Apparatus for controlling swivel angles of on-vehicle headlights
First Claim
1. An apparatus for controlling a swivel angle of headlights mounted on a vehicle, wherein the swivel angle of the headlights is changeable in a lateral direction of the vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
- a driving mechanism that changes the swivel angle of the headlights in the lateral direction;
position information acquisition means for acquiring current position information which corresponds to a current position of the vehicle;
road map data acquisition means for acquiring road map data of a road ahead based on the current position information;
target angle determination means for determining a target swivel angle of the headlights based on the road map data of the road ahead acquired by the road map data acquisition means;
control start point determination means for determining a control start point at a position closer to the vehicle than an end of a curved road positioned in front of the vehicle based on the current position information and the road map data of the road ahead;
swivel control means for controlling the swivel angle to the target swivel angle determined by the target angle determination means by driving the driving mechanism in response to a state where the current position of the vehicle has reached the control start point;
shape information acquisition means for acquiring running road shape-related information related to the shape of a road on which the vehicle is running, from the road on which the vehicle is running or an object on the road;
road shape determination means for determining a curvature direction of the road ahead based on the running road shape-related information; and
control prohibiting means for prohibiting a control of the swivel angle toward the target swivel angle in a case where a direction of the target swivel angle determined by the target angle determination means is inconsistent with the curvature direction of the road ahead determined by the road shape determination means, even in a case where the vehicle has reached the control start point.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus controls a swivel angle of on-vehicle headlights, the swivel angle of the lights being changeable in a lateral direction of the vehicle. A target swivel angle of the headlights is determined based on, for example, load map data of the road ahead the vehicle, and a control start point is determined based on the current position information and the road map data. The swivel angle is controlled to the target swivel angle in response to a state where the current position of the vehicle has reached the control start point. Running road shape-related information and a curvature direction of the road ahead are acquired. A control of the swivel angle toward the target swivel angle is prohibited when a direction of the target swivel angle determined is inconsistent with the curvature direction of the road, even in a case where the vehicle has reached the control start point.
15 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An apparatus for controlling a swivel angle of headlights mounted on a vehicle, wherein the swivel angle of the headlights is changeable in a lateral direction of the vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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a driving mechanism that changes the swivel angle of the headlights in the lateral direction;
position information acquisition means for acquiring current position information which corresponds to a current position of the vehicle;
road map data acquisition means for acquiring road map data of a road ahead based on the current position information;
target angle determination means for determining a target swivel angle of the headlights based on the road map data of the road ahead acquired by the road map data acquisition means;
control start point determination means for determining a control start point at a position closer to the vehicle than an end of a curved road positioned in front of the vehicle based on the current position information and the road map data of the road ahead;
swivel control means for controlling the swivel angle to the target swivel angle determined by the target angle determination means by driving the driving mechanism in response to a state where the current position of the vehicle has reached the control start point;
shape information acquisition means for acquiring running road shape-related information related to the shape of a road on which the vehicle is running, from the road on which the vehicle is running or an object on the road;
road shape determination means for determining a curvature direction of the road ahead based on the running road shape-related information; and
control prohibiting means for prohibiting a control of the swivel angle toward the target swivel angle in a case where a direction of the target swivel angle determined by the target angle determination means is inconsistent with the curvature direction of the road ahead determined by the road shape determination means, even in a case where the vehicle has reached the control start point. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus for controlling a swivel angle of headlights mounted on a vehicle, wherein the swivel angle of the headlights is changeable in a lateral direction of the vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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a driving mechanism that changes the swivel angle of the headlights in the lateral direction;
steering angle signal acquisition means for acquiring a steering angle signal which corresponds to a steering angle of the vehicle;
vehicle velocity signal acquisition means for acquiring a vehicle velocity signal which corresponds to a vehicle velocity of the vehicle, turning judgment means for judging whether or not a steering operation of the vehicle has been performed based on the steering angle signal;
target angle determination means for determining a target swivel angle of the headlights based on the steering angle acquired and the vehicle velocity acquired;
swivel control means for controlling the swivel angle to the target swivel angle by driving the driving mechanism in response to a case where it is judged by the turning judgment means that steering operation has been performed;
shape information acquisition means for acquiring the running road shape-related information related to the shape of the road on which the vehicle is running from the road on which the vehicle is running or the object on the road;
road shape determination means for determining the curvature direction of the road ahead based on the running road shape-related information; and
control prohibiting means for prohibiting a control of the swivel angle toward the target swivel angle in a case where a direction of the target swivel angle determined by the target angle determination means is in consistent with the curvature direction of the road ahead determined by the road shape determination means, even in a case where it is judged by the turning judgment means that steering operation has been performed. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of controlling a swivel angle of headlights mounted on a vehicle, wherein the swivel angle of the headlights is changeable in a lateral direction of the vehicle, the vehicle mounting thereon a driving mechanism that changes the swivel angle of the headlights in the lateral direction, comprising steps of:
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acquiring current position information which corresponds to a current position of the vehicle;
acquiring road map data of a road ahead based on the current position information;
determining a target swivel angle of the headlights based on the road map data of the road ahead acquired;
determining a control start point at a position closer to the vehicle than an end of a curved road positioned in front of the vehicle based on the current position information and the road map data of the road ahead;
controlling the swivel angle to the determined target swivel angle by driving the driving mechanism in response to a state where the current position of the vehicle has reached the control start point;
acquiring running road shape-related information related to the shape of a road on which the vehicle is running, from the road on which the vehicle is running or an object on the road;
determining a curvature direction of the road ahead based on the running road shape-related information; and
prohibiting a control of the swivel angle toward the target swivel angle in a case where a direction of the determined target swivel angle is inconsistent with the curvature direction of the road ahead determined, even in a case where the vehicle has reached the control start point.
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Specification