LIGHT DEVICE CONTROL APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE

• US 20120212132A1
• Filed: 02/02/2012
• Published: 08/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Sakaguchi, Koji
• Application Number:
  US13/364,577
• Publication Number:
  US 20120212132A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/77
• 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

Abstract

A vehicle light device control apparatus includes a sensor unit and a control unit. The sensor unit detects an upper light intensity of light coming from an upper side of a vehicle and a front light intensity of light coming from a front side of the vehicle. The control unit determines whether the upper light intensity is equal to or less than a predetermined turn-ON threshold. The control unit turns ON a light device of the vehicle when the upper light intensity is equal to or less than the turn-ON threshold. The control unit calculates a light intensity ratio between the front light intensity and the upper light intensity and corrects the turn-ON threshold based on the light intensity ratio.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling a vehicle light device that illuminates an area outside a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

an upper light intensity detection circuit configured to detect an upper light intensity of light coming from an upper side of the vehicle;

a front light intensity detection circuit configured to detect a front light intensity of light coming from a front side of the vehicle;

a determination circuit configured to determine whether the upper light intensity is equal to or less than a predetermined turn-ON threshold;

a control circuit configured to turn ON the light device when the upper light intensity is equal to or less than the turn-ON threshold;

a calculation circuit configured to calculate a light intensity ratio between the front light intensity and the upper light intensity; and

a correction circuit configured to correct the turn-ON threshold based on the light intensity ratio.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the correction circuit determines whether the light intensity ratio of the front light intensity to the upper light intensity is larger than a reference ratio of a reference front light intensity to a reference upper light intensity, and

when the light intensity ratio is larger than the reference ratio, the correction circuit corrects the turn-ON threshold to increase the turn-ON threshold.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

when the light intensity ratio is less than the reference ratio, the correction circuit corrects the turn-ON threshold to maintain the turn-ON threshold unchanged.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the reference upper light intensity is detected by the upper light intensity detection circuit when the upper light intensity detection circuit is not subjected to direct sunlight, and

the reference front light intensity is detected by the front light intensity detection circuit when the front light intensity detection circuit is not subjected to the direct sunlight.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the correction circuit corrects the turn-ON threshold each time the determination circuit determines whether the upper light intensity is equal to or less than the turn-ON threshold.