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Headlamp control device and vehicle headlamp having headlamp control device

  • US 8,425,092 B2
  • Filed: 08/27/2009
  • Issued: 04/23/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2008
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A headlamp control device comprising:

  • a visual object luminance estimating unit which estimates a visual object luminance based on information about a captured image of an area in front of a vehicle;

    an adapted state estimating unit which estimates an adaptation luminance of a driver of the vehicle based on the information about the captured image, wherein the adaptation luminance is held at a recovery state for a time period after a peak visual object luminance is estimated, the recovery state being a higher luminance than a luminance based solely on the visual object luminance;

    a recognition limit estimating unit which estimates a recognition limit luminance of the driver based on at least the adaptation luminance, wherein the recognition limit luminance represents a luminance in which the driver can recognize an object in the area in front of the vehicle;

    a visual object recognition determining unit which determines whether the visual object luminance is less than the recognition limit luminance; and

    a light distribution control unit which controls a light distribution of a headlamp unit provided in a vehicle such that the visual object luminance is included in a range of the recognition limit luminance, if the visual object luminance is less than the recognition limit luminance.

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