Vehicle headlamp apparatus and control method thereof
First Claim
1. A vehicle headlamp apparatus comprising:
- a first lamp configured to selectively produce a first high beam light distribution pattern and an infrared light distribution pattern, the first lamp switches only between the first high beam light distribution pattern and the infrared light distribution pattern;
a second lamp configured to selectively produce a second high beam light distribution pattern and a low beam light distribution pattern, the second lamp switches only between the second high beam light distribution pattern and the low beam light distribution pattern;
a vehicle detector which detects a vehicle running ahead based on received infrared light;
a condition-dependent selection controller which controls the first and second lamps; and
at least one switch which is manually operable to select one of a low beam mode, a high beam mode, and a condition dependent mode comprising a first condition dependent mode and a second condition dependent mode,wherein the condition-dependent selection controller controls the first lamp to produce the infrared light distribution pattern irrespective of whether the vehicle detector detects a vehicle and the second lamp to produce the low beam light distribution pattern irrespective of whether the vehicle detector detects a vehicle if the low beam mode is being selected; and
the condition-dependent selection controller controls the first lamp to produce the first high beam light distribution pattern irrespective of whether the vehicle detector detects a vehicle and the second lamp to produce the second high beam light distribution pattern irrespective of whether the vehicle detector detects a vehicle if the high beam mode is being selected,if the first condition dependent mode is selected,the condition-dependent selection controller controls the first lamp to produce the infrared light distribution pattern and controls the second lamp to produce the low beam light distribution pattern, if the vehicle detector detects a vehicle andthe condition-dependent selection controller controls the first lamp to produce the first high beam light distribution pattern and controls the second lamp to produce the second high beam light distribution pattern, if the vehicle detector detects no vehicle, andif the second condition dependent mode is selected,the condition-dependent selection controller controls the second lamp to produce the low beam light distribution pattern if the vehicle detector detects a vehicle and to produce the second high beam light distribution pattern if the vehicle detector detects no vehicle, andthe condition-dependent selection controller controls the first lamp to produce the infrared light distribution pattern, irrespective of whether the vehicle detector detects a vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle headlamp apparatus is provided. The vehicle headlamp apparatus includes a first lamp configured to selectively produce a first high beam light distribution pattern and an infrared light distribution pattern, a second lamp configured to selectively produce a second high beam light distribution pattern and a low beam light distribution pattern, a vehicle detector which detects a vehicle running ahead, and a condition-dependent selection controller which controls the first and second lamps. The condition-dependent selection controller controls the second lamp to produce the low beam light distribution pattern when the vehicle detector detects a vehicle and to produce the second high beam light distribution pattern when the vehicle detector detects no vehicle. The condition-dependent selection controller controls the first lamp to produce the infrared light distribution pattern, irrespective of whether the vehicle detector detects a vehicle.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A vehicle headlamp apparatus comprising:
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a first lamp configured to selectively produce a first high beam light distribution pattern and an infrared light distribution pattern, the first lamp switches only between the first high beam light distribution pattern and the infrared light distribution pattern; a second lamp configured to selectively produce a second high beam light distribution pattern and a low beam light distribution pattern, the second lamp switches only between the second high beam light distribution pattern and the low beam light distribution pattern; a vehicle detector which detects a vehicle running ahead based on received infrared light; a condition-dependent selection controller which controls the first and second lamps; and at least one switch which is manually operable to select one of a low beam mode, a high beam mode, and a condition dependent mode comprising a first condition dependent mode and a second condition dependent mode, wherein the condition-dependent selection controller controls the first lamp to produce the infrared light distribution pattern irrespective of whether the vehicle detector detects a vehicle and the second lamp to produce the low beam light distribution pattern irrespective of whether the vehicle detector detects a vehicle if the low beam mode is being selected; and the condition-dependent selection controller controls the first lamp to produce the first high beam light distribution pattern irrespective of whether the vehicle detector detects a vehicle and the second lamp to produce the second high beam light distribution pattern irrespective of whether the vehicle detector detects a vehicle if the high beam mode is being selected, if the first condition dependent mode is selected, the condition-dependent selection controller controls the first lamp to produce the infrared light distribution pattern and controls the second lamp to produce the low beam light distribution pattern, if the vehicle detector detects a vehicle and the condition-dependent selection controller controls the first lamp to produce the first high beam light distribution pattern and controls the second lamp to produce the second high beam light distribution pattern, if the vehicle detector detects no vehicle, and if the second condition dependent mode is selected, the condition-dependent selection controller controls the second lamp to produce the low beam light distribution pattern if the vehicle detector detects a vehicle and to produce the second high beam light distribution pattern if the vehicle detector detects no vehicle, and the condition-dependent selection controller controls the first lamp to produce the infrared light distribution pattern, irrespective of whether the vehicle detector detects a vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of controlling a vehicle headlamp apparatus, the vehicle headlamp apparatus comprising:
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a first lamp configured to selectively produce a first high beam light distribution pattern and an infrared light distribution pattern, the first lamp switches only between the first high beam light distribution pattern and the infrared light distribution pattern; a second lamp configured to selectively produce a second high beam light distribution pattern and a low beam light distribution pattern, the second lamp switches only between the second high beam light distribution pattern and the low beam light distribution pattern; and at least one switch which is manually operable to select one of a low beam mode, a high beam mode, and a condition dependent mode comprising a first condition dependent mode and a second condition dependent mode, the method comprising; detecting a vehicle running ahead of a vehicle on which the first lamp and the second lamp are mounted based on received infrared light; determining which one of the low beam mode, the high beam mode, and the condition dependent mode is being selected; if the low beam mode is being selected, controlling the first lamp to produce the infrared light distribution pattern irrespective of whether the vehicle detector detects a vehicle and the second lamp to produce the low beam light distribution pattern irrespective of whether the vehicle detector detects a vehicle, if the high beam mode is being selected, controlling the first lamp to produce the first high beam light distribution pattern irrespective of whether the vehicle detector detects a vehicle and the second lamp to produce the second high beam light distribution pattern irrespective of whether the vehicle detector detects a vehicle, if the condition dependent mode is being selected, determining which one of the first and second condition dependent mode is being selected, if the first condition dependent mode is selected, controlling the first lamp to produce the infrared light distribution pattern and controlling the second lamp to produce the low beam light distribution pattern, if the vehicle detector detects a vehicle and controlling the first lamp to produce the first high beam light distribution pattern and controlling the second lamp to produce the second high bear light distribution pattern, if the vehicle detector detects no vehicle, and if the second condition dependent mode is selected, controlling the second lamp to produce the low beam light distribution pattern if a vehicle running ahead is detected, controlling the second lamp to produce the second high beam light distribution pattern if no vehicle running ahead is detected; and
controlling the first lamp to produce the infrared light distribution pattern, irrespective of whether a vehicle running ahead is detected. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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Specification