METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OPERATING A LIGHTING DEVICE OF A VEHICLE
First Claim
1. A method of operating an automotive vehicle headlight system having a high-beam state and a low-beam state, comprising:
- operating the system in an automatic mode in which switching between the states is directed based upon signals from a sensor for detecting traffic conditions;
when an operator switches the system away from the automatically-determined state to an operator-selected state, operating the system in a manual mode in which switching is not based upon the sensor signals; and
returning the system to the automatic mode when the automatically-determined state matches the manually-selected state.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of operating an automotive vehicle headlight system switchable between a high-beam state and a low-beam state. The system operates in an automatic mode in which switching between the states is directed based upon signals from a sensor for detecting traffic conditions. The sensor may be a light sensor for detecting the headlights of oncoming vehicles. The vehicle driver may switch the system away from the automatically-determined state to an operator-selected state, and when this occurs the system operates in a manual mode in which switching is not based upon the sensor signals. The system returns to the automatic mode when the automatically-determined state matches the manually-selected state. The system may also return to the automatic mode if there are no further manual actuations by the driver during a selected time interval.
14 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of operating an automotive vehicle headlight system having a high-beam state and a low-beam state, comprising:
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operating the system in an automatic mode in which switching between the states is directed based upon signals from a sensor for detecting traffic conditions; when an operator switches the system away from the automatically-determined state to an operator-selected state, operating the system in a manual mode in which switching is not based upon the sensor signals; and returning the system to the automatic mode when the automatically-determined state matches the manually-selected state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of operating a vehicle headlight system having a high-beam state and a low-beam state, comprising:
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determining an automatically-determined state based upon signals from a sensor detecting traffic conditions, the automatically-determined state being selected from the high-beam state and the low-beam state; enabling automatic switching between the high-beam and the low-beam states in accordance with the automatically-determined state; allowing an operator to manually switch the system away from the desired state to an operator-selected state; and re-enabling automatic switching between the states when the automatically- determined state matches the manually-selected state. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of operating a vehicle headlight system having a high-beam state and a low-beam state, comprising:
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operating an electronic controller to determine an automatically-determined state based upon signals from a sensor detecting traffic conditions, the automatically-determined state being selected from the high-beam state and the low-beam state; operating the electronic controller in an automatic mode wherein automatic switching between the high-beam and the low-beam states occurs in accordance with the automatically-determined state; allowing an operator to manually switch the system away from the desired state to an operator-selected state; and re-enabling the automatic mode when the automatically-determined state matches the manually-selected state. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification