Adaptive forward lighting system for vehicle

An adaptive forward lighting system for a vehicle, said adaptive forward lighting system comprising:

• an imaging sensor, said imaging sensor comprising a two-dimensional array of light sensing photosensor elements, said imaging sensor monitoring a scene forward of the direction of travel of the controlled vehicle;
• wherein said imaging sensor comprises a CMOS imaging sensor and wherein the forward field of view of said imaging sensor encompasses a portion of the vehicle windshield that is swept by a windshield wiper of the controlled vehicle;
• a control, said control processing image data from said imaging sensor;
• wherein said control processes said image data to determine, at least in part, at least one of (i) the presence of an object of interest in the forward field of view of said imaging sensor, (ii) the location of an object of interest in the forward field of view of said imaging sensor, and (iii) a characteristic of an object of interest in the forward field of view of said imaging sensor;
• wherein adjustment between a first beam pattern and a second beam pattern of a vehicle headlamp of the controlled vehicle is responsive, at least in part, to said processing of said image data;
• wherein said control receives vehicle data via a vehicle communication bus;
• and
• wherein said control, responsive to said processing of said image data, is operable to provide, at least in part, at least one of (a) traffic lane detection, (b) lane departure warning, (c) traffic sign recognition, (d) traffic light status detection, (e) fog detection, (f) rain sensing, (g) adaptive cruise control, (h) pre-crash sensing, (i) pedestrian detection and (j) a supplement or complement to the use of other sensors of the controlled vehicle.

An adaptive forward lighting system for a vehicle, said adaptive forward lighting system comprising:

• an imaging sensor, said imaging sensor comprising a two-dimensional array of light sensing photosensor elements, said imaging sensor monitoring a scene forward of the direction of travel of the controlled vehicle;
• a control, said control processing image data from said imaging sensor;
• wherein said control processes said image data to obtain, at least in part, information regarding at least one of the location of a detected object of interest and the movement of a detected object of interest;
• wherein adjustment between a first beam pattern and a second beam pattern of a vehicle headlamp of the controlled vehicle is responsive, at least in part, to said processing of said image data;
• wherein said control receives vehicle data via a vehicle communication bus;
• and
• wherein said control, responsive to said processing of said image data, is operable to provide, at least in part, at least one of (a) traffic lane detection, (b) lane departure warning, (c) traffic sign recognition, (d) traffic light status detection, (e) fog detection, (f) rain sensing, (g) adaptive cruise control, (h) pre-crash sensing, (i) pedestrian detection and (j) a supplement or complement to the use of other sensors of the controlled vehicle.

An adaptive forward lighting system for a vehicle, said adaptive forward lighting system comprising:

• an imaging sensor, said imaging sensor comprising a two-dimensional array of light sensing photosensor elements, said imaging sensor monitoring a scene forward of the direction of travel of the controlled vehicle;
• a control, said control processing image data from said imaging sensor;
• wherein said control processes said image data to determine, at least in part, at least one of (i) the presence of an object of interest in the forward field of view of said imaging sensor, (ii) the location of an object of interest in the forward field of view of said imaging sensor, and (iii) a characteristic of an object of interest in the forward field of view of said imaging sensor;
• wherein adjustment between a first beam pattern and a second beam pattern of a vehicle headlamp of the controlled vehicle is responsive, at least in part, to said processing of said image data;
• and
• wherein said control receives vehicle data via a vehicle communication bus.