Method for the open-loop control of the front light distribution of a vehicle

• US 10,589,661 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2017
• Issued: 03/17/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Roehm, Klaus
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Don P
• Application Number:
  US16/463,463
• Publication Number:
  US 20190351818A1
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 315 82
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0023 the element being a sensor, e.g. distance sensor, camera
• 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 1/143 combined with another condition, e.g. using vehicle recognition from camera images or activation of wipers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/056 Special anti-blinding beams, e.g. a standard beam is chopped or moved in order not to blind
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/45 Special conditions, e.g. pedestrians, road signs or potential dangers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/20 Multi-color single source or LED matrix, e.g. yellow blinker and red brake lamp generated by single lamp

Abstract

A method for the open-loop or closed-loop control of the front light distribution of a vehicle having headlamps that can be changed with respect to the light distribution involves producing a different light distribution during an at least partially autonomous driving operation of the vehicle than during operation with a person driving the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for the open-loop or closed-loop control of the front light distribution of a vehicle comprising front headlights, the method comprising:

determining whether the vehicle is operated in an at least partially autonomous driving operation; and

adjusting a light distribution of the front headlights responsive to the determination that the vehicle is operated in the at least partially autonomous driving operation, wherein the adjusted light distribution is different from a light distribution produced when the vehicle is driven by a person,

wherein the front headlights are configured to produce different light distributions depending on a traffic situation and the vehicle includes an environmental sensor system, which includes at least one optical camera and is used for the at least partially autonomous driving operation,

wherein the adjusted light distribution during the at least partially autonomous driving operation, when viewed from the vehicle, has a smaller beam angle and a larger light range than when the person is driving the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the front headlights are LED matrix headlights or laser headlights.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the camera is a front camera of the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the front camera is a stereo camera.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a beam angle of the adjusted light distribution corresponds to an angle of vision of the at least one optical camera.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is on a road, the method further comprising:

detecting, by the optical camera, an object;

determining that the object detected by the optical camera is an animal on an edge of the road; and

dimming the adjusted light distribution and slowing the vehicle responsive to the determination that the objected detected by the optical camera is the animal on the edge of the road.

7. A method for the open-loop or closed-loop control of the front light distribution of a vehicle comprising front headlights, the method comprising:

determining whether the vehicle is operated in an at least partially autonomous driving operation; and

adjusting a light distribution of the front headlights responsive to the determination that the vehicle is operated in the at least partially autonomous driving operation, wherein the adjusted light distribution is different from a light distribution produced when the vehicle is driven by a person,

wherein the front headlights are configured to produce different light distributions depending on a traffic situation and the vehicle includes an environmental sensor system, which includes at least one optical camera and is used for the at least partially autonomous driving operation, wherein the environmental sensor system includes at least one additional environmental sensor, the method further comprising

detecting, by the at least one additional environmental sensor, an object;

determining that the object detected by the at least one additional environmental sensor is not detected by the at least one optical camera; and

changing, responsive to the determination that the object detected by the at least one additional environmental sensor is not detected by the at least one optical camera, the light distribution in such a way that the object detected by the at least one additional environmental sensor is illuminated.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the change in the light distribution is suppressed responsive to the object detected by the at least one additional environmental sensor being a moving vehicle.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the object detected by the at least one additional environmental sensor is illuminated by an additional light element in at least one of the front headlights or in addition to the front headlights.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one additional environmental sensor is a radar or lidar sensor.

11. A method for controlling light distribution of front headlights of a vehicle, the method comprising:

determining that the vehicle is being driven by a person;

controlling the light distribution of the front headlights to produce a first light distribution;

determining that the vehicle is operated in an at least partially autonomous driving operation; and

controlling, responsive to the determination that the vehicle is operated in an at least partially autonomous driving operation, the light distribution of the front headlights to produce a second light distribution, which is different from the first light distribution,

wherein the vehicle includes an optical camera having a smaller angle of vision than the person'"'"'s angle of vision,

wherein a beam angle of the first light distribution is larger than a beam angle of the second light distribution and a light range of the first light distribution is smaller than a light range of the second light distribution.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the vehicle further comprises a non-optical environmental sensor, the method further comprising:

detecting, by the non-optical environmental sensor, an object;

determining that the object detected by the non-optical environmental sensor is not detected by the optical camera; and

changing, responsive to the determination that the object detected by the non-optical environmental sensor is not detected by the optical camera, the light distribution in such a way that the object detected by the non-optical environmental sensor is illuminated.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein a beam angle of the second light distribution corresponds to an angle of vision of the optical camera.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the vehicle is on a road, the method further comprising:

detecting, by the optical camera, an object;

determining that the object detected by the optical camera is an animal on an edge of the road; and

dimming the second light distribution and slowing the vehicle responsive to the determination that the objected detected by the optical camera is the animal on the edge of the road.