Arrangement for visualizing the illumination of a zone in front of a vehicle by a headlight

• US 6,373,378 B1
• Filed: 12/21/1999
• Issued: 04/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Ewerhart, Frank, Poechmueller, Werner
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu, Julie
• Application Number:
  US09/468,570
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 340/425.5, 340/438, 345/7, 348/115, 348/118, 348/121, 701/36, 701/300
• US Class Current: 340/425.5
• 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 2300/114 Vehicle acceleration or deceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/122 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/132 Pitch
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/312 Adverse weather
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/41 preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/42 oncoming vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/45 Special conditions, e.g. pedestrians, road signs or potential dangers
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 11/068 with part of the measurements done from inside the vehicle

Abstract

An arrangement for visualizing the illumination by at least one vehicle headlight of a zone situated in front of the vehicle as considered in the forward driving direction includes a camera mounted on the vehicle and operative for taking a succession of scenes of the environment of the vehicle including the aforementioned zone as the vehicle travels on a roadway in the forward driving direction. A visualization device including a monitor visually renders the scenes obtained from the camera, and a simulated rendition of the region illuminated by the headlight is presented in the succession of scenes appearing on the monitor. The light beam issued by the headlight is presented in a simplification as a light cone. The roadway in front of the vehicle, its edges of the roadway, respective marking lines in the scenes representative of distances in at least one of the direction of travel of the vehicle and transversely thereto, a marker for indicating the instantaneous direction of travel of the vehicle and/or the area of intersection of the simulated light beam with roadway in front of the vehicle, its edges and/or its center are presented on the monitor in an especially emphasized manner.

Claims

1. An arrangement for visualizing the illumination by at least one vehicle headlight of a zone situation in front of the vehicle as considered in the forward driving direction, comprising a camera mounted on the vehicle and operative for taking a succession of scenes of the environment of the vehicle including the aforementioned zone as the vehicle travels on a roadway in the forward driving direction;

means including a monitor for visually rendering the scenes obtained from the camera; and

means for presenting a simulated rendition of the region illuminated by the headlight in the succession of scenes appearing on the visually rendering means, wherein when said simulated rendition is presented, illumination produced by the headlight is simulated.

2. The arrangement as defined in claim 1, and further comprising means for capturing the position of the camera with respect to the roadway for each of the scenes in the succession.

3. The arrangement as defined in claim 2, wherein said capturing means includes at least one sensor device for capturing the position of the camera during the vehicle travel.

4. The arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein said presenting means includes means for presenting the roadway in front of the vehicle in an especially emphasized manner.

5. The arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein said presenting means includes means for presenting respective edges of the roadway in front of the vehicle in an especially emphasized manner.

6. The arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein said presenting means includes means for presenting respective marking lines in the scenes representative of distances in at least one of the direction of travel of the vehicle and transversely thereto.

7. The arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein said presenting means includes means for indicating the instantaneous direction of travel of the vehicle.

8. The arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein said visually rendering means is operative for simulating the roadway as a plane, and wherein said presenting means includes means for simulating the light beam issued by the headlight as a light cone, and for presenting the area of intersection of the thus simulated light cone with the simulated plane of the roadway in front of the vehicle in an especially emphasized manner.

9. The arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein said presenting means includes means for simulating the light beam issued by the headlight in a simplification as a light cone.

10. The arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein said presenting means includes means for simulating the light beam issued by the headlight as a light cone, and for presenting respective edges of an area of intersection of the thus simulated light cone with the roadway in front of the vehicle in an especially emphasized manner.

11. The arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein said presenting means includes means for presenting the center point of an area of intersection of the thus simulated light cone with the roadway in front of the vehicle in an especially emphasized manner.

12. The arrangement as defined in claim 1, and further comprising means on said vehicle for influencing at least one characteristic property of the light beam issued by the headlight in dependence on at least one of an operating parameter of the vehicle and an environmental condition.

13. The arrangement as defined in claim 12, wherein said influencing means includes at least one sensing device for detecting said at least one of an operating parameter of the vehicle and an environmental condition.

14. The arrangement as defined in claim 13, wherein said sensing device is operative for sensing the inclination of the vehicle with respect to the roadway;

and wherein said influencing means is operative for adjusting the direction in which the headlight issues its light beam in such a manner in dependence on the inclination of the vehicle as determined by said sensing device that the distance at which the light beam is aimed in front of the vehicle remains at least substantially constant.