TECHNICAL AREA

The invention relates to a daytime lighting system that increases awareness in vehicles during the day.

In particular, the invention relates to a dynamically variable daytime lighting system depending on the use of the vehicle.

PRIOR ART

Lighting equipment in vehicles is important for driving safety. Especially, while the headlights of the vehicle provide vision to the driver in the dark or nighttime, the rear lighting elements are used to inform other drivers and pedestrians.

There is no lighting element suitable for daytime use in the headlight unit. Depending on their preference, the drivers turn on their headlights or turn on the parking lights to increase the vehicle's awareness during the day. However, the parking lights are designed to ensure that the vehicle is noticed when parked on the roadside and cannot remain sufficient to increase daytime awareness for vehicle. In addition, the use of the headlight in daytime causes the vehicle to consume extra electrical energy and in this case increases the emission values.

In additionally, the use of parking lamps can interfere with the signal lamps during daytime, especially if the vehicle has amber colored parking lights (included in the vehicle equipment for the US regulations). Its similarity with signal lamps may pose a problem in terms of visibility.

In the researches, the use of bright white color, which is not widely used in the lighting group in the vehicle, has been made to raise awareness and DRLs have been standardized with the UN ECE regulations in order to ensure that the bright color does not pose a problem in traffic. Today, every vehicle produced with daytime running lights in line with this regulation.

There has been a significant decrease in daytime accidents since the obligation of using headlight in traffic during the daytime in Europe. This obligation reveals using lighting element during daytime increase the awareness of the vehicle.

Standardized DRLs work only when the headlights are turned off in order not to affect other drivers in the dark. This reason control modules of DRL lights are developed to be automatically turned off when using headlights nighttime or dark areas. In addition, by not operating DRLs when it not necessary, it prevents extra energy consumption and accordingly the increase in emission values is prevented.

LED daytime running lights increase the awareness of vehicles, especially in oncoming traffic and Its also increase the visibility of the vehicle when viewed from the rearview mirror in front driving car. In some cases, DRLs differences may be insufficient depending on the position of the sun and the light reflection of the vehicle. Apart from this cases, most common problem is especially on high-speed journeys on highways, the vehicle in front can change lane (with turn indicator or not) without noticing the vehicle coming from the side lane and speedily. This situation negatively affects the traffic safety. In such cases, the driver coming from the side lane uses a flashing high beam indicator light to warn the vehicle ahead.

In the state of art, there is no application to increase the awareness of the vehicle coming from the rear or side lane.

PCT document which publication number is W02005005194A1 discloses a control circuit suitable for use in a DRL application. The said control circuit ensures that the lighting unit is automatically switched on and off, independent of the user.

EPO document which publication number is EP3188931 discloses an application that deals with the automatic operation of vehicle exterior lighting units. In the said document, it is mentioned that the headlight, DRL or parking lights should be automated. In the alternative configuration, it is mentioned that the system is activated depending on the vehicle speed which if it is higher than predefined speed value for operated by on or off. As a result, all the problems mentioned above made it necessary to make an invention in the related field.

INTENTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention aims to eliminate the problems mentioned above and to provide a technical novelty to the related field.

The main purpose of the invention is to provide to reveal the dynamic daytime lighting system structure within the scope of regulations, which makes it easier for vehicles using the fast lane on highways to be noticed by the vehicles in other lanes.

Another purpose of the invention is preventing accidents that occur during the day time due to incorrect lane change or not noticing the oncoming vehicle behind.

Another purpose of the invention is to ensure that other drivers are more easily noticed by other drivers, especially for fast moving vehicles especially the awareness of the vehicle decreases due to the angle of the sun rays at certain times of the day time.

Another purpose of the invention is, make the vehicle coming from behind more noticeable.

Another purpose of the invention is to predict the speed of the following vehicle for drivers during lane change especially during the day time.

Another purpose of the invention is to ensure that the vehicle is noticed more effectively for drivers while driving in city mode.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In order to realize all the purposes mentioned above and that will emerge from the detailed description below, the present invention is a DRL control system for a vehicle.

The invention is a method to increase the recognition of a vehicle which the vehicle comprising DRL lighting group consisting of at least one piece with a lighting unit in its outer part and has at least one GPS or an online particular navigation unit or a camera / radar system capable of detecting instant traffic sign information, characterizing in that a. changing the light intensity or the wavelength at least 5% part of area on the DRL lighting unit equipped by the vehicle b. which comparing the instantaneous speed of the vehicle with at least one speed reference variable, c. if said instantaneous speed is above the reference value dynamically controlling the light source of each the DRL lighting unit.

The invention is system in a vehicle with a DRL lighting group controlled by at least two modes, the standard DRL and the dynamic DRL, which consists of at least one piece of lighting unit in the outer part of the vehicle so that said vehicle is noticed by oncoming drivers comprises, at least one DRL control unit that enables the light intensity of the said DRL lighting group to be controlled, at least one controller that communicates with the said DRL control unit to determine the mode of the DRL lighting group and reads data from the speed sensor, a navigation unit that enables the determination of the legal speed limit on the road in order to detect the speed vehicle mode and provides the creation of reference speed data, and provides data transfer to the said controller, a light source on the DRL lighting group that can emit light at a wavelength of at least 625 and at most 740 nanometers, unlike white light, in a part of at least 5% and at most 30%.

In preferred embodiment of the invention characterized by the light intensity is increased by at most 300% of at least 5% continuous area on the DRL lighting unit.

In preferred embodiment of the invention characterized by light propagation wavelength are at minimum 625 and a maximum of 740 nanometers at least 5% continuous area on the DRL lighting unit.

In preferred embodiment of the invention characterized by increasing the light intensity of the entire DRL lighting unit by a maximum of 300%.

In preferred embodiment of the invention characterized by the standard DRL mode in which the light type and / or level of the DRL lighting group is determined as default, if the vehicle is detected as a fast vehicle, the light type and / or level of the said DRL lighting group is determined as the dynamic DRL mode, within the said dynamic DRL mode, changes the intensity or wavelength of at least 5% of the said DRL lighting group.

In preferred embodiment of the invention system comprises a camera / radar system that enables the determination of the instant legal speed limit on the road where the vehicle is moving, and enables road condition and signage analysis.

In preferred embodiment of the invention system comprises a navigation unit has contains map and traffic data, which enables the determination of the instant legal speed limit on the road where the vehicle is moving.

In preferred embodiment of the invention system comprises at least one GPS which is used to determine the position and instant speed of the vehicle on the map data.

In preferred embodiment of the invention system comprises includes a city / highway usage unit that allows a basic comparison by the controller to compare the reference speed data, which is determined by predicting the approximate speed limits of the road on which the vehicle is driven by, with the speed data received via the speed sensor or GPS.

The scope of the invention is specified in the claims, and it cannot be limited to what is explained in this short and detailed description for exemplary purposes. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can make similar embodiments in of the descriptions, without departing from the main theme of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

In Figure 1, describes with flow cart which is how the system performs the decision cycle during operation.

In Figure 2, shows representative drawing showing the interaction of the system with the DRL module.

In Figure 3, is a flow diagram which is explain how the system works in integration with autonomous systems. In Figure 4, a representative drawing showing the application of the system in traffic on vehicles driven by on a divided road.

In Figure 5, a representative drawing showing the application of the system in traffic on vehicles driven by on a undivided road.

DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCE NUMBERS ILLUSTRATED IN THE FIGURES

10. DRL lighting unit

11. Standart DRL

12. Dynamic DRL 20. Information unit

30. DRL control unit

31. Controlor

32. Light sensor 40. Fuse box

50. ECU 51. BSI

60. Multimedia/Navigation unit 61. GPS

70. Speed sensor 80. City/Highway mode control unit 90. Camera/Radar systems S. System

OV. Overspeed Vehicle

V. Vehicle DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In this detailed description, “the dynamically variable daytime lighting system” is explained only with examples that will not create any limiting effect in order to better understand the subject.

The subject of the invention is related to the daytime lighting system (S) that changes dynamically depending on the use of the vehicle.

The invention is a method to increase the recognition of the vehicle (V) by oncoming drivers, which is the vehicle (V) has a camera / radar system (90) that includes at least one GPS (61) or has an online feature, the navigation unit (60) or the ability to detect instant traffic sign information on it, a DRL lighting group (10) which is at least one piece with a lighting unit in its outer part of the vehicle (V); and its characterizing feature; in case the said instantaneous speed is above the reference value in order to compare the instantaneous speed of the vehicle (V) with at least one speed reference information, it is change of the light intensity or the wavelength of the emitted light in a region of at least 5% by dynamically controlling the light source of each DRL lighting group (10) owned by the vehicle (V).

In Figure 2, a representative drawing showing the interaction of modules owned by the subject system (S) is given. In this context, at least one DLR lighting group on the vehicle (V), and mentioned vehicle (V) has at least one DRL control unit (30) that enables to control the light intensity of the mentioned DRL lighting group (10), which is Standard DRL (11) or dynamic DRL (12). Said DRL control unit (30) controls the DRL lighting group (10) by making a comparison between the instantaneous speed of the vehicle (V) and the reference speed data via the controller (31) which is located in control unit (30).

Invention comprises, the DRL lighting group (10) is active in the standard DRL (11) mode, when the vehicle (V) operates (when engine on) or only in the accessory (ACC) position of the ignition. The mentioned structure does not provide illumination when activation low beam or high beam, fog lighting situations on the vehicle (V). In the said application, the lighting control can be realized via the DRL control unit (30) and / or the contactors on the lighting arm or over the fuse box (40). In the preferred embodiment of the system (S); the DRL control unit (30) provides the control of the DRL lighting group (10) by making comparison between the instantaneous speed of the vehicle (V) and the legal speed limits, as seen in Figure 1. If the vehicle (V) speed is in line with the legal limits, the DRL lighting given by default is activated and the standard DRL (11) mode operates. If the speed of the vehicle (V) is higher than the reference value, the mode of the DRL lighting group (10) operates in the dynamic DRL (12) mode.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the DRL lighting group (10) located on the vehicle (V) consists of two modules. In the standard DRL (11) mode, the illumination level of each mentioned module is at least 400 cd on the reference axis of the vehicle (V). (The luminous intensity of the light emitted by each lamp shall not be less than 400 cd in the axis of reference.) In addition, each module of the said DRL lighting group (10) provides illumination in dynamic DRL (12) mode, with a light intensity of 1200 cd on any axis. In this context, in table 1 shows the dynamic operating range of the system according to the flow in figure 1.

Table-1

Each module of the DRL lighting group (10) which are standard DRL (11) and dynamic DRL (12), in both modes, the distribution of the light in the space is over 10 ° in the vertical and below 5 ° in the horizontal axis. (In all cases, the minimum vertical angles of light distribution in space are 10 ° above and 5 ° below the horizontal for DRL devices included in the Regulation.)

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, in the standard DRL (11) and dynamic DRL (12) mode, the light distribution of each module is at an angle of 10 ° vertically up and down, and 20 ° horizontally, inward and outward. In addition, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the area of each lighting module is in the range of 25-200 cm ² as regulations.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the light source used in the control parameters mentioned in the parameters in table 1 is White colored.

Especially mentioned in dynamic mode 3, the light source with a minimum level of 400 cd in the standard DRL (11) mode. When the dynamic DRL (12) mode is activated, at least 5% and at most 30% of each module of the DRL lighting group (10) can change from RGB colors to any color or be repressed with a different color.

RGB light sources used in this context operate with a voltage of 6.75 V, 13.5 V or 28.0 V. The RGB colors used in Dynamic Mode 3 are different from the other indicator colors of the lighting group of the vehicle (V). This makes it easier to distinguish, for example, from amber-colored signals or parking lamps.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, in the dynamic DRL (12) mode, at least 5% of each module of the DRL lighting group (10) emits light at a wavelength of at least 625 and a maximum of 740 nanometers.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, using the comparison data obtained in line with the result of the comparison parameters mentioned in Figure 1, at least 5% of the illumination area of each module of the DRL lighting group (10) can dynamically change color between at least 625 and at most 740 nanometers.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the initial level of the standard DRL (11) mode may vary from at least 400 cd to a maximum of 700 cd which is depending on the angle of daylight hitting the light sensor (32) which is located in the front part of the vehicle (V). These intermediate values can be controlled analogously and if the dynamic DRL (12) mode is activated, it can be controlled up to a maximum light intensity of 1200 cd over the illumination reference value of the standard DRL (11) mode. In this context, by analyzing the light spectra coming from the sun with the mentioned light sensor (32), state of the reflection of the sun light falling on the vehicle can be determined and the lighting reference value is configured by the DRL control unit (30).

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, each module of the DRL lighting group

(10) is positioned on the condition that it is equal to or closer to 400 mm to both sides of the vehicle (V) (Front bumper left and right corner). In this context, in dynamic mode 3, light color changable regions of the light in each module can be in the parts that are close to or far from the edge of the vehicle (V). In addition, within the scope of the invention, the distance between each pair of modules used in the vehicle (V) is located equal to or closer to 600 mm.

Within the scope of the invention, during the dynamic control mentioned in the dynamic mode 1 or dynamic mode 2 mentioned in Table-1, each module with a white light source owned by the DRL lighting group (10) has a lighting zone of 5%, maximum 30%, can be above the illumination intensity of the standard DLR (11) mode. This level is at most 1200 cd.

Aditionaly changing illumination intensity of the DRL lights can not determines real speed of the vehicle (V) with electronic traffic detection units. Mentioned lighting reference value can be configured by automotive companies different each other.