HEADLIGHT CONTROLLER, OPTICAL UNIT AND VEHICLE HEADLIGHT

• US 20130242100A1
• Filed: 03/08/2013
• Published: 09/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stanley Electric Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Stanley Electric Company Limited
• Inventors: Seki, Kouji
• Granted Patent: US 9,041,808 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/04 the devices being headlights
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/085 due to special conditions, e.g. adverse weather, type of road, badly illuminated road signs or potential dangers B60Q1/10, B60Q1/12, B60Q1/1423 take precedence
• 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 2300/112 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/122 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/41 preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/42 oncoming vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/143 the main emission direction of the LED being parallel to the optical axis of the illuminating device
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/153 arranged in a matrix
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/663 by switching light sources by switching incandescent light sources F21S41/162

Abstract

A headlight controller, an optical unit and a vehicle headlight can include a headlight controller and an optical unit. The headlight controller can include a system controller and a camera photographing vehicles located in a forward direction thereof, and the system controller can be configured to output a control signal to provide various favorable light distribution patterns by using image data output from the camera in accordance with traffic conditions. The optical unit can be configured to emit beam lights each having a light-emitting angle using lights emitted from first and second white LEDs via a projector lens so that the beam lights can be used as a high and low beam without movable parts. Thus, the disclosed subject matter can include providing vehicle headlights that can form various favorable light distribution patterns by utilizing the characteristics of the controller and the optical unit in accordance with the traffic conditions.

Claims

1. A headlight controller, comprising:

a camera having an optical axis being located adjacent a subject vehicle having a right and left headlight, configured to photograph at least one vehicle having a first point, a second point and a third point located in a forward direction of the subject vehicle, and the camera being configured to output the at least one vehicle photographed by the camera as image data;

a memory storing at least each feature extraction point of the first point, the second point and the third point of the at least one vehicle, a first setup value having a positive and negative value for detecting a traveling condition of the subject vehicle to class whether the subject vehicle takes a straight line, takes a right turn or takes a left turn, and a second setup value for detecting a distance between the subject vehicle and the vehicle included in the image data output from the camera; and

a system controller including a vehicle detector, a shading area controller, a distance detector, a light distribution controller and at least one of a circling detector and a vehicle movement detector, and the system controller configured to receive at least a vehicle speed signal and a steering angle from the subject vehicle, the vehicle detector configured to judge existence or non-existence of the at least one vehicle included in the image data output from the camera in accordance with at least one of the feature extraction points of the first point, the second point and the third point of the vehicle, being configured to store data of the existence or non-existence of the vehicle at a first flag signal, and being configured to detect a first angle and a second angle of two imaginary lines connecting the camera to each of the first point and the second point of the vehicle with respect to the optical axis of the camera by using the image data output from the camera when the first flag signal shows the existence of the vehicle, respectively, and the vehicle detector being configured to calculate a basic value in accordance with the first angle and the second angle, the circling detector configured to calculate a turning radius of the subject vehicle by using at least the vehicle speed signal and the steering angle output from the subject vehicle, being configured to compare the turning radius of the subject vehicle with the first setup value having a positive and negative value, being configured to store data of the traveling condition of the subject vehicle at a second flag signal, and being configured to detect a third angle and a fourth angle of two imaginary lines connecting each of the right and left headlight of the subject vehicle to the third point of the vehicle with respect to the optical axis of the camera by using the image data output from the camera, respectively, and the circling detector configured to calculate a second basic value in accordance with the turning radius of the subject vehicle, the third angle and the fourth angle, the vehicle movement detector configured to detect movements including a relative moving angle in a rightward and leftward direction of the vehicle with respect to the subject vehicle when judging the existence of the vehicle in accordance with the first flag signal, configured to store data of said moving conditions at a third flag signal, and the vehicle movement detector being configured to calculate a revised value based upon the relative moving angle, the distance detector configured to compare at least one of the first angle and the second angle detected by the vehicle detector with the second setup value stored in the memory for detecting whether a distance between the subject vehicle and the at least one vehicle is shorter than a setup distance or not, and being configured to store said compared result as a fourth flag signal, the shading area controller configured to calculate boundary data between a shading area and an illuminating area for the right and left headlight of the subject vehicle in accordance with at least one of the basic value, the second basic value and the revised value in view of at least one of the first flag signal, the second flag signal, the third flag signal and the fourth flag signal, and the light distribution controller being configured to output light distribution data in accordance with the boundary data output from the shading area controller.

2. The headlight controller according to claim 1, wherein each of the first point and the second point of the at least one vehicle is a respective one of a right and left rear lamp of the vehicle and each of feature extraction points of the first point and the second point is light with a substantially same brightness at night when the vehicle is a vehicle moving forward in a forward direction of the subject vehicle, and when the vehicle is an oncoming vehicle, each of the first point and the second point of the vehicle is a respective one of a right and left headlight of the oncoming vehicle and each of feature extraction points of the first point and the second point is light with a substantially same brightness at night.

3. The headlight controller according to claim 1, wherein the third point of the at least one vehicle is at least one of a door miller and a front edge in a turning direction of the vehicle and the feature extraction point of the vehicle is an end in the turning direction of the vehicle in view from the subject vehicle.

4. The headlight controller according to claim 2, wherein the third point of the at least one vehicle is at least one of a door miller and a front edge in a turning direction of the vehicle and the feature extraction point of the vehicle is an end in the turning direction of the vehicle in view from the subject vehicle.

5. The headlight controller according to claim 1, wherein the second flag signal for informing the traveling condition of the subject vehicle includes at least three signals of turning right, turning left and taking a straight line.

6. The headlight controller according to claim 2, wherein the second flag signal for informing the traveling condition of the subject vehicle includes at least three signals of turning right, turning left and taking a straight line.

7. The headlight controller according to claim 1, wherein the revised value is configured with a quadratic function of the relative moving angle of the vehicle with respect to the subject vehicle.

8. The headlight controller according to claim 2, wherein the revised value is configured with a quadratic function of the relative moving angle of the vehicle with respect to the subject vehicle.

9. The headlight controller according to claim 1, wherein the third flag signal for informing the moving conditions of the vehicle with respect to the subject vehicle includes at least five signals of big move rightward, small move rightward, no change, big move leftward and small move leftward.

10. The headlight controller according to claim 2, wherein the third flag signal for informing the moving conditions of the vehicle with respect to the subject vehicle includes at least five signals of big move rightward, small move rightward, no change, big move leftward and small move leftward.

17. A vehicle headlight including the headlight controller according to claim 1 and two of the optical unit according to claim 11 as the right and left headlight, further comprising:

at least one LED drive circuit configured to turn on individually each of the first white LEDs and each of the second white LEDs; and

at least one output controller configured to control the at least one LED drive circuit in accordance with the light distribution data output from the headlight controller.

18. The vehicle headlight according to claim 17, wherein a light-emitting angle of a beam light corresponding to the first central light of the first white LEDs emitted from the light-emitting surface is inclined in parallel with the substantially imaginary surface with respect to the optical axis of the projector lens in an opposite direction of a respective one of both front sides of the subject vehicle incorporating two of the optical unit as the right and left headlight so as to increase in the opposite direction than the respect one of the both front sides with respect to the optical axis of the projector lens.

19. The vehicle headlight according to 17, wherein each of the first point and the second point of the at least one vehicle is a respective one of a right and left rear lamp of the vehicle and each of feature extraction points of the first point and the second point is light with a substantially same brightness at night when the vehicle is a vehicle moving forward in a forward direction of the subject vehicle, and when the vehicle is an oncoming vehicle, each of the first point and the second point of the vehicle is a respective one of a right and left headlight of the oncoming vehicle and each of feature extraction points of the first point and the second point is light with a substantially same brightness at night.

20. The vehicle headlight according to claim 17, wherein the third point of the at least one vehicle is at least one of a door miller and a front edge in a turning direction of the vehicle and the feature extraction point of the vehicle is an end in the turning direction of the vehicle in view from the subject vehicle.

11. An optical unit, comprising:

a mounting board having a mounting surface;

a first plurality of white light-emitting devices (LEDs) each emitting light having a substantially white color tone and including a first central light, the first plurality of white LEDs aligning in a linear fashion and being mounted on the mounting surface of the mounting board;

a second plurality of white LEDs each emitting light having a substantially white color tone and including a second central light, being mounted on the mounting surface of the mounting board, and the second plurality of white LEDs aligned substantially parallel with the first plurality of white LEDs;

a light-interfering frame having an plurality of openings and a plurality of optical lens each being located in a respective one of the openings, the light-interfering frame located adjacent the first white LEDs and the second white LEDs, and each of the optical lens covering a respective one of the first white LEDs and the second white LEDs;

a lens holder having an opening being formed in a tubular shape and surrounding the first white LEDs, the second white LEDs and the light-interfering frame, and the opening of the lens holder facing the optical lens of the light-interfering frame; and

a projector lens having an optical axis, at least one focus located on the optical axis, an light-emitting surface having a curvature and an imaginary surface intersecting with the optical axis and also intersecting with the mounting board between the first white LEDs and the second white LEDs in a linear fashion, and the projector lens being located adjacent the opening of the lens holder, the optical axis extending between the first central light of the first white LEDs and the second central light of the second white LEDs, the at least one focus being located between the mounting board and the light-interfering frame, and thereby each of the first white LEDs and the second white LEDs configured to emit light separately with respect to the imaginary surface from the light-emitting surface of the projector lens, respectively, wherein each of the first plurality of white LEDs and each of the second plurality of white LEDs are configured to emit beam lights each having a light-emitting angle in a substantially parallel direction with the imaginary surface from the light-emitting surface of the projector lens, respectively.

12. The optical unit according to claim 11, wherein a light-emitting angle of a beam light corresponding to the first central light of the first white LEDs emitted from the light-emitting surface is inclined in parallel with the substantially imaginary surface with respect to the optical axis of the projector lens in an opposite direction of one of both front sides of a subject vehicle incorporating the optical unit so as to increase in the opposite direction than the one of the both front sides with respect to the optical axis of the projector lens.

13. The optical unit according to claim 11, wherein lighting angles of adjacent beam lights increase in an outward direction of the light-emitting surface from beam lights adjacent a beam light corresponding to the first central light in beam lights corresponding to the first white LEDs emitted from the light-emitting surface of the projector lens.

14. The optical unit according to claim 11, wherein a light-emitting angle of a beam light corresponding to the first central light of the first white LEDs emitted from the light-emitting surface of the projector lens is smaller than a light-emitting angle of a beam light corresponding to the second central light of the second white LEDs emitted from the light-emitting surface of projector lens.

15. The optical unit according to 11, wherein the number of the first white LEDs is larger than the number of the second white LEDs.

16. The optical unit according to claim 11, wherein the curvature of the light-emitting surface of the projector lens increases in an outward direction of the projector lens in parallel with the imaginary surface.