ADAPTIVE LIGHTING SYSTEM HAVING DYNAMIC RECALIBRATION

• US 20080263878A1
• Filed: 04/25/2007
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Varroc Lighting Systems S.R.O. (Varroc Engineering Limited)
• Original Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Inventors: Anson, Terry Joseph, Merchant, Viren B., Hamzeh, Yazan Fahd
• Granted Patent: US 7,513,663 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 33/288
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/076 by electrical means including means to transmit the movements, e.g. shafts or joints
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2200/38 Automatic calibration of motor-driven means for adjusting headlamps, i.e. when switching on the headlamps, not during mounting at factories
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/24 for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 11/06 Testing the alignment of vehicle headlight devices

Abstract

A system and method for dynamically recalibrating an adaptive lighting system includes a control module configured to instruct a motor to rotate a lamp to a first hard stop when the lamp positioned at a first soft stop. The system recalibrates the control module using the first hard stop as a reference point.

Claims

1. A system for dynamically recalibrating an adaptive lighting system, the system comprising:

a lamp pivotably mounted to a frame, wherein the lamp is configured to rotate about a central axis between a first hard stop and a second hard stop, a center line being located between the first and second hard stops;

a motor coupled to the lamp, the motor configured to rotate the lamp between the first hard stop and the second hard stop; and

a control module in electrical communication with the motor, wherein the control module is configured to instruct the motor to rotate the lamp between a first soft stop and a second soft stop, the first soft stop being located between the first hard stop and the center line and the second soft stop being located between the second hard stop and the center line; and

wherein the control module is further configured to instruct the motor to rotate the lamp to the first hard stop when the lamp positioned at the first soft stop and to recalibrate the control module using the first hard stop as a reference point.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the motor is a stepper motor.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first hard stop is about 18 degrees from the center line.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first soft stop is about 15 degrees from the center line.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the control module is further configured to instruct the motor to rotate the lamp to the second hard stop when the lamp positioned at the second soft stop and to recalibrate the control module using the second hard stop as the reference point.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the second hard stop is about 18 degrees from the center line.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the second soft stop is about 15 degrees from the center line.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the lamp is a headlamp for an automobile.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the control module is configured to instruct the motor to rotate the lamp to a position corresponding to a steering angle position of the automobile.

10. A method for dynamically recalibrating an adaptive lighting system having a lamp, the lamp rotatable between a first hard stop and a second hard stop, the method comprising the steps of:

determining if the lamp is located at a first soft stop;

rotating a lamp to the first hard stop when the lamp is positioned at the first soft stop; and

recalibrating the control module using the first hard stop as a reference point.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first hard stop is about 18 degrees from a center line.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first soft stop is about 15 degrees from a center line.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

rotating the lamp to a second hard stop when the lamp positioned at a second soft stop; and

recalibrating the control module using the second hard stop as the reference point.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second hard stop is about 18 degrees from a center line.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the second soft stop is about 15 degrees from a center line.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the lamp is a headlamp for an automobile.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of rotating the lamp to a position corresponding to a steering angle position of the automobile.