Automatic headlamp control
First Claim
1. An automatic headlamp control system for controlling the beam illumination state of at least one headlamp of a vehicle, said automatic headlamp control system comprising:
- at least one headlamp of the controlled vehicle, said at least one headlamp being operable to at least occasionally emit a light output having at least one of a signature, a code and a pattern superimposed thereon;
an image sensor having a field of view forwardly of the vehicle, said image sensor being operable to capture an image of a scene forwardly of the vehicle;
a control operable to process said image to identify at least one light source within the field of view of said image sensor and to determine if the detected at least one light source is indicative of at least one headlamp of an approaching vehicle or at least one taillight of a leading vehicle, said control being at least occasionally operable to process said image to distinguish a reflection of said light output as captured in said image via recognition of said at least one of a signature, a code and a pattern superimposed on said light output, said control being operable to adjust the beam illumination state of said at least one headlamp between a high beam state and a lower beam state in response to said image processing.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automatic headlamp control system includes an image sensor, such as an imaging array sensor, and a control. The image sensor is operable to capture an image of a scene forwardly of the vehicle and the control is operable to process the image to determine if any light sources in the captured image are indicative of headlamps of oncoming vehicles or taillights of leading vehicles. The control may adjust the state of the headlamps between a high beam state and a lower beam state in response to such processing of the captured image. The control may be operable to distinguish a reflection of the controlled vehicle'"'"'s headlamps from the taillights of a leading vehicle, headlamps of an oncoming vehicle, other light sources, and/or reflections from other light sources via recognition of a signature, code or pattern superimposed on the light output of the headlamps of the controlled vehicle.
170 Citations
30 Claims
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1. An automatic headlamp control system for controlling the beam illumination state of at least one headlamp of a vehicle, said automatic headlamp control system comprising:
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at least one headlamp of the controlled vehicle, said at least one headlamp being operable to at least occasionally emit a light output having at least one of a signature, a code and a pattern superimposed thereon;
an image sensor having a field of view forwardly of the vehicle, said image sensor being operable to capture an image of a scene forwardly of the vehicle;
a control operable to process said image to identify at least one light source within the field of view of said image sensor and to determine if the detected at least one light source is indicative of at least one headlamp of an approaching vehicle or at least one taillight of a leading vehicle, said control being at least occasionally operable to process said image to distinguish a reflection of said light output as captured in said image via recognition of said at least one of a signature, a code and a pattern superimposed on said light output, said control being operable to adjust the beam illumination state of said at least one headlamp between a high beam state and a lower beam state in response to said image processing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An automatic headlamp control system for controlling the beam illumination state of at least one headlamp of a vehicle, the headlamp comprising a high beam lighting element for providing high beam illumination in a high beam state and a lower beam lighting element for providing lower beam illumination in a lower beam state, said automatic headlamp control system comprising:
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an image sensor having a field of view forwardly of the vehicle, said image sensor being operable to capture an image of a scene forwardly of the vehicle; and
a control operable to process said image to determine whether a condition surrounding the vehicle is appropriate for high beam illumination or lower beam illumination and to determine if a detected light source within the scene is indicative of a headlamp of an approaching vehicle or a taillight of a leading vehicle, said control being operable to adjust the beam illumination state of the headlamp of the controlled vehicle between the high beam state and the lower beam state in response to said image processing, said control being operable to provide a warm-up current to whichever one of the high beam lighting element and the lower beam lighting element which corresponds to the beam illumination state that the headlamp is to be adjusted to, said control being operable to provide said warm-up current in response to a determination that a condition surrounding the vehicle is appropriate for adjustment of the beam illumination state of the headlamp. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An automatic headlamp control system for controlling the beam illumination state of at least one headlamp of a vehicle, the headlamp comprising a high beam lighting element for providing high beam illumination in a high beam state and a lower beam lighting element for providing lower beam illumination in a lower beam state, said automatic headlamp control system comprising:
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an image sensor having a field of view forwardly of the vehicle, said image sensor being operable to capture an image of a scene forwardly of the vehicle; and
a control operable to process said image to determine if a light source within the scene is indicative of a headlamp of an oncoming vehicle or a taillight of a leading vehicle, said control being operable to adjust the beam illumination state of the headlamp of the controlled vehicle between the high beam state and the lower beam state in response to said image processing, said control being operable to provide an adjustment between the high beam state and the lower beam state via ramping up energization of one of the high beam lighting element and the lower beam lighting element while ramping down energization of the other of the high beam lighting element and the lower beam lighting element to provide a generally continuous output of the headlamp during a transition period as the headlamp is adjusted between the high beam state and lower beam state. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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25. An automatic headlamp control system for controlling the beam illumination state of a pair of headlamps of a vehicle, said automatic headlamp control system comprising:
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an image sensor having a field of view forwardly of the vehicle, said image sensor being operable to capture an image of a scene forwardly of the vehicle; and
a control operable to process said image to determine if a light source within the scene is indicative of a headlamp of an approaching vehicle or a taillight of a leading vehicle, said control being operable to independently adjust the beam illumination state of each of the headlamps of the controlled vehicle between a high beam state and a lower beam state in response to said image processing, said control being occasionally operable to independently adjust one of the headlamps to the lower beam state and the other of the headlamps to the high beam state in response to said image processing. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification