Coordinated multi-vehicle lighting system

Abstract

A coordinated multi-vehicle lighting system includes a remote coordination system and at least two vehicles. Each vehicle has a light installation that includes a front light, a rear light, a navigation module, and a controller in operable communication with the front light, the rear light, and the navigation module. Location data from the navigation module is provided to the remote coordination system, and the remote coordination system determines a status for each vehicle by comparing the location data from the vehicle to the location data from each of the other vehicles. The remote coordination system transmits the status of each vehicle to the controller of that vehicle. For each vehicle, the controller is programmed to selectively reduce an illumination of the front light and of the rear light according to the status of the vehicle.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
         1 . A coordinated multi-vehicle lighting system, comprising:
 a remote coordination system; and   at least two vehicles, each vehicle having a light installation that includes a front light, a rear light, a navigation module, and a controller in operable communication with the front light, the rear light, and the navigation module,   wherein location data from the navigation module is provided to the remote coordination system, the remote coordination system determining a status for each vehicle by comparing the location data from the vehicle to the location data from each of the other vehicles, the remote coordination system transmitting the status of each vehicle to the controller of that vehicle, and   for each vehicle, the controller is programmed to selectively reduce an illumination of the front light and of the rear light according to the status of the vehicle.   
     
     
         2 . The lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein for each vehicle, the controller is programmed to reduce the illumination of the front light when the status indicates that the vehicle is following another of the vehicles. 
     
     
         3 . The lighting system of  claim 2 , wherein for each vehicle, the controller is programmed to reduce the illumination of the rear light when the status indicates that the vehicle is being followed by another of the vehicles. 
     
     
         4 . The lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein for each vehicle, the controller is programmed to reduce the illumination of the rear light when the status indicates that the vehicle is being followed by another of the vehicles. 
     
     
         5 . The lighting system of  claim 4 , wherein for each vehicle, the controller is programmed to turn off the rear light when the status indicates that the vehicle is being followed by another of the vehicles at a distance less than a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         6 . The lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein for each vehicle, the location data includes a speed and direction of the vehicle. 
     
     
         7 . The lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the status of each vehicle is one of first, middle, last, and out of range. 
     
     
         8 . The lighting system of  claim 7 , wherein for each vehicle, the controller reduces the illumination of the front light when the status is middle or rear. 
     
     
         9 . The lighting system of  claim 8 , wherein for each vehicle, the controller reduces the illumination of the rear light when the status is middle or front. 
     
     
         10 . The lighting system of  claim 7 , wherein for each vehicle, the controller reduces the illumination of the rear light when the status is middle or front. 
     
     
         11 . The lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the remote coordination system includes a cloud device that includes a remote CPU, and for each vehicle, the light installation is in operative communication with the remote CPU via a cellular network. 
     
     
         12 . The lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein for each vehicle, the light installation includes a telematic control unit configured to determine a location of the vehicle. 
     
     
         13 . The lighting system of  claim 12 , wherein the telematic control unit further includes a navigation module configured for wireless 2-way communication with the remote coordination system. 
     
     
         14 . The lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the vehicles is an emergency response vehicle, and the first and second lights are emergency lights. 
     
     
         15 . A method of controlling a multi-vehicle lighting system, the lighting system including a remote coordination system and at least two vehicles, each of the least two vehicles having a light installation with a front light, a rear light, a navigation module, and a controller in operable communication with the front light, the rear light, and the navigation module, the method comprising the steps of:
 determining a location for each vehicle;   transmitting the location for each vehicle to the remote coordination system;   determining, by the remote coordination system, a status for each vehicle according to the location of the vehicle relative to the other vehicles;   transmitting the status for each vehicle to that vehicle; and   selectively reducing an illumination of each of the front and rear lights according to the status of the vehicle.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of determining a status for each vehicle includes assigning a status of first when the vehicle is followed by another vehicle and is not following another vehicle. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of determining a status for each vehicle includes assigning a status of last when the vehicle is not followed by another vehicle and is following another vehicle. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of determining a status for each vehicle includes assigning a status of middle when the vehicle is followed by another vehicle and is following another vehicle. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein for each vehicle, the controller is programmed to selectively reduce the illumination of each of the front and rear lights according to the vehicle status. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein method further includes:
 continuously providing updated locations of each vehicle to the remote coordination system; and   providing an updated status to each vehicle according to the updated locations.