Control system for vehicular illumination

• US 6,161,065 A
• Filed: 04/07/1998
• Issued: 12/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Miwa, Toshimasa, Kamishima, Hiroyuki, Imai, Masakazu
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US09/055,780
• Time in Patent Office: 980 Days
• Field of Search: 701/49, 701/36, 315/77, 315/82, 315/83, 307/10.8, 340/457.2, 340/458, 340/468, 340/469
• US Class Current: 701/36
• 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 2300/112 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/21 Manual control
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/314 Ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/337 Tunnels or bridges
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/41 preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/43 following vehicle

Abstract

A head lamp (3) is turned off when a first set time (T1) has lapsed in a state that a circumferential illumination intensity (B) is equal to or higher than a first level (B1), or when the vehicle has run a first set distance (L1) in a state that the circumferential illumination intensity (B) is equal to or higher than a second level (B2) lower than the first level (B1). Accordingly, even if the vehicle is stopped immediately after a moving to a bright place from a dark place, or even if the peripheral environment has become bright during a stop in the dark place, the head lamp (3) can be securely turned off.

Claims

1. A control system for vehicular illumination, comprising:

a first detector detecting a circumferential illumination intensity of a vehicle;

a second detector detecting a travel time of the vehicle;

a third detector detecting a travel distance of the vehicle associated with the travel time; and

a controller operative in an automatic mode thereof to turn a head lamp of the vehicle on and off depending on the circumferential illumination intensity, the travel time, and the travel distance, wherein

the controller has preset values for the automatic mode including a first time, a first distance, a first illuminance, and a second illuminance lower than the first illuminance,

the controller turns the head lamp off when the travel time exceeds the first time if the circumferential illumination intensity is kept equal to or higher than the first illuminance for the travel time exceeding the first time, and

the controller turns the head lamp on when the travel distance exceeds the first distance if the circumferential illumination intensity is kept equal to or higher than the second illuminance for the travel distance exceeding the first distance.

2. The control system for vehicular illumination according to claim 1, wherein

the controller is operative to turn a small lamp of the vehicle on and off depending on the circumferential illumination intensity, the travel time, and the travel distance,

the preset values include a second time, a second distance, and a third illuminance lower than the second illuminance, and

the controller turns the small lamp on when the travel distance exceeds the second distance if the circumferential illumination intensity is kept equal to or lower than the third illuminance for the travel distance exceeding the second distance, or when the travel time exceeds the second time if the circumferential illumination intensity is kept equal to or lower than the third illuminance for the travel time exceeding the second time.

3. The control system for vehicular illumination according to claim 2, wherein

the preset values include a third distance, and a fourth illuminance lower than the third illuminance, and

the controller turns the head lamp on when the travel distance exceeds the third distance if the circumferential illumination intensity is kept equal to or lower than the fourth illuminance for the travel distance exceeding the third distance.

4. The control system for vehicular illumination according to claim 2, wherein the controller outputs a drive signal to an instrument illuminator when the circumferential illumination intensity is lower than the second illuminance.

5. The control system for vehicular illumination according to claim 1, wherein

the preset values include a second distance, and a third illuminance lower than the second illuminance, and

the controller turns the head lamp on when the travel distance exceeds the second distance if the circumferential illumination intensity is kept equal to or lower than the third illuminance for the travel distance exceeding the second distance.

6. The control system for vehicular illumination according to claim 1, wherein the controller outputs a drive signal to an instrument illuminator when the circumferential illumination intensity is lower than the second illuminance.

7. A vehicular illumination system comprising:

a head lamp at a front of a vehicle;

a first data source responsible for an external illumination intensity of the vehicle to provide a first data representing the illumination intensity;

a second data source responsible for a travel time of the vehicle to provide a second data representing the travel time;

a third data source responsible for a travel distance associated with the travel time of the vehicle to provide a third data representing the travel distance; and

a controller recognizing

a field defined, for illumination control of the vehicle, by a first parameter representative of the illumination intensity, a second parameter representative of the travel time, and a third parameter representative of the travel distance, and

a first region preset in the field by

a first set of parameter values including

a first illuminance as a value of the first parameter, and one of

a first time as a value of the second parameter, and

a first distance as a value of the third parameter, and

a second set of parameter values including

a second illuminance as a value of the first parameter smaller than the first illuminance, and

the other of the first time and the first distance,

the controller being responsible for a given set of the first, second, and third data to control the head lamp to be lit when a corresponding point to the given set of data resides in the first region.

8. A vehicular illumination system according to claim 7, wherein the system comprises an illuminator for an instrument of the vehicle, the controller recognizes a second region preset in the field by

a third set of parameter values including

the first illuminance, and

a second time as a value of the second parameter different from the first time, and

a fourth set of parameter values including a third illuminance as a value of the first parameter smaller than the second illuminance, and the controller is responsible for the given set of data to control the illuminator to be lit when a corresponding point to the given set of data resides in the second region.

9. A vehicular illumination system according to claim 8, wherein the system comprises a small lamp at a rear of the vehicle, the controller recognizes

a third region preset in the field by

a fifth set of parameter values including

the first illuminance, and

the second time, and

a sixth set of parameter values including

a fourth illuminance as a value of the first parameter smaller than the third illuminance and one of

a third time as a value of the second parameter, and

a second distance as a value of the third parameter, and

the controller is responsible for the given set of data to control the small lamp to be lit when a corresponding point to the given set of data resides in the third region.

10. A vehicular illumination system according to claim 9, wherein the controller recognizes

a fourth region preset in the field by

a seventh set of parameter values including

a fifth illuminance as a value of the first illuminance smaller than the fourth illuminance, and

a third distance as a value of the third parameter, and

an eighth set of parameter values including a fourth time as a value of the second parameter, and

the controller is responsible for the given set of data to control the head lamp to be lit when a corresponding point to the given set of data resides in the fourth region.