means H04N3/22; optical or mechanical adjustments of projectors not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14)} - H04N 9/3188: {Scale or resolution adjustment (scaling in general G06T3/40; resolution modifying circuits for displays in general G09G5/391)} - H04N 9/3194: {including sensor feedback} - B60K 2360/334: Projection means - B60Q 2300/112: Vehicle speed - B60Q 2300/314: Ambient light - B60Q 2300/322: Road curvature - B60Q 2300/335: Number or size of road lanes - B60Q 2300/41: preceding vehicle - B60Q 2300/43: following vehicle - B60Q 2300/45: Special conditions, e.g. pedestrians, road signs or potential dangers - B60Q 2300/47: Direct command from other road users, i.e. the command for switching or changing the beam is sent by other vehicles or road devices - B60Q 2400/50: Projected symbol or information, e.g. onto the road or car body - F21Y 2115/10: Light-emitting diodes [LED] - B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL - G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - F21Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO THE FORM OR THE KIND OF THE LIGHT SOURCES OR OF THE COLOUR OF THE LIGHT EMITTED ## Abstract A lighting apparatus for a vehicle may include a light output unit; an interface unit; and at least one processor. The at least one processor may be configured to control the light output unit to generate light that illuminates an exterior of the vehicle. The at least one processor may also be configured to receive first information via the interface unit; and control the light output unit to display, via the light that illuminates the exterior of the vehicle, a visual image corresponding to the received first information. The at least one processor may further be configured to receive second information via the interface unit; and control the light output unit based on the received second information to change the visual image displayed by the light that illuminates the exterior of the vehicle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A lighting apparatus for a vehicle, the lighting apparatus comprising: a power supply unit configured to receive electrical energy from a power source in the vehicle; a light output unit configured to generate light based on the electrical energy, and to output the light to an outside of the vehicle; an interface unit configured to exchange signals with at least one electronic device included in the vehicle; and at least one processor electrically connectable to the power supply unit, the light output unit, and the interface unit, and configured to control the light output unit to illuminate a first region of a road surface and to display a visual image on a second region of the road surface, wherein the second region is positioned inside the first region, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: receive a signal related to the visual image from the at least one electronic device in the vehicle; and control the electrical energy supplied to the light output unit to output a first light pattern for illuminating the first region of the road surface, and to output a second light pattern for displaying the visual image on the second region of the road surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to control the light output unit to output a first brightness of light for illuminating a portion of the first region of the road surface that is adjacent to the second region, and to output a second brightness of light for displaying the visual image on the second region of the road surface, wherein the second brightness of light is greater than the first brightness of light. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to control the light output unit to display the visual image on the second region of the road surface by outputting light for displaying the visual image within a lane of the road in which the vehicle is travelling. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: control the light output unit to illuminate the first region of the road surface based on a first signal received from the at least one electronic device of the vehicle; and control the light output unit to display the visual image on the second region of the road surface based on a second signal received from the at least one electronic device of the vehicle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The lighting apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to control the light output unit to display the visual image on the second region of the road surface based on a third signal received from the at least one electronic device of the vehicle to change at least one of a shape, a color, a size, a location, or a brightness of the visual image based on the third signal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The lighting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the second signal corresponds to at least one of travel speed information, detected object information, navigation information, turn signal information, or on-board diagnostics (OBD) information, and wherein the third signal corresponds to at least one of road information, external light information, or information about another vehicle located around the vehicle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The lighting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the third signal corresponds to external light emission information indicating a third region of the road surface on which external light is emitted, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to control the light output unit to display the visual image outside of the third region of the road surface onto which the external light is emitted. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The lighting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the second signal corresponds to route information, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to control the light output unit to display the visual image on the second region of the road surface by displaying a turn-by-turn (TBT) image and by changing a shape of the TBT image based on the route information. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light output unit further comprises a plurality of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to control at least one current supplied to the plurality of LEDs to output the first light pattern for illuminating the first region of the road surface, and to output the second light pattern for displaying the visual image on the second region of the road surface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The lighting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a beam pattern unit configured to change a pattern of light generated by the light output unit, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to control the beam pattern unit to output a first intensity of light for illuminating the first region of the road surface, and to output a second intensity of light for displaying the visual image on the second region of the road surface. ### Claim 11 An operating method of a lighting apparatus for a vehicle, the method comprising: receiving, by a power supply unit, electrical energy from a power source in the vehicle; controlling, by at least one processor, a light output unit based on the electrical energy to illuminate a first region of a road surface; receiving, by the at least one processor and through an interface unit, a signal related to a visual image from at least one electronic device included in the vehicle; and controlling, by the at least one processor, the light output unit to display the visual image on a second region of the road surface, wherein the second region is positioned inside the first region, wherein controlling the light output unit to illuminate the first region of the road surface comprises: controlling the electrical energy supplied to the light output unit to output a first light pattern for illuminating the first region of the road surface, and wherein controlling the light output unit to display the visual image on the second region of the road surface comprises: controlling the electrical energy supplied to the light output unit to output a second light pattern for displaying the visual image on the second region of the road surface. ### Claim 12 An electronic device included in a vehicle and comprising at least one processor configured to: generate a first signal for controlling a light output unit of the vehicle to illuminate a first region of a road surface; receive data from at least one electronic device included in a vehicle; generate first information based on at least part of the data that was received from the at least one electronic device; generate a second signal for controlling the light output unit to display, on a second region of the road surface, a visual image corresponding to the first information; generate second information based on at least part of the data that was received from the at least one electronic device; and based on the second information, generate a third signal for controlling the light output unit to change the visual image displayed on the second region of the road surface.