Automatic directional control system for vehicle headlights

• US 20030107898A1
• Filed: 10/31/2002
• Published: 06/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adaptive Headlamp Solutions Inc. (Quarterhill Inc. (f/k/a Wi-LAN Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Dana Corporation (Dana, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, James E., McDonald, Anthony B.
• Granted Patent: US 7,241,034 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/465
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/10 due to vehicle inclination, e.g. due to load distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/12 due to steering position
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/18 being additional front lights bracket mounted headlights B60Q1/0483
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 11/00 Arrangement of monitoring devices for devices provided for in groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2200/38 Automatic calibration of motor-driven means for adjusting headlamps, i.e. when switching on the headlamps, not during mounting at factories
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/112 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/114 Vehicle acceleration or deceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/122 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/124 Steering speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/128 Steering dead zone
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/132 Pitch
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/142 Turn signal actuation
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 11/068 with part of the measurements done from inside the vehicle

Abstract

A structure and method for operating a directional control system for vehicle headlights that is capable of altering the directional aiming angles of the headlights to account for changes in the operating conditions of the vehicle. One or more operating condition sensors may be provided that generate signals that are representative of a condition of the vehicle, such as road speed, steering angle, pitch, suspension height, rate of change of road speed, rate of change of steering angle, rate of change of pitch, and rate of change of suspension height of the vehicle. A controller is responsive to the sensor signal for generating an output signal. An actuator is adapted to be connected to the headlight to effect movement thereof in accordance with the output signal. The controller can include a table that relates values of sensed operating condition to values of the output signal. The controller is responsive to the sensor signal for looking up the output signal in the table.

Claims

1. An automatic directional control system for a vehicle headlight comprising:

a sensor that is adapted to generate a signal that is representative of a condition of the vehicle, said sensed condition includes one or more of road speed, steering angle, pitch, and suspension height of the vehicle;

a controller that is responsive to said sensor signal for generating an output signal; and

an actuator that is adapted to be connected to the headlight to effect movement thereof in accordance with said output signal.

2. The automatic directional control system defined in claim 1 wherein said sensor generates a signal that is representative of the road speed of the vehicle.

3. The automatic directional control system defined in claim 1 wherein said sensor generates a signal that is representative of the steering angle of the vehicle.

4. The automatic directional control system defined in claim 1 wherein said sensor generates a signal that is representative of the pitch of the vehicle.

5. The automatic directional control system defined in claim 1 wherein said sensor generates a signal that is representative of the suspension height of the vehicle.

6. The automatic directional control system defined in claim 1 wherein said controller generates said output signal only when said sensor signal changes by more than a predetermined amount.

7. The automatic directional control system defined in claim 1 wherein said controller is responsive to a rate of change of said sensor signal for generating said output signal.

8. The automatic directional control system defined in claim 7 wherein said sensor generates a signal that is representative of the rate of change of the road speed of the vehicle.

9. The automatic directional control system defined in claim 7 wherein said sensor generates a signal that is representative of the rate of change of the steering angle of the vehicle.

10. The automatic directional control system defined in claim 7 wherein said sensor generates a signal that is representative of the rate of change of the pitch of the vehicle.

11. The automatic directional control system defined in claim 7 wherein said sensor generates a signal that is representative of the rate of change of the suspension height of the vehicle.

12. The automatic directional control system defined in claim 7 wherein said controller generates said output signal only when the rate of change of said sensor signal changes by more than a predetermined threshold amount.

13. The automatic directional control system defined in claim 1 further including a plurality of sensors adapted to generate a respective plurality of signals that are representative of a respective plurality of conditions of the vehicle, and wherein said controller is responsive to said plurality of sensor signals for generating said output signal.