US 7,541,743 B2
Adaptive vehicle communication controlled lighting system
Irving Toivo Salmeen, Ann Arbor, Mich. (US); Ronald Hugh Miller, Saline, Mich. (US); David M. DiMeo, Windsor (Canada); Gary Steven Strumolo, Beverly Hills, Mich. (US); Mahendra Somasara Dassanayake, Bloomfield Hills, Mich. (US); Sheran Anthony Alles, Livonia, Mich. (US); and David Anthony Wagner, Northville, Mich. (US)
Assigned to Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, Mich. (US)
Filed on Oct. 22, 2003, as Appl. No. 10/605,733.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/432973, filed on Dec. 13, 2002.
Prior Publication US 2004/0114381 A1, Jun. 17, 2004
Int. Cl. B60Q 1/14 (2006.01); B60Q 1/26 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 315—77  [315/82] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicle safety system comprising:
at least one light source;
at least one beam-forming assembly optically coupled to said at least one light source;
at least one emitter optically coupled to said at least one beam-forming assembly;
at least one object detection sensor operable to detect at least one object and generate at least one object detection signal;
a controller coupled to said at least one beam-forming assembly and said at least one object detection sensor; and
a memory coupled to said controller and operable to store a plurality of selectable beam patterns;
wherein said controller is operable to select at least one beam pattern from said selectable beam patterns stored in said memory and accordingly control at least one said beam-forming assembly so as to configure light received from at least one said light source for emission via at least one said emitter to thereby produce at least one beam illumination pattern for enhancing visibility of a roadway;
wherein said controller is operable to select at least one other beam pattern from said selectable beam patterns in response to at least one said object detection signal so as to change at least one said beam illumination pattern emitted from at least one said emitter; and
wherein said controller is operable to change at least one said beam illumination pattern emitted from at least one said emitter in response to at least one said object detection signal by adjusting at least one beam illumination parameter selected from the group consisting of beam amplitude, beam location, beam focus, beam angle, and beam shape.