Lighting-direction control unit for vehicle lamp

• US 6,229,263 B1
• Filed: 01/20/2000
• Issued: 05/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Izawa, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, CHUC
• Application Number:
  US09/488,349
• Time in Patent Office: 474 Days
• Field of Search: 315/80, 315/77, 315/78, 315/79, 315/82, 307/10.8, 307/10.1, 701/49, 701/36, 701/37, 701/48, 250/208.1, 250/214 AL
• US Class Current: 315/80
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/115 by electric means details of the electric drive components, e.g. motors, shafts, ball joints B60Q1/076
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/18 being additional front lights bracket mounted headlights B60Q1/0483
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/112 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/114 Vehicle acceleration or deceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/116 Vehicle at a stop
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/122 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/132 Pitch

Abstract

A lighting-direction control unit 1 for a lamp of a vehicle incorporates a vehicle-height detecting means 2 for detecting change in the height of an axle of front wheels or that of rear wheel of the vehicle. In response to a signal representing the detected height of the vehicle, the pitch angle of the vehicle is obtained to change the lighting direction of a lamp 6 to correspond to the change in the attitude of the vehicle. A means 3 for detecting the change rate of acceleration for obtaining the change rate of acceleration with respect to time in the direction in which the vehicle runs is provided. When the change rate with respect to time is high, a lighting control means 4 transmits a control signal to an operating means 5 in such a manner that the response of the control of the lighting direction of the lamp 6 is quickened. Therefore, delay in the control is prevented when the change in the acceleration is great.

Claims

1. A lighting-direction control unit for a vehicle lamp structured to detect change in a height of an axle of at least one of a front wheel and an axle of a rear wheel of a vehicle to change a lighting direction of the vehicle lamp in accordance with change in the attitude of the vehicle, said lighting-direction control unit comprising:

detecting means for detecting change in the acceleration in a running direction or change in the attitude of the running vehicle; and

lighting control means for obtaining from the detecting means one of a change rate of acceleration in a running direction of the vehicle as it runs with respect to time and a change rate of attitude of the running vehicle with respect to time to change a control response of the lighting direction of said lamp in accordance with the degree of said change rate.

2. A lighting-direction control unit for a vehicle lamp structured to detect change in a height of an axle of at least one of a front wheel and an axle of a rear wheel of a vehicle to change a lighting direction of the vehicle lamp in accordance with change in the attitude of the vehicle, said lighting-direction control unit comprising:

lighting control means for obtaining a change rate of acceleration in a running direction of the vehicle runs with respect to time to change a control response of the lighting direction of said lamp in accordance with the degree of said change rate, wherein said lighting control means performs control to quicken the control response when the change of rate of acceleration is high, and to lower the response of the control when the change rate of acceleration with respect to time is low.

3. A lighting-direction control unit according to claim 2, further comprising:

detecting means for detecting change in the acceleration in a running direction or change in the attitude of the running vehicle,

wherein said lighting control means calculates one of change rate of acceleration with respect to time and change rate of the attitude of the running vehicle with respect to time obtained by said detecting means to change the response of the control of the lighting direction of said lamp.

4. A lighting-direction control unit for a vehicle lamp comprising:

a vehicle attitude detector which detects an attitude of a running vehicle;

an acceleration change rate detector which detects a change rate of acceleration of a running vehicle with respect to time;

lighting control means which controls a lighting direction in accordance with an attitude of the running vehicle, and adjusts a response of a lighting direction control in accordance with the change rate of acceleration.

6. A lightning-direction control unit according to claim 4, wherein a pitch angle of the vehicle is obtained in response to a signal representing the height of the vehicle, and said lightning control means changes the lighting direction in accordance with change in the attitude in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

7. A lightning-direction control unit according to claim 4, wherein said acceleration change rate is obtained by first order time differentiation of a signal indicating an acceleration of the running vehicle or second order time differentiation of a signal indicating a velocity of the running vehicle.

8. A lightning-direction control unit according to claim 4, wherein said acceleration change rate is obtained from indirect information obtained as change in the attitude of the vehicle.

9. A lightning-direction control unit according to claim 4, wherein said acceleration change rate is obtained from information about driver'"'"'s driving operations.

5. A lighting-direction control unit for a vehicle lamp comprising:

a vehicle attitude detector which detects an attitude of a running vehicle;

an acceleration change rate detector which detects a change rate of acceleration of a running vehicle with respect to time;

lighting control means which controls a lighting direction in accordance with an attitude of the running vehicle, and adjusts a response of a lighting direction control in accordance with the change rate of acceleration to quicken the control response when the change rate of acceleration is high, and to lower the response of the control when the change rate of acceleration with respect to time is low.

10. A lighting-direction control method for controlling a lighting direction of a vehicle lamp, comprising the steps of:

detecting an attitude of a running vehicle;

detecting a change rate of acceleration of a running vehicle with respect to time;

controling a lighting direction in accordance with the attitude of the running vehicle; and

adjusting a response of a lighting direction control in accordance with the change rate of acceleration.

11. A lighting-direction control method for controlling a lighting direction of a vehicle lamp, comprising:

detecting an attitude of a running vehicle;

detecting a change rate of acceleration of a running vehicle with respect to time;

controlling a lighting direction in accordance with the attitude of the running vehicle; and

adjusting a response of a lighting direction control in accordance with the change rate of acceleration wherein the control response is quickened when the change rate of acceleration is high, and the control response is lowered when the change rate of acceleration with respect to time is low.