Vehicle headlamp control device and method

• US 8,761,997 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2011
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Albou, Pierre, Grimm, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cuong H
• Application Number:
  US13/188,527
• Publication Number:
  US 20120022743A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: 701/33.6, 701/36, 701/11, 701/9, 701/33.8, 702/104, 702/85, 702/97, 702/127, 702/142, 340/933, 340/636.1
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/033 characterised by the use of electrical cells or batteries for propulsion puposes B60K1/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06; testing of charge state G01R31/36
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/14 Balancing the load in a network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/46 for ICE-powered road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/92 Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles

Abstract

A method for controlling at least one component of a motor vehicle provided with energy storage means. The method comprises the steps of determination of an energy reserve value of the vehicle; evaluation of at least one critical energy autonomy threshold; and comparison of the energy reserve value with at least one critical autonomy threshold so as to deduce therefrom a setpoint signal for controlling the component.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a luminous flux of a headlamp of a motor vehicle provided with energy storage means, said method comprising the following steps:

determining an energy reserve value of the vehicle;

evaluating at least one critical energy autonomy threshold; and

comparing said energy reserve value with said at least one critical autonomy threshold so as to deduce therefrom a setpoint signal for controlling said headlamp;

said setpoint signal being a setpoint power level for controlling the luminous flux from said headlamp; and

using said setpoint signal to adjust an energy consumption of said headlamp to control the luminous flux of said headlamp;

wherein said setpoint signal is used to control said headlamp and said setpoint signal is generated as a result of said comparing step.

2. The method according to claim 1, in which the determination of an energy reserve value of the vehicle comprises measuring the energy stored in at least one electrical battery.

3. The method according to claim 1, in which the determination of an energy reserve value of the vehicle comprises measuring a volume of fuel and converting the volume of fuel into an amount of energy.

4. The method according to claim 1, in which the comparison step comprises making a comparison between the energy reserve value and a critical autonomy threshold, said step being configured so as to generate as output a setpoint signal when the energy reserve value is below the critical autonomy threshold.

5. The method according to claim 4, in which the evaluation step comprises evaluating several critical energy autonomy thresholds and in which the comparison step comprises making several comparisons, each between the energy reserve value and a different critical autonomy threshold and each generating as output a setpoint signal when the energy reserve value is below the critical autonomy threshold.

6. The method according to claim 5, in which each comparison has a priority level so that, when several control signals are generated, the setpoint signal generated by the higher priority level comparison is delivered to the at least one component of the vehicle.

7. The method according to claim 1, in which the evaluation step comprises, for evaluating a threshold:

the definition of a geographical point to be reached; and

the provision of the amount of energy necessary to reach the geographical point.

8. The method according to claim 7, in which the evaluation step uses data output by a navigation system with geolocation and historical operating data of the vehicle.

9. The method according to claim 1, in which the setpoint signal is used to control a headlamp.

10. The method according to claim 9, comprising the definition of a desired luminous flux as a function of a setpoint power level defined by the setpoint signal.

11. The method according to claim 10, which comprises controlling the headlamp so as to produce the desired luminous flux if the desired luminous flux is above a predefined minimum flux and not modifying the control for the headlamp if the desired luminous flux is below the predefined minimum flux.

12. The method according to claim 1, in which the determination, evaluation and comparison steps are carried out over a predefined period.

13. The method according to claim 1, in which the setpoint signal is used for controlling a speed regulator.

14. A procedure according to claim 1, in which the setpoint signal is used to control a warning indicator.

15. A device for controlling a luminous flux of a headlamp of a motor vehicle provided with energy storage means, said device comprising:

measurement means for determining an energy reserve value of the vehicle;

evaluation means for evaluating at least one critical energy autonomy threshold and comparing said energy reserve value with said at least one critical autonomy threshold so as to deduce therefrom a setpoint signal for controlling said headlamp;

said setpoint signal being a setpoint power level for controlling the luminous flux from said headlamp; and

processing means using said setpoint signal to adjust an energy consumption of said headlamp to control the luminous flux of said headlamp;

wherein said setpoint power level is used to control the luminous flux from said headlamp and said setpoint power level is generated as a result of said comparison by said evaluation means.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein the motor vehicle has at least one electrical battery, said measurement means measures energy stored in said at least one electrical battery.

17. The device according to claim 15, wherein said measurement means measures a volume of fuel and converts the volume of fuel into an amount of energy.

18. The device according to claim 15, wherein said evaluation means makes a comparison between the energy reserve value and a critical autonomy threshold and generates as output said setpoint signal when the energy reserve value is below the critical autonomy threshold.

19. The device according to claim 18, wherein said evaluation means evaluates several critical energy autonomy thresholds and makes several comparisons, each between the energy reserve value and a different critical autonomy threshold and each generating as output said setpoint signal when the energy reserve value is below the critical autonomy threshold.

20. The device according to claim 19, wherein each comparison made by said evaluation means has a priority level so that, when several control signals are generated, said setpoint signal generated by the higher priority level comparison is delivered to the at least one component of the vehicle.

21. The device according to claim 15, wherein said evaluation means comprises, for evaluating a threshold:

a definition of a geographical point to be reached; and

a provision of the amount of energy necessary to reach the geographical point.

22. The device according to claim 21, wherein said evaluation means uses data output by a navigation system with geolocation and historical operating data of the vehicle.

23. The device according to claim 15, wherein said processing means comprises a definition of a desired luminous flux as a function of a setpoint power level defined by said setpoint signal.

24. The device according to claim 23, wherein said processing means controls the headlamp so as to produce the desired luminous flux if the desired luminous flux is above a predefined minimum flux and not modifying the control for the headlamp if the desired luminous flux is below the predefined minimum flux.

25. The device according to claim 15, wherein evaluations and comparisons are each carried by said evaluation means out over a predefined period.