Continuously variable headlamp control
First Claim
1. A system for controlling at least one exterior light of a controlled vehicle, the system comprising:
- an array of sensors capable of detecting light levels in front of the controlled vehicle;
a moisture sensor operable to detect moisture; and
a control unit in communication with the array of sensors, the moisture sensor and the at least one exterior vehicle light, the control unit operable to control operation of the at least one exterior vehicle light as a function of the detection of moisture, the control unit further operable to control the at least one exterior vehicle light based on output from the array of sensors.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for automatically controlling continuously variable headlamps on a controlled vehicle includes an imaging system capable of determining lateral and elevational locations of headlamps from oncoming vehicles and tail lamps from leading vehicles. The system also includes a control unit that can acquire an image from in front of the controlled vehicle. The image covers a glare area including points at which drivers of oncoming and leading vehicles would perceive the headlamps to cause excessive glare. The image is processed to determine if at least one oncoming or leading vehicle is within the glare area. If at least one vehicle is within the glare area, the headlamp illumination range is reduced. Otherwise, the illumination range is set to full illumination range.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A system for controlling at least one exterior light of a controlled vehicle, the system comprising:
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an array of sensors capable of detecting light levels in front of the controlled vehicle;
a moisture sensor operable to detect moisture; and
a control unit in communication with the array of sensors, the moisture sensor and the at least one exterior vehicle light, the control unit operable to control operation of the at least one exterior vehicle light as a function of the detection of moisture, the control unit further operable to control the at least one exterior vehicle light based on output from the array of sensors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An illumination control system for controlling exterior illumination lights of a controlled vehicle where the exterior lights are capable of producing different illumination patterns, wherein at least one of the exterior lights includes a filament and produces illumination by heating the filament, said control system comprising:
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an array of sensors for generating electrical signals; and
a control circuit in communication with the exterior lights and operable to acquire and process electrical signals received from said array of sensors to determine if at least one vehicle is in front of the controlled vehicle and, if at least one vehicle is detected in front of the controlled vehicle, said control circuit is operable to change the illumination pattern of the exterior lights, wherein, when the at least one exterior light including a filament is not to emit light, a low amount of current is supplied to the filament so as to heat the filament without causing the filament to emit light. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. An illumination control system for controlling exterior illumination lights of a controlled vehicle where the exterior lights are capable of producing different illumination patterns, said control system comprising:
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an array of light sensors for generating electrical signals; and
a control circuit in communication with the exterior lights and operable to acquire and process electrical signals received from said array of sensors to determine if at least one vehicle is in front of the controlled vehicle and, if at least one vehicle is detected in front of the controlled vehicle, said control circuit is operable to change the illumination pattern of the exterior lights, wherein said control circuit limits the maximum inrush current to at least one of the exterior lights. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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14. An illumination control system for controlling exterior illumination lights of a controlled vehicle where the exterior lights are capable of producing different illumination patterns, said control system comprising:
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an array of sensors, said sensors generating electrical signals representing a light level sensed by each sensor; and
a control circuit in communication with the exterior lights and operable to acquire and process electrical signals received from said array of sensors to determine if at least one vehicle is in front of the controlled vehicle and, if at least one vehicle is detected in front of the controlled vehicle, said control circuit is operable to change the illumination pattern of the exterior lights, wherein said control circuit compares the light level sensed by each sensor to a threshold value to determine whether a light source is present in front of the controlled vehicle, said control circuit adjusts the threshold value as a function of a sensed ambient light level.
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17. An illumination control system for controlling exterior illumination lights of a controlled vehicle where the exterior lights are capable of producing different illumination patterns, said control system comprising:
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an array of light sensors for generating electrical signals; and
a control circuit in communication with the exterior lights and operable to acquire and process electrical signals received from said array of sensors to determine if at least one vehicle is in front of the controlled vehicle and, if at least one vehicle is detected in front of the controlled vehicle, said control circuit is operable to change the illumination pattern of the exterior lights, wherein said control circuit is operable to adjust the illumination range of at least one of the exterior lights as a function of both the speed of the controlled vehicle and the detection of a vehicle in front of the controlled vehicle.
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22. A system for controlling at least one continuously variable headlamp on a controlled vehicle, each continuously variable headlamp having an effective illumination range varied by changing vertical direction aimed, the system comprising:
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an imaging system capable of determining lateral and elevational locations of headlamps from vehicles in front of the controlled vehicle; and
a control unit in communication with the imaging system and the at least one continuously variable headlamp, the control unit operable to;
(a) acquire an image in front of the at least one continuously variable headlamp, the image covering a glare area including points at which a driver of a vehicle in front of the at least one continuously variable headlamp would perceive the at least one continuously variable headlamp to cause excessive glare, (b) process the image to determine if at least one vehicle is within the glare area, (c) if at least one vehicle is within the glare area, determine the elevational angle between the imaging system and the lights of each of the at least one vehicle, and (d) if at least one vehicle is within the glare area, aim the at least one continuously variable headlamp such that the vertical direction aimed is such that the at least one continuously variable headlamp does not cause glare for the at least one vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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23. An illumination control system for controlling exterior illumination lights of a controlled vehicle where the exterior lights are capable of producing different illumination patterns, said control system comprising:
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an imaging system for obtaining an image to the front of the controlled vehicle, said imaging system including an array of sensors each generating electrical signals representing a light level sensed by the sensor; and
a control circuit in communication with the exterior lights and operable to acquire and process electrical signals received from said array of sensors to determine if at least one vehicle is in front of the controlled vehicle and, if at least one vehicle is detected in front of the controlled vehicle, said control circuit is operable to change the illumination pattern of the exterior lights, wherein said control circuit is operable to automatically calibrate the aim of the imaging system relative to the controlled vehicle based upon images detected by said imaging system.
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26. An illumination control system for controlling exterior illumination lights of a controlled vehicle where the exterior lights are capable of producing different illumination patterns, said control system comprising:
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an imaging system for obtaining an image to the front of the controlled vehicle, said imaging system including an array of sensors each generating electrical signals representing a light level sensed by the sensor, said array of sensors being divided into at least two subwindows; and
a control circuit in communication with the exterior lights and operable to acquire electrical signals received from said array of sensors and to separately process the electrical signals from said subwindows to determine if at least one vehicle is in front of the controlled vehicle and, if at least one vehicle is detected in front of the controlled vehicle, said control circuit is operable to change the illumination pattern of the exterior lights.
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Specification