Continuously variable headlamp control

• US 20020195949A1
• Filed: 07/18/2002
• Published: 12/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Frederick T. Bauer, Jon H. Bechtel, Joseph S. Stam
• Original Assignee: Frederick T. Bauer, Jon H. Bechtel, Joseph S. Stam
• Inventors: Bauer, Frederick T., Stam, Joseph S., Bechtel, Jon H.
• Granted Patent: US 6,593,698 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/82
• 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 1/1423 Automatic dimming circuits, i.e. switching between high beam and low beam due to change of ambient light or light level in road traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/18 being additional front lights bracket mounted headlights B60Q1/0483
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/054 Variable non-standard intensity, i.e. emission of various beam intensities different from standard intensities, e.g. continuous or stepped transitions of intensity
• 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 2300/112 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/114 Vehicle acceleration or deceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/132 Pitch
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/312 Adverse weather
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/314 Ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/3321 Detection of streetlights
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/41 preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/42 oncoming vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/30 Daytime running lights [DRL], e.g. circuits or arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/584 of vehicle lights or traffic lights

Abstract

A system for automatically controlling continuously variable headlamps on a controlled vehicle includes an imaging system capable of determining lateral and elevational locations of headlamps from oncoming vehicles and tail lamps from leading vehicles. The system also includes a control unit that can acquire an image from in front of the controlled vehicle. The image covers a glare area including points at which drivers of oncoming and leading vehicles would perceive the headlamps to cause excessive glare. The image is processed to determine if at least one oncoming or leading vehicle is within the glare area. If at least one vehicle is within the glare area, the headlamp illumination range is reduced. Otherwise, the illumination range is set to full illumination range.

Claims

1. A control system for controlling equipment within a vehicle, said control system comprising:

an imaging system adapted to be mounted to the vehicle for obtaining an image, said imaging system including an array of sensors each generating electrical signals representing a light level sensed by the sensor; and

a control circuit in communication with the equipment to be controlled and operable to acquire and process electrical signals received from said array of sensors, said control circuit is operable to control the vehicle equipment in response to the electrical signals received from said array of sensors,

wherein said control circuit is operable to automatically calibrate the aim of the imaging system relative to the vehicle based upon images detected by said imaging system.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein said control circuit automatically calibrates the aim of the imaging system when the vehicle is positioned in front of a target that can be seen by said imaging system.

3. The control system of claim 1, wherein said control circuit automatically calibrates the aim of the imaging system by noting changes in the relative position of street lamps in an image detected by said imaging system.

4. The control system of claim 1, wherein said imaging system is adapted to be mounted to the vehicle to obtain a forward image relative to the vehicle.

5. The control system of claim 1, wherein said imaging system is configured to detect moisture on a windshield of the vehicle, said vehicle equipment to be controlled is a windshield wiper, and wherein said control circuit processes the electrical signals received from said array of sensors to detect moisture on the windshield and controls said windshield wiper in response to the detection of moisture.

6. The control system of claim 1 and further comprising a first lens for focusing an image to the front of the vehicle onto said array of sensors.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said array of sensors is a two-dimensional array of sensors.