Patent ID: 12187185

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the exemplary drawings. In adding the reference numerals to the components of each drawing, it should be noted that the identical or equivalent component is designated by the identical numeral even when they are displayed on other drawings. Further, in describing the embodiment of the present disclosure, a detailed description of the related known configuration or function will be omitted when it is determined that it interferes with the understanding of the embodiment of the present disclosure.

In describing the components of the embodiment according to the present disclosure, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), and the like may be used. These terms are merely intended to distinguish the components from other components, and the terms do not limit the nature, order or sequence of the components. Unless otherwise defined, all terms including technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

FIG.1is a diagram illustrating a vehicle to which an apparatus for controlling an intelligent lamp according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is applied.FIG.2is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of an apparatus for controlling an intelligent lamp according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring toFIG.1, a vehicle10may include a headlamp for irradiating light to the road ahead during night driving, and an apparatus100for controlling an intelligent lamp that controls the irradiation direction and intensity of the headlamp.

The headlamp may be formed by arranging a plurality of LEDs in a matrix form. Each of the plurality of LEDs may be driven independently. The light-on/off state and brightness of each LED may be adjusted according to the driving environment and the location of the vehicle.

When the vehicle10irradiates light toward the road in front of the vehicle which is being driven by using the headlamp, the light irradiated from the vehicle10may cause glare to the driver of a front or preceding vehicle20such as a preceding vehicle and/or an oncoming vehicle.

To this end, the apparatus100for controlling an intelligent lamp may variably control the irradiation range of the headlamp corresponding to the driving environment such as a type of driving road, weather, ambient brightness, and the like, and the location of the front vehicle20, thereby minimizing the glare of the driver of the front vehicle20.

In particular, the apparatus100for controlling an intelligent lamp may minimize the glare of the driver of the front vehicle20by variably controlling the margin width of a glare free area (GFA) set at each of the left and right sides of the front vehicle20, thereby improving the visibility of the driver of the vehicle10.

The intelligent lamp control apparatus100according to the present disclosure may be implemented inside the vehicle10. In this case, the apparatus100for controlling an intelligent lamp may be integrally formed with internal control units of the vehicle10, or may be implemented as a separate device and connected to the control devices of the vehicle10through a separate connection device. Accordingly, the details of the apparatus100for controlling an intelligent lamp will refer to the embodiment ofFIG.2.

Referring toFIG.2, the apparatus100for controlling an intelligent lamp may include a controller110, a camera120, a communication device130, storage140, a data collection device150, and a pattern analysis device160.

The controller110according to the embodiment may be a hardware device such as a processor or a central processing unit (CPU), or a program implemented by the processor. The controller110may be connected to each component of the intelligent lamp control apparatus100to perform an overall function of intelligent lamp control.

For example, the controller110may control the operation of the camera120, and may determine a degree of subdivision of a control area in front of a vehicle, monitored by the camera120.

The camera120may be a front camera that is arranged to face the front of the vehicle10and photographs an image of the road ahead.

The controller110may determine the degree of subdivision of the control area by dividing the field of view (FOV) of the camera120by the number N of segments. In this case, the number N of segments may be controlled corresponding to various factors such as the performance of the camera120, the surrounding environment, and the like.

The control area may correspond to a photographing area. When the degree of subdivision of the control area is determined, the controller110may divide the control area into a plurality of virtual matrix control sections corresponding to the degree of subdivision, and allocate the virtual matrix control sections to the photographing area. In this case, each of the virtual matrix control sections may be recognized as one segment.

Accordingly, when the degree of subdivision of the control area is determined, the camera120may provide target location information for the subdivided virtual matrix control section to the controller110and/or the data collection device150.

The communication device130may include a communication module for vehicle network communication with electric devices and/or controllers provided in the vehicle10. For example, the communication device130may transmit a control signal to a headlamp provided in the vehicle10. In this case, the vehicle network communication technology may include controller area network (CAN) communication, local interconnect network (LIN) communication, flex-ray communication, and the like.

In addition, the communication device130may include a communication module for wireless Internet access or a communication module for short-range communication.

In this case, the wireless Internet technology may include wireless LAN (WLAN), wireless broadband (Wibro), Wi-Fi, world interoperability for microwave access (Wimax), and the like.

In addition, the short-range communication technology may include Bluetooth, ZigBee, ultra-wideband (UWB), radio frequency identification (RFID), infrared data association (IrDA), and the like.

The storage140may store data and/or algorithms required to operate the apparatus100for controlling an intelligent lamp. In this case, the storage140may include a storage medium such as a random access memory (RAM), a static random access memory (SRAM), a read-only memory (ROM), a programmable read-only memory (PROM), and an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM).

In addition, the controller110may control the operations of the data collection device150and the pattern analysis device160.

The data collection device150may collect driving environment information while the vehicle10is driving. For example, the data collection device150may collect information on the type of the road ahead (a straight road, a curved road, an intersection, and the like). In this case, the data collection device150may collect type information of the road ahead through a navigation device of the vehicle10. In addition, the data collection device150may collect information such as the location and size of the front vehicle20recognized by the camera120.

In addition, the data collection device150may collect information on the camera120. As an example, the data collection device150may collect target location information of the divided control section (virtual matrix control section) of the camera120.

The pattern analysis device160may check the target location for the divided control section (virtual matrix control section) of the camera120, and log real-time data for each segment corresponding to the target location. In this case, the data logged by the pattern analysis device160in real time may be data captured by the camera120.

The pattern analysis device160analyzes a light-on/off frequency pattern based on data logged in real time for each segment. For example, the pattern analysis device160may recognize the number of times the LED of the headlamp for each segment is turned on and off as one time, and determine the number of times the LED is turned on and off within a specified time in order to analyze the light-on/off frequency pattern for each segment.

The light-on/off frequency pattern analyzed by the pattern analysis device160may be stored in the storage140.

In this case, an example of the light-on/off frequency pattern will refer toFIG.3.

Referring toFIG.3, the light-on/off frequency pattern may be configured in a graph form.

In the graph ofFIG.3, the horizontal axis may represent segments, and may be divided into—20 segments on the left and 20 segments on the right based on the center ‘0’ of the vehicle10. That is, the graph ofFIG.3illustrates the light-on/off frequency pattern in a state in which the control area is subdivided into 40 segments. Of course, the number of segments may vary according to the degree of subdivision of the control area of the camera120.

In addition, in the graph ofFIG.3, the vertical axis represents the light-on/off frequency.

It may be understood that the closer to the center of the vehicle10, the higher the light-on/off frequency. In addition, it may be understood that the light-on/off frequency on the left side is higher than on the right side at the same position. However, the light-on/off frequency pattern illustrated inFIG.3is only an exemplary embodiment and is not limited thereto. The light-on/off frequency pattern may vary depending on the type of driving road or various road conditions.

For example, in the case of a straight road, the light-on/off frequency may be high at the center of the vehicle10, and the light-on/off frequencies at the left and right sides may appear uniformly. Meanwhile, when an entrance or exit exists on the right side of a straight road, the light-on/off frequency at the right side may be higher than at the left side. In addition, in the case of a curved road, the light-on/off frequency may appear higher in the curved direction of the road.

As described above, the light-on/off frequency pattern may vary corresponding to the driving environment and the location of the vehicle10.

Accordingly, the pattern analysis device160may analyze and store the on/off frequency pattern for each segment in real time based on the data obtained through the photographing of the camera120while the vehicle10is driving. In this case, the analysis in real time may mean analysis every hour, but may also include analysis periodically in every specified time unit.

Meanwhile, the pattern analysis device160may additionally analyze the occupancy of the segment occupied by the headlamp when analyzing the on/off frequency pattern for each segment. In this case, the occupancy of the headlamp may also be reflected in adjusting the margin width of the anti-glare area.

When the front vehicle20is detected while driving, the controller110reads out the light-on/off frequency pattern analyzed by the pattern analysis device160, and based on the light-on/off frequency pattern read, calculates the light-on/off frequency for the front vehicle20. In this case, the controller110checks the left and right widths of the front vehicle20, and calculates the light-on/off frequency of the segment corresponding to the left and right widths of the front vehicle20.

The controller110may adjust the margin width of the anti-glare area for the front vehicle20based on a value obtained by summing the light-on/off frequencies calculated for each segment corresponding to the left and right widths of the front vehicle20.

In this case, the controller110may adjust the margin width of the anti-glare area in proportion to the sum of the light-on/off frequencies calculated for each segment. That is, the controller110may adjust the margin width of the anti-glare area to be wider as the sum of the light-on/off frequencies calculated for each segment increases.

Accordingly, an example of an operation of adjusting the margin width of the anti-glare area for the front vehicle20will be described with reference toFIGS.4A to6B.

First,FIG.4Ais a diagram illustrating an example of adjusting the margin width of the anti-glare area corresponding to the left and right positions of a front or preceding vehicle.FIG.4Bis a diagram illustrating an example of adjusting the margin width of the anti-glare area corresponding to the distance from a front or preceding vehicle. In the examples ofFIGS.4A and4B, the margin width of the anti-glare area is adjusted based on the light-on/off frequency pattern illustrated inFIG.3.

The light-on/off frequency pattern ofFIG.3has the highest light-on/off frequency at the center of the vehicle10and gradually decreases toward the left and right sides, and the light-on/off frequency of the left side is higher than that of the right side.

Referring toFIG.4A, when the front vehicle20is located in the −16 to −8 segments on the left based on the center of the vehicle10, the controller110may adjust the margin width of the anti-glare area to d11 based on the sum of the light-on/off frequencies of the −16 to −8 segments.

Meanwhile, when the front vehicle20is located in 8 to 16 segments on the right from the center of the vehicle10, the controller110may adjust the margin width of the anti-glare area to d12 based on the sum of the light-on/off frequencies of the 8 to 16 segments.

In this case, the value obtained by summing the light-on/off frequencies of −16 to −8 segments on the left is greater than the value obtained by summing the light-on/off frequencies of 8 to 16 segments. Accordingly, the d11 may be set to be wider than the d12.

Meanwhile, the front vehicle20traveling in the same line as the vehicle10is located in segments of the central portion of the vehicle10. However, when the front vehicle20is located at a close distance, the range of segments occupied by the front vehicle20is wide. To the contrary, when the front vehicle20is located at a long distance, the range of segments occupied by the front vehicle20is narrowed.

Referring toFIG.4B, the front vehicle20located at a distance close to the vehicle10may be located in −5 to 5 segments. In this case, the controller110may adjust the extra width of the anti-glare area to d21 based on the sum of the light-on/off frequencies of −5 to 5 segments.

Meanwhile, the front vehicle20located at a long distance from the vehicle10may be located in the −2 to 2 segments. In this case, the controller110may adjust the margin width of the anti-glare area to d22 based on the sum of the light-on/off frequencies of −2 to 2 segments.

In this case, because the front vehicle20located at a close distance occupies segments in a wider range than the front vehicle20located at a far distance, the sum of the light-on/off frequencies of the segments is larger. Accordingly, the d21 may be set wider than the d22.

FIGS.5A and5Bare diagrams illustrating an example of adjusting the margin width of the anti-glare area on a straight road.FIGS.6A and6Bare diagrams illustrating an example of adjusting the margin width of the anti-glare area on a curved road.

First, referring toFIGS.5A and5B, in the case of a straight road, because the vehicle10is positioned side by side with the front vehicle20, the left and right widths of the front vehicle20are narrow. However, the example ofFIGS.5A and5Bmay correspond to a case in which the front vehicle20drives in the same lane as the vehicle10.

In this case, because the left and right widths of the front vehicle20are narrow so that the range of the segments occupied by the front vehicle20in the light-on/off frequency pattern is narrowed, the sum of the light-on/off frequencies of the segments in which the front vehicle20is located may be less than a default value.

Accordingly, the controller110may adjust the margin width d31 of the anti-glare area for the front vehicle20on a straight road to be narrower than the margin width d of the anti-glare area set as a default.

Meanwhile, referring toFIGS.6A and6B, in the case of a left curved road, because the front vehicle20is inclined to the left, the left and right widths of the front vehicle20are wide. In this case, because the left and right widths of the front vehicle20are wide so that the range of segments occupied by the front vehicle20in the light-on/off frequency pattern increases, the sum of the light-on/off frequencies of the segments in which the front vehicle20is located may be greater than the default value.

Accordingly, the controller110may adjust the margin width d41 of the anti-glare area for the front vehicle20on the curved road to be wider than the margin width “d” of the anti-glare area set as a default.

As described above, when the margin width of the anti-glare area for the front vehicle20is adjusted, the controller110may control the headlamp based on the adjusted margin width.

The operation flow of the apparatus for controlling an intelligent lamp according to the present disclosure configured as described above will be described in more detail as follows.

FIG.7is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling an intelligent lamp according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring toFIG.7, in S105, the apparatus100for controlling an intelligent lamp may determine the degree of subdivision of the control area of the camera120before turning on the camera120for photographing the road ahead.

In this case, the degree of subdivision for the control area of the camera120, which is based on determining how many virtual matrix control sections to divide the control area of the camera120into, may be determined by dividing the FOV of the camera120by the number N of segments. In this case, the apparatus100for controlling an intelligent lamp may divide the control area of the camera120into a plurality of virtual matrix control sections according to the determined degree of subdivision, and may recognize each divided virtual matrix control section as one segment.

The operation S105may be omitted when the degree of subdivision is maintained as a default.

In S110, the apparatus100for controlling an intelligent lamp turns on the camera120when the degree of subdivision for the control section of the camera120is determined.

In this case, the camera120may start to capture an image of the road ahead, and obtain target location information for a subdivided control section (virtual matrix control section).

Accordingly, the apparatus100for controlling an intelligent lamp receives target location information for a subdivided control section (virtual matrix control section) from the camera120in S120, and logs real time data in real time for each segment corresponding to the received target location in S130. In this case, the apparatus100for controlling an intelligent lamp analyzes the light-on/off frequency pattern by using the data logged for each segment in S130and stores the light-on/off frequency pattern in S140.

The operations S130and S140may be repeatedly performed while the vehicle10is driving, and may be performed every specified time period.

When the front vehicle20is detected in S160, the apparatus100for controlling an intelligent lamp checks the left and right widths of the front vehicle20in S170.

In this case, the apparatus100for controlling an intelligent lamp reads out the light-on/off frequency pattern stored in the operation S140in S180, and in S190, calculates the light-on/off frequency of the segment corresponding to the left and right widths of the front vehicle20checked based on the light-on/off frequency pattern in operation S170. As an example, when the left and right widths of the front vehicle20are included in the segments of −5 to 5, the light-on/off frequency in the segment of −5 to 5 is calculated.

The apparatus100for controlling an intelligent lamp may calculate a value obtained by summing the light-on/off frequencies of each segment calculated in operation S190.

In S200, the apparatus100for controlling an intelligent lamp may adjust the margin width of the anti-glare area for the front vehicle20based on the light-on/off frequency calculated in operation S190.

Thereafter, the apparatus100for controlling an intelligent lamp may control the headlamp based on the margin width of the anti-glare area adjusted in operation S200.

The operations S130to S200may be repeatedly performed until the driving is finished, and when the driving is finished in S210, all related operations are terminated.

According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, it is possible to subdivide the control area of a camera into micro-sections (segments) to analyze in real time the light-on/off frequency pattern for each micro-section according to the driving environment and location, and variably adjust the margin width of an anti-glare area according to the light-on/off frequency for each location of a front or preceding vehicle, thereby minimizing glare to a driver of the front vehicle while improving visibility of the driver through control of a headlamp.

As described above, according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, by variably controlling the margin width of the anti-glare area according to the driving environment and location, it is possible to minimize the glare of the driver of the front vehicle20while improving visibility of the driver.

Although exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure have been described for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure.

Therefore, the exemplary embodiments disclosed in the present disclosure are provided for the sake of descriptions, not limiting the technical concepts of the present disclosure, and it should be understood that such exemplary embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the technical concepts of the present disclosure. The protection scope of the present disclosure should be understood by the claims below, and all the technical concepts within the equivalent scopes should be interpreted to be within the scope of the right of the present disclosure.