Automated high beam headlight operation

• US 10,124,716 B1
• Filed: 09/12/2017
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Gauthier, Christopher T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Thai
• Application Number:
  US15/702,725
• Time in Patent Office: 427 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/143 combined with another condition, e.g. using vehicle recognition from camera images or activation of wipers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/122 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/31 Atmospheric conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/312 Adverse weather
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/314 Ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/322 Road curvature
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/324 Road inclination, e.g. uphill or downhill
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/41 preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/42 oncoming vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/45 Special conditions, e.g. pedestrians, road signs or potential dangers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/47 Direct command from other road users, i.e. the command for switching or changing the beam is sent by other vehicles or road devices

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for automatically turning off the high beam headlights of a vehicle. In one embodiment, the system may include an electronic control unit for adjusting the operation of the high beam headlights. The electronic control unit may detect whether the headlights are operating in a high beam mode. Additionally, the electronic control unit may receive data regarding at least one of an environmental condition, a road condition, and a driving condition from one or more cameras, sensors, and information systems associated with a vehicle. The headlights may then be switched to the low beam mode when it is determined that the likelihood of at least one of the environmental condition, the road condition, and the driving condition meets or exceeds a threshold condition.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining whether headlights are operating in a high beam mode;

receiving data regarding at least one of an environmental condition, a road condition, and a driving condition from one or more cameras, sensors, and information systems associated with a vehicle;

identifying a likelihood that at least one of the environmental condition, the road condition, and the driving condition warrants switching the headlights to a low beam mode upon a determination that the headlights are operating in the high beam mode; and

switching the headlights to the low beam mode upon a determination that the likelihood of the at least one of the environmental condition, the road condition, and the driving condition warranting switching the headlights to the low beam mode meets or exceeds a threshold condition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the environmental condition comprises at least one of wet weather, vehicle traffic, pedestrian traffic, road signs, reflective objects, light rays, and reflected light rays.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the road condition comprises a curved or hilly section of road.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the driving condition comprises one or more objects within 600-700 feet in front of or alongside the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the object comprises a reflective object, an oncoming vehicle, and a preceding vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the cameras comprise at least one of a still camera, a video camera, and a thermographic camera.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensors comprise at least one of a radar sensor, a motion detection sensor, a light sensor, a steering wheel sensor, and a moisture detection sensor.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the information systems comprise at least one of a navigation system, a Bluetooth system, a vehicle-to-infrastructure communication system, and a vehicle-to-vehicle communication system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold condition comprises a condition in which light is sensed by the vehicle in conjunction with the at least one of the environmental condition, road condition, and driving condition.

10. A system, comprising:

a pair of headlights comprising a high beam mode and a low beam mode;

an electronic control unit for adjusting the operation of the headlights, where the electronic control unit;

detects whether headlights are operating in a high beam mode;

receives data regarding at least one of an environmental condition, a road condition, and a driving condition from one or more cameras, sensors, and information systems associated with a vehicle;

identify a likelihood that at least one of the environmental condition, the road condition, and the driving condition warrants switching the headlights to a low beam mode upon a determination that the headlights are operating in the high beam mode; and

switch headlights to the low beam mode upon a determination that the likelihood of at least one of the environmental condition, the road condition, and the driving condition warranting switching the headlights to the low beam mode meets or exceeds a threshold condition.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the environmental condition comprises at least one of wet weather, vehicle traffic, pedestrian traffic, road signs, reflective objects, light rays, and reflected light rays.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the road condition comprises a curved or hilly section of road.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the driving condition comprises a distance between the vehicle and an object within a range of 600-700 feet, wherein the object comprises at least one of a reflective object, an oncoming vehicle, and a preceding vehicle.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the cameras comprise at least one of a still camera, a video camera, and a thermographic camera.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the sensors comprise at least one of a radar sensor, a motion detection sensor, a light sensor, a steering sensor, and a moisture detection sensor.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the information systems comprise at least one of a navigation system, a Bluetooth system, and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication system, and a vehicle-to-vehicle communication system.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the threshold condition comprises a condition in which light is sensed by the vehicle in conjunction with the at least one of the environmental condition, road condition, and driving condition.