PROCEDURE AND STEERING MECHANISM TO CONTROL MAIN HEADLIGHTS WITH ADJUSTABLE VERTICAL CUT-OFF LINE TO REDUCE THE GLARE OF OBJECTS

• US 20130182448A1
• Filed: 11/21/2012
• Published: 07/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hella KGaA Hueck & Company
• Original Assignee: Hella KGaA Hueck & Company
• Inventors: Schmidt, Christian, Hster, Christian, Krause, Stefan, Wilks, Carsten, Imscher, Tobias
• Granted Patent: US 9,610,889 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/466
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/06 adjustable, e.g. remotely-controlled from inside vehicle B60Q1/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/143 combined with another condition, e.g. using vehicle recognition from camera images or activation of wipers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/056 Special anti-blinding beams, e.g. a standard beam is chopped or moved in order not to blind
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/41 preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/42 oncoming vehicle

Abstract

A control device for vehicle headlights with adjustable light distributions and with an adjustable vertical cut-offline in at least one light distribution,

• • with access to the programming of information about the location of objects located in front of the vehicle with glare needing to be reduced,
  • with a processing medium,
    • operable for generating variables to set an adjustable light distribution on at least one main headlight
    • and/or operable for generating variables to set a vertical cut-off line on a light distribution installed on the main right headlight and a vertical cut-off line installed on the main left headlight,
  • with an outlet on which variables for setting up a light distribution and/or the vertical cut-off lines can be deployed,
    whereby the control device has a memory to store the light strengths of locations in front of the main headlights for the adjustable light distributions.

Claims

1. A control device mechanism to control headlights of a vehicle with adjustable light distribution and with a vertical cut-offline in at least one light distribution, comprising:

an input for receipt of information about the location of objects located in front of the vehicle with glare needing to be reduced;

a processor operable for;

generation of first variables to set an adjustable light distribution on at least a first of said headlights of said vehicle;

generation of second variables to set a vertical cut-offline on a light distribution installed on one of said headlights and a vertical cut-offline installed on the other headlights,

an output for deployment of at least one of said first and second variables;

a memory operable for storing a light strength of at least one locations in front of said headlights for adjustable light distributions by a steering mechanism of said vehicle.

2. A control device mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said processor is further operable for ascertaining from said stored light strengths in said memory whether in a location in front of said headlights there is a light strength smaller or larger than a predetermined light strength amount on objects in which glare is to be reduced, using light distributions installed on said headlights.

3. The control device mechanism according to claim 2, said processor further operable for rendering the light distributions and/or vehicle cut-off lines that are installed on said headlights unalterable when said light strengths established for said headlights for the location of the objects in which the glare is to be reduced is exceeded by the predetermined lighting strength amount.

4. The control device according to claim 2, wherein said processor is further operable for rendering the light distributions and/or vehicle cut-off lines that are installed on said headlights alterable with the goal of reducing lighting strengths for the location of the object in which the glare is to be reduced when said light strengths established for the main headlights for the location of the objects exceed the predetermined lighting strength amount.

5. A process of controlling the headlights of a vehicle with adjustable light distribution and with an adjustable vertical cut-offline in at least one light distribution, comprising the steps of:

providing information about the location of objects, in which the glare is to be reduced in front of the vehicle, especially vehicles driving in front and/or oncoming to a processor;

generating first variables with said processor to set an adjustable light distribution on least one said headlights;

generating second variables with said processor to set a vertical cut-offline on a light distribution installed on a first of said headlights and a vertical cut-off line installed on the other of said headlights, and

outputting said first and/or second variables;

storing a light strength of at least one location in front of said headlights for adjustable light distributions by a steering mechanism of said vehicle;

comparing said stored lighting strength with a predetermined lighting strength amount.

6. The process of controlling headlights of a vehicle according to claim 5, further comprising the step of rendering the light distributions and/or vehicle cut-off lines that are installed on said headlights unalterable when said light strengths established for said headlights for the location of the objects in which the glare is to be reduced is exceeded by the predetermined lighting strength amount.

7. The process of controlling headlights of a vehicle according to claim 5, further comprising the step of rendering the light distributions and/or vehicle cut-off lines that are installed on said headlights alterable with the goal of reducing lighting strengths for the location of the object in which the glare is to be reduced when said light strengths established for the main headlights for the location of the objects exceed the predetermined lighting strength amount.

8. The process of controlling headlights of a vehicle according to claim 7, further comprising the step of displacing said cut-off line, dimming said light distribution, or setting said light distribution similar to a light dimming to reduce lighting strengths in the location of the objects whose glare is to be reduce.