Method and device for controlling a light emission of at least one headlight of a vehicle

• US 9,527,429 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2015
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Licsar, Attila, Sarosi, Andras
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stroud, James E
• Application Number:
  US14/793,001
• Publication Number:
  US 20160016504A1
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 701/49
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/08 automatically
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/085 due to special conditions, e.g. adverse weather, type of road, badly illuminated road signs or potential dangers B60Q1/10, B60Q1/12, B60Q1/1423 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/32 Road surface or travel path
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/335 Number or size of road lanes
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/337 Tunnels or bridges

Abstract

A method for controlling a light emission of at least one headlight of a, includes determining structure information which represents the presence of a structure which at least partially encloses a roadway traveled by the vehicle. The method also includes generating a control signal for controlling the light emission, using the structure information.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a light emission of at least one headlight of a vehicle, the method comprising:

determining, by a control device of the vehicle interfaced with a surroundings recognition device of the vehicle, structure information which represents the presence of a structure which at least partially encloses a roadway traveled by the vehicle, wherein the structure is a road structure or a building; and

generating, by the control device of the vehicle, a control signal for controlling the light emission, using the structure information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reading in image data, by the control device of the vehicle, of the surroundings of the vehicle from an interface with the surroundings recognition device of the vehicle, the structure information being determined in the determining, using the image data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one dimension of the roadway and/or of the structure is determined in the determining, the control signal being generated in the generating, using the at least one dimension.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a relative position of the vehicle with respect to the roadway and/or with respect to the structure is determined in the determining, the control signal being generated in the generating, using the relative position.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one partial section of a wall of the structure is determined in the determining, and the control signal is generated in the generating so that the at least one partial section of the wall of the structure is excluded from the light emission of the at least one headlight.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, by the control device of the vehicle, the control signal to an interface with a light control device of the vehicle, the control signal being usable by the light control device to adjust the light emission of the at least one headlight.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the surroundings recognition device is a camera.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the structure is the road structure.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the road structure is a tunnel.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the road structure is a depressed roadway.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the road structure is an underpass.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the structure is the building.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the building is an enclosure.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the building is a parking garage.

7. A device for controlling a light emission of at least one headlight of a vehicle, comprising:

a control device of the vehicle operable to interface with a surroundings recognition device of the vehicle, said control device comprising;

a determination device to determine structure information which represents the presence of a structure which at least partially encloses a roadway traveled by the vehicle, wherein the structure is a road structure or a building; and

a generation device to generate a control signal for controlling the light emission, using the structure information.

11. The device of claim 7, further comprising:

wherein the control device reads in image data of the surroundings of the vehicle from an interface with the surroundings recognition device of the vehicle, and relays the image data to the determination device, the structure information being determined, by the determination device, using the image data.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the surroundings recognition device is a camera.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium having a computer program, which is executable by a processor, comprising:

a program code arrangement having program code for controlling a light emission of at least one headlight of a vehicle, by performing the following;

determining, by a control device of the vehicle interfaced with a surroundings recognition device of the vehicle, structure information which represents the presence of a structure which at least partially encloses a roadway traveled by the vehicle, wherein the structure is a road structure or a building; and

generating, by the control device of the vehicle, a control signal for controlling the light emission, using the structure information.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 8, further comprising:

reading in image data, by the control device of the vehicle, of the surroundings of the vehicle from an interface with the surroundings recognition device of the vehicle, the structure information being determined in the determining, using the image data.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the surroundings recognition device is a camera.