Control system for automotive vehicle headlamps and other vehicle equipment

• US 5,998,929 A
• Filed: 08/22/1997
• Issued: 12/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Bechtel, Jon H., Rumsey, Wayne J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shingleton, Michael B
• Application Number:
  US08/916,606
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 315/82, 315/159, 315/156, 307/10.8
• US Class Current: 315/82
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/052 Switching delay, i.e. the beam is not switched or changed instantaneously upon occurrence of a condition change
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/054 Variable non-standard intensity, i.e. emission of various beam intensities different from standard intensities, e.g. continuous or stepped transitions of intensity
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/21 Manual control
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/312 Adverse weather
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/314 Ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/41 preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/42 oncoming vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/30 Daytime running lights [DRL], e.g. circuits or arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/042 by measuring the incident light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/00 Energy efficient lighting technologies, e.g. halogen lamps or gas discharge lamps
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A control system is provided for controlling the energization of the headlamps on a first automotive vehicle, the headlamps being electrically energizable and each having a high beam state and a low beam state. The system includes means for collecting light emanating from a second vehicle and means for collecting ambient light. Sensing means is provided which is effective to selectively sense the intensity of the collected light emanating from the second vehicle and the collected ambient light. In addition, the system includes means controlling the state of the beams of the headlamps as a function of the sensed intensity of the beam of light emanating from said second vehicle, and means controlling the electrical energization of the headlamps as a function of the sensed ambient light.

Claims

1. A control system automatically controlling the energization and de-energization of electrically energizable headlamps on an automotive vehicle, said control system comprising, in combination, means sensing the relative spectral intensities of the skylight levels of a broad area of the sky, said sensing means including means taking at least two skylight readings with different color responses and measuring the balance between a color component which is weighted towards the short wavelength part of the color spectrum relative to another differently weighted color component to differentiate between a cloudy sky and a blue sky, and means in said control system effective to energize and de-energize said headlamps as a function of the measured balance.

2. A control system automatically controlling modes of energization and de-energization and brightness of electrically energizable headlamps on an automotive vehicle, said control system comprising, in combination, sensing means taking at least two skylight measurements with different color responses, said sensing means including means measuring the balance between a color component which is weighted towards the short wavelength part of the color spectrum relative to another differently weighted color component to differentiate between a cloudy sky and a blue sky, and means in said control system controlling the modes of energization and de-energization and brightness of said headlamps as a function of the measured balance.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 2, said sensing means including at least two color filters.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 2, one of said sensor measurements being in the cyan range of the color spectrum, another of said measurements being in the red range of the color spectrum.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 3, said control system utilizing the relationship between multiple measurements through differently colored filters in making a determination to select the desired brightness mode of said headlamps.

6. A control system automatically controlling the energization and de-energization of electrically energizable headlamps on an automotive vehicle, said control system measuring the relative spectral intensities of the light levels of a broad area of the sky, said control system applying a predetermined functional relationship to at least two different color responses of said system to establish the relative spectral distribution in the light from the sky to determine whether the light is bluish in balance indicative of a clear sky or less bluish in balance indicative of an overcast sky, said control system operating in response to a less bluish balance to adjust the light threshold at which the headlamps are energized to favor energizing the headlamps during overcast conditions.

7. The combination as set forth in claim 6, said system including at least two color filters.

8. The combination as set forth in claim 6, one of said system measurements being in the cyan range of the color spectrum, another of said system measurements being in the red range of the color spectrum.

9. The combination as set forth in claim 7, said control system utilizing the relationship between multiple measurements through differently colored filters in making a determination to turn said headlamps on or off.

10. The combination as set forth in claim 6, said control system applying different color responses above and below 620 nm to determine whether the light from the sky is clear or overcast.