Auto light system

• US 7,449,997 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2004
• Issued: 11/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd., Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd., Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Monji, Tatsuhiko, Furusawa, Isao, Higashino, Jun, Iida, Fujio
• Primary Examiner(s): La; Anh V.
• Application Number:
  US10/874,747
• Publication Number:
  US 20050036325A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,601 Days
• Field of Search: 340/468, 340/441, 340/933, 340/938, 340/426.25, 340/426.34, 340/438, 340/436, 340/458, 382/104, 701/36, 362/460, 362/466, 362/276, 362/37, 362/465, 362/459
• US Class Current: 340/468
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/06 adjustable, e.g. remotely-controlled from inside vehicle B60Q1/05 takes precedence
• 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 1/18 being additional front lights bracket mounted headlights B60Q1/0483
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/056 Special anti-blinding beams, e.g. a standard beam is chopped or moved in order not to blind
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/112 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/122 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/128 Steering dead zone
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/132 Pitch
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/134 Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/136 Roll
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/21 Manual control
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/312 Adverse weather
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/322 Road curvature
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/41 preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/42 oncoming vehicle

Abstract

An auto light system allows the driver to control the head light beam direction and range, via a light control device. A manual light operating device for operating the light manually is operated in response to an output signal from the light control device. A display device displays the control state of the light controlled by the light control device.

Claims

1. An auto light system comprising:

a light control means, for controlling lights of a vehicle; and

a display means for displaying a vertical beam range distance and a horizontal beam direction of a headlight controlled by said light control means.

2. The auto light system of claim 1, wherein:

said light control means comprises an adjusting element for adjusting an operating state of said lights, and a selector switch for selecting between automatic control of said adjusting element by a vehicle controller and manual control of said adjusting element by a vehicle operator; and

both of said adjusting element and said selector switch are operable both manually by the driver and automatically by the controller.

3. The auto light system according to claim 1, wherein said display means indicates one of at least three beam range distances in a traveling direction of the vehicle.

4. An auto light system comprising:

light control means which generates an output signal for controlling a light of a vehicle;

a manual light operating means for operating manually said light;

wherein

said manual light operating means is operated based on an output signal from said light control means; and

said system further comprises a driving means that drives a position of said manual light operating means for manual operation of said light based on the output signal from said light control means.

5. A system for controlling an automotive light, said system comprising:

an adjusting element for adjusting an operating state of said automotive light;

an auto/manual selector switch for selecting either automatic control of said adjusting element or manual control by a vehicle driver;

sensors for determining operating conditions of said vehicle; and

a controller coupled to receive signals from said sensors and to generate control signals based on said signals;

wherein

both of said adjusting element and said selector switch are operable both manually by said driver, and automatically in response to signals from said controller;

when said selector switch is set for manual control, the driver controls a position of the adjusting element manually; and

when said selector switch is set for automatic control, said controller controls the position of the adjusting element.

6. An auto light system of claim 5, wherein:

if the driver operates the adjusting element when said selector switch is set for automatic control, the controller sets the selector switch to manual control for a preset duration, after which it returns to automatic control.