# US 12,759,462 B2 · Vehicle with road surface rendering function > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,759,462 B2 - Document ID: US12759462B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/430,503 - Filed: 2024-02-01 - Published: 2024-08-15 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2023-02-14 - Assignees: Subaru Corporation - Applicants: Subaru Corporation - Inventors: Kentarou Yamasaki; Makoto Kinoshita - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12759462B2 ## CPC - B60R 1/24: in front of the vehicle - B60Q 1/50: for indicating other intentions or conditions, e.g. request for waiting or overtaking - G06T 7/521: from laser ranging, e.g. using interferometry; from the projection of structured light - H04N 23/56: provided with illuminating means - B60R 2300/30: characterised by the type of image processing - G06T 2207/30252: Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A vehicle with a road surface rendering function includes a projection member, a controller, and a detection device. The projection member is configured to perform light projection for road surface rendering at least toward a road surface ahead of the vehicle. The controller is configured to control the light projection. The detection device is configured to perform detection of the road surface where the projection member projects the light for the road surface rendering. The controller is configured to determine, based on the detection, whether a first road surface area in the road surface for the road surface rendering rises relative to a second road surface area where the vehicle is traveling. The controller is configured to suppress the light projection for the road surface rendering by the projection member based on determining that the first road surface area rises relative to the second road surface area. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle with a road surface rendering function, the vehicle comprising: a projection member configured to project a projection pattern that is one of predefined images onto a road surface ahead of the vehicle, the projection member being distinct from and independently controllable relative to low-beam and high-beam light sources; a detection device comprising an external camera fixed to the vehicle and configured to capture images of a forward road surface that includes the projection pattern; and a controller configured to: determine, based on the captured images, whether a first road surface area ahead of the vehicle rises relative to a second road surface area on which the vehicle is currently traveling, the determining including detecting, in successive captured images, that a position of the projection pattern itself shifts toward a lower portion of a field of view by at least a threshold; stop projecting the projection pattern by the projection member, based only on determining that the first road surface area rises relative to the second road surface area; and resume, without requiring driver input and upon determining that the vehicle has passed through the first road surface area determined as rising, projection of the projection pattern onto the road surface ahead of the vehicle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle with the road surface rendering function according to claim 1, wherein the detection device further comprises a wave scanning member configured to detect shapes of the first road surface area by outputting a wave toward the road surface. ### Claim 3 A vehicle with a road surface rendering function, the vehicle comprising: a projection member configured to project a projection pattern that is one of predefined images onto a road surface ahead of the vehicle, the projection member being distinct from and independently controllable relative to low-beam and high-beam light sources; a detection device comprising an external camera fixed to the vehicle and configured to capture images of a forward road surface that includes the projection pattern; and circuitry configured to: determine, based on the captured images, whether a first road surface area ahead of the vehicle rises relative to a second road surface area on which the vehicle is currently traveling, the determining including detecting, in successive captured images, that a position of the projection pattern itself shifts toward a lower portion of a field of view by at least a threshold; stop projecting the projection pattern by the projection member, based only on determining that the first road surface area rises relative to the second road surface area; and resume, without requiring driver input and upon determining that the vehicle has passed through the first road surface area determined as rising, projection of the projection pattern onto the road surface ahead of the vehicle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle with the road surface rendering function according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine that the first road surface area rises relative to the second road surface area based on determining that a capturing position of an upper end of the detection image corresponding to the projection pattern descends, between successive captured images, by a predetermined threshold number of pixels. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vehicle with the road surface rendering function according to claim 1, wherein, after the controller has determined that the first road surface area rises relative to the second road surface area and has stopped projecting the projection pattern, the controller keeps the projection stopped until the vehicle passes through the first road surface area determined as rising, and resumes projecting the projection pattern after the vehicle has passed through the first road surface area, wherein determining that the vehicle has passed through the first road surface area is based on either (i) a captured image from the external camera indicating passage or (ii) expiration of a period measured by a timer calculated from a current vehicle speed and a separation distance, the separation distance being a preset distance from the vehicle to a nominal rendering location of the projection pattern on the road surface ahead of the vehicle.