Method and device for adjusting a beam direction of a headlight, and motor vehicle

• US 9,002,587 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2012
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Funk, Christian, Siedersbeck, Alfons
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALHARBI, ADAM MOHAMED
• Application Number:
  US14/002,551
• Publication Number:
  US 20130338884A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/49
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/122 with electrical actuating means details of the electric drive components, e.g. motors, shafts, ball joints B60Q1/076
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/112 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/122 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/322 Road curvature

Abstract

A method for adjusting a beam direction of a headlight of a vehicle having at least one front wheel and at least one rear wheel includes the following steps: a) detecting a front wheel steering angle of the at least one front wheel; b) detecting a rear wheel steering angle of the at least one rear wheel; c) defining a beam direction of the headlight depending on the front wheel steering angle and the rear wheel steering angle; and d) adjusting the beam direction of the headlight to the defined beam direction. The adjustment depends on whether the rear-wheel steering angle and the front wheel steering angle are oriented in the same direction or in opposite directions.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting a beam direction of a headlight of a vehicle with at least one front wheel and at least one rear wheel, the method comprising the steps of:

a) detecting a front wheel steering angle of the at least one front wheel,

a1) defining a comparison beam direction of the headlight as a function of the front wheel steering angle without taking into consideration the rear wheel steering angle,

b) detecting a rear wheel steering wheel angle of the at least one rear wheel;

c) defining a beam direction of the headlight as a function of the front wheel steering angle and the rear wheel steering angle, wherein

in the event that the rear-wheel steering angle and the front wheel steering angle are oriented in opposite directions in relation to a respective neutral position of the associated rear wheel or front wheel, the beam direction is defined at step c) so as to be oriented more strongly in the direction of the front wheel steering angle in relation to the comparison beam direction,

and

in the event that the rear-wheel steering angle and the front wheel steering angle are oriented in an identical direction in relation to the respective neutral position of the associated rear wheel or front wheel, the beam direction is defined at step c) so as to be oriented less strongly in the direction of the front wheel steering angle in relation to the comparison beam direction, and

d) adjusting the beam direction of the headlight to the defined beam direction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step c) comprises the following sub-steps:

c1) determining a correction value from the rear wheel steering angle;

c2) determining a fictitious front wheel steering angle from the front wheel steering angle and the correction value; and

c3) defining the beam direction of the headlight as a function of the fictitious front wheel steering angle.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a travel speed of the vehicle, wherein at step c) the beam direction of the headlight is additionally adjusted as a function of the driving speed.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein defining the beam direction at step c) comprises defining a pivot angle of the headlight about a vertical axis of the vehicle for adjusting of the headlight, and adjusting the beam direction at step d) comprises pivoting the beam direction of the headlight about the defined pivot angle.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the beam direction of the headlamp is defined at step c) with assistance of a single-track model.

3. A method for adjusting a beam direction of a headlight of a vehicle with at least one front wheel and at least one rear wheel, the method comprising the steps of:

a) detecting a front wheel steering angle of the at least one front wheel,

b) detecting a rear wheel steering wheel angle of the at least one rear wheel;

c) defining a beam direction of the headlight as a function of the front wheel steering angle and the rear wheel steering angle, and

d) adjusting the beam direction of the headlight to the defined beam direction,

wherein step c) comprises the following sub-steps;

c1) determining a correction value from the rear wheel steering angle;

c2) determining a fictitious front wheel steering angle from the front wheel steering angle and the correction value; and

c3) defining the beam direction of the headlight as a function of the fictitious front wheel steering angle.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising defining a comparison beam direction of the headlight as a function of the front wheel steering angle without taking into consideration the rear wheel steering angle, wherein

in the event that the rear-wheel steering angle and the front wheel steering angle are oriented in opposite directions in relation to a respective neutral position of the associated rear wheel or front wheel, the beam direction is adjusted at step c) so as to be oriented more strongly in the direction of the front wheel steering angle in relation to the comparison beam direction,

and

in the event that the rear-wheel steering angle and the front wheel steering angle are oriented in an identical direction in relation to the respective neutral position of the associated rear wheel or front wheel, the beam direction is adjusted at step c) so as to be oriented less strongly in the direction of the front wheel steering angle in relation to the comparison beam direction.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining a travel speed of the vehicle, wherein at step c) the beam direction of the headlight is additionally adjusted as a function of the driving speed.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein defining the beam direction at step c) comprises defining a pivot angle of the headlight about a vertical axis of the vehicle for adjusting of the headlight, and adjusting the beam direction at step d) comprises pivoting the beam direction of the headlight about the defined pivot angle.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein the beam direction of the headlamp is defined at step c) with assistance of a single-track model.

11. A device for adjusting a beam direction of a headlight of a vehicle with at least one front wheel and at least one rear wheel, the device comprising:

an acquisition unit configured to acquire a front wheel steering angle of the at least one front wheel and a rear wheel steering angle of the at least one rear wheel;

a computing unit configured to define a beam direction of the headlight as a function of the front wheel steering angle and the rear wheel steering angle by

determining a correction value from the rear wheel steering angle;

determining a fictitious front wheel steering angle from the front wheel steering angle and the correction value; and

adjusting the beam direction of the headlight as a function of the fictitious front wheel steering angle, and

an actuating unit configured to adjust the beam direction of the headlight to the defined beam direction.

12. A device of claim 11, wherein the computing unit is further configured to define a comparison beam direction of the headlight as a function of the front wheel steering angle without taking into consideration the rear wheel steering angle, wherein

in the event that the rear-wheel steering angle and the front wheel steering angle are oriented in opposite directions in relation to a respective neutral position of the associated rear wheel or front wheel, the beam direction is defined so as to be oriented more strongly in the direction of the front wheel steering angle in relation to the comparison beam direction,

and

in the event that the rear-wheel steering angle and the front wheel steering angle are oriented in an identical direction in relation to the respective neutral position of the associated rear wheel or front wheel, the beam direction is defined so as to be oriented less strongly in the direction of the front wheel steering angle in relation to the comparison beam direction.

13. A motor vehicle comprising the device according to claim 11.