Methods and systems for controlling forward lighting for vehicles

• US 8,350,690 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2009
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Biondo, William A., Proefke, David T., McCall, Clark E., Huntzicker, Fred W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent
• Application Number:
  US12/429,893
• Publication Number:
  US 20100271195A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 340/468, 340/469, 340/438, 340/457.2, 362/464, 362/466, 362/276, 362/465, 315/77, 315/82, 315/83, 315/291
• US Class Current: 340/469
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1423 Automatic dimming circuits, i.e. switching between high beam and low beam due to change of ambient light or light level in road traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/116 Vehicle at a stop
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/21 Manual control
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/314 Ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/41 preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/42 oncoming vehicle

Abstract

A method for controlling forward lighting for a vehicle includes the steps of determining whether full forward lighting is required for the vehicle, and varying the forward lighting depending on whether full forward lighting is required.

Claims

1. A method for controlling forward lighting for a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

determining whether the vehicle is stationary;

providing full forward lighting in a fixed amount with a fixed light intensity if the vehicle is not stationary; and

varying the forward lighting between multiple light intensities based on a plurality of conditions other than the vehicle being stationary via a processor only if the vehicle is stationary.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

determining whether full forward lighting is required for the vehicle; and

providing reduced forward lighting with a light intensity that is greater than zero and less than the fixed light intensity of the full forward lighting, if the vehicle is stationary and full forward lighting is not required.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether a second vehicle is stationary and disposed within a predetermined distance in front of the vehicle; and

providing reduced forward lighting only on the further condition that the second vehicle is stationary and disposed within a predetermined distance in front of the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether a transmission of the vehicle is in a park mode; and

providing reduced forward lighting only on the further condition that the transmission of the vehicle is in the park mode.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of:

determining a measure of brightness of ambient light proximate the vehicle;

wherein the step of proving reduced forward lighting comprises the step of providing reduced forward lighting provided that the vehicle is stationary and the measure of brightness is less than a predetermined threshold.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of:

determining whether a second vehicle is within a predetermined distance in front of the vehicle;

wherein the step of providing the reduced forward lighting comprises the step of providing the reduced forward lighting provided that each of the following conditions are satisfied, namely, that the vehicle is stationary, the measure of brightness is less than the predetermined threshold, and the second vehicle is within the predetermined distance in front of the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the varying of the forward lighting is provided only if the vehicle is stationary.

7. A program product for controlling forward lighting for a vehicle, the program product comprising:

(a) a program configured to at least facilitate;

determining whether the vehicle is stationary;

providing full forward lighting in a fixed amount with a fixed light intensity if the vehicle is not stationary; and

varying the forward lighting between multiple light intensities based on a plurality of conditions other than the vehicle being stationary via a processor only if the vehicle is stationary; and

(b) a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium bearing the program.

8. The program product of claim 7, wherein the program is further configured to at least facilitate:

determining whether full forward lighting is required for the vehicle; and

providing reduced forward lighting with a light intensity that is greater than zero and less than the fixed light intensity of the full forward lighting, if the vehicle is stationary and full forward lighting is not required.

9. The program product of claim 8 wherein the program is further configured to at least facilitate:

determining whether a transmission of the vehicle is in a park mode; and

providing reduced forward lighting only on the further condition that the transmission of the vehicle is in the park mode.

10. The program product of claim 8, wherein the program is further configured to at least facilitate:

determining a measure of brightness of ambient light proximate the vehicle; and

providing reduced forward lighting only provided that the vehicle is stationary and the measure of brightness is less than a predetermined threshold.

11. The program product of claim 10, wherein the program is further configured to at least facilitate:

determining whether a second vehicle is within a predetermined distance in front of the vehicle;

providing the reduced forward lighting provided that each of the following conditions are satisfied, namely, that the vehicle is stationary, the measure of brightness is less than the predetermined threshold, and the second vehicle is within the predetermined distance in front of the vehicle.

19. The program product of claim 7, wherein the varying of the forward lighting is provided only if the vehicle is stationary.

12. A system for controlling forward lighting for a vehicle, the system comprising:

an input unit configured to at least facilitate obtaining one or more input values for use in determining a lighting requirement for the vehicle; and

a processor coupled to the input unit, the processor configured to at least facilitate;

determining whether the vehicle is stationary using one or more of the input values;

providing full forward lighting in a fixed amount with a fixed light intensity if the vehicle is not stationary; and

varying the forward lighting between multiple light intensities based on a plurality of conditions other than the vehicle being stationary via a processor only if the vehicle is stationary.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to at least facilitate:

determining whether full forward lighting is required for the vehicle using one or more of the input values; and

providing reduced forward lighting with a light intensity that is greater than zero and less than the fixed light intensity of the full forward lighting, if the vehicle is stationary and full forward lighting is not required.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to at least facilitate:

determining whether a second vehicle is stationary and disposed within a predetermined distance in front of the vehicle using one or more of the input values; and

providing reduced forward lighting only on the further condition that the second vehicle is stationary and disposed within a predetermined distance in front of the vehicle.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to at least facilitate:

determining whether a transmission of the vehicle is in a park mode using one or more of the input values; and

providing reduced forward lighting only on the further condition that the transmission of the vehicle is in the park mode.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to at least facilitate:

determining a measure of brightness of ambient light proximate the vehicle using one or more of the input values; and

providing reduced forward lighting provided that the vehicle is stationary and the measure of brightness is less than a predetermined threshold.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to at least facilitate:

determining whether a second vehicle is within a predetermined distance in front of the vehicle;

providing the reduced forward lighting provided that each of the following conditions are satisfied, namely, that the vehicle is stationary, the measure of brightness is less than the predetermined threshold, and the second vehicle is within the predetermined distance in front of the vehicle.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the varying of the forward lighting is provided only if the vehicle is stationary.