System for controlling vehicle equipment

Abstract

A system and method of automatically controlling vehicle equipment includes an image sensor and a controller to generate control signals. The control signals are derived based on information obtained from the image sensor as well as other detected parameters pertaining to the detected light source(s), the vehicle having the inventive control system, and the ambient environment. The control circuit may simply turn certain vehicle equipment, for example exterior lights, on or off, or change the brightness, aim, focus, etc. to produce various beam patterns that maximize the illuminated area in front of the vehicle without causing excessive glare in the eyes of other drivers.

1 . A vehicle equipment control, comprising: 
 an image sensor having an array of pixels; and    a controller configured to receive at least a portion of at least one image acquired by said image sensor and to receive at least one input over a vehicle bus, wherein said controller is further configured to generate a vehicle equipment control signal as a function of said at least a portion of at least one image and of said at least one input.    
   
   
       2 . The vehicle equipment control of  claim 1  wherein said at least one input is derived from a switch control module.  
   
   
       3 . The vehicle equipment control of  claim 2  wherein said at least one input is a hi/low beam switch.  
   
   
       4 . The vehicle equipment control of  claim 2  wherein said at least one input is a headlamp switch.  
   
   
       5 . The vehicle equipment control of  claim 2  wherein said at least one input is an auto/manual select switch.  
   
   
       6 . The vehicle equipment control of  claim 2  wherein said at least one input is a sensitivity switch.  
   
   
       7 . The vehicle equipment control of  claim 1  wherein said at least one input is derived from a GPS receiver.  
   
   
       8 . The vehicle equipment control of  claim 1  wherein said controller is further configured to transmit at least one output over said vehicle bus.  
   
   
       9 . A vehicle equipment control, comprising: 
 an image sensor having an array of pixels; and    a controller configured to receive at least a portion of at least one image acquired by said image sensor and to transmit at least one output over a vehicle bus, wherein said output is a function of said at least a portion of at least one image.    
   
   
       10 . The vehicle equipment control of  claim 9  wherein said controller is further configured to receive at least one input over said vehicle bus.  
   
   
       11 . The vehicle equipment control of  claim 10  wherein said at least one input is derived from a switch control module.  
   
   
       12 . The vehicle equipment control of  claim 10  wherein said at least one input is derived from a GPS receiver.  
   
   
       13 . The vehicle equipment control of  claim 9  wherein said at least one output is transmitted to a front control module.  
   
   
       14 . The vehicle equipment control of  claim 13  wherein said at least one output is configured to control at least one exterior light.  
   
   
       15 . The vehicle equipment control of  claim 9  wherein said at least one output is transmitted to an instrument panel control module.  
   
   
       16 . The vehicle equipment control of  claim 15  wherein said at least one output is configured to control at least one indicator.  
   
   
       17 . A vehicle equipment control, comprising: 
 an image sensor having an array of pixels; and    a controller configured to receive at least a portion of at least one image acquired by said image sensor and to transmit at least one output over a vehicle bus, wherein said output is a function of said at least a portion of at least one image, wherein said controller is further configured to receive at least one input over said vehicle bus.    
   
   
       18 . The vehicle equipment control of  claim 17  wherein said at least one input is derived from a switch control module.  
   
   
       19 . The vehicle equipment control of  claim 17  wherein said at least one input is derived from a GPS receiver.  
   
   
       20 . The vehicle equipment control of  claim 17  wherein said at least one output is transmitted to a front control module.  
   
   
       21 . The vehicle equipment control of  claim 17  wherein said at least one output is transmitted to an instrument panel control module.