# US 2019/0168664 A1 · Vehicle lighting system, vehicle system, and vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0168664 A1 - Document ID: US20190168664A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/321,751 - Filed: 2017-07-14 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-29 - Assignees: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Naoki Tatara; Toshihiro Okamura; Takeshi Masuda - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190168664A1 ## CPC - B60Q 1/2607: {comprising at least two indicating lamps} - B60Q 1/0408: {built into the vehicle body, e.g. details concerning the mounting of the headlamps on the vehicle body (B60Q1/0491, B60Q1/05 take precedence, integrated front ends B62D25/00)} - B60Q 1/38: using immovably-mounted light sources, e.g. fixed flashing lamps - B60Q 1/445: {controlled by inertial devices} - B60Q 1/503: {using luminous text or symbol displays in or on the vehicle, e.g. static text} - 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 5/005: {automatically actuated} - B60Q 5/006: {indicating risk of collision between vehicles or with pedestrians} - B60Q 9/008: {for anti-collision purposes} - G08G 1/005: including pedestrian guidance indicator - B60Q 9/00: Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 {, e.g. haptic signalling} - B60Q 2300/45: Special conditions, e.g. pedestrians, road signs or potential dangers - B60Q 2400/20: Multi-color single source or LED matrix, e.g. yellow blinker and red brake lamp generated by single lamp - B60Q 2400/30: Daytime running lights [DRL], e.g. circuits or arrangements therefor - B60Q 2900/40: Several lamps activated in sequence, e.g. sweep effect, progressive activation - B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL - G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93}) ## Abstract A vehicle illumination system for a vehicle capable of traveling in an automatic driving mode includes a left-side communication support lamp and a right-side communication support lamp configured to lit light toward an outside of the vehicle and arranged to be visually recognized from the front of the vehicle, and an illumination controller configured to, when the vehicle detects a target object, change an illumination state of at least one of the left-side communication support lamp and the right-side communication support lamp. Each of the left-side communication support lamp and the right-side communication support lamp includes a plurality of light-emitting segments arranged side by side in a right and left direction of the vehicle. The illumination controller is configured to change an illumination state of each of the plurality of light-emitting segments. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle illumination system provided to a vehicle capable of traveling in an automatic driving mode, the vehicle illumination system comprising: a left-side communication support lamp and a right-side communication support lamp configured to emit light toward an outside of the vehicle and arranged to be visually recognized from the front of the vehicle; and an illumination controller configured to, when the vehicle detects a target object, change an illumination state of at least one of the left-side communication support lamp and the right-side communication support lamp, wherein each of the left-side communication support lamp and the right-side communication support lamp includes a plurality of light-emitting segments arranged side by side in a right and left direction of the vehicle, and wherein the illumination controller is configured to change an illumination state of each of the plurality of light-emitting segments. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle illumination system according to claim 1, wherein the illumination controller is configured to change the illumination state of at least one of the left-side communication support lamp and the right-side communication support lamp, in correspondence to a relative positional relation between the vehicle and the target object. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vehicle illumination system according to claim 2, wherein the illumination controller is configured to sequentially change a light-emitting segment, which is to be turned on or turned off, of the plurality of light-emitting segments of at least one of the left-side communication support lamp and the right-side communication support lamp, in correspondence to the relative positional relation between the vehicle and the target object. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle illumination system according to claim 1, wherein when the vehicle stops after detecting the target object, the illumination controller is configured to change the illumination states of at least one of the left-side communication support lamp and the right-side communication support lamp. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The vehicle illumination system according to claim 4, wherein when the vehicle stops after detecting the target object, the illumination controller is configured to sequentially change a light-emitting segment, which is to be turned on or turned off, of at least one of the plurality of light-emitting segments of the left-side communication support lamp and the right-side communication support lamp, along a movement direction of the target object. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vehicle illumination system according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of light-emitting segments includes: a first light-emitting element configured to emit light of a first color; a second light-emitting element configured to emit light of a second color; and a third light-emitting element configured to emit light of a third color, wherein the first color, the second color and the third color are different, and wherein the illumination controller is configured to individually control lightings of the first light-emitting element, the second light-emitting element and the third light-emitting element. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The vehicle illumination system according to claim 6, wherein the first light-emitting element is configured to emit red light, wherein the second light-emitting element is configured to emit green light, and wherein the third light-emitting element is configured to emit blue light. ### Claim 8 A vehicle illumination system provided to a vehicle capable of traveling in an automatic driving mode, the vehicle illumination system comprising: a communication support lamp configured to emit light toward an outside of the vehicle and arranged to be visually recognized from the front of the vehicle; and an illumination controller configured to, when the vehicle detects a target object, change an illumination state of the communication support lamp, wherein the communication support lamp includes a plurality of light-emitting segments arranged side by side in a predetermined direction, wherein each of the plurality of light-emitting segments includes a plurality of light-emitting elements configured to emit lights, wherein light-emitting colors of the plurality of light-emitting elements are different, wherein the illumination controller is configured to individually control lightings of the plurality of light-emitting elements, thereby changing an illumination state of each of the plurality of light-emitting segments, and wherein the illumination controller is configured to control the illumination state of the communication support lamp so that the illumination system is to function as a daytime running lamp, a turn signal lamp or a clearance lamp. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The vehicle illumination system according to claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of light-emitting segments include: a white light-emitting element configured to emit white light; a red light-emitting element configured to emit red light; a green light-emitting element configured to emit green light; and a blue light-emitting element configured to emit blue light, and wherein the illumination controller is configured to control the illumination state of the communication support lamp so that the illumination system is to function as a daytime running lamp. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The vehicle illumination system according to claim 9, wherein a luminescence intensity of the white light that is to be emitted from the white light-emitting element is greater than a luminescence intensity of white light that is to be obtained by mixing the red light to be emitted from the red light-emitting element, the green light to be emitted from the green light-emitting element and the blue light to be emitted from the blue light-emitting element. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The vehicle illumination system according to claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of light-emitting segments includes: an umber light-emitting element configured to emit umber light; a green light-emitting element configured to emit green light; and a blue light-emitting element configured to emit blue light, and wherein the illumination controller is configured to control the illumination state of the communication support lamp so that the illumination system is to function as a turn signal lamp. ### Claim 12 A vehicle illumination system provided to a vehicle capable of traveling in an automatic driving mode, the vehicle illumination system comprising: a headlamp mounted to a front surface of the vehicle; a communication support lamp configured to emit light toward an outside of the vehicle; and an illumination controller configured to, when the vehicle detects a target object, change an illumination state of the communication support lamp, wherein the headlamp includes: a housing; a cover mounted to the housing; and at least one lamp configured to emit light toward the outside of the vehicle and arranged in a lamp chamber formed by the housing and the cover, wherein the communication support lamp is arranged in the lamp chamber and includes a plurality of light-emitting segments arranged side by side in a predetermined direction of the vehicle, and wherein the illumination controller is configured to change an illumination state of each of the plurality of light-emitting segments. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The vehicle illumination system according to claim 12, wherein the at least one lamp includes: a low beam lamp configured to emit a low beam toward a front of the vehicle; and a high beam lamp configured to emit a high beam toward a front of the vehicle. ### Claim 14 (canceled) ### Claim 15 (canceled) ### Claim 16 (canceled) ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The vehicle illumination system according to claim 12, wherein the illumination controller is configured to control the illumination state of the communication support lamp so that the communication support lamp is to function as a daytime running lamp. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The vehicle illumination system according to claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of light-emitting segments include: a first light-emitting element configured to emit light of a first color; a second light-emitting element configured to emit light of a second color; and a third light-emitting element configured to emit light of a third color, wherein the first color, the second color and the third color are different, and wherein the illumination controller is configured to individually control lightings of the first light-emitting element, the second light-emitting element and the third light-emitting element, thereby changing the illumination state of each of the plurality of light-emitting segments. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The vehicle illumination system according to claim 18, wherein the first light-emitting element is configured to emit red light, wherein the second light-emitting element is configured to emit green light, and wherein the third light-emitting element is configured to emit blue light. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) A vehicle system comprising: a detector configured to detect a target object and the like; a position information acquisition unit configured to acquire position information of the target object; and the vehicle illumination system according to claim 1. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) A vehicle capable of driving in an automatic driving mode and comprising the vehicle system according to claim 20. ### Claim at position 22 -30. (canceled)