# US 2019/0168586 A1 · Adaptive light passage region control

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- Number: US 2019/0168586 A1
- Document ID: US20190168586A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/830,517
- Filed: 2017-12-04
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2017-12-04
- Assignees: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
- Applicants: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
- Inventors: Stephanie Paepcke
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190168586A1

## CPC

- B60J 3/04: adjustable in transparency
- B60K 35/10: Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
- B60K 35/235: with means for detecting the driver's gaze direction or eye points
- B60K 35/40: Instruments specially adapted for improving the visibility thereof to the user, e.g. fogging prevention or anti-reflection arrangements
- B60K 35/415: {Glare prevention}
- B60K 35/60: Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles (arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10)
- B60N 2/0027: {for detecting the position of the occupant or of occupant's body part}
- G06F 3/013: {Eye tracking input arrangements (G06F3/015 takes precedence)}
- G09G 3/3208: organic, e.g. using organic light-emitting diodes [OLED]
- G09G 3/3406: {Control of illumination source (illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336)}
- B60K 35/22: Display screens
- B60K 2360/149: Instrument input by detecting viewing direction not otherwise provided for
- B60K 2360/785: on or in relation to the windshield or windows
- B60N 2/0022: {for sensing anthropometric parameters, e.g. heart rate or body temperature}
- B60N 2210/18: Infrared
- B60N 2210/24: Cameras
- G09G 2320/06: Adjustment of display parameters
- G09G 2320/0626: for control of overall brightness
- G09G 2360/144: the light being ambient light
- G09G 2380/10: Automotive applications
- B60J: WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES (fastening, suspending, closing, or opening of such devices E05)
- 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
- B60N: SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G09G: ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION (arrangements for transferring data between digital computers and displays G06F3/14; static indicating arrangements comprising an association of a number of separate sources or light control cells G09F9/00; static indicating arrangements comprising integral associations of a number of light sources H01J, H01K, H10H, H05B33/12; scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission, details thereof H04N1/00)

## Abstract

A device and method of adapting light passage for a vehicle window are disclosed. The device and method operate to include sensing a light source external to the vehicle window, the light source operable to affect viewing the external environment. A portion of an adaptive light passage region of the vehicle window is defined relative to a gaze direction of a vehicle occupant, and an opacity level of the portion of the adaptive light passage region is adapted to normalize the intensity of the light source relative to the light magnitude sample data. The light source may be tracked for sustaining the opacity level of the portion of the adaptive light passage region with the gaze direction of the vehicle occupant while the light source exceeds the intensity threshold.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of adapting light passage for a vehicle window, the method comprising:
sensing a light source external to the vehicle window;
capturing video of a forward perspective of the vehicle window;
determining an intensity of the light source;
comparing the intensity with an intensity threshold;
when the intensity of the light source exceeds the intensity threshold:
defining a portion of an adaptive light passage region of the vehicle window relative to a gaze direction of a vehicle occupant for producing an area parameter of a plurality of window opacity parameters;
determining a portion of the video aligned with the gaze direction of the vehicle occupant; and
displaying the portion of the video aligned with the gaze direction of the vehicle occupant in the portion of the adaptive light passage region of the vehicle window when the light source exceeds the intensity threshold while one or more other portions of the adaptive light passage region of the vehicle window remain transparent, wherein the portion of the adaptive light passage region is transparent when the light source does not exceed the intensity threshold.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the intensity threshold comprises:
a flashing light intensity.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the light source comprises at least one of:
a light source by an oncoming vehicle;
a light source by an emergency vehicle; and
an environmental light source.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the sensing the light source external to the vehicle window comprises:
sensing a biometric reaction by the vehicle occupant responsive to a light source.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the direction of a vehicle occupant gaze is based on at least one of:
a vehicle seat sensor device to indicate the position of the occupant relative to the vehicle window.

### Claim 6

(canceled)

### Claim 7

(canceled)

### Claim 8

A method of adapting light passage for a vehicle window, the method comprising:
sensing a light source external to the vehicle window, the light source operable to affect viewing the external environment;
capturing video of a forward perspective of the vehicle window;
defining a portion of an adaptive light passage region of the vehicle window relative to a gaze direction of a vehicle occupant;
determining a portion of the video aligned with the gaze direction of the vehicle occupant; and
displaying the portion of the video aligned with the gaze direction of the vehicle occupant in the portion of the adaptive light passage region of the vehicle window when the light source exceeds an intensity threshold while one or more other portions of the adaptive light passage region of the vehicle window remain transparent, wherein the portion of the adaptive light passage region is transparent when the light source does not exceed the intensity threshold.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8 wherein the light source comprises at least one of:
a light source by an oncoming vehicle;
a light source by an emergency vehicle; and
an environmental light source.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the sensing the light source external to the vehicle window comprises:
sensing a biometric reaction by the vehicle occupant responsive to a light source.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8 wherein the direction of a vehicle occupant gaze is based on:
a vehicle seat sensor device to indicate the position of the occupant relative to the vehicle window.

### Claim 12

(canceled)

### Claim 13

(canceled)

### Claim 14

A vehicle control unit comprising:
a communication interface to service communication with a vehicle network;
a processor communicably coupled to the communication interface; and
memory communicably coupled to the processor and storing:
a light source detection module including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
sense a light source external to a vehicle window;
capture video of a forward perspective of the vehicle window;
determine an intensity of the light source; and
compare the intensity with an intensity threshold; and
a window opacity module including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to, when the intensity of the light source exceeds the intensity threshold:
define a portion of an adaptive light passage region of the vehicle window relative to a gaze direction of a vehicle occupant for producing an area parameter of a plurality of window opacity parameters;
determine a portion of the video aligned with the gaze direction of the vehicle occupant; and
display the portion of the video aligned with the gaze direction of the vehicle occupant in the portion of the adaptive light passage region of the vehicle window when the light source exceeds the intensity threshold while one or more other portions of the adaptive light passage region of the vehicle window remain transparent, wherein the portion of the adaptive light passage region is transparent when the light source does not exceed the intensity threshold.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The vehicle control unit of claim 14, wherein the intensity threshold comprises:
a flashing light intensity.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The vehicle control unit of claim 14 wherein the light source comprises at least one of:
a light source by an oncoming vehicle;
a light source by an emergency vehicle; and
an environmental light source.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The vehicle control unit of claim 14 wherein the sensing the light source external to the vehicle window comprises:
sensing a biometric reaction by the vehicle occupant responsive to the light source.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The vehicle control unit of claim 14 wherein the direction of a vehicle occupant gaze is based on:
a vehicle seat sensor device to indicate the position of the occupant relative to the vehicle window.

### Claim 19

(canceled)

### Claim 20

(canceled)