VEHICLE HEADLIGHT BEAM CONTROLS

• US 20080246404A1
• Filed: 04/04/2008
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited (TATA Motors Limited)
• Original Assignee: Jaguar Cars Limited (TATA Motors Limited)
• Inventors: Betts, Peter Howard, Shelton, Richard Dennis, Smith, David Philip
• Granted Patent: US 7,755,294 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/82
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1423 Automatic dimming circuits, i.e. switching between high beam and low beam due to change of ambient light or light level in road traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1476 comprising switch controlling means located near the free end of the lever, e.g. press buttons, rotatable rings

Abstract

A method of manually overriding automatic activation of an automatic headlight control system for a motor vehicle, headlamps operable in a high beam state and a low beam state, a high/low beam switch movable from a neutral position to a latched position and from a neutral position to a non-latched position for controlling the state of the headlamps and a headlamp on/off switch comprising a multi-position switch with at least a selectively automatic headlamp position is disclosed. The system includes forward-facing sensor for collecting light emanating from for instance a second vehicle, and a controller for controlling, when the headlamp switch is detected as being in the automatic headlamp position, the headlamp states as a function of the sensed intensity of the beam of light emanating from said second vehicle. The method comprises the steps of: monitoring the states of the headlamps when the headlamp on/off switch is in the automatic position, causing the controller to initiate an override mode if the high beam states is detected (step 230) and said high/low beam switch is detected as moved from the neutral position to the non-latched position whereupon the controller changes the headlamps to the Low state (step 260) when the High/Low beam switch is subsequently released to the neutral position. Such a method ensures the use of conventional stalk.

Claims

1. A method of manually overriding automatic activation of an automatic headlight control system for a motor vehicle having headlamps operable in a high beam state and a low beam state, a high/low beam switch for controlling the state of the headlamps and a headlamp on/off switch comprising a multi-position switch with at least a selectable automatic headlamp position, the system including a forward-facing sensor for collecting light emanating from a light source in front of the vehicle, an ambient light sensor for collecting ambient light and a controller for controlling, when the headlamp switch is detected as being in the automatic headlamp position, the headlamp state as a function of the sensed intensity of the beam of light source, the high/low beam switch being movable in one direction from a neutral low beam position to a latched high beam position and in another direction from the neutral position to a non-latched high flash position;

said method comprising the steps of;

monitoring the states of the headlamps when the headlamp on/off switch is in its automatic position, causing the controller to initiate an override mode if the high beam state is detected and said high/low beam switch is detected as moved from the neutral position to the non-latched position whereupon the controller changes the headlamps to the low state when the high/low beam switch is subsequently released to the neutral position.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the automatic mode of the system is resumed when the controller has monitored that the high/low beam switch has been moved sequentially to the latched position and then to the neutral position.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the high/low beam switch is a stalk switch mounted on a steering column.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3 in which the headlamp on/off switch is integrated into the stalk switch.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4 in which the headlamp on/off switch is a rotatable switch disposed on the stalk switch.

6. A method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5 in which the headlamp on/off switch also includes a selectable Off position and an exit delay position, wherein, when the exit delay position is selected, the controller operates the system in the automatic mode.

7. A method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, the vehicle having an instrument cluster including a display which is coupled to the controller by a standard network bus and to a user interface, the controller, when the headlamp switch is detected as being in the automatic position, being also arranged to turn on or off the headlamp as a function of the sensed ambient light, in which the control of the headlamp states as a function of the sensed intensity of the light source by the controller can be disabled through the user interface.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, in which the forward-facing sensor is capable of being adjusted to the side of the road the vehicle is moving via selection of the left or right side from the instrument cluster via the user interface

9. A method for manually overriding automatic activation of an automatic headlight dimming system for a motor vehicle substantially as described herein with reference to FIG. 2 of the accompanying drawing.

10. An automatic headlight dimming system for a vehicle as described herein with reference to FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawing.