Procedure for controlling the light width of a motor vehicle

• US 7,447,581 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2006
• Issued: 11/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dr Ing hc F Porsche AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Dr Ing hc F Porsche AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Eberhardt, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Khoi H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Peche; Jorge O
• Application Number:
  US11/508,149
• Publication Number:
  US 20070047244A1
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 701/49, 701/36, 701/28, 340/467, 340/461, 340/435, 340/903, 340/901, 180/167, 348/118, 348/135, 348/148, 348/42
• 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 1/10 due to vehicle inclination, e.g. due to load distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/056 Special anti-blinding beams, e.g. a standard beam is chopped or moved in order not to blind
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/41 preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/42 oncoming vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/584 of vehicle lights or traffic lights

Abstract

In a method for traffic dependent light width adjustment of light width for headlights in a motor vehicle, at least two image capturing units are provided whose pictures are forwarded to a control unit for evaluation. A control unit for controlling the light width of the headlights is provided, and on the basis of the captured pictures of both image capturing units a classification of the light sources outside of the vehicle is conducted. A distinction is made between oncoming, standing, and distancing light sources. With this classification the light width of the headlights is adjusted.

Claims

1. A method for traffic dependent light width adjustment for motor vehicle headlights having a high beam and a dimmer light, said method comprising:

providing at least two image capturing units;

forwarding images from the image capturing units to a control unit for evaluation;

said control unit controlling at least one of light width and shape of the lighting of the dimmer light of said headlights;

based on captured images from said at least two image capturing units, classifying light sources outside of the vehicle; and

based on said classification implementing a traffic dependent adjustment of at least one of light width and shape of lighting of the dimmer light of said headlights; and

controlling the dimmer light of the headlights accordingly;

wherein traffic dependent light width adjustment is conducted only if i) images are present in each of said at least two image capturing units, ii) environmental lighting is below a presettable environmental lighting and iii) vehicle speed is above a presettable value, wherein the traffic dependent light width adjustment includes a light source identification, and further wherein after the light source identification an adjustment magnitude is determined for the light width adjustment; and

wherein when the condition of the images are present in each of said at least two image capturing units is not met the dimmer light is activated with dynamic light width regulation, when the condition of the environmental lighting is below a presettable environmental lighting is not met the dimmer light is activated with dynamic light width regulation, and when the condition of vehicle speed is above a presettable value is not met the range of the headlights is reduced to a city lighting mode with dynamic light width regulation, which take into account only parameters other than the classification of light sources outside the vehicle, which parameters are otherwise available in the vehicle.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

a captured light source is differentiated as between public lighting, reflectors, mirrors, unknown lighting, headlights, and back lights; and

headlights, back lights, and unknown light sources are considered relevant for traffic dependent light width adjustment.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein according to the recognition of several light sources, the headlights are adjusted to a lowest permissible light source.