Method for actuating headlights of a motor vehicle

• US 7,625,107 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2007
• Issued: 12/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Brod, Ralf
• Primary Examiner(s): Choi; Jacob Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): May; Robert J
• Application Number:
  US11/836,838
• Publication Number:
  US 20070276551A1
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 362464-466
• US Class Current: 362/464
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1415 Dimming circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/21 Manual control

Abstract

A method is provided for actuating the headlights of a motor vehicle with a manual mode, in which the headlights can be transferred into a first illuminating state by manually actuating a selector lever in a first actuating direction and by actuating the selector lever in a second actuating direction can be transferred into a second illuminating state, and with an automatic mode, in which an external lighting situation is detected by sensors and evaluated by an evaluation device so that, according to the results of the evaluation, the headlights are automatically displaced into the first or into the second illuminating state. In the automatic mode, an override possibility is provided so that, independently of the results of the evaluation, the headlights can be transferred into the respective illuminating state by manually actuating the selector lever in the first or the second actuating direction. An additional override mode is provided, which is switched on by manually actuating the selector lever in the automatic mode, whereby in the event that the headlights are in the first illuminating state, an actuation of the selector lever in the first actuating direction causes a switching between the automatic mode and the override mode.

Claims

1. A method for actuating headlights of a motor vehicle having a manual mode, in which manual actuation of a selector lever in a first actuating direction transfers the headlights into a first illuminating state, where the first illuminating state is one of a high beam on state and a low beam on state, and manual actuation in a second actuating direction transfers the headlights into a second illuminating state, where the second illuminating state is the other one of the high beam on state and the low beam on state, and an automatic mode, in which the headlights are automatically transferred into the first or the second illuminating state based on an evaluation of an external lighting situation, the method comprising the acts of:

overriding the automatic mode and transferring the headlights into a respective illuminating state by a first manual actuation of the selector lever in the first or the second actuating direction independent of the evaluation of the external lighting situation;

initiating a second manual actuation of the selector lever in the actuating direction opposite the first manual actuation in order to transfer the headlights back into the automatic mode; and

initiating a third manual actuation of the selector lever in the automatic mode, wherein if the headlights are in the first illuminating state, an actuation of the selector lever in the first actuating direction causes a switch between the automatic mode and the override mode without changing the illuminating state.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein if the headlights are in the override mode in the first illuminating state, actuation of the selector lever in the second actuating direction transfers the headlights into the second illuminating state while staying in the override mode.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein if the headlights are in the override mode in the second illuminating state, actuation of the selector lever in the first actuating direction causes a switch into the automatic mode provided said automatic mode is ready for use.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein if the automatic mode is not ready for use, actuation of the selector lever in the first actuating direction transfers the headlights into the first illuminating state while staying in the override mode.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein if the headlights are in the override mode in the second illuminating state, actuation of the selector lever in the first actuating direction causes a switch into the automatic mode provided said automatic mode is ready for use.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein if the automatic mode is not ready for use, actuation of the selector lever in the first actuating direction transfers the headlights into the first illuminating state while staying in the override mode.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first illuminating state of the headlights is a high beam setting and the second illuminating state is a low beam setting.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein if the headlights are in the second illuminating state, an actuation of the selector lever in the second actuating direction causes the headlights to brighten for a duration of the actuation.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the act of manually selecting, via a switch, either the manual mode or the automatic mode and the override mode.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising indicating to a driver of the motor vehicle when the automatic mode is in use.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the act of automatically selecting the manual mode upon switching-off an ignition of the motor vehicle.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein if the headlights are in the second illuminating state, an actuation of the selector lever in the second actuating direction causes the headlights to brighten for a duration of the actuation.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein if the headlights are in the second illuminating state, an actuation of the selector lever in the second actuating direction causes the headlights to brighten for a duration of the actuation.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the act of automatically selecting the manual mode upon switching-off an ignition of the motor vehicle.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein if the headlights are in the second illuminating state, an actuation of the selector lever in the second actuating direction causes the headlights to brighten for a duration of the actuation.

16. The method according to claim 1, further comprising indicating to a driver of the motor vehicle when the automatic mode is in use.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein if the headlights are in the second illuminating state, an actuation of the selector lever in the second actuating direction causes the headlights to brighten for a duration of the actuation.