HEADLAMP DEVICE FOR A VEHICLE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE HEADLAMP DEVICE

• US 20170088036A1
• Filed: 09/26/2016
• Published: 03/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2015
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: ROECKL, Philipp, SCHNEIDER, Ingolf, HABERKORN, Rouven, LANGKABEL, Frank
• Application Number:
  US15/276,132
• Publication Number:
  US 20170088036A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 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 2300/23 Driver's line of sight
• 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 41/147 the main emission direction of the LED being angled to the optical axis of the illuminating device
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/151 arranged in one or more lines
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/153 arranged in a matrix
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/255 Lenses with a front view of circular or truncated circular outline
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/635 by moving refractors, filters or transparent cover plates
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/663 by switching light sources by switching incandescent light sources F21S41/162
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/10 comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/10 comprising a two-dimensional array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A headlamp device for a vehicle is provided to generate a light beam having a directed spotlight having an illumination direction and a spotlight distribution, and an orientation light having a broader orientation light distribution than the spotlight. The illumination direction of the spotlight is adjustable horizontally and vertically and the spotlight distribution may be at least partly suppressed to avoid dazzling other road users.

Claims

1-15. -15. (canceled)

16. A headlamp device for a vehicle configured to generate a light beam comprising a directed spotlight with an illumination direction and a spotlight distribution operable for at least partly dimming to avoid dazzling other road users, and an orientation light having a broader orientation light distribution than the spotlight operable for adjustment horizontally and vertically.

17. The headlamp device according to claim 16, wherein a distribution of the orientation light is essentially below a glare plane.

18. The headlamp system according to claim 17, wherein the spotlight distribution is essentially above the glare plane.

19. The headlamp device according to claim 16, wherein when the spotlight distribution is not suppressed, and a central area of the spotlight distribution has greater luminous intensity on average than a peripheral area of the spotlight distribution.

20. The headlamp device according to claim 16, further comprising east one semiconductor source are provided to generate the light beam.

21. The headlamp device according to claim 20, further comprising a LED matrix light source operable as the spotlight source, and wherein the illumination direction and suppression of the spotlight are adjustable by actuation of LEDs of the LED matrix.

22. The headlamp device according to claim 21, wherein the LED is realized as part of a hybrid LED matrix comprising LEDs for both the directed spotlight and the orientation light, wherein a distribution of the orientation light and the spotlight are formed by a common optics system, and wherein the LEDs of the hybrid LED matrix are arranged in columns and rows on a common carrier substrate in such manner that at least one row of the LEDs is assigned to the orientation light and at least one row of the LEDs is assigned to the spotlight.

23. The headlamp device according to claim 22, wherein the common optics system comprises an adjustable lens.

24. The headlamp device according to claim 22, wherein at least one of the spotlight distribution or orientation light distribution are formed in the manner of pixels from partial light cones that lead back to individual LEDs, and wherein the peripheral limits of adjacent partial light cones at least partly overlap.

25. The headlamp device according to claim 24, wherein at least two adjacent partial light cones have an angular intersection up to at least 3 degrees.

26. The headlamp device according to claim 25, wherein the angular intersection is in a range of 0.5 and 2 degrees.

27. The headlamp device according to claim 26, wherein the angular intersection is in the range of 1.0 and 1.3 degrees.

31. A method for controlling a headlamp device in a headlamp system comprising:

detecting a current traffic situation in terms of the presence and position of other road users;

detecting a current driver visibility situation;

aligning the spotlight in accordance with the driver visibility situation; and

at least partially suppressing the spotlight to avoid dazzling the other road users detected.

32. The method according to claim 31, further comprising determining an area of interest to the driver from the detected current driver visibility situation, and directing the spotlight towards this area of interest.