EP4511259A2 - Lighting control system for a work vehicle - Google Patents

Lighting control system for a work vehicle

Info

Publication number
EP4511259A2
EP4511259A2 EP23782421.4A EP23782421A EP4511259A2 EP 4511259 A2 EP4511259 A2 EP 4511259A2 EP 23782421 A EP23782421 A EP 23782421A EP 4511259 A2 EP4511259 A2 EP 4511259A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
vehicle
user
lighting
condition
controls
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
EP23782421.4A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
Samuel Alec ROBERTS
Amy Caitlin MITCHELL
Thomas Henry Abel
Jonathan Peter Moses
Russell John PUGH
Andrew J. De Haseth
Sarah Elizabeth Schonert
Simon MCCONWAY
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Caterpillar SARL
Original Assignee
Caterpillar SARL
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Caterpillar SARL filed Critical Caterpillar SARL
Publication of EP4511259A2 publication Critical patent/EP4511259A2/en
Pending legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60Q—ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60Q1/00—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor
    • B60Q1/02—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to illuminate the way ahead or to illuminate other areas of way or environments
    • B60Q1/24—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to illuminate the way ahead or to illuminate other areas of way or environments for lighting other areas than only the way ahead
    • B60Q1/247—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to illuminate the way ahead or to illuminate other areas of way or environments for lighting other areas than only the way ahead for illuminating the close surroundings of the vehicle, e.g. to facilitate entry or exit
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B47/00—Circuit arrangements for operating light sources in general, i.e. where the type of light source is not relevant
    • H05B47/10—Controlling the light source
    • H05B47/175—Controlling the light source by remote control
    • H05B47/196—Controlling the light source by remote control characterised by user interface arrangements
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60Q—ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60Q1/00—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor
    • B60Q1/02—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to illuminate the way ahead or to illuminate other areas of way or environments
    • B60Q1/04—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to illuminate the way ahead or to illuminate other areas of way or environments the devices being headlights
    • B60Q1/14—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to illuminate the way ahead or to illuminate other areas of way or environments the devices being headlights having dimming means
    • B60Q1/1407—General lighting circuits comprising dimming circuits
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60Q—ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60Q1/00—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor
    • B60Q1/02—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to illuminate the way ahead or to illuminate other areas of way or environments
    • B60Q1/24—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to illuminate the way ahead or to illuminate other areas of way or environments for lighting other areas than only the way ahead
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B47/00—Circuit arrangements for operating light sources in general, i.e. where the type of light source is not relevant
    • H05B47/10—Controlling the light source
    • H05B47/105—Controlling the light source in response to determined parameters
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B47/00—Circuit arrangements for operating light sources in general, i.e. where the type of light source is not relevant
    • H05B47/10—Controlling the light source
    • H05B47/155—Coordinated control of two or more light sources
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B47/00—Circuit arrangements for operating light sources in general, i.e. where the type of light source is not relevant
    • H05B47/10—Controlling the light source
    • H05B47/17—Operational modes, e.g. switching from manual to automatic mode or prohibiting specific operations
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60Q—ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60Q2800/00—Features related to particular types of vehicles not otherwise provided for
    • B60Q2800/20—Utility vehicles, e.g. for agriculture, construction work
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60Q—ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60Q2900/00—Features of lamps not covered by other groups in B60Q
    • B60Q2900/50—Arrangements to reconfigure features of lighting or signalling devices, or to choose from a list of pre-defined settings

Definitions

  • This disclosure relates to systems for controlling light emitters on work vehicles, which is to say, vehicles that have a tool or tipping body or other movable work element for carrying out work operations proximate the vehicle.
  • Work vehicles typically have multiple work lights mounted at the front, rear and/or sides of the vehicle, which are selectively energised to illuminate the work environment around the vehicle depending on the work operation being performed.
  • Work vehicles that are operable both on- and off-road will also have road lights, which is to say, standard lighting for use when moving on the public road.
  • the work lights are often of high intensity and not road legal, which is to say, they are located or oriented outside the permissible limits for lights used on the road.
  • various automatic lighting control systems have been developed to control the operation of the work lights or road lights responsive to the operating state of the vehicle.
  • reversing lights are conventionally arranged to switch on responsive to the selection of reverse gear.
  • Multiple work lights can be controlled in a similar way to reduce the control burden on the vehicle operator.
  • DE102015107458A1 teaches an agricultural work vehicle having headlights switchable between dipped and full beam for use on the road, and work lights which are switchable between an on-road (e.g. low range) mode and an off-road (e.g. high range) mode.
  • the work lights may be switched automatically between the on-road and off-road modes responsive to the location of the machine as sensed by a satellite navigation system.
  • the work lights may be switched on and off in each mode automatically responsive to the steering angle of the vehicle.
  • the work lights may comprise first and second light sources wherein the first light source emits a beam suitable for on-road use, while the second light source emits a beam suitable only for off-road use.
  • the first and second light sources are switched on and off together in the off-road mode, whereas in the on-road mode the second light source remains off while the first light source is switched on and off as required to illuminate the road.
  • US9227556 discloses a lighting control system including: a controller, a manual input device, and sensors for detecting various parameters (e.g. weather or daylight conditions, or park brake activation, or vehicle location.) A plurality of different lighting configurations are stored in a memory. Based on the detected parameter, the controller determines which of the alternative lighting configurations will be implemented, and in which order, when commanded by the user via the manual input device.
  • various parameters e.g. weather or daylight conditions, or park brake activation, or vehicle location.
  • an apparatus including a vehicle, and a vehicle control system.
  • the vehicle includes: a chassis; a vehicle movement system for moving the vehicle over land; an actuation system; at least one work element movable by the actuation system, relative to the chassis, to perform a work operation proximate the vehicle; and a plurality of light emitters.
  • the vehicle control system is arranged on-board the vehicle or external to the vehicle or partly on-board and partly external to the vehicle, and includes: user controls, and an automatic lighting control system.
  • the user controls are operable by a user and include: user tool controls for controlling the actuation system, user vehicle controls for controlling the vehicle movement system, and user lighting controls for controlling different respective ones of the light emitters.
  • the vehicle is operable selectively in a plurality of alternative operating modes defined respectively by different states of at least one of the vehicle movement system and the actuation system, said different states being selectable by a user by user input via the user controls.
  • the automatic lighting control system is configured: to detect at least one vehicle use parameter, said at least one vehicle use parameter being at least one of: (a) a selected said operating mode of the vehicle, and (b) an external parameter independent of the vehicle; and, responsive to detecting each of a plurality of different values of the at least one vehicle use parameter, to control the light emitters in accordance with a different respective lighting plan assigned to each respective different value of the at least one vehicle use parameter.
  • Each lighting plan is a respective combination of operating conditions applied to respective ones of the light emitters.
  • Said operating conditions include at least two of the following conditions:
  • - a “mandatory on” condition in which a respective light emitter is illuminated, independent of said user lighting controls, and is not extinguishable by the user by operation of the user lighting controls.
  • - a “mandatory off’ condition in which a respective light emitter is extinguished, independent of said user lighting controls, and is not illuminable by the user by operation of the user lighting controls.
  • a “user authority” condition in which a respective light emitter is selectively illuminable and extinguishable by the user by operation of a respective one of the user lighting controls.
  • first and second said light emitters are selectively illuminable and extinguishable together, by the user, by operation of a same respective one of the user lighting controls, wherein in another operating condition the first light emitter is selectively illuminable and extinguishable, independently of the second light emitter, by operation of said same respective one of the user lighting controls.
  • the vehicle control system further includes a lighting plan configuration system operable, in a reconfiguration operation: to receive configuration instructions, and to reconfigure each lighting plan to define a different said combination of operating conditions in accordance with the configuration instructions.
  • a method is provided for controlling lighting on a vehicle, the method including: providing the above described apparatus; and operating the lighting plan configuration system, in a reconfiguration operation: to receive configuration instructions, and to reconfigure at least one said lighting plan to define a different said combination of operating conditions in accordance with the configuration instructions.
  • Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of light emitters mounted on a vehicle.
  • Fig. 2 shows a vehicle control system of the vehicle.
  • Fig. 3 shows a lighting plan configuration display screen of the vehicle control system.
  • a vehicle 1 includes a chassis (supporting structure) 2, a vehicle movement system 3 for moving the vehicle over land, an actuation system 4, and at least one work element 5 movable by the actuation system 4, relative to the chassis 2, to perform a work operation proximate the vehicle.
  • the vehicle also incudes a plurality of light emitters LI - LIO.
  • the vehicle movement system 3 may include steerable wheels or tracks driven by a prime mover (e.g. an internal combustion engine or electric motor) via a geartrain or transmission system which may be e.g. mechanical or electromechanical or hydraulic.
  • a prime mover e.g. an internal combustion engine or electric motor
  • a geartrain or transmission system which may be e.g. mechanical or electromechanical or hydraulic.
  • the work element may be a tipping body 5 of the vehicle as illustrated.
  • the work element may be a tool (not shown) mounted on an articulated linkage (e.g. on a stick which is mounted on a boom) and operable to engage material proximate the vehicle.
  • the tool could be, for example, a bucket or a grab or a breaker or a cutter.
  • the actuation system 4 may include a hydraulic pump and valves and hydraulic actuators, e.g. as illustrated, or any other type of actuators.
  • a vehicle control system 20 is arranged on-board the vehicle or external to the vehicle or partly on-board and partly external to the vehicle, and includes: user controls 30, and an automatic lighting control system 40.
  • the user controls 30 are operable by a user and include: user tool controls 31 (e.g. joystick, switches) for controlling the actuation system 4, user vehicle controls 32 (e.g. foot pedals, hand operated levers and switches, steering wheel, gear selector) for controlling the vehicle movement system 3, and user lighting controls 33 (e.g. mechanical switches and/or switches implemented on a touchscreen and/or a full/dip beam headlamp selector switch) for controlling different respective ones of the light emitters.
  • a first user authority interface 34 may also be provided, which may be e.g. a key operated switch as shown, or a tag reader or near field receiver for reading an ID tag or receiving a near field wireless signal from a near field transmitter.
  • the vehicle systems 3, 4 may be operable responsive to receiving a first user authority (e.g. an ignition key or a user ID encoded in a tag or other device) via the first user authority interface 34.
  • a first user authority e.g. an ignition key or a user ID encoded in a tag or other device
  • the first user authority may be referred to as an operator profile. If the vehicle has multiple alternative drivers, each driver may have a unique operator profile.
  • the selected operator profile may call up a different lighting plan, or a different set of lighting plans, for each driver. Lighting plans are further discussed below. In such arrangements, each lighting plan may be configurable as further described below, with the further option of allocating different lighting plans to different drivers.
  • Each light emitter LI - LIO includes at least one respective light source, and may include a lamp or translucent enclosure including a single light source such as a filament or LED or a group of light sources, e.g. two filaments or two LEDs or groups of LEDs spaced apart and operable selectively to perform different respective functions, e.g., full beam/ dip beam headlamp functions, or tail light/ stop (brake) light functions.
  • a single light source such as a filament or LED or a group of light sources, e.g. two filaments or two LEDs or groups of LEDs spaced apart and operable selectively to perform different respective functions, e.g., full beam/ dip beam headlamp functions, or tail light/ stop (brake) light functions.
  • the light emitters may include work lights L3, L6, L7, L8 for illuminating a work area proximate the vehicle, and road lights LI, L2, L4, L5, L9, LIO for use when the vehicle is travelling on a road or worksite.
  • the road lights may include any or all of forward facing dip (low) beam headlights L2; forward facing full (high) beam headlights LI; rear facing reversing lights L4; high intensity rear fog lights L5; tail lights L9; and brake (stop) lights LIO.
  • the full beam headlights LI provide long distance illumination ahead of the vehicle when driving the vehicle on a road or worksite, while the dip beam headlights L2 provide shorter distance illumination to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic on the road or on the worksite.
  • the vehicle may be configured to be drivable on public roads and off-road on a worksite.
  • the vehicle may be configured to be used only off-road on the worksite, in which case the vehicle may be controlled by a driver in a cab on-board the vehicle, or remotely by a vehicle operator in a different location. Remote operation may be partially or fully automated.
  • the work lights may include, for example, any or all of forward facing work lights L3, L6; rear facing work lights L8; and side facing work lights L7.
  • Each work light, or each of several groups of work lights, may be operable by a separate user lighting control 33.
  • the user lighting controls 33 may be arranged, for example, as an array of mechanical switches, and/or may be embodied in a touchscreen, and/or may include dedicated switches of special design such as a conventional full/dip beam headlamp selector switch 33’.
  • Certain of the light emitters, e.g. the reversing lights L4 may be operated by switches controlled by other vehicle elements such as the gear selector.
  • At least one of the user lighting controls 33 may be movable between permanently defined “on” and “off’ positions, wherein the “on” position is effective in at least one lighting plan to illuminate a respective one or ones of the light emitters, but is never effective to extinguish said respective one or ones of the light emitters in any of the lighting plans; and the “off’ position is effective in said at least one lighting plan to extinguish said respective one or ones of the light emitters, but is never effective to illuminate said respective one or ones of the light emitters in any of the lighting plans.
  • the dedicated full/dip beam headlight selector switch 33’ may be operable in one position to select full beam and in the other position to deselect full beam, which positions are never reversed. This function moreover may be the same in all the lighting plans.
  • the vehicle 1 is operable selectively in a plurality of alternative operating modes defined respectively by different states of at least one of the vehicle movement system 3 and the actuation system 4, said different states being selectable by a user by user input via the user controls 30.
  • the different states may include, for example: a position of the work element (e.g. a tipping body 5 raised for tipping versus lowered in travel position; or a bucket or other tool (not shown) extended in a use position versus retracted in a travel position); a forward versus reverse drive state of the vehicle movement system 3; a swing position of the house on the chassis (e.g. in a wheeled or tracked vehicle with a body or house pivotably mounted on the chassis for movement about a vertical axis relative to the chassis, e.g. a 360 degree digger); a free-to-swing versus locked-facing-forward-for-travel state of the house on the chassis; a high versus low power operation (e.g. high v. low engine power output and/or hydraulic flow rate); and so forth.
  • a position of the work element e.g. a tipping body 5 raised for tipping versus lowered in travel position; or a bucket or other tool (not shown) extended in a use position versus
  • the automatic lighting control system 40 may include a processor or other active control element 41 and a memory 42.
  • the active control element 41 may be operably associated with respective ones of the light emitters LI - LIO (e.g. via relays or other power control elements) so as to control their operation as further explained below.
  • the active control element 41 may also be operatively associated with the actuation system 4 and/or the vehicle movement system 3 (e.g. via sensors or feedback circuits), and/or with external parameter sensors such as a clock, an external vehicle use control signal receiver 43, a location (e.g. satellite location system) signal receiver 44 (e.g. forming part of an on-board navigation system), and/or an ambient light sensor 45.
  • external parameter sensors such as a clock, an external vehicle use control signal receiver 43, a location (e.g. satellite location system) signal receiver 44 (e.g. forming part of an on-board navigation system), and/or an ambient light sensor 45.
  • the automatic lighting control system 40 is configured: to detect at least one vehicle use parameter, said at least one vehicle use parameter being at least one of: (a) a selected said operating mode of the vehicle 1, and (b) an external parameter independent of the vehicle 1; and, responsive to detecting each of a plurality of different values of the at least one vehicle use parameter, to control the light emitters LI - LIO in accordance with a different respective lighting plan assigned to each respective different value of the at least one vehicle use parameter.
  • the operating modes of the vehicle 1 may include at least one onroad mode in which the actuation system 4 is disabled, and at least one off-road mode in which the actuation system 4 is enabled.
  • the on- and off-road modes may be set by a switch in the driver’s cab or automatically by sensing the state of the vehicle movement system 3 and/or the actuation system 4, or the location of the vehicle.
  • the at least one vehicle use parameter may include, as an external parameter, one or more of: (a) a location of the vehicle (which may be sensed by the location signal receiver 44); (b) a time of day or (c) a day of the week (which may be determined by a clock and/or calendar embodied in active control element or processor 41); (d) an ambient light level (e.g. as sensed by the ambient light sensor 45); and (e) a vehicle use control signal generated externally of the vehicle, e.g. by a beacon or other signal source located on a worksite, and received via the external vehicle use control signal receiver 43
  • different vehicle lighting may be configured to turn on or off or to change in intensity responsive to changing ambient light level.
  • Each lighting plan is a respective combination of operating conditions applied to respective ones of the light emitters (e.g. any one or any combination of light emitters LI - LIO).
  • the operating conditions include at least two (and may include any or all) of the following conditions:
  • a “mandatory on” condition in which a respective light emitter is illuminated (i.e. emitting light), independent of the user lighting controls 33, and is not extinguishable (i.e. cannot be made to stop emitting light) by the user by operation of the user lighting controls.
  • a “mandatory off’ condition in which a respective light emitter is extinguished (i.e. not emitting light), independent of the user lighting controls 33, and is not illuminable (i.e. cannot be made to emit light) by the user by operation of the user lighting controls.
  • a “user authority” condition in which a respective light emitter is selectively illuminable and extinguishable by the user by operation of a respective one of the user lighting controls 33.
  • first and second light emitters are selectively illuminable and extinguishable together, by the user, by operation of a same respective one of the user lighting controls 33’, wherein in another operating condition the first light emitter is selectively illuminable and extinguishable, independently of the second light emitter, by operation of said same respective one of the user lighting controls.
  • a lighting plan may be configured to allow the vehicle operator to switch on the work lights when the vehicle 1 is on-site, as sensed by a signal from a beacon on the site or determined by a satellite location signal; but not to allow the operator to switch on the work lights when the vehicle 1 is on the public road, as sensed by the value (e.g. presence or absence) of such signal.
  • a lighting plan may be configured to allow the vehicle operator to switch on the work lights when the vehicle 1 is in the off-road mode; but not to allow the operator to switch on the work lights when the vehicle 1 is in the onroad mode.
  • the light emitters may include full beam headlights LI suitable for use on public roads but unsuitable for use when proximate oncoming traffic; and a forward facing work light (e.g. L3 or L6) that is unsuitable for use on public roads.
  • the user lighting controls 33 may include a full beam headlight control 33’ operable by a driver of the vehicle 1 in the on-road mode to selectively illuminate and extinguish the full beam headlights LI to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic.
  • a lighting plan may be configured so that in an off-road mode the forward facing work light L3, L6 is configured in the “user authority coupled” condition to be illuminable and extinguishable together with the full beam headlights LI by operation of the full beam headlight control, and in the on-road mode the forward facing work light L3, L6 is configured in the “mandatory off’ condition.
  • the light emitters may include full beam headlights LI that are unsuitable for use when proximate oncoming traffic, and a forward facing work light (e.g. L3 or L6), wherein the user lighting controls 33 include a full beam headlight control 33’ operable by a driver of the vehicle 1 to selectively illuminate and extinguish the full beam headlights LI to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic.
  • a forward facing work light e.g. L3 or L6
  • the user lighting controls 33 include a full beam headlight control 33’ operable by a driver of the vehicle 1 to selectively illuminate and extinguish the full beam headlights LI to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic.
  • the forward facing work light L3, L6 may be configured in the “user authority coupled” condition to be illuminable and extinguishable together with the full beam headlights LI by operation of the full beam headlight control, wherein, in accordance with a second lighting plan, the forward facing work light L3, L6 is configured in the “user authority” condition to be illuminable and extinguishable independently of the full beam headlights LI.
  • the vehicle control system 20 further includes a lighting plan configuration system 50 that is operable, in a reconfiguration operation: to receive configuration instructions, and to reconfigure each lighting plan to define a different said combination of operating conditions in accordance with the configuration instructions.
  • the lighting plan configuration system 50 may include a lighting plan configuration display screen 51 indicating the respective combination of operating conditions applied to different respective ones of the light emitters LI - LIO for each respective lighting plan.
  • the display screen 51 may be further configured as a touchscreen via which the configuration instructions may be inputted by a user.
  • the reconfiguration operation may be performed by inputting the configuration instructions via a user interface.
  • the user interface may be, e.g. a lighting plan configuration display screen 51 if it’s arranged as a touchscreen, which may be on-board the vehicle or off-board (remote).
  • the user interface may be configured as an app running on a smartphone operably coupled via a signal to the lighting plan configuration system 50 which may be on-board or off-board the vehicle 1.
  • Fig. 3 shows one possible user interface for reviewing the operating conditions defined in each lighting plan for each light emitter LI - L10 in relation to the corresponding vehicle use parameter or combination of parameters (i.e. vehicle operating mode and/or external parameters), and for inputting the configuration instructions to selectively adjust those operating conditions.
  • vehicle use parameter or combination of parameters i.e. vehicle operating mode and/or external parameters
  • the lighting plan configuration system 50 will reconfigure at least one selected lighting plan or plans to define a different combination of operating conditions in accordance with the configuration instructions.
  • the lighting plans are identified as such.
  • the lighting plans may be a system feature without being identified as such for the user.
  • the user may check the lighting plans simply by identifying the light emitters (e.g. “front work lights”) or the operating conditions (e.g. “off-road mode”). This may generate e.g. a table or a drop-down menu to allow the user to select the relevant changes, and/or a graphic representation of the vehicle 1 (e.g. as shown in Fig. 1, but with the light emitters selectively highlighted) that indicates the operational states of the respective light emitters under different vehicle use parameters, perhaps with the option to change operational states by directly touching the representation of the respective light emitter on the screen.
  • the light emitters e.g. “front work lights”
  • the operating conditions e.g. “off-road mode”.
  • This may generate e.g. a table or a drop-down menu to allow the user to select the relevant changes, and/or a graphic representation of the vehicle 1 (e.g. as shown in Fig. 1, but with the light emitters selectively highlighted) that indicates the operational states of the respective light emitters under different vehicle use parameters, perhaps
  • a master lighting plan may be stored in memory 42 and replicated or called up to provide a starting point each time the user wishes to make a change; so, the user may reconfigure just one or two of the light emitters for just one particular value of one vehicle use parameter (e.g. all the worklights in on-site v. off-site mode, or the reversing light and rear worklights in forward v. reverse gear).
  • one vehicle use parameter e.g. all the worklights in on-site v. off-site mode, or the reversing light and rear worklights in forward v. reverse gear.
  • the changes are then stored as a new lighting plan, which can be embodied in any form - e.g.
  • the user may identify the lighting plan to be changed in box 52 (“select plan”). For example, the user might select “off-road” or “on-road”. Or, the user might select “worksite no. 1” or “worksite no. 2”.
  • the user may identify the light emitters LI - LIO whose operation is to be affected by the change.
  • the operating conditions for the selected light emitters may be displayed (graphically or verbally or as a table or chart or any other way), e.g. in a window 54 “current plan”.
  • the user may set new operating conditions for the selected light emitters in window 55 “change plan”.
  • the user may first be prompted to enter a second user authority, e.g. in the form of a tag or near field transmitter or second mechanical key via the first user authority interface 34 or via a different, second user authority interface such as box 56 “enter PIN” for entering a PIN or other code.
  • the user may then make the changes using any suitable interface. In the illustrated example, this is done via two boxes 57, 58 which are related by an “IF - THEN” logic.
  • Box 57 “select parameter” allows the user to select which vehicle use parameter is involved with the change.
  • the user could select “reverse gear” or “off-road mode” or “Tuesday afternoons” or “5pm - 7am” or “worksite 1”. These options could be presented as a list or graphically or in any other way.
  • Box 58 “select condition” allows the user to set the desired operating condition for the selected light emitters. For example, the user could select “user authority coupled”, in which case a further input could be required to identify, from a list of options, which of the concerned light emitters are to be operable by which of the user lighting controls 33.
  • the user could select “mandatory on”, in which case the concerned light emitters will be switched on when the vehicle is operated under the identified vehicle use parameter or parameter combination (e.g. on Tuesday afternoons on work site 1.)
  • Boxes 59 allow the user to save or cancel the changes.
  • OPTIONAL FEATURE Only the supervisor can configure the lighting plans.
  • the vehicle control system 20 may include at least one user authority interface 34, 56.
  • the vehicle movement and actuation systems 3, 4 may be inoperable unless a first user authority is received via the at least one user authority interface, e.g. first interface 34.
  • the lighting plan configuration system 50 may be inoperable to perform the reconfiguration operation, unless a second user authority is received via the at least one user authority interface, e.g. second interface 56, the second user authority being different from the first user authority.
  • OPTIONAL FEATURE Policy change operation - selecting between stored alternative lighting plans.
  • the lighting plan configuration system 50 may be operable, in the reconfiguration operation, to store alternative configurations for a respective lighting plan. And the lighting plan configuration system 50 may be further operable, in a policy change operation: to receive a policy command, and to reconfigure the respective lighting plan in accordance with a configuration selected from the stored alternative configurations, responsive to the policy command.
  • the reversing lights may be operable alternatively in high intensity and low intensity operating conditions.
  • a particular worksite may have a particular rule that reversing lights must always be in the low intensity operating condition, to avoid dazzling other drivers.
  • the user may store a first lighting plan that implements the particular rule, an alternative, second lighting plans that doesn’t implement the particular rule, and an alternative, third lighting plan that implements the particular rule selectively depending on the worksite.
  • the first lighting plan may define that the reversing lights are always in the low intensity operating condition in both on-road and off-road modes.
  • the alternative, second lighting plan may define that the reversing lights are always in the low intensity operating condition when travelling on the road, but in the high intensity operating condition when the vehicle is operating in off-road mode, for added safety in muddy conditions.
  • the alternative, third lighting plan may define that the reversing lights are always in the low intensity operating condition when travelling on the road, but in the high intensity operating condition when the vehicle is operating in off-road mode, except when the location signal receiver 44 detects that the vehicle 1 is operating on that particular worksite with the particular rule, in which case the reversing lights are in the low intensity operating condition.
  • the user may select between the different lighting plans responsive to changes in the policy at the particular worksite, e.g. if the site owner changes its policy.
  • OPTIONAL FEATURE Driver can select between stored alternative lighting can the li
  • the vehicle control system 20 may include at least one user authority interface 34, 56 as previously described.
  • one stored lighting plan might be an “on-road” plan where the high intensity worklights are in a “mandatory off’ condition unless the parking brake is on, in which case the high intensity worklights are in a “user authority” condition.
  • An alternative stored lighting plan might be an “off-road” plan in which the rear and side facing worklights are in a “user authority” condition and the front facing worklights are in a “user authority coupled” condition to be operable together with the full beam headlights by the same full/dip beam dedicated user lighting control 33’, irrespective of whether the parking brake is on.
  • OPTIONAL FEATURE Preselection decides which stored alternative li can be selected by the driver.
  • the vehicle control system 20 may include at least one user authority interface 34, 56 as previously described.
  • the lighting plan configuration system 50 may be further operable, in a preselection operation: to receive a preselection command, and to selectively allow and disallow respective ones of the stored alternative configurations, wherein, in the policy change operation, only the allowed ones of the stored alternative configurations are selectable responsive to the policy command.
  • the vehicle movement and actuation systems may be inoperable unless a first user authority is received via the at least one user authority interface, e.g. first interface 34.
  • the lighting plan configuration system 50 may be inoperable to perform the reconfiguration operation, and inoperable to perform the preselection operation, unless a second user authority is received via the at least one user authority interface, e.g. second interface 56, wherein the second user authority is different from the first user authority. And the lighting plan configuration system 50 may be operable to perform the policy change operation if the first user authority is received via the at least one user authority interface, e.g. first interface 34.
  • the driver might have a choice between an “onroad” lighting plan and an “off-road” lighting plan.
  • the driver might want to turn on the high intensity worklights on the forbidden site, but the vehicle manager can selectively disallow the lighting plan that implements that option so the driver can’t select it.
  • OPTIONAL FEATURE Automated reconfiguration operation by command signal.
  • the lighting plan configuration system 50 may include a signal receiver (e.g. receiver 43) for receiving a signal.
  • the configuration instructions may be embodied in a reconfiguration signal generated externally of the vehicle 1 and received by the signal receiver 43.
  • the reconfiguration signal could be issued remotely by a manager at a vehicle control centre, when a policy change occurs, and transmitted wirelessly or via a hard wire link to the signal receiver 43.
  • the reconfiguration signal could be implemented as a short range beacon transmitter located on a particular worksite or at the entrance to a particular worksite, so that it is picked up by the signal receiver 43 when the vehicle 1 enters that worksite (with a suitable reset arrangement for when the vehicle 1 leaves the site again.)
  • a lighting plan may be reconfigured responsive to the configuration instructions received via the signal receiver 43 when the vehicle 1 arrives on or leaves a particular worksite.
  • OPTIONAL FEATURE Automated policy change operation by location.
  • the lighting plan configuration system 50 may be arranged to sense a location of the vehicle 1, e.g. via location signal receiver 44, and to generate the policy command responsive to sensing a change in the location of the vehicle 1.
  • the location may be mapped to the relevant policy command in the memory 42.
  • a new lighting plan may be loaded when the vehicle 1 arrives on or leaves a particular worksite.
  • OPTIONAL FEATURE Automated policy change operation by command signal.
  • the lighting plan configuration system 50 may include a signal receiver (e.g. receiver 43) for receiving a signal.
  • the policy command may be embodied in a policy command signal generated externally of the vehicle 1 and received by the signal receiver 43.
  • the policy command could be issued remotely by a manager at a vehicle control centre, when a policy change occurs, and transmitted wirelessly or via a hard wire link to the signal receiver 43.
  • the policy command could be implemented as a short range beacon transmitter located on a particular worksite or at the entrance to a particular worksite, so that it is picked up by the signal receiver 43 when the vehicle 1 enters that worksite (with a suitable reset arrangement for when the vehicle 1 leaves the site again.)
  • the novel apparatus can be employed to manage lighting on work vehicles for use on worksites, and, depending on the type of vehicle, optionally also on the public road. In off-road applications such vehicles may be operated by an on-board driver or may be remotely controlled, optionally also partially or fully automated.
  • the novel apparatus recognises that policy considerations may dictate very specific and not always predictable alterations to the lighting plan on a work vehicle depending on the nature and location of different work sites. Such changes can be difficult to implement when the lighting is preconfigured to be controlled automatically responsive to the vehicle operating mode or sensed external parameters. At the same time, automatic lighting control can make life easier for the vehicle operator by adapting the lighting to suit a constantly changing environment.
  • the novel apparatus reconciles this conflict by providing a lighting plan configuration system that is used to reconfigure each lighting plan so as to implement lighting policy as a layer of control on top of the automatic lighting control system that responds automatically to changes in vehicle operating state (on-road, off-road, forward, reverse, tool position, etc) or external parameters such as vehicle location or ambient light level.
  • the lighting plan configuration system may be operable (or stored lighting plan configurations may be selectable) responsive to a supervisory user authority, different from the user authority required to operate the vehicle. This makes it possible for lighting policy to be implemented by supervisory or management staff responsible for overseeing the operation of the vehicle so as to manage the operational choices that are available to the vehicle operator.
  • a particular work site may be licensed for operations between 8am and 5pm from Monday to Friday on the condition that high intensity lighting is not used on a Wednesday afternoon because it interferes with services in an adjacent church; so, the vehicle management may reconfigure the lighting plan to disallow the use of high intensity lighting at those times, optionally in combination with a vehicle location parameter that implements the new lighting plan only if the system detects that the vehicle is working on that particular site.
  • one work site operator may mandate rear lighting to be automatically controlled by reverse gear selection and increased in intensity during daylight hours, whereas the operator of another site where the vehicle is also to work mandates low intensity rear lighting at all times; so, the vehicle management may reconfigure the lighting plan to implement those different policies dependent on the sensed location of the vehicle.
  • At least some of the user lighting controls may be arranged to have permanently defined “on” and “off’ positions which are never reversed, irrespective of which lighting plan is selected.
  • a work vehicle 1 has an automatic lighting control system 40 that controls multiple light emitters LI - LIO of the vehicle responsive to: changes in the vehicle use parameters, for example, an operating mode of the vehicle, such as on-road or off-road mode, or forward or reverse drive mode; or changes in an external parameter, such as the worksite location or ambient light intensity or time of day, or an external vehicle use control signal.
  • an operating mode of the vehicle such as on-road or off-road mode, or forward or reverse drive mode
  • an external parameter such as the worksite location or ambient light intensity or time of day, or an external vehicle use control signal.
  • the automatic lighting control system 30 maps different operating conditions of the light emitters LI - LIO (e.g. mandatory on, mandatory off, switchable by the driver) to the different vehicle use parameters.
  • the vehicle control system further includes a lighting plan configuration system 50 that is operable to receive configuration instructions, and to reconfigure each lighting plan to define a different combination of operating conditions in accordance with the configuration instructions.

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Abstract

A work vehicle (1) has an automatic lighting control system (40) that controls multiple light emitters (L1 - L10) of the vehicle responsive to: changes in the vehicle use parameters, for example, an operating mode of the vehicle, such as on-road or off-road mode, or forward or reverse drive mode; or changes in an external parameter, such as the worksite location or ambient light intensity or time of day, or an external vehicle use control signal. The automatic lighting control system (30) maps different operating conditions of the light emitters (L1 - L10) (e.g. mandatory on, mandatory off, switchable by the driver) to the different vehicle use parameters. The vehicle control system (20) further includes a lighting plan configuration system (50) that is operable to receive configuration instructions, and to reconfigure each lighting plan to define a different combination of operating conditions in accordance with the configuration instructions.

Description

Description
LIGHTING CONTROL SYSTEM FOR A WORK VEHICLE
Technical Field
This disclosure relates to systems for controlling light emitters on work vehicles, which is to say, vehicles that have a tool or tipping body or other movable work element for carrying out work operations proximate the vehicle.
Background
Work vehicles typically have multiple work lights mounted at the front, rear and/or sides of the vehicle, which are selectively energised to illuminate the work environment around the vehicle depending on the work operation being performed. Work vehicles that are operable both on- and off-road will also have road lights, which is to say, standard lighting for use when moving on the public road. The work lights are often of high intensity and not road legal, which is to say, they are located or oriented outside the permissible limits for lights used on the road.
It can be burdensome for the vehicle operator to control all the work lights individually via a bank of switches; consequently, the work lights may not always be selected appropriately for the work operation being performed. If the vehicle user forgets to turn off the work lights when exiting a site, the work lights may dazzle oncoming traffic on the road. Work lights can also dazzle other machine operators on-site, or even the operator of the same machine if the tool or other part of the machine is moved to a position where the light reflects back into the cab.
Accordingly, various automatic lighting control systems have been developed to control the operation of the work lights or road lights responsive to the operating state of the vehicle. For example, reversing lights are conventionally arranged to switch on responsive to the selection of reverse gear. Multiple work lights can be controlled in a similar way to reduce the control burden on the vehicle operator.
DE102015107458A1 teaches an agricultural work vehicle having headlights switchable between dipped and full beam for use on the road, and work lights which are switchable between an on-road (e.g. low range) mode and an off-road (e.g. high range) mode. The work lights may be switched automatically between the on-road and off-road modes responsive to the location of the machine as sensed by a satellite navigation system. The work lights may be switched on and off in each mode automatically responsive to the steering angle of the vehicle.
The work lights may comprise first and second light sources wherein the first light source emits a beam suitable for on-road use, while the second light source emits a beam suitable only for off-road use. The first and second light sources are switched on and off together in the off-road mode, whereas in the on-road mode the second light source remains off while the first light source is switched on and off as required to illuminate the road.
US9227556 discloses a lighting control system including: a controller, a manual input device, and sensors for detecting various parameters (e.g. weather or daylight conditions, or park brake activation, or vehicle location.) A plurality of different lighting configurations are stored in a memory. Based on the detected parameter, the controller determines which of the alternative lighting configurations will be implemented, and in which order, when commanded by the user via the manual input device.
Summary of the Disclosure
In accordance with a first aspect of the present disclosure there is provided an apparatus including a vehicle, and a vehicle control system.
The vehicle includes: a chassis; a vehicle movement system for moving the vehicle over land; an actuation system; at least one work element movable by the actuation system, relative to the chassis, to perform a work operation proximate the vehicle; and a plurality of light emitters.
The vehicle control system is arranged on-board the vehicle or external to the vehicle or partly on-board and partly external to the vehicle, and includes: user controls, and an automatic lighting control system.
The user controls are operable by a user and include: user tool controls for controlling the actuation system, user vehicle controls for controlling the vehicle movement system, and user lighting controls for controlling different respective ones of the light emitters.
The vehicle is operable selectively in a plurality of alternative operating modes defined respectively by different states of at least one of the vehicle movement system and the actuation system, said different states being selectable by a user by user input via the user controls.
The automatic lighting control system is configured: to detect at least one vehicle use parameter, said at least one vehicle use parameter being at least one of: (a) a selected said operating mode of the vehicle, and (b) an external parameter independent of the vehicle; and, responsive to detecting each of a plurality of different values of the at least one vehicle use parameter, to control the light emitters in accordance with a different respective lighting plan assigned to each respective different value of the at least one vehicle use parameter.
Each lighting plan is a respective combination of operating conditions applied to respective ones of the light emitters.
Said operating conditions include at least two of the following conditions:
- a “mandatory on” condition in which a respective light emitter is illuminated, independent of said user lighting controls, and is not extinguishable by the user by operation of the user lighting controls. - a “mandatory off’ condition in which a respective light emitter is extinguished, independent of said user lighting controls, and is not illuminable by the user by operation of the user lighting controls.
- a “high intensity” condition in which a respective light emitter is configured to emit a beam of relatively higher intensity than in an alternative, “low intensity” condition
- a “low intensity” condition in which a respective light emitter is configured to emit a beam of relatively lower intensity than in an alternative, “high intensity” condition
- a “long range” condition in which a respective light emitter is configured to emit a beam over a relatively longer range than in an alternative, “short range” condition.
- a “short range” condition in which a respective light emitter is configured to emit a beam over a relatively shorter range than in an alternative, “long range” condition.
- a “user authority” condition in which a respective light emitter is selectively illuminable and extinguishable by the user by operation of a respective one of the user lighting controls.
- a “user authority coupled” condition in which first and second said light emitters are selectively illuminable and extinguishable together, by the user, by operation of a same respective one of the user lighting controls, wherein in another operating condition the first light emitter is selectively illuminable and extinguishable, independently of the second light emitter, by operation of said same respective one of the user lighting controls.
The vehicle control system further includes a lighting plan configuration system operable, in a reconfiguration operation: to receive configuration instructions, and to reconfigure each lighting plan to define a different said combination of operating conditions in accordance with the configuration instructions. In a second aspect, a method is provided for controlling lighting on a vehicle, the method including: providing the above described apparatus; and operating the lighting plan configuration system, in a reconfiguration operation: to receive configuration instructions, and to reconfigure at least one said lighting plan to define a different said combination of operating conditions in accordance with the configuration instructions.
Further features and advantages will be apparent from the following description of illustrative embodiments which are provided, purely by way of example and without limitation to the scope of the claims, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of light emitters mounted on a vehicle.
Fig. 2 shows a vehicle control system of the vehicle.
Fig. 3 shows a lighting plan configuration display screen of the vehicle control system.
Reference numerals and characters appearing in more than one of the figures indicate the same or corresponding elements in each of them.
Detailed
Referring to Fig. 1, a vehicle 1 includes a chassis (supporting structure) 2, a vehicle movement system 3 for moving the vehicle over land, an actuation system 4, and at least one work element 5 movable by the actuation system 4, relative to the chassis 2, to perform a work operation proximate the vehicle. The vehicle also incudes a plurality of light emitters LI - LIO.
The vehicle movement system 3 may include steerable wheels or tracks driven by a prime mover (e.g. an internal combustion engine or electric motor) via a geartrain or transmission system which may be e.g. mechanical or electromechanical or hydraulic. The work element may be a tipping body 5 of the vehicle as illustrated.
Alternatively or additionally, the work element may be a tool (not shown) mounted on an articulated linkage (e.g. on a stick which is mounted on a boom) and operable to engage material proximate the vehicle. The tool could be, for example, a bucket or a grab or a breaker or a cutter.
The work element may be arranged to raise and lower a load - for example, it may be a crane or a platform lift.
The actuation system 4 may include a hydraulic pump and valves and hydraulic actuators, e.g. as illustrated, or any other type of actuators.
Referring also to Fig. 2, a vehicle control system 20 is arranged on-board the vehicle or external to the vehicle or partly on-board and partly external to the vehicle, and includes: user controls 30, and an automatic lighting control system 40.
The user controls 30 are operable by a user and include: user tool controls 31 (e.g. joystick, switches) for controlling the actuation system 4, user vehicle controls 32 (e.g. foot pedals, hand operated levers and switches, steering wheel, gear selector) for controlling the vehicle movement system 3, and user lighting controls 33 (e.g. mechanical switches and/or switches implemented on a touchscreen and/or a full/dip beam headlamp selector switch) for controlling different respective ones of the light emitters. A first user authority interface 34 may also be provided, which may be e.g. a key operated switch as shown, or a tag reader or near field receiver for reading an ID tag or receiving a near field wireless signal from a near field transmitter. The vehicle systems 3, 4 may be operable responsive to receiving a first user authority (e.g. an ignition key or a user ID encoded in a tag or other device) via the first user authority interface 34.
The first user authority may be referred to as an operator profile. If the vehicle has multiple alternative drivers, each driver may have a unique operator profile. Optionally, the selected operator profile may call up a different lighting plan, or a different set of lighting plans, for each driver. Lighting plans are further discussed below. In such arrangements, each lighting plan may be configurable as further described below, with the further option of allocating different lighting plans to different drivers.
Each light emitter LI - LIO includes at least one respective light source, and may include a lamp or translucent enclosure including a single light source such as a filament or LED or a group of light sources, e.g. two filaments or two LEDs or groups of LEDs spaced apart and operable selectively to perform different respective functions, e.g., full beam/ dip beam headlamp functions, or tail light/ stop (brake) light functions.
The light emitters may include work lights L3, L6, L7, L8 for illuminating a work area proximate the vehicle, and road lights LI, L2, L4, L5, L9, LIO for use when the vehicle is travelling on a road or worksite.
The road lights may include any or all of forward facing dip (low) beam headlights L2; forward facing full (high) beam headlights LI; rear facing reversing lights L4; high intensity rear fog lights L5; tail lights L9; and brake (stop) lights LIO.
The full beam headlights LI provide long distance illumination ahead of the vehicle when driving the vehicle on a road or worksite, while the dip beam headlights L2 provide shorter distance illumination to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic on the road or on the worksite.
The vehicle may be configured to be drivable on public roads and off-road on a worksite. Alternatively, the vehicle may be configured to be used only off-road on the worksite, in which case the vehicle may be controlled by a driver in a cab on-board the vehicle, or remotely by a vehicle operator in a different location. Remote operation may be partially or fully automated.
The work lights may include, for example, any or all of forward facing work lights L3, L6; rear facing work lights L8; and side facing work lights L7. Each work light, or each of several groups of work lights, may be operable by a separate user lighting control 33. The user lighting controls 33 may be arranged, for example, as an array of mechanical switches, and/or may be embodied in a touchscreen, and/or may include dedicated switches of special design such as a conventional full/dip beam headlamp selector switch 33’. Certain of the light emitters, e.g. the reversing lights L4, may be operated by switches controlled by other vehicle elements such as the gear selector.
At least one of the user lighting controls 33 may be movable between permanently defined “on” and “off’ positions, wherein the “on” position is effective in at least one lighting plan to illuminate a respective one or ones of the light emitters, but is never effective to extinguish said respective one or ones of the light emitters in any of the lighting plans; and the “off’ position is effective in said at least one lighting plan to extinguish said respective one or ones of the light emitters, but is never effective to illuminate said respective one or ones of the light emitters in any of the lighting plans.
By way of example, the dedicated full/dip beam headlight selector switch 33’ may be operable in one position to select full beam and in the other position to deselect full beam, which positions are never reversed. This function moreover may be the same in all the lighting plans.
The vehicle 1 is operable selectively in a plurality of alternative operating modes defined respectively by different states of at least one of the vehicle movement system 3 and the actuation system 4, said different states being selectable by a user by user input via the user controls 30.
The different states may include, for example: a position of the work element (e.g. a tipping body 5 raised for tipping versus lowered in travel position; or a bucket or other tool (not shown) extended in a use position versus retracted in a travel position); a forward versus reverse drive state of the vehicle movement system 3; a swing position of the house on the chassis (e.g. in a wheeled or tracked vehicle with a body or house pivotably mounted on the chassis for movement about a vertical axis relative to the chassis, e.g. a 360 degree digger); a free-to-swing versus locked-facing-forward-for-travel state of the house on the chassis; a high versus low power operation (e.g. high v. low engine power output and/or hydraulic flow rate); and so forth.
The automatic lighting control system 40 may include a processor or other active control element 41 and a memory 42. The active control element 41 may be operably associated with respective ones of the light emitters LI - LIO (e.g. via relays or other power control elements) so as to control their operation as further explained below.
The active control element 41 may also be operatively associated with the actuation system 4 and/or the vehicle movement system 3 (e.g. via sensors or feedback circuits), and/or with external parameter sensors such as a clock, an external vehicle use control signal receiver 43, a location (e.g. satellite location system) signal receiver 44 (e.g. forming part of an on-board navigation system), and/or an ambient light sensor 45.
The automatic lighting control system 40 is configured: to detect at least one vehicle use parameter, said at least one vehicle use parameter being at least one of: (a) a selected said operating mode of the vehicle 1, and (b) an external parameter independent of the vehicle 1; and, responsive to detecting each of a plurality of different values of the at least one vehicle use parameter, to control the light emitters LI - LIO in accordance with a different respective lighting plan assigned to each respective different value of the at least one vehicle use parameter.
The operating modes of the vehicle 1 may include at least one onroad mode in which the actuation system 4 is disabled, and at least one off-road mode in which the actuation system 4 is enabled. The on- and off-road modes may be set by a switch in the driver’s cab or automatically by sensing the state of the vehicle movement system 3 and/or the actuation system 4, or the location of the vehicle. The at least one vehicle use parameter may include, as an external parameter, one or more of: (a) a location of the vehicle (which may be sensed by the location signal receiver 44); (b) a time of day or (c) a day of the week (which may be determined by a clock and/or calendar embodied in active control element or processor 41); (d) an ambient light level (e.g. as sensed by the ambient light sensor 45); and (e) a vehicle use control signal generated externally of the vehicle, e.g. by a beacon or other signal source located on a worksite, and received via the external vehicle use control signal receiver 43.
For example, different vehicle lighting may be configured to turn on or off or to change in intensity responsive to changing ambient light level.
Each lighting plan is a respective combination of operating conditions applied to respective ones of the light emitters (e.g. any one or any combination of light emitters LI - LIO).
The operating conditions include at least two (and may include any or all) of the following conditions:
- a “mandatory on” condition in which a respective light emitter is illuminated (i.e. emitting light), independent of the user lighting controls 33, and is not extinguishable (i.e. cannot be made to stop emitting light) by the user by operation of the user lighting controls.
- a “mandatory off’ condition in which a respective light emitter is extinguished (i.e. not emitting light), independent of the user lighting controls 33, and is not illuminable (i.e. cannot be made to emit light) by the user by operation of the user lighting controls.
- a “high intensity” condition in which a respective light emitter is configured to emit a beam of relatively higher intensity than in an alternative, “low intensity” condition.
- a “low intensity” condition in which a respective light emitter is configured to emit a beam of relatively lower intensity than in an alternative, “high intensity” condition. - a “long range” condition in which a respective light emitter is configured to emit a beam over a relatively longer range than in an alternative, “short range” condition.
- a “short range” condition in which a respective light emitter is configured to emit a beam over a relatively shorter range than in an alternative, “long range” condition.
- a “user authority” condition in which a respective light emitter is selectively illuminable and extinguishable by the user by operation of a respective one of the user lighting controls 33.
- a “user authority coupled” condition in which first and second light emitters are selectively illuminable and extinguishable together, by the user, by operation of a same respective one of the user lighting controls 33’, wherein in another operating condition the first light emitter is selectively illuminable and extinguishable, independently of the second light emitter, by operation of said same respective one of the user lighting controls.
For example: a lighting plan may be configured to allow the vehicle operator to switch on the work lights when the vehicle 1 is on-site, as sensed by a signal from a beacon on the site or determined by a satellite location signal; but not to allow the operator to switch on the work lights when the vehicle 1 is on the public road, as sensed by the value (e.g. presence or absence) of such signal.
Or, a lighting plan may be configured to allow the vehicle operator to switch on the work lights when the vehicle 1 is in the off-road mode; but not to allow the operator to switch on the work lights when the vehicle 1 is in the onroad mode.
In a further example configuration, the light emitters may include full beam headlights LI suitable for use on public roads but unsuitable for use when proximate oncoming traffic; and a forward facing work light (e.g. L3 or L6) that is unsuitable for use on public roads. In such arrangements, the user lighting controls 33 may include a full beam headlight control 33’ operable by a driver of the vehicle 1 in the on-road mode to selectively illuminate and extinguish the full beam headlights LI to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic. In this case, a lighting plan may be configured so that in an off-road mode the forward facing work light L3, L6 is configured in the “user authority coupled” condition to be illuminable and extinguishable together with the full beam headlights LI by operation of the full beam headlight control, and in the on-road mode the forward facing work light L3, L6 is configured in the “mandatory off’ condition.
In another example configuration, the light emitters may include full beam headlights LI that are unsuitable for use when proximate oncoming traffic, and a forward facing work light (e.g. L3 or L6), wherein the user lighting controls 33 include a full beam headlight control 33’ operable by a driver of the vehicle 1 to selectively illuminate and extinguish the full beam headlights LI to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic. In this case, in accordance with a first lighting plan the forward facing work light L3, L6 may be configured in the “user authority coupled” condition to be illuminable and extinguishable together with the full beam headlights LI by operation of the full beam headlight control, wherein, in accordance with a second lighting plan, the forward facing work light L3, L6 is configured in the “user authority” condition to be illuminable and extinguishable independently of the full beam headlights LI.
Lighting Plan Configuration System
Referring again to Fig. 2, the vehicle control system 20 further includes a lighting plan configuration system 50 that is operable, in a reconfiguration operation: to receive configuration instructions, and to reconfigure each lighting plan to define a different said combination of operating conditions in accordance with the configuration instructions.
The lighting plan configuration system 50 may include a processor or other active control element 41 and a memory 42, either or both of which may be separate from or, as illustrated, may be shared with the automatic lighting control system 40. If the hardware is shared, the lighting plan configuration system 50 may be implemented as an additional software function running on the automatic lighting control system 40, including a program resident in nontransient memory 42 and executable on the processor 41.
Referring also to Fig. 3, the lighting plan configuration system 50 may include a lighting plan configuration display screen 51 indicating the respective combination of operating conditions applied to different respective ones of the light emitters LI - LIO for each respective lighting plan. As exemplified by the illustrated embodiment, the display screen 51 may be further configured as a touchscreen via which the configuration instructions may be inputted by a user.
In use, the reconfiguration operation may be performed by inputting the configuration instructions via a user interface. The user interface may be, e.g. a lighting plan configuration display screen 51 if it’s arranged as a touchscreen, which may be on-board the vehicle or off-board (remote). Alternatively the user interface may be configured as an app running on a smartphone operably coupled via a signal to the lighting plan configuration system 50 which may be on-board or off-board the vehicle 1.
By way of example, Fig. 3 shows one possible user interface for reviewing the operating conditions defined in each lighting plan for each light emitter LI - L10 in relation to the corresponding vehicle use parameter or combination of parameters (i.e. vehicle operating mode and/or external parameters), and for inputting the configuration instructions to selectively adjust those operating conditions.
Alternatively or additionally to inputting the configuration instructions via a user interface, the configuration instructions may be inputted in the form of a signal, as further discussed below.
In either case, in use, the lighting plan configuration system 50 will reconfigure at least one selected lighting plan or plans to define a different combination of operating conditions in accordance with the configuration instructions.
In the illustrated example, the lighting plans are identified as such.
In such arrangements, the user may choose to give names to the lighting plans (e.g. “on-site plan for front worklights” v. “off-site plan for front worklights”), and may call up the respective plans to check how those specific light emitters will operate under those different vehicle use parameters.
Alternatively, the lighting plans may be a system feature without being identified as such for the user.
In such alternative arrangements, the user may check the lighting plans simply by identifying the light emitters (e.g. “front work lights”) or the operating conditions (e.g. “off-road mode”). This may generate e.g. a table or a drop-down menu to allow the user to select the relevant changes, and/or a graphic representation of the vehicle 1 (e.g. as shown in Fig. 1, but with the light emitters selectively highlighted) that indicates the operational states of the respective light emitters under different vehicle use parameters, perhaps with the option to change operational states by directly touching the representation of the respective light emitter on the screen.
The lighting plans may be arranged in a hierarchy or otherwise structured to make it easy to navigate and adapt the lighting plans to implement lighting policy changes.
For example, a master lighting plan may be stored in memory 42 and replicated or called up to provide a starting point each time the user wishes to make a change; so, the user may reconfigure just one or two of the light emitters for just one particular value of one vehicle use parameter (e.g. all the worklights in on-site v. off-site mode, or the reversing light and rear worklights in forward v. reverse gear). The changes are then stored as a new lighting plan, which can be embodied in any form - e.g. as a complete set of instructions for all the light emitters in memory 42, or as a subroutine in memory 42 that is called up responsive to selecting reverse gear, or as a setting of a relay or other electronic or electromechanical switch that cuts-in or cuts-out a particular circuit connection for the respective light emitter(s).
Referring again to the illustrated example of Fig. 3, in use, the user may identify the lighting plan to be changed in box 52 (“select plan”). For example, the user might select "off-road” or “on-road”. Or, the user might select “worksite no. 1” or “worksite no. 2”.
Then, in box 53 (“select light”), the user may identify the light emitters LI - LIO whose operation is to be affected by the change.
The operating conditions for the selected light emitters may be displayed (graphically or verbally or as a table or chart or any other way), e.g. in a window 54 “current plan”.
If the user wishes to change the operating conditions then he may set new operating conditions for the selected light emitters in window 55 “change plan”. As further discussed below, the user may first be prompted to enter a second user authority, e.g. in the form of a tag or near field transmitter or second mechanical key via the first user authority interface 34 or via a different, second user authority interface such as box 56 “enter PIN” for entering a PIN or other code.
The user may then make the changes using any suitable interface. In the illustrated example, this is done via two boxes 57, 58 which are related by an “IF - THEN” logic.
Box 57 “select parameter” allows the user to select which vehicle use parameter is involved with the change.
For example, the user could select “reverse gear” or “off-road mode” or “Tuesday afternoons” or “5pm - 7am” or “worksite 1”. These options could be presented as a list or graphically or in any other way.
Box 58 “select condition” allows the user to set the desired operating condition for the selected light emitters. For example, the user could select “user authority coupled”, in which case a further input could be required to identify, from a list of options, which of the concerned light emitters are to be operable by which of the user lighting controls 33.
Or, the user could select “mandatory on”, in which case the concerned light emitters will be switched on when the vehicle is operated under the identified vehicle use parameter or parameter combination (e.g. on Tuesday afternoons on work site 1.)
Boxes 59 allow the user to save or cancel the changes.
Further optional features of the lighting plan configuration system 50 will now be described respectively under sub-headings that illustrate a practical application of each optional feature; it should be understood that the sub-headings are purely for ease of reference and so are illustrative, not limiting.
OPTIONAL FEATURE: Only the supervisor can configure the lighting plans.
The vehicle control system 20 may include at least one user authority interface 34, 56. The vehicle movement and actuation systems 3, 4 may be inoperable unless a first user authority is received via the at least one user authority interface, e.g. first interface 34. And the lighting plan configuration system 50 may be inoperable to perform the reconfiguration operation, unless a second user authority is received via the at least one user authority interface, e.g. second interface 56, the second user authority being different from the first user authority.
This means that the supervisor or manager can make changes to the vehicle lighting regimes that are implemented automatically when the vehicle is operating under different defined vehicle use parameters; but the vehicle operator or driver cannot.
For example - if the driver wants to reconfigure the lighting plan to give him the option to use high intensity worklights while the vehicle is travelling in on-road mode, then he can’t do it. OPTIONAL FEATURE: Policy change operation - selecting between stored alternative lighting plans.
The lighting plan configuration system 50 may be operable, in the reconfiguration operation, to store alternative configurations for a respective lighting plan. And the lighting plan configuration system 50 may be further operable, in a policy change operation: to receive a policy command, and to reconfigure the respective lighting plan in accordance with a configuration selected from the stored alternative configurations, responsive to the policy command.
This allows the user (either the vehicle operator /driver or a supervisor or manager) to define alternative lighting plans that can be selected to implement a change in policy.
For example: the reversing lights may be operable alternatively in high intensity and low intensity operating conditions.
A particular worksite may have a particular rule that reversing lights must always be in the low intensity operating condition, to avoid dazzling other drivers.
The user may store a first lighting plan that implements the particular rule, an alternative, second lighting plans that doesn’t implement the particular rule, and an alternative, third lighting plan that implements the particular rule selectively depending on the worksite.
The first lighting plan may define that the reversing lights are always in the low intensity operating condition in both on-road and off-road modes.
The alternative, second lighting plan may define that the reversing lights are always in the low intensity operating condition when travelling on the road, but in the high intensity operating condition when the vehicle is operating in off-road mode, for added safety in muddy conditions. The alternative, third lighting plan may define that the reversing lights are always in the low intensity operating condition when travelling on the road, but in the high intensity operating condition when the vehicle is operating in off-road mode, except when the location signal receiver 44 detects that the vehicle 1 is operating on that particular worksite with the particular rule, in which case the reversing lights are in the low intensity operating condition.
The user may select between the different lighting plans responsive to changes in the policy at the particular worksite, e.g. if the site owner changes its policy.
OPTIONAL FEATURE: Driver can select between stored alternative lighting can the li
Further optionally, in the arrangement discussed above under the sub-heading “Policy change operation - Selecting between stored alternative lighting , the vehicle control system 20 may include at least one user authority interface 34, 56 as previously described.
The vehicle movement and actuation systems 3, 4 may be inoperable unless a first user authority is received via the at least one user authority interface, e.g. first interface 34.
The lighting plan configuration system 50 may be inoperable to perform the reconfiguration operation unless a second user authority is received via the at least one user authority interface, e.g. second interface 56, the second user authority being different from the first user authority. And the lighting plan configuration system 50 may be operable to perform the policy change operation if the first user authority is received via the at least one user authority interface, e.g. first interface 34.
This allows the driver to select between alternative stored lighting plans. For example: one stored lighting plan might be an “on-road” plan where the high intensity worklights are in a “mandatory off’ condition unless the parking brake is on, in which case the high intensity worklights are in a “user authority” condition.
An alternative stored lighting plan might be an “off-road” plan in which the rear and side facing worklights are in a “user authority” condition and the front facing worklights are in a “user authority coupled” condition to be operable together with the full beam headlights by the same full/dip beam dedicated user lighting control 33’, irrespective of whether the parking brake is on.
However, the driver cannot reconfigure the “on-road” plan to enable him to switch on the worklights when the vehicle is travelling on the road with the parking brake off (as defined, for example, by a lock-out mode of the actuation system 4 and a parking brake sensor.)
OPTIONAL FEATURE: Preselection decides which stored alternative li can be selected by the driver.
Further optionally, in the arrangement discussed above under the sub-heading “Policy change operation - Selecting between stored alternative lighting plans”, the vehicle control system 20 may include at least one user authority interface 34, 56 as previously described.
The lighting plan configuration system 50 may be further operable, in a preselection operation: to receive a preselection command, and to selectively allow and disallow respective ones of the stored alternative configurations, wherein, in the policy change operation, only the allowed ones of the stored alternative configurations are selectable responsive to the policy command. The vehicle movement and actuation systems may be inoperable unless a first user authority is received via the at least one user authority interface, e.g. first interface 34.
The lighting plan configuration system 50 may be inoperable to perform the reconfiguration operation, and inoperable to perform the preselection operation, unless a second user authority is received via the at least one user authority interface, e.g. second interface 56, wherein the second user authority is different from the first user authority. And the lighting plan configuration system 50 may be operable to perform the policy change operation if the first user authority is received via the at least one user authority interface, e.g. first interface 34.
This allows the vehicle manager or supervisor to select which of the stored alternative lighting plans are available to be selected by the driver; which in turn, determines which lighting regimes are available to be selected by the driver when the vehicle is operating under different defined vehicle use parameters.
So, for example, the driver might have a choice between an “onroad” lighting plan and an “off-road” lighting plan. There might be two versions of the “off-road” lighting plan, one for use on Tuesday afternoons on a certain site where it’s forbidden to use high intensity lighting, and one for use on all other sites and at all other times.
The driver might want to turn on the high intensity worklights on the forbidden site, but the vehicle manager can selectively disallow the lighting plan that implements that option so the driver can’t select it.
OPTIONAL FEATURE: Automated reconfiguration operation by command signal.
The lighting plan configuration system 50 may include a signal receiver (e.g. receiver 43) for receiving a signal. The configuration instructions may be embodied in a reconfiguration signal generated externally of the vehicle 1 and received by the signal receiver 43.
For example, the reconfiguration signal could be issued remotely by a manager at a vehicle control centre, when a policy change occurs, and transmitted wirelessly or via a hard wire link to the signal receiver 43.
Or, the reconfiguration signal could be implemented as a short range beacon transmitter located on a particular worksite or at the entrance to a particular worksite, so that it is picked up by the signal receiver 43 when the vehicle 1 enters that worksite (with a suitable reset arrangement for when the vehicle 1 leaves the site again.)
So, for example, a lighting plan may be reconfigured responsive to the configuration instructions received via the signal receiver 43 when the vehicle 1 arrives on or leaves a particular worksite.
OPTIONAL FEATURE: Automated policy change operation by location.
Further optionally, in the arrangement discussed above under the sub-heading “Policy change operation - Selecting between stored alternative lighting , the lighting plan configuration system 50 may be arranged to sense a location of the vehicle 1, e.g. via location signal receiver 44, and to generate the policy command responsive to sensing a change in the location of the vehicle 1.
The location may be mapped to the relevant policy command in the memory 42.
So, for example, a new lighting plan may be loaded when the vehicle 1 arrives on or leaves a particular worksite.
OPTIONAL FEATURE: Automated policy change operation by command signal.
Further optionally, in the arrangement discussed above under the sub-heading “Policy change operation - Selecting between stored alternative lighting , the lighting plan configuration system 50 may include a signal receiver (e.g. receiver 43) for receiving a signal. The policy command may be embodied in a policy command signal generated externally of the vehicle 1 and received by the signal receiver 43.
For example, the policy command could be issued remotely by a manager at a vehicle control centre, when a policy change occurs, and transmitted wirelessly or via a hard wire link to the signal receiver 43.
Or, the policy command could be implemented as a short range beacon transmitter located on a particular worksite or at the entrance to a particular worksite, so that it is picked up by the signal receiver 43 when the vehicle 1 enters that worksite (with a suitable reset arrangement for when the vehicle 1 leaves the site again.)
Industrial Applicability
The novel apparatus can be employed to manage lighting on work vehicles for use on worksites, and, depending on the type of vehicle, optionally also on the public road. In off-road applications such vehicles may be operated by an on-board driver or may be remotely controlled, optionally also partially or fully automated.
The novel apparatus recognises that policy considerations may dictate very specific and not always predictable alterations to the lighting plan on a work vehicle depending on the nature and location of different work sites. Such changes can be difficult to implement when the lighting is preconfigured to be controlled automatically responsive to the vehicle operating mode or sensed external parameters. At the same time, automatic lighting control can make life easier for the vehicle operator by adapting the lighting to suit a constantly changing environment.
Thus, there is a conflict between the need for adaptability to meet unpredictable policy shifts, and the need for automation to help the vehicle operator manage increasingly complex systems. The novel apparatus reconciles this conflict by providing a lighting plan configuration system that is used to reconfigure each lighting plan so as to implement lighting policy as a layer of control on top of the automatic lighting control system that responds automatically to changes in vehicle operating state (on-road, off-road, forward, reverse, tool position, etc) or external parameters such as vehicle location or ambient light level.
It is tedious for vehicle operators to remember to apply such policy considerations along with their other duties, whereas the vehicle fleet manager needs a way to ensure that the vehicle remains compliant with contractual and legal obligations.
To address this need, in embodiments, the lighting plan configuration system may be operable (or stored lighting plan configurations may be selectable) responsive to a supervisory user authority, different from the user authority required to operate the vehicle. This makes it possible for lighting policy to be implemented by supervisory or management staff responsible for overseeing the operation of the vehicle so as to manage the operational choices that are available to the vehicle operator.
For example, a particular work site may be licensed for operations between 8am and 5pm from Monday to Friday on the condition that high intensity lighting is not used on a Wednesday afternoon because it interferes with services in an adjacent church; so, the vehicle management may reconfigure the lighting plan to disallow the use of high intensity lighting at those times, optionally in combination with a vehicle location parameter that implements the new lighting plan only if the system detects that the vehicle is working on that particular site.
Or, one work site operator may mandate rear lighting to be automatically controlled by reverse gear selection and increased in intensity during daylight hours, whereas the operator of another site where the vehicle is also to work mandates low intensity rear lighting at all times; so, the vehicle management may reconfigure the lighting plan to implement those different policies dependent on the sensed location of the vehicle.
Advantageously, to provide a more predictable work environment for the vehicle operator, at least some of the user lighting controls may be arranged to have permanently defined “on” and “off’ positions which are never reversed, irrespective of which lighting plan is selected.
Summary
In embodiments, a work vehicle 1 has an automatic lighting control system 40 that controls multiple light emitters LI - LIO of the vehicle responsive to: changes in the vehicle use parameters, for example, an operating mode of the vehicle, such as on-road or off-road mode, or forward or reverse drive mode; or changes in an external parameter, such as the worksite location or ambient light intensity or time of day, or an external vehicle use control signal.
The automatic lighting control system 30 maps different operating conditions of the light emitters LI - LIO (e.g. mandatory on, mandatory off, switchable by the driver) to the different vehicle use parameters.
The vehicle control system further includes a lighting plan configuration system 50 that is operable to receive configuration instructions, and to reconfigure each lighting plan to define a different combination of operating conditions in accordance with the configuration instructions.
Many further adaptations are possible within the scope of the claims.
In the claims, reference numerals and characters are provided in parentheses, purely for ease of reference, and should not be construed as limiting features.

Claims

Claims
1. An apparatus including: a vehicle (1), and a vehicle control system (20); the vehicle (1) including: a chassis (2); a vehicle movement system (3) for moving the vehicle over land; an actuation system (4); at least one work element (5) movable by the actuation system (4), relative to the chassis (2), to perform a work operation proximate the vehicle (1); and a plurality of light emitters (LI - LIO); the vehicle control system (20) being arranged on-board the vehicle (1) or external to the vehicle (1) or partly on-board and partly external to the vehicle (1), and including: user controls (30), and an automatic lighting control system (40); the user controls (30) being operable by a user and including: user tool controls (31) for controlling the actuation system (4), user vehicle controls (32) for controlling the vehicle movement system (3), and user lighting controls (33) for controlling different respective ones of the light emitters (LI - L10); the vehicle (1) being operable selectively in a plurality of alternative operating modes defined respectively by different states of at least one of the vehicle movement system (3) and the actuation system (4), said different states being selectable by a user by user input via the user controls (30); the automatic lighting control system (40) being configured: to detect at least one vehicle use parameter, said at least one vehicle use parameter being at least one of:
(a) a selected said operating mode of the vehicle (1), and
(b) an external parameter independent of the vehicle(l); and, responsive to detecting each of a plurality of different values of the at least one vehicle use parameter, to control the light emitters (LI - LIO) in accordance with a different respective lighting plan assigned to each respective different value of the at least one vehicle use parameter; each lighting plan being a respective combination of operating conditions applied to respective ones of the light emitters (LI - LIO); wherein said operating conditions include at least two of:
- a “mandatory on” condition in which a respective light emitter is illuminated, independent of said user lighting controls (33), and is not extinguishable by the user by operation of the user lighting controls (33);
- a “mandatory off’ condition in which a respective light emitter is extinguished, independent of said user lighting controls (33), and is not illuminable by the user by operation of the user lighting controls (33);
- a “high intensity” condition in which a respective light emitter is configured to emit a beam of relatively higher intensity than in an alternative, “low intensity” condition;
- a “low intensity” condition in which a respective light emitter is configured to emit a beam of relatively lower intensity than in an alternative, “high intensity” condition;
- a “long range” condition in which a respective light emitter is configured to emit a beam over a relatively longer range than in an alternative, “short range” condition;
- a “short range” condition in which a respective light emitter is configured to emit a beam over a relatively shorter range than in an alternative, “long range” condition;
- a “user authority” condition in which a respective light emitter is selectively illuminable and extinguishable by the user by operation of a respective one of the user lighting controls (33); and
- a “user authority coupled” condition in which first and second said light emitters are selectively illuminable and extinguishable together, by the user, by operation of a same respective one of the user lighting controls (33), wherein in another operating condition the first light emitter is selectively illuminable and extinguishable, independently of the second light emitter, by operation of said same respective one of the user lighting controls (33); wherein the vehicle control system (20) further includes a lighting plan configuration system (50) operable, in a reconfiguration operation: to receive configuration instructions, and to reconfigure each lighting plan to define a different said combination of operating conditions in accordance with the configuration instructions.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle control system (20) includes at least one user authority interface (34, 56); and the vehicle movement and actuation systems (3, 4) are inoperable unless a first user authority is received via the at least one user authority interface (34); and the lighting plan configuration system (50) is inoperable to perform the reconfiguration operation, unless a second user authority is received via the at least one user authority interface (56), the second user authority being different from the first user authority.
3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lighting plan configuration system (50): is operable, in the reconfiguration operation, to store alternative configurations for a respective lighting plan; and is further operable, in a policy change operation:
- to receive a policy command, and
- to reconfigure the respective lighting plan in accordance with a configuration selected from the stored alternative configurations, responsive to the policy command.
4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the vehicle control system (20) includes at least one user authority interface (34, 56); and the vehicle movement and actuation systems (3, 4) are inoperable unless a first user authority is received via the at least one user authority interface (34); and the lighting plan configuration system (50): is inoperable to perform the reconfiguration operation unless a second user authority is received via the at least one user authority interface (56), the second user authority being different from the first user authority; and is operable to perform the policy change operation if the first user authority is received via the at least one user authority interface (34).
5. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the vehicle control system (20) includes at least one user authority interface (34, 56); and the lighting plan configuration system (50) is further operable, in a preselection operation:
- to receive a preselection command, and
- to selectively allow and disallow respective ones of said stored alternative configurations, wherein, in the policy change operation, only the allowed ones of said stored alternative configurations are selectable responsive to the policy command; wherein: the vehicle movement and actuation systems (3, 4) are inoperable unless a first user authority is received via the at least one user authority interface (34); and the lighting plan configuration system (50): is inoperable to perform the reconfiguration operation, and is inoperable to perform the preselection operation, unless a second user authority is received via the at least one user authority interface (56), the second user authority being different from the first user authority; and is operable to perform the policy change operation if the first user authority is received via the at least one user authority interface (34).
6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lighting plan configuration system (50) includes a signal receiver (43) for receiving a signal, and the configuration instructions are embodied in a reconfiguration signal generated externally of the vehicle (1) and received by the signal receiver (43).
7. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the lighting plan configuration system (50) is arranged to sense a location of the vehicle (1), and to generate the policy command responsive to sensing a change in the location of the vehicle (1).
8. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the lighting plan configuration system (50) includes a signal receiver (43) for receiving a signal, and the policy command is embodied in a policy command signal generated externally of the vehicle (1) and received by the signal receiver (43).
9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one vehicle use parameter includes at least one said external parameter, said external parameter being one of:
(a) a location of the vehicle (1),
(b) a time of day,
(c) a day of the week,
(d) an ambient light level, and
(e) a vehicle use control signal generated externally of the vehicle (1).
10. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operating modes include:
- at least one on-road mode in which the actuation system (4) is disabled, and
- at least one off-road mode in which the actuation system (4) is enabled.
11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of light emitters include:
- full beam headlights (LI) suitable for use on public roads but unsuitable for use when proximate oncoming traffic; and
- a forward facing work light (L3, L6) unsuitable for use on public roads; and the user lighting controls (33) include a full beam headlight control (33’) operable by a driver of the vehicle (1) in the on-road mode to selectively illuminate and extinguish the full beam headlights (LI) to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic; wherein:
- in said at least one off-road mode the forward facing work light (L3, L6) is configured in the “user authority coupled” condition to be illuminable and extinguishable together with the full beam headlights (LI) by operation of the full beam headlight control (33’), and
- in said at least one on-road mode the forward facing work light (L3, L6) is configured in the “mandatory off’ condition.
12. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of light emitters include:
- full beam headlights (LI) unsuitable for use when proximate oncoming traffic; and
- a forward facing work light (L3, L6); and the user lighting controls include a full beam headlight control (33’) operable by a driver of the vehicle to selectively illuminate and extinguish the full beam headlights (LI) to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic; wherein:
- in accordance with a first lighting plan the forward facing work light (L3, L6) is configured in the “user authority coupled” condition to be illuminable and extinguishable together with the full beam headlights (LI) by operation of the full beam headlight control (33’), and
- in accordance with a second lighting plan the forward facing work light (L3, L6) is configured in the “user authority” condition to be illuminable and extinguishable independently of the full beam headlights (LI).
13. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the user lighting controls (33) is movable between permanently defined “on” and “off’ positions, wherein the “on” position is effective in at least one lighting plan to illuminate a respective one or ones of the light emitters (LI - LIO), but is never effective to extinguish said respective one or ones of the light emitters (LI - LIO) in any of the lighting plans; and the “off’ position is effective in said at least one lighting plan to extinguish said respective one or ones of the light emitters (LI - LIO), but is never effective to illuminate said respective one or ones of the light emitters (LI - LIO) in any of the lighting plans.
14. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lighting plan configuration system (50) includes a lighting plan configuration display screen (51) indicating the respective combination of operating conditions applied to different respective ones of the light emitters (LI - LIO) for each respective lighting plan.
15. A method of controlling lighting on a vehicle (1), including: providing an apparatus including: a vehicle (1), and a vehicle control system (20); the vehicle (1) including: a chassis (2); a vehicle movement system (3) for moving the vehicle (1) over land; an actuation system (4); at least one work element (5) movable by the actuation system (4), relative to the chassis (2), to perform a work operation proximate the vehicle (1); and a plurality of light emitters (LI - LIO); the vehicle control system (20) being arranged on-board the vehicle (1) or external to the vehicle (1) or partly on-board and partly external to the vehicle (1), and including: user controls (30), and an automatic lighting control system (40); the user controls (30) being operable by a user and including: user tool controls (31) for controlling the actuation system (4), user vehicle controls (32) for controlling the vehicle movement system (3), and user lighting controls (33) for controlling different respective ones of the light emitters (LI - LIO); the vehicle (1) being operable selectively in a plurality of alternative operating modes defined respectively by different states of at least one of the vehicle movement system (3) and the actuation system (4), said different states being selectable by a user by user input via the user controls (30); the automatic lighting control system (40) being configured: to detect at least one vehicle use parameter, said at least one vehicle use parameter being at least one of:
(a) a selected said operating mode of the vehicle (1), and (b) an external parameter independent of the vehicle (1); and, responsive to detecting each of a plurality of different values of the at least one vehicle use parameter, to control the light emitters (LI - LIO) in accordance with a different respective lighting plan assigned to each respective different value of the at least one vehicle use parameter; each lighting plan being a respective combination of operating conditions applied to respective ones of the light emitters (LI - LIO); wherein said operating conditions include at least two of:
- a “mandatory on” condition in which a respective light emitter is illuminated, independent of said user lighting controls (33), and is not extinguishable by the user by operation of the user lighting controls (33);
- a “mandatory off’ condition in which a respective light emitter is extinguished, independent of said user lighting controls (33), and is not illuminable by the user by operation of the user lighting controls (33);
- a “high intensity” condition in which a respective light emitter is configured to emit a beam of relatively higher intensity than in an alternative, “low intensity” condition;
- a “low intensity” condition in which a respective light emitter is configured to emit a beam of relatively lower intensity than in an alternative, “high intensity” condition;
- a “long range” condition in which a respective light emitter is configured to emit a beam over a relatively longer range than in an alternative, “short range” condition;
- a “short range” condition in which a respective light emitter is configured to emit a beam over a relatively shorter range than in an alternative, “long range” condition; - a “user authority” condition in which a respective light emitter is selectively illuminable and extinguishable by the user by operation of a respective one of the user lighting controls (33); and
- a “user authority coupled” condition in which first and second said light emitters are selectively illuminable and extinguishable together, by the user, by operation of a same respective one of the user lighting controls (33’), wherein in another operating condition the first light emitter is selectively illuminable and extinguishable, independently of the second light emitter, by operation of said same respective one of the user lighting controls (33’); wherein the vehicle control system (20) further includes a lighting plan configuration system (50), and the method further includes: operating the lighting plan configuration system (50), in a reconfiguration operation: to receive configuration instructions, and to reconfigure at least one said lighting plan to define a different said combination of operating conditions in accordance with the configuration instructions.
EP23782421.4A 2022-04-21 2023-04-18 Lighting control system for a work vehicle Pending EP4511259A2 (en)

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