Vehicle headlamp's optical axis control system

• US 6,658,337 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2002
• Issued: 12/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Horii, Yasutoshi, Chigusa, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, THU V
• Application Number:
  US10/207,897
• Publication Number:
  US 20030045984A1
• Time in Patent Office: 489 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/49, 362/37, 362/41, 362/43, 362/459-460, 362/473, 362/475, 362/476, 362/487, 362/507, 362/523, 315/76-77, 315/79, 315/82, 340/468-469, 340/471
• US Class Current: 701/49
• 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 1/18 being additional front lights bracket mounted headlights B60Q1/0483
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/112 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/122 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/132 Pitch
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/45 Special conditions, e.g. pedestrians, road signs or potential dangers

Abstract

A headlamp'"'"'s optical axis control system for a vehicle includes a infrared light camera for detecting an object on a road in front of the vehicle and a headlamp'"'"'s optical axis actuator. The headlamp'"'"'s optical axis is changed according to a vehicle speed and position of the object relative to the vehicle so that the illumination range of the headlamp can cover the object if the object is judged to be out of the illumination range.

Claims

1. A headlamp'"'"'s optical axis control system for a vehicle having a head lamp for illuminating a illumination range in front of the vehicle, said control system comprising:

vehicle speed detecting means;

object detecting means for detecting an object on a road in front of the vehicle;

judging means for judging whether the object is in the illumination range or not;

an optical axis control means for changing the headlamp'"'"'s optical axis according to a vehicle speed and position of the object relative to the vehicle so that the illumination range can cover the object if said object is judged to be out of the illumination range.

2. The headlamp'"'"'s optical axis control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said object detecting means comprises discriminating means for judging whether the object is motionless or not, and said optical axis control means does not change the optical axis if the object is judged to be motionless.

3. The headlamp'"'"'s optical axis control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said object detecting means comprises a infrared light camera.

4. The headlamp'"'"'s optical axis control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said vehicle speed detecting means comprises a wheel speed sensor.

5. A headlamp'"'"'s optical axis control system for a vehicle comprising:

a pair of right and left lamps for providing right and left illumination ranges, each of said lamps having a movable optical axis;

a pair of right and left wheel speed sensors for providing speed signals;

an infrared camera for providing an image signal of an object on a road in front of the vehicle;

judging means for judging whether the object is in one of the illumination ranges or not;

an optical axis control means for controlling one of said movable optical axes according to the speed signals and said image signal so that the illumination range of the headlamp having said one of said movable optical axes moves to cover the object if the object is judged to be out of the illumination ranges.