Lighting device for vehicle

• US 6,853,899 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2002
• Issued: 02/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Shoji
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Broadhead, Brian J
• Application Number:
  US10/218,588
• Publication Number:
  US 20030045985A1
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 701/49, 701/36, 701/207, 701/208, 701/209, 340/905
• 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 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 2300/112 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/114 Vehicle acceleration or deceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/322 Road curvature
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/332 on city roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/333 on suburban or country roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/334 on motorways

Abstract

It is an object to reliably decide the running area of a vehicle and to carry out suitable irradiation control for the area. This invention provides a lighting device 1 for a vehicle including irradiation control means 5 for deciding a running area based on position information obtained by vehicle current-position detecting means 2 and road information obtained by road information acquiring means 3 and for carrying out irradiation control of a lighting tool for a vehicle according to a result of the decision. For road information, a current running area (a high-speed running area, an urban area) is decided based on information in the current position of a vehicle and information about a road over which the vehicle has already run or the same information and information about the forward place of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A lighting device for a vehicle comprising:

vehicle current-position detecting means for obtaining position information;

road information acquiring means for obtaining road information; and

irradiation control means for deciding a running area based on the position information obtained by vehicle current-position detecting means and the road information obtained by road information acquiring means and carrying out irradiation control of a lighting tool for a vehicle based on the decided running area;

wherein the irradiation control means decide a type of a running area, in which a vehicle is running, from the position information and the road information based on road information in a current position of the vehicle and road information about a road over which the vehicle has already run, and

wherein, in a case in which results of previous decisions related to a running area are stored and are compared with a result of a present decision to change the running area, the irradiation control means gradually vary an irradiation state from an irradiation state before the change to an irradiation state after the change.

2. The lighting device for a vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the irradiation control means decide a type of a running area, over which a vehicle is running, by referring to road information in a forward place of the vehicle.

3. The lighting device for a vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein, if at least road information indicative of a double lane road is acquired and a running speed of the vehicle is equal to or higher than a reference value, the irradiation control means decide a running area to be a high-speed running area and carry out irradiation control for distant illumination mainly.

4. The lighting device for a vehicle according to claim 2,

wherein, if at least road information indicative of a double lane road is acquired and a running speed of the vehicle is equal to or higher than a reference value, the irradiation control means decide a running area to be a high-speed running area and carry out irradiation control for distant illumination mainly.

5. The lighting device for a vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein if at least road information indicative of a double lane road is acquired and a branch path is not present within a predetermined distance over a running path in a forward place of the vehicle, the irradiation control means decide a running area to be a high-speed running area and carry out irradiation control for distant illumination mainly.

6. The lighting device for a vehicle according to claim 2,

wherein if at least road information indicative of a double lane road is acquired and a branch path is not present within a predetermined distance over a running path in a forward place of the vehicle, the irradiation control means decide a running area to be a high-speed running area and carry out irradiation control for distant illumination mainly.