Headlamp light distribution control device
First Claim
1. A headlamp light distribution control device for a vehicle, the headlamp light distribution control device comprising:
- an image acquisition unit configured to acquire an image of a forward area which is ahead of an own vehicle;
an extraction unit configured to extract a forward vehicle from the image of the forward area acquired by the image acquisition unit;
a distance acquisition unit configured to acquire a distance between the own vehicle and the forward vehicle;
a judgment unit configured toextract a light source configured by a pair of lamps mounted in the forward vehicle from the image of the forward vehicle extracted by the extraction unit if the distance from the own vehicle to the forward vehicle acquired by the distance acquisition unit is less than a predetermined value, andjudge the number of the extracted light sources; and
a control unit configured toset, when the judgment unit judges that the number of the extracted light sources is two, a shielded area in an irradiation area of a headlamp of the own vehicle so as to prevent an area including the lamp of the forward vehicle from being irradiated, andset, when the judgment unit judges that the number of the extracted light sources is one, a shielded area in the irradiation area of the headlamp of own vehicle so as to have a margin in right and left directions larger than the shielded area set when the number of the extracted light sources is two.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a headlamp light distribution control device, a light source configured by a pair of lamps mounted in a forward vehicle is extracted from an image of the forward vehicle if a distance to the forward vehicle is less than a predetermined value, and the number of the extracted light sources is judged. When the number of the extracted light sources is two, an irradiation direction of a headlamp is controlled such that a shielded area is set in an irradiation area to prevent an area including the lamp of the forward vehicle from being irradiated. When the number of the extracted light sources is one, the irradiation direction is controlled such that a shielded area is set in the irradiation area to have a margin in right and left directions larger than the shielded area set when the number of the extracted light sources is two.
8 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A headlamp light distribution control device for a vehicle, the headlamp light distribution control device comprising:
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an image acquisition unit configured to acquire an image of a forward area which is ahead of an own vehicle; an extraction unit configured to extract a forward vehicle from the image of the forward area acquired by the image acquisition unit; a distance acquisition unit configured to acquire a distance between the own vehicle and the forward vehicle; a judgment unit configured to extract a light source configured by a pair of lamps mounted in the forward vehicle from the image of the forward vehicle extracted by the extraction unit if the distance from the own vehicle to the forward vehicle acquired by the distance acquisition unit is less than a predetermined value, and judge the number of the extracted light sources; and a control unit configured to set, when the judgment unit judges that the number of the extracted light sources is two, a shielded area in an irradiation area of a headlamp of the own vehicle so as to prevent an area including the lamp of the forward vehicle from being irradiated, and set, when the judgment unit judges that the number of the extracted light sources is one, a shielded area in the irradiation area of the headlamp of own vehicle so as to have a margin in right and left directions larger than the shielded area set when the number of the extracted light sources is two. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 10, 11)
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2. A headlamp light distribution control device for a vehicle, the headlamp light distribution control device comprising:
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an image acquisition unit configured to acquire an image of a forward area which is ahead of an own vehicle; an extraction unit configured to extract a forward vehicle from the image of the forward area acquired by the image acquisition unit; and a control unit configured to set, when the number of light sources in the image of the extracted forward vehicle is two, a shielded area in an irradiation area of a headlamp of the own vehicle so as to prevent an area including the lamp of the forward vehicle from being irradiated, and set, when the number of light sources in the image of the extracted forward vehicle is one, a shielded area in the irradiation area of the headlamp of own vehicle so as to have a margin in right and left directions larger than the shielded area set when the number of the extracted light sources is two. - View Dependent Claims (3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13)
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14. A camera device, coupled to a headlamp system for a vehicle, the headlamp system including a headlamp irradiating light in front of an own vehicle and a changing unit for changing an irradiation area of the headlamp, the camera device comprising:
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a control unit configured to control the changing unit; an image acquisition unit configured to acquire an image of a forward area which is ahead of the own vehicle; and an extraction unit configured to;
extract a forward vehicle from the image of the forward area acquired by the image acquisition unit; and
extract a light source configured by a pair of lamps mounted in the forward vehicle from the image of the extracted forward vehicle,wherein the control unit is configured to; set, when the number of the extracted light sources is two, a shielded area in an irradiation area of the headlamp of the own vehicle so as to prevent an area including the lamp of the forward vehicle from being irradiated; set, when the number of the extracted light sources is one, a shielded area in the irradiation area of the headlamp of own vehicle so as to have a margin in right and left directions larger than the shielded area set when the number of the extracted light sources is two; and output information of the set shielded area to the changing unit. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A camera device, coupled to a headlamp system for a vehicle, the headlamp system including a headlamp irradiating light in front of an own vehicle and a changing unit for changing an irradiation area of the headlamp, the camera device comprising:
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a control unit configured to control the changing unit; an image acquisition unit configured to acquire an image of a forward area which is ahead of the own vehicle; and an extraction unit configured to extract a forward vehicle from the image of the forward area acquired by the image acquisition unit; and
extract a light source configured by a pair of lamps mounted in the forward vehicle from the image of the extracted forward vehicle,wherein the control unit is configured to; detect, based on the image of the forward area, at least one of target objects including a lane, a road shape, a road surface state, a passing-place, a light source, an obstacle, a preceding vehicle, a preceding pedestrian, a preceding object, a stationary vehicle, a stationary pedestrian, a stationary object, an oncoming vehicle, an oncoming pedestrian, an oncoming object, a two-wheeled vehicle, a bicycle, a road side object, a signboard, a road sign, a traffic signal, an interrupting object that interrupts a visual field of the camera device, an external environment of the own vehicle; control the changing unit to change, when the at least one of target objects is detected, the irradiation area of the headlamp so as to reduce a glare of the headlamp given to the detected at least one of target objects; perform a vehicle control for the own vehicle regarding at least one of a forward collision avoidance, an intersection collision avoidance, a crossing collision avoidance, a speed alert, a lane deviation prevention, a collision alert, an inter-vehicle distance alert, a lane deviation alert, an automatic high beam, a traffic sign display, a full speed adaptive cruise control, a lane keeping, a lane changing accident prevention, a blind spot alert, a blind spot monitor, an automatic lane changing, a front cross traffic alert, a rear cross traffic alert, and a stepping error prevention, an automatic parking; set, when the number of the extracted light sources is two, a shielded area in an irradiation area of the headlamp of the own vehicle so as to prevent an area including the lamp of the forward vehicle from being irradiated; set, when the number of the extracted light sources is one, a shielded area in the irradiation area of the headlamp of own vehicle so as to have a margin in right and left directions larger than the shielded area set when the number of the extracted light sources is two; and output information of the set shielded area to the changing unit. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification