Method and device for the automatic control of illumination devices

• US 20030048001A1
• Filed: 07/26/2002
• Published: 03/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Herrmann, Wolfgang
• Granted Patent: US 6,800,959 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/10.8
• 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 2300/312 Adverse weather
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/314 Ambient light

Abstract

A method and a device are proposed for the automatic control of illumination devices (24), having a control element (22) which acts on illumination devices (24) and which is calibrated at time intervals (T), for which various calibration parameters are taken into account.

Claims

1. A method for the automatic control of illumination devices (24), particularly of a motor vehicle, having a control element (22) which acts on illumination devices (24) and which is calibrated at time intervals (T), for which calibration parameters (K) are taken into account by a rain sensor (10) that is likewise calibrated at time intervals (I).

2. The method as recited in claim 1,

wherein the rain sensor (10) has at least one transmitter (14) radiating light, one receiver (20) and a first light-conducting member (16);

the light is conducted at least from the transmitter (14) via the first light-conducting member (16) into the receiver (20);

the receiver (20) emits signals (S) as a function of the light received;

a setpoint value is compared to the signals (S); and

the rain sensor (10) is calibrated as a function of the result of the comparison.

3. The method as recited in claim 2,

wherein a transmittance is determined as result from the comparison, and the control element (22) is calibrated with the aid of this transmittance.

4. The method as recited in claim 2 or 3,

wherein the control element (22) has a second light-conducting member (26), the optical properties of the second light-conducting member (26) being in correlation with the transmittance of the first light-conducting member (16), and the correlation being taken into account in the calibration of the control element (22).

5. The method as recited in claim 4,

wherein the calibration is carried out with the aid of a correlation stored as a functional cohesion in the control element (22).

6. The method as recited in claim 4,

wherein the calibration is carried out with the aid of a correlation stored as a table in the control element (22).

10. A device for the automatic control of external illumination devices (24), particularly for carrying out a method as recited in one of the preceding claims, comprising a rain sensor (10) having a calibration module (12), wherein a control element (22) is provided which calibrates the device with the aid of at least one calibration parameter (K) of the rain sensor (10).

11. The device as recited in claim 10,

wherein the rain sensor (10) has at least one transmitter (14) radiating light, a first light-conducting member (16) and a receiver (20) which receives light from the transmitter (14) and emits transmission-dependent signals (S) as a function of this received light;

and the calibration module (12) of the rain sensor (10) emits at least one result which is a function of the transmission of the first light-conducting member (16).

12. The device as recited in claim 11,

wherein the control element (22) has a further receiver (28) and a second light-conducting member (26) whose optical properties are in correlation with the result of the calibration module (12) of the rain sensor (10);

and the control element (22) is designed in such a way that it takes the correlation into account in the calibration of the device.

13. The device as recited in claim 12,

wherein the correlation is stored in the control element (22) as a functional cohesion.

14. The device as recited in claim 12,

wherein the correlation is stored in the control element (22) as a cohesion in table form.

15. The device as recited in one of claims 12 through 14,

wherein the first light-conducting member (16) and the second light-conducting member (26) are constructed in one piece.

16. The device as recited in claim 10,

wherein the rain sensor (10) and the control element (22) each have an electronics (30) which is arranged in one piece, particularly on a single board.

7. A method for the automatic control of illumination devices (24), particularly of a motor vehicle, having a control element (22) which acts on illumination devices (24) and which is calibrated at time intervals (T), for which a calibration parameter (K), that is taken into account in the calibration, is determined over a calibration section (32) at time intervals (I).

8. A method for the automatic control of illumination devices (24), particularly of a motor vehicle, having a control element (22) which acts on illumination devices (24) and which is calibrated at time intervals (T), for which a calibration parameter (K), that is a function of the service life of the control element (22), is taken into account in the calibration.

9. A method for the automatic control of illumination devices (24), particularly of a motor vehicle, having a control element (22) which acts on illumination devices (24) and which is calibrated at time intervals (T), for which a calibration parameter (K) that is a function of the history of the control element (22) is taken into account in the calibration.

17. A device for the automatic control of illumination devices (24), particularly of a motor vehicle, having a control element (22) controlling illumination devices (24) depending on brightness, the control element being able to be calibrated at time intervals (T) with the aid of a calibration parameter (K) that is a function of the service life of the control element (22).

18. A device for the automatic control of illumination devices (24), particularly of a motor vehicle, having a control element (22) controlling illumination devices (24) depending on brightness, the control element being able to be calibrated at time intervals (T) with the aid of a calibration parameter (K) that is a function of the history of the control element (22).

19. The device as recited in claim 18,

wherein the history is determined as the sum of previous measured values of brightness.