Apparatus and method for controlling head lamp

• US 8,136,970 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2008
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Innotek Company Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Innotek Company Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Hong Gon
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong, Bao Q
• Application Number:
  US12/374,044
• Publication Number:
  US 20090323367A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,467 Days
• Field of Search: 362464-469, 362523-526, 362529-532, 362/285, 362/286, 362/418, 362/419
• US Class Current: 362/465
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/076 by electrical means including means to transmit the movements, e.g. shafts or joints
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/12 due to steering position
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/112 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/122 Steering angle

Abstract

Disclosed is an apparatus for controlling a head lamp. The apparatus comprises: a lamp electronic control unit for generating a lamp steering signal according to a received steering angle and speed information; first and second head lamp control sections for generating motor driving signals corresponding to the lamp steering signal; and first and second step actuators for rotating first and second head lamp modules at predetermined angles by converting a rotational movement of a motor into a linear movement according to the motor driving signals of the first and second head lamp control modules.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling a head lamp, the apparatus comprising:

a lamp electronic control unit for generating a lamp steering signal according to a received steering angle and speed information;

first and second head lamp control sections for generating motor driving signals corresponding to the lamp steering signal; and

first and second step actuators for rotating first and second head lamp modules at predetermined angles by converting a rotational movement of a motor into a linear movement according to the motor driving signals of the first and second head lamp control modules,

wherein the first and second step actuators comprise;

a step motor;

a spiral rotating shaft connected to the step motor; and

a nut that linearly moves in an axial direction as the spiral rotating shaft rotates in a forward or reverse direction.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lamp electronic control unit generates the lamp steering signal for a steering direction of the steering angle if a head lamp is in an on state and an engine speed is a movement speed of more than a predetermined speed.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

a head lamp switch for outputting an on/off state of the head lamp to the lamp electronic control unit;

a steering angle detector for detecting an steering angle of a steering handle to output a detection signal to the lamp electronic control unit; and

an engine electronic control unit for outputting an engine speed to the lamp electronic control unit.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second head lamp control modules and the lamp electronic control unit use at least one of a CAN (control area network), an LIN (local interconnect network), a J1850, a MOST (media oriented systems transport), a FlexRay, a TTCAN (time triggered CAN) and a TTP/C (time triggered protocol/class C).

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first step actuator rotates the first head lamp module in a first direction by a predetermined angle if the lamp steering signal is a lamp steering signal in the first direction, and rotates the first head lamp module in a second direction by an angle less than the predetermined angle if the lamp steering signal is a lamp steering signal in the second direction.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second step actuator rotates the second head lamp module in a second direction by a predetermined angle if the lamp steering signal is a lamp steering signal in the second direction, and rotates the second head lamp module in a first direction by an angle less than the predetermined angle if the lamp steering signal is a lamp steering signal in the first direction.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising a link section having a first end coupled with the nut and a second end coupled with one end of the head lamp module through a fixing shaft such that the link section rotates about the fixing shaft.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, the first and second step actuators comprise a guide rail that guides linear movement of the nut.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

a magnet having multiple polarities and fixed to the nut; and

a magnetic sensor that detects change of magnetic charge of the magnet to output a detection signal to the head lamp control section.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the head lamp control section controls the first and second step actuators such that the first and second head lamp modules return to a center position if the lamp steering signal is reversed.

11. An apparatus for controlling a head lamp, the apparatus comprising:

a lamp electronic control unit for generating a lamp steering signal according to a received steering angle and speed information;

first and second head lamp control modules comprising a head lamp control section for generating motor driving signals corresponding to the lamp steering signal, and a step actuator for converting a rotational movement of a motor into a linear movement according to the motor driving signals of the head lamp control section; and

first and second head lamp modules turning to the left or right according to linear movements of the step actuators of the first and second head lamp control modules,

wherein the step actuator comprises;

a step motor;

a spiral rotating shaft connected to the step motor; and

a nut that linearly moves in an axial direction as the spiral rotating shaft rotates in a forward or reverse direction.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, comprising a link section having a first end coupled with the nut of the step actuator, and a second end coupled through a shaft with one end of each of the first and second head lamp modules.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the steering angle uses information detected from at least one of a steering wheel shaft or a wheel.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, comprising a magnet and a magnetic sensor that detect change of magnetic charge of the step actuator to transfer a detection signal to the head lamp control section, in which the head lamp control section moves the step actuator to a center position by using the detection signal received from the magnetic sensor.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the head lamp control section comprising:

a microprocessor for receiving the lamp steering signal to output a driving signal; and

an actuator controller for converting the driving signal of the microprocessor to a pulse signal and outputting the pulse signal to the step actuator.

16. A method for controlling a head lamp, the method comprising the steps of:

checking an on state of a head lamp;

checking an engine speed;

detecting a steering angle;

generating a lamp steering signal for the steering angle if the head lamp is in an on state and the engine speed is more than a predetermined speed;

generating first and second motor driving signals according to the lamp steering signal; and

allowing first and second head lamp modules to turn to the left or right at a predetermined angle by converting a rotational movement of a step motor into a linear movement according to the first and second motor driving signals,

wherein the step motor includes;

a spiral rotating shaft connected to the step motor; and

a nut that linearly moves in an axial direction as the spiral rotating shaft rotates in a forward or reverse direction.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first and second head lamp modules rotate in a left or right direction at a predetermined angle according to the first motor driving signal, and rotate in a left or right direction at an angle less than the predetermined angle according to the second motor driving signal.

18. The method as claimed in claim 16, comprising a step of generating third and fourth motor driving signals for returning the first and second head lamp modules to a center position if the lamp steering signal for the steering angle is reversed.