Patent Publication Number: US-2023145045-A1

Title: Lighting management system, lighting management method, and program

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese patent application No. 2021-182061, filed on Nov. 8, 2021, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure relates to a lighting management system, a lighting management method, and a program. 
     Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2010-202094 discloses a technique of making up for a shortfall in the amount of light from the streetlights by controlling the amount of light from the vehicle lights based on the result of detecting the amount of light from the streetlights and the vehicle lights with a light sensor installed in the streetlights. 
     SUMMARY 
     Even when the amount of light obtained by combining the lighting by the streetlights and the lighting by the vehicle lights is of a certain amount of light, depending on the state of the combined lights, visibility would be degraded. 
     The present disclosure has been made to solve the aforementioned problem and an object of the present disclosure is to provide a lighting management system, a lighting management method, and a program each adapted to improve visibility in a traffic environment. 
     A system according to an embodiment is a lighting management system configured to control at least one of a first lighting apparatus that a vehicle has and a second lighting apparatus installed in a traffic environment in which the vehicle travels, the lighting management system including:
     a judgement unit configured to judge whether or not a lighting state around the vehicle based on the first lighting apparatus and the second lighting apparatus meets a first reference for a light amount and a second reference for at least one of a lighting range, a lighting color, and a flashing state;   a first control unit configured to control the light amount of at least one of the first lighting apparatus and the second lighting apparatus when the lighting state around the vehicle does not meet the first reference so that the lighting state around the vehicle is brought to meet the first reference; and   a second control unit configured to control the lighting range, the lighting color, and the flashing state of at least one of the first lighting apparatus and the second lighting apparatus when the lighting state around the vehicle does not meet the second reference so that the lighting state around the vehicle is brought to meet the second reference.   

     A method according to an embodiment is a lighting management method of controlling at least one of a first lighting apparatus that a vehicle has and a second lighting apparatus installed in a traffic environment in which the vehicle travels, the lighting management method including steps of:
     judging whether or not a lighting state around the vehicle based on the first lighting apparatus and the second lighting apparatus meets a first reference for a light amount and a second reference for at least one of a lighting range, a lighting color, and a flashing state;   controlling the light amount of at least one of the first lighting apparatus and the second lighting apparatus when the lighting state around the vehicle does not meet the first reference so that the lighting state around the vehicle is brought to meet the first reference; and   controlling the lighting range, the lighting color, and the flashing state of at least one of the first lighting apparatus and the second lighting apparatus when the lighting state around the vehicle does not meet the second reference so that the lighting state around the vehicle is brought to meet the second reference.   

     A program according to an embodiment is a program for causing a computer to execute a lighting management method of controlling at least one of a first lighting apparatus that a vehicle has and a second lighting apparatus installed in a traffic environment in which the vehicle travels, the lighting management method including steps of:
     judging whether or not a lighting state around the vehicle based on the first lighting apparatus and the second lighting apparatus meets a first reference for a light amount and a second reference for at least one of a lighting range, a lighting color, and a flashing state;   controlling the light amount of at least one of the first lighting apparatus and the second lighting apparatus when the lighting state around the vehicle does not meet the first reference so that the lighting state around the vehicle is brought to meet the first reference; and   controlling the lighting range, the lighting color, and the flashing state of at least one of the first lighting apparatus and the second lighting apparatus when the lighting state around the vehicle does not meet the second reference so that the lighting state around the vehicle is brought to meet the second reference.   

     The present disclosure can provide a lighting management system, a lighting management method, and a program each adapted to improve visibility in a traffic environment. 
     The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not to be considered as limiting the present disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a lighting management system according to a first embodiment; 
         FIG.  2    is a block diagram showing a configuration of a server according to the first embodiment; and 
         FIG.  3    is a flowchart showing flow of a lighting management method according to the first embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     First Embodiment 
     Hereinbelow, the present disclosure will be described through embodiments, but the disclosure according to the claims is not to be limited in any way by the embodiments described below. Further, not all of the components / structures described in the embodiments are necessarily indispensable for solving the problem. 
     Hereinbelow, a lighting management system according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.  FIG.  1    is a schematic diagram showing an overview of a lighting management system  1000  according to the first embodiment. The lighting management system includes a lighting apparatus  100 , a pole  200 , a lighting apparatus  300 , a light detection sensor  400 , and a server  500 . 
     Note that the function of the server  500 , which will be described later, may be provided in the lighting apparatus  100  or the lighting apparatus  300 . Therefore, a system which does not include the server  500  may also be included in the lighting management system  1000  according to the first embodiment. 
     The lighting apparatus  100  is a vehicle lighting mounted on a vehicle  10 . The lighting apparatus  100  is also referred to as a first lighting apparatus. The lighting apparatus  100  generates a lighting L 1  that illuminates the areas outside of the vehicle  10 . The area surrounded by the dotted lines in  FIG.  1    represents the lighting L 1 . The lighting apparatus  100  is, for example, a headlight, but an auxiliary light, a tail light, and the like may be included. In other words, the lighting L 1  represents the lighting state of the lighting apparatus  100 . The vehicle  10  in which the lighting apparatus  100  is mounted may be a normal vehicle driven by a human driver or may be an autonomously-moving type vehicle. The lighting management system  1000  may include a plurality of lighting apparatuses  100 . 
     The lighting apparatus  100  can change the amount of light of the lighting L 1 . Further, the lighting apparatus  100  can change at least one of the lighting range, the lighting color (the tone), and the flashing state (e.g. the flashing cycle and the flashing timing) of the lighting L 1 . The lighting apparatus  100  may change the size of its lighting range using a mirror or the like. The lighting apparatus  100  includes a plurality of LEDs (Light Emitting Diode), and the lighting color may be changed by varying the light emission intensities of LEDs. The lighting apparatus  100  may change the flashing cycle of the lighting L 1  using a frequency converter or the like. Note that in the case where a lighting apparatus  300 , which will be described later, is capable of changing the lighting range or the like of a lighting L 2 , which will be described later, the lighting apparatus  100  may not need to be able to change the lighting range or the like of the lighting L 1 . 
     The pole  200  is installed in a traffic environment  20  in which the vehicle  10  travels. The pole  200  has the lighting apparatus  300 , which will be described later, and the light detection sensor  400 , which will be described later, attached thereto. Note that the case in which the lighting apparatus  300 , which will be described later, is not fixedly attached to the pole  200  is also included in the lighting management system  1000  according to the first embodiment. In such a case, the lighting management system  1000  does not have to be equipped with the pole  200 . 
     The lighting apparatus  300  is disposed in the traffic environment  20 . Specifically, the lighting apparatus  300  is attached to the pole  200 . The lighting apparatus  300  is also referred to as a second lighting apparatus. The lighting apparatus  300  generates the lighting L 2  that illuminates the traffic environment  20 . In other words, the lighting L 2  represents the lighting state of the lighting apparatus  300 . The area surrounded by the single-dashed lines in  FIG.  1    represents the lighting L 2 . The lighting apparatus  300  is, for example, a streetlight. The lighting management system  1000  may include a plurality of lighting apparatuses  300 . 
     Note that the lighting range of the lighting L 1  does not necessarily have to be included in the lighting range of the lighting L 2 . For example, the lighting range of the lighting L 2  may be included in the lighting range of the lighting L 1 . Alternatively, a part of the lighting range of lighting L 1  may be outside of the lighting range of the lighting L 2 . Similarly, a part of the lighting range of the lighting L 2  may be outside of the lighting range of the lighting L 1 . 
     The lighting apparatus  300  can change the amount of light of the lighting L 2 . Further, the lighting apparatus  300  can change at least one of the lighting range, the lighting color (the tone), and the flashing state (e.g. the flashing cycle and the flashing timing) of the lighting L 2 . Note that in the case where the lighting apparatus  100  is capable of changing the lighting range or the like of the lighting L 1 , the lighting apparatus  300  may not need to be able to change the lighting range or the like of the lighting L 2 . 
     The light detection sensor  400  is attached to the pole  200 . The light detection sensor  400  is a light-detectable image sensor. The light detection sensor  400  may detect the lighting L 1 , or the light obtained by combining the lighting L 1  and the lighting L 2 . The light detection sensor  400  outputs the detection result to the server  500 . 
     Instead of detecting the lighting L 1  with the light detection sensor  400 , the lighting apparatus  100  may send the control parameters for the amount of light and the lighting range of the lighting L 1  to the server  500  to be described later. Instead of detecting the lighting L 2  with the light detection sensor  400 , the lighting apparatus  300  may send the control parameters for the amount of light and the lighting range of the lighting L 2  to the server  500 , which will be described later. In such a case, the lighting management system  1000  does not have to include the light detection sensor  400 . 
     The server  500  controls at least one of the lighting apparatus  100  and the lighting apparatus  300 . As described later, the server  500  can control, through a communication interface, at least one of the lighting range, the lighting color, and the flashing state, in addition to the amount of light of the lighting apparatus  100  and the like. 
     Next, a configuration of the server  500  will be described in detail with reference to  FIG.  2   . The server  500  includes a communication unit  510 , an acquisition unit  520 , a determination unit  530 , a judgement unit  540 , a first control unit  550 , and a second control unit  560 . The communication unit  510  is a communication interface, and the server  500  performs communication with the lighting apparatus  100  and the lighting apparatus  300  via the communication unit  510 . Further, the server  500  may receive, via the communication unit  510 , the detection result from the light detection sensor  400 . 
     The server  500  includes a memory, a processor, and the like that are not shown. By causing the processor to execute the program stored in the memory, the server  500  implements the functions of the acquisition unit  520 , the determination unit  530 , the judgement unit  540 , the first control unit  550 , and the second control unit  560 . 
     The acquisition unit  520  acquires the environmental information in the traffic environment  20 . The environmental information includes, for example, information about the hours of day, information about the presence or absence of a pedestrian, and information about the presence or absence of a vehicle. Note that the environmental information may also include information about the number of pedestrians and information about the number of vehicles  10 . The acquisition unit  520  may also acquire the information about the hours of day in accordance with the time information and the level of brightness around the vehicle. The acquisition unit  520  may acquire information about the pedestrians and the vehicles  10  from the result of the image captured by a camera (not shown) installed in the traffic environment  20 . The acquisition unit  520  outputs the environmental information to the determination unit  530 . 
     The determination unit  530  determines, based on the environmental information in the traffic environment  20 , a first reference for the amount of light of the lighting state around the vehicle  10  based on the lighting L 1  and the lighting L 2 . Further, the determination unit  530  determines, based on the environmental information in the traffic environment  20 , a second reference for at least one of the lighting range, the lighting color (the tone), and the flashing state (e.g. the flashing cycle and the flashing timing) of the lighting state around the vehicle  10 . The second reference for the flashing state may be the degree of matching of the flashing cycles. The degree of matching of the flashing cycles refers to matching of the flashing cycle of the lighting L 1  and the flashing cycle of the lighting L 2  and matching of the flashing timing of the lighting L 1  and the flashing timing of the lighting L 2 . 
     The determination unit  530  may determine, for example, a reference for the part of the light in which the lighting L 1  and the lighting L 2  are superimposed on one another as regards the light amount, the area, the color, and the degree of the matching of the flashing cycles of the lighting L 1  and the lighting L 2 . In such a case, the first reference is a reference for the total amount of light of the lighting L 1  and the lighting L 2 . Further, the second reference is a reference for the area of the part of the light in which the lighting L 1  and the lighting L 2  are superimposed on one another, the color obtained by superimposing the lighting L 1  and the lighting L 2  on one another, and the degree of matching of the flashing timing of the lighting L 1  and the lighting L 2 . Further, the determination unit  530  may determine a reference for the sum of the lighting range of the lighting L 1  and the lighting range of the lighting L 2 . 
     Specifically, the determination unit  530  determines the first reference so that the amount of light is greater when pedestrians or vehicles are present in the traffic environment  20  than when they are not. Further, the determination unit  530  determines the first reference so that the amount of light is greater during the nighttime hours than the daytime hours. The determination unit  530  may determine the first reference and the second reference such that power consumption is suppressed while ensuring the required amount of light. 
     Further, specifically, the determination unit  530  determines the second reference such that the lighting color of the lighting state around the vehicle  10  is easily recognizable by a human in the case where there is a pedestrian present in the traffic environment  20 . The determination unit  530  determines the second reference so that, for example, the wavelength of the light around the vehicle  10   includes a large amount of the component of 600 nm wavelength. Further, when there is a pedestrian in the traffic environment  20 , the determination unit  530  may determine the second reference such that the flashing cycles of the lighting L 1  and the lighting L 2  match each other. When the flashing cycle of the lighting L 1  and the flashing cycle of the lighting L 2  match each other, the lighting state around the vehicle is a state in which visibility is satisfactory for pedestrians. 
     By determining the first reference, the lighting management system  1000  can illuminate the traffic environment  20  with sufficient amount of light. However, there is a problem that when the lighting range is small or the tone of the lighting is not appropriate (e.g. the wavelength does not include the component of 600 nm wavelength), or the cycle of the flashing state of the first lighting and the cycle of the flashing state of the second lighting do not match each other, visibility of the object that is illuminated lowers. The lighting management system  1000  can improve visibility of the object within the traffic environment  20  by determining the second environment described above. 
     First, the lighting management system  1000  can improve visibility without increasing the amount of light by appropriately determining the second reference. Therefore, there is a possibility that the lighting management system  1000  can reduce the power consumption in the lighting apparatus  100  and the lighting apparatus  300 . 
     The judgement unit  540  judges whether or not the lighting state around the vehicle  10  based on the first lighting L 1  and the second lighting L 2  meets the first reference and the second reference. The judgement unit  540  may make a judgement based on the result of detection by the light detection sensor  400 . For example, the judgement unit  540  acquires the lighting state of the lighting L 1  and the lighting state of the lighting L 2  from the result of detection by the light detection sensor  400 . Then, in accordance with the acquisition result, the judgement unit  540  may estimate the lighting state of light obtained by combining the lighting L 1  and the lighting L 2  and determine whether or not the lighting state meets the first reference and the second reference. 
     When the lighting state around the vehicle  10  does not meet the first reference, the first control unit  550  controls the amount of light of at least one of the lighting L 1  and the lighting L 2  so that the lighting state around the vehicle is brought to meet the first reference. The first control unit  550  transmits a control signal to the lighting apparatus  100  or the lighting apparatus  300  via the communication unit  510 . 
     When the lighting state around the vehicle  10  does not meet the second reference, the second control unit  560  controls the lighting range, the lighting color, and the flashing state of at least one of the lighting L 1  and the lighting L 2  so that the lighting state around the vehicle is brought to meet the second reference. The second control unit  560  transmits a control signal to the lighting apparatus  100  or the lighting apparatus  300  via the communication unit  510 . 
     Next, a lighting a management method according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to  FIG.  3   .  FIG.  3    is a flowchart showing flow of a lighting management method according to the first embodiment. 
     First, the acquisition unit  520  of the server  500  acquires the lighting state around the vehicle  10  from the sensing information of the light detection sensor  400  (Step S 101 ). The lighting state around the vehicle  10  can be said as the lighting state of the traffic environment  20 . The sensing information is, for instance, information about the amount of light, the lighting color (color), and the flashing cycle (light emission cycle). 
     Next, the determination unit  530  of the server  500  determines the first reference and the second reference in the traffic environment  20  based on the environmental information around the vehicle  10  (Step S 102 ). For example, when a pedestrian is walking during the nighttime hours, the determination unit  530  brings the amount of light defined by the first reference to be greater than the amount of light when no pedestrian is walking. Further, when a pedestrian is walking during the nighttime hours, the determination unit  530  brings the lighting color defined by the second reference to be a color that is easily recognizable compared to the lighting color when no pedestrians are walking. 
     Next, the judgement unit  540  of the server  500  judges whether or not the lighting state of the light obtained by combining the lighting L 1  and the lighting L 2  meets the first reference and the second reference at the time when the vehicle  10  passes through the traffic environment  20  (Step S 103 ). For example, the judgement unit  540  judges whether or not the amount of light obtained by combining the lightings is included in the range set as the first reference and whether or not the tone (the color) of the light obtained by combining the lightings meets the second reference. 
     When the judgement result in Step S 103  is false (No in Step S 103 ), the first control unit  550  of the server  500  controls at least one of the lighting L 1  and the lighting L 2  so that the lighting state around the vehicle is brought to meet the first reference (Step S 104 ). The first control unit  550  changes the amount of light of either the lighting apparatus  100  or the lighting apparatus  300  so that, for example, the amount of light obtained by combining the lightings is included within the range set as the first reference. On the other hand, when the judgement result in Step S 103  is true (Yes in Step S 103 ), the processing returns to Step S 101 . 
     Next, the second control unit  560  of the server  500  controls as least either one of the lighting apparatus  100  and the lighting apparatus  300  so that the lighting state around the vehicle is brought to meet the second reference (Step S 105 ). The second control unit  560  controls at least one of the lighting apparatus  100  and the lighting apparatus  300  so that the tone of light obtained by combining the lightings is brought to the tone that is easily recognizable to a human set as the second reference. The order of Step S 104  and Step S 105  may be reversed. After the processing of Step S 105 , the processing may be returned to that of Step S 101  or the processing may be ended. 
     The lighting management system according to the first embodiment can control the lighting range, the tone, and the degree of matching of the frequencies of the two lights in addition to the amount of light in a traffic environment. Therefore, according to the lighting management system according to the first embodiment, visibility in a traffic environment can be improved. 
     Note that in the embodiments described above, while the present disclosure has been described as a hardware configuration, it is not to be limited thereto. It is also possible to implement each processing of the present disclosure by causing a CPU to execute a computer program. 
     The program includes instructions (or software codes) that, when loaded into a computer, cause the computer to perform one or more of the functions described in the aforementioned embodiments. The program may be stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium or a tangible storage medium. By way of example, and not a limitation, non-transitory computer readable media or tangible storage media can include a random-access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), a flash memory, a solid-state drive (SSD) or other types of memory technologies, a CD-ROM, a digital versatile disc (DVD), a Blu-ray (registered trademark) disc or other types of optical disc storage, and magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other types of magnetic storage devices. The program may be transmitted on a transitory computer readable medium or a communication medium. By way of example, and not a limitation, transitory computer readable media or communication media can include electrical, optical, acoustical, or other forms of propagated signals. 
     The present disclosure is not limited to the aforementioned embodiments, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the gist of the present disclosure. 
     From the disclosure thus described, it will be obvious that the embodiments of the disclosure may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the disclosure, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended for inclusion within the scope of the following claims.