IP Library Granted Patent US 8,941,260
Granted Patent B2
US 8,941,260 · App. 13/938,393 · Granted Jan 27, 2015

Vehicle light control device

Inventors: Hiroyuki Fujiwara (Aichi, JP); Takahito Terayama (Aichi, JP)
Assignee: Omron Automotive Electronics Co., Ltd.
B60Q1/0023B60Q1/1423B60Q2300/337B60Q2300/314
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,941,260
App. No.
13/938,393
Granted
Jan 27, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vehicle light control device mounted on a vehicle to control lighting of a light of the vehicle based on illuminance around the vehicle, has an infrared sensor that detects an infrared ray around the vehicle, an infrared illuminance detector that detects infrared illuminance from an output of the infrared sensor, a visible-light sensor that detects visible light around the vehicle, a visible-light illuminance detector that detects visible-light illuminance from an output of the visible-light sensor, a storage in which a first lighting threshold is stored, and a controller that controls the lighting of the light based on the infrared illuminance detected by the infrared illuminance detector, the visible-light illuminance detected by the visible-light illuminance detector, and the first lighting threshold stored in the storage.

Claims (14)

1. A vehicle light control device mounted on a vehicle to control lighting of a light of the vehicle based on illuminance around the vehicle, comprising:

an infrared sensor that detects an infrared ray around the vehicle;

an infrared illuminance detector that detects infrared illuminance from an output of the infrared sensor;

a visible-light sensor that detects visible light around the vehicle;

a visible-light illuminance detector that detects visible-light illuminance from an output of the visible-light sensor;

a storage in which a first lighting threshold is stored; and

a controller that controls the lighting of the light based on the infrared illuminance detected by the infrared illuminance detector, the visible-light illuminance detected by the visible-light illuminance detector, and the first lighting threshold stored in the storage,

wherein the controller calculates a illuminance difference between the infrared illuminance detected by the infrared illuminance detector and the visible-light illuminance detected by the visible-light illuminance detector, and the controller turns on the light when the illuminance difference is less than or equal to the first lighting threshold.

2. The vehicle light control device according to claim 1 ,

wherein a second lighting threshold is stored in the storage in addition to the first lighting threshold, and

wherein the controller turns on the light, when the illuminance difference is less than or equal to the first lighting threshold, or when the infrared illuminance detected by the infrared illuminance detector is less than or equal to the second lighting threshold.

3. The vehicle light control device according to claim 1 ,

wherein a third lighting threshold is stored in the storage in addition to the first lighting threshold, and

wherein the controller turns on the light, when the illuminance difference is less than or equal to the first lighting threshold, or when the visible-light illuminance detected by the visible-light illuminance detector is less than or equal to the third lighting threshold.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 11, 2013
From: FUJIWARA, HIROYUKI; TERAYAMA, TAKAHITO
To: OMRON AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 030776/0995 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2012-155485 · Jul 11, 2012 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20140015406A1 · Jan 16, 2014