HEADLAMP SYSTEM WITH SELECTABLE BEAM PATTERN

• US 20020196636A1
• Filed: 06/21/2001
• Published: 12/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Dassanayake, Mahendra Somasara, Alles, Sheran Anthony, Mulvanny, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 6,497,503 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/465
• 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 2300/112 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/122 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/21 Manual control
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/314 Ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/333 on suburban or country roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/334 on motorways
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/675 by moving reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/28 characterised by coatings

Abstract

A headlamp system stores a plurality of beam patterns on a microprocessor 32 that selects a predetermined beam pattern based on driving conditions and sends the predetermined beam pattern to a digital micromirror device (DMD) 18 that is capable of generating the desired beam pattern by adjusting the position of individual pixels on the DMD 18. Several vehicle parameters are inputs 36, 37, 38, 29, 70 to the microcontroller 32 and are used to determine the appropriate beam pattern to be produced by the DMD 18 and projected by the headlamp system of the present invention.

Claims

1. A headlamp system comprising:

a light source;

at least one headlamp coupled to said light source;

a digital micromirror device positioned to reflect light in a predefined beam pattern from said at least one headlamp; and

a lens system for projecting said predefined beam pattern produced by said digital micromirror device.

2. The headlamp system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a microcontroller in communication with said digital micromirror device wherein said microcontroller communicates a desired beam pattern to said digital micromirror device.

3. The headlamp system as claimed in claim 2 further comprising a plurality of beam patterns stored on said microcontroller.

4. The headlamp system as claimed in claim 3 wherein said microcontroller further comprises means for determining a desired beam pattern to be communicated to said digital micromirror device.

5. The headlamp system as claimed in claim 4 wherein said means for determining a desired beam pattern further comprises input from a vehicle speed sensor.

6. The headlamp system as claimed in claim 4 wherein said means for determining a desired beam pattern further comprises input from a vehicle steering angle.

7. The system as claimed in claim 4 wherein said means for determining a desired beam pattern further comprises input from an ambient light sensor.

8. The system as claimed in claim 4 wherein said means for determining a desired beam pattern further comprises input from a vehicle operator.

9. The system as claimed in claim 4 wherein said means for determining a desired beam pattern further comprises input from a camera.

10. The system as claimed in claim 4 further comprising an infrared coating on a portion of said light source and wherein said means for determining a desired beam pattern further comprises a driver input request for night vision whereby said digital mirror device reflects light from said light source emitted by said infrared portion of said light source.

11. The system as claimed in claim 2 further comprising a diagnostic system in communication with said microcontroller.

12. The system as claimed in claim 2 further comprising illumination optics positioned in a predetermined location with respect to said digital micromirror device and said light source.

14. The system as claimed in claim 13 further comprising inputs from a plurality of sensors provided to said microcontroller for selecting said desired beam pattern.

15. The system as claimed in claim 14 wherein said plurality of inputs further comprises a steering angle input.

16. The system as claimed in claim 14 wherein said plurality of inputs further comprises a vehicle speed input.

17. The system as claimed in claim 14 wherein said plurality of inputs further comprises an ambient light sensor input.

18. The system as claimed in claim 14 wherein said plurality of inputs further comprises a driver input.

19. The system as claimed in claim 14 wherein said plurality of inputs further comprises a camera input.

20. The system as claimed in claim 13 wherein said light source further comprises a portion of said light source having an infrared coating and wherein said plurality of inputs further comprises a driver input for night vision, whereby said digital mirror device reflects light from said light source emitted by said infrared portion of said light source.

13. A headlamp system comprising:

a light source;

at least one headlamp coupled to said light source;

a digital micromirror device positioned to reflect light in a predefined beam pattern from said at least one headlamp;

optics positioned in a predetermined location with respect to said light source and said digital micromirror device;

a lens system for projecting said predefined beam pattern produced by said digital micromirror device;

a microcontroller in communication with said digital micromirror device;

a plurality of beam patterns stored on said microcontroller; and

wherein said microcontroller selects a desired beam pattern from said plurality of beam patterns and communicates said desired beam pattern to said digital micromirror device.

21. A method for projecting a headlamp beam pattern from a headlamp system having a light source, at least one headlamp coupled to said light source;

a digital micromirror device positioned to reflect light in a predefined beam pattern from said at least one headlamp;

a lens system for projecting said predefined beam pattern produced by said digital micromirror device;

a microcontroller in communication with said digital micromirror device; and

a plurality of beam patterns stored on said microcontroller, said method comprising the steps of;

sensing at least one driving condition;

inputting said at least one driving condition to said microcontroller;

selecting a predetermined beam pattern from said plurality of beam patterns stored on said microcontroller depending upon said at least one driving condition;

communicating said predetermined beam pattern to said digital micromirror device;

adjusting said digital micromirror device to create a desired beam pattern;

projecting said desired beam pattern from said lens system.

22. The method as claimed in claim 21 wherein said step of sensing at least one driving condition further comprises sensing a steering angle.

23. The method as claimed in claim 21 wherein said step of sensing at least one driving condition further comprises sensing a vehicle speed.

24. The method as claimed in claim 21 wherein said step of sensing at least one driving condition further comprises sensing an ambient light level.

25. The method as claimed in claim 22 wherein said step of sensing at least one driving condition further comprises sensing a camera input.

26. The method as claimed in claim 21 wherein said step of sensing at least one driving condition further comprises sensing a driver'"'"'s input.

27. The method as claimed in claim 26 wherein said step of sensing a driver'"'"'s input further comprises sensing a night vision input and wherein said light source further comprises an infrared coating on a portion of said light source, wherein said step of selecting a predetermined beam pattern further comprises selecting a predetermined beam pattern for night vision.