Method and control unit for activating at least one headlight of a vehicle using a traffic density

• US 20140334168A1
• Filed: 05/21/2012
• Published: 11/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Ehlgen, Tobias, Nordbruch, Stefan, Foltin, Johannes, Meisner, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 9,505,339 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/466
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/08 automatically
• 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 2300/322 Road curvature
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/33 Driving situation

Abstract

A method for activating at least one headlight of a vehicle has: a step of ascertaining a traffic density from an item of information about road users in the surroundings of the vehicle; a step of determining a control parameter for controlling an emission characteristic of the headlight using the ascertained traffic density; and a step of providing the control command for controlling an emission characteristic of the headlight using the control parameter.

Claims

1-11. -11. (canceled)

12. A method for activating at least one headlight of a host vehicle, comprising:

ascertaining a traffic density in the surrounding of the host vehicle from an item of information about road users in the surroundings of the host vehicle;

determining a control parameter for controlling an emission characteristic of the headlight using the ascertained traffic density; and

providing a control command for controlling the emission characteristic of the headlight using the control parameter.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein:

a delay time is determined as the control parameter using the traffic density, the delay time representing a time span by which a control command for the headlight is delayed when a second vehicle has left an illumination range of an emission characteristic of the headlight, wherein the delay time is increased as the traffic density increases; and

the control command is provided after the elapse of the delay time, in response to the second vehicle leaving the illumination range.

14. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein a speed of change of the emission characteristic is determined as the control parameter, wherein the speed of change of the emission characteristic is decreased as the traffic density increases.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the control command controls a change from a first emission characteristic of the headlight to at least one second emission characteristic of the headlight.

16. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the traffic density in the surrounding of the host vehicle is ascertained using data of at least one vehicle-external sensor which obtains the item of information about road users in the surroundings of the host vehicle.

17. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the traffic density in the surrounding of the host vehicle is ascertained using data of at least one vehicle-internal sensor which obtains the item of information about road users in the surroundings of the host vehicle.

18. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the traffic density in the surrounding of the host vehicle is ascertained using data provided by the road users in the surroundings of the host vehicle.

19. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

suspending the control command in response to an entry of a third vehicle into the illumination range.

20. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein:

an imminent entry of the vehicle into a curve of a roadway is also ascertained along with the ascertaining of the traffic density; and

the control command is emitted in such a way that a maximum range to be illuminated by the at least one headlight on the roadway is reduced before the entry of the vehicle into the curve.

21. A control unit for activating at least one headlight of a vehicle, comprising:

an ascertaining unit for ascertaining a traffic density in the surroundings of the host vehicle from an item of information about road users in the surroundings of the host vehicle;

a determining unit for determining a control parameter for controlling an emission characteristic of the headlight using the ascertained traffic density; and

an output unit for providing a control command for controlling the emission characteristic of the headlight using the control parameter.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable data storage medium storing a computer program having program codes which, when executed on a computer, perform a method for activating at least one headlight of a host vehicle, the method comprising:

ascertaining a traffic density in the surrounding of the host vehicle from an item of information about road users in the surroundings of the host vehicle;

determining a control parameter for controlling an emission characteristic of the headlight using the ascertained traffic density; and

providing a control command for controlling the emission characteristic of the headlight using the control parameter.