Headlight light distribution control device and method
First Claim
1. A headlight light distribution control device which is mounted on a vehicle and switches an irradiation direction of a headlight of the vehicle, comprising:
- (A) a light source detector which detects a light source in the front of the vehicle; and
(B) a control device that controls the irradiation direction of the headlight, wherein the control device provides(b-1) a light source presence counter that acquires information on the presence of a light source of a region ahead of the vehicle per predetermined time interval Δ
t from the light source detector and counts the number of times the light source of a region ahead of the vehicle changes from not present to present,(b-2) a threshold-reached judging section that judges whether or not the number of times counted by the light source presence counter has reached a predetermined threshold value α
within a predetermined amount of time (Tm), and(b-3) a beam maintaining section that, when the number of times counted by the light source presence counter is judged to have reached the predetermined threshold value by the threshold-reached judging section, keeps the headlight at low beam for a predetermined amount of time (Tp).
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Accused Products
Abstract
Speed of a vehicle is acquired from a speed detecting device, and then a beam switching threshold, according to the acquired speed, of an irradiation direction of a headlight is initially set. When the number of appearance (i.e. frequency of appearance) of a light source in a predetermined time detected by a light source detection means have become the beam switching threshold or more, the headlight is switched to a low beam. When a predetermined time (beam switching prohibition time Tp) has been passed after the irradiation direction of a headlight was switched to the low beam, the irradiation direction of the headlight is switched to a high beam.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A headlight light distribution control device which is mounted on a vehicle and switches an irradiation direction of a headlight of the vehicle, comprising:
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(A) a light source detector which detects a light source in the front of the vehicle; and (B) a control device that controls the irradiation direction of the headlight, wherein the control device provides (b-1) a light source presence counter that acquires information on the presence of a light source of a region ahead of the vehicle per predetermined time interval Δ
t from the light source detector and counts the number of times the light source of a region ahead of the vehicle changes from not present to present,(b-2) a threshold-reached judging section that judges whether or not the number of times counted by the light source presence counter has reached a predetermined threshold value α
within a predetermined amount of time (Tm), and(b-3) a beam maintaining section that, when the number of times counted by the light source presence counter is judged to have reached the predetermined threshold value by the threshold-reached judging section, keeps the headlight at low beam for a predetermined amount of time (Tp). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A headlight light distribution control method for switching irradiation direction of the headlight of a vehicle, the method comprising:
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ST1;
counting the number of times a light source of a region ahead of the vehicle changes from not present to present per predetermined time interval Δ
t in a predetermined time (Tm) by a light source presence counter;ST2;
judging whether or not the number of times has reached a predetermined threshold value α
; andST3;
keeping the headlight at low beam for a predetermined amount of time (Tp) when the number of times counted in step 1 is judged to have reached the predetermined threshold value in step 2, by a beam maintaining section. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification