Single path road geometry predictive adaptive front lighting algorithm using vehicle positioning and map data

• US 7,611,266 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2007
• Issued: 11/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Varroc Lighting Systems S.R.O. (Varroc Engineering Limited)
• Original Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Inventors: Klein, Markus, Schmidt, Christoph, Ibrahim, Faroog Abdel-kareem
• Primary Examiner(s): Choi; Jacob Y
• Application Number:
  US11/691,966
• Publication Number:
  US 20080239734A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 362/37, 362/276, 362/449, 362/40, 362/464, 362/465, 362/466, 362/507, 180/168
• US Class Current: 362/464
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/12 due to steering position
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/112 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/134 Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/322 Road curvature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/072 Curvature of the road
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/076 Slope angle of the road

Abstract

A system for predictive front lighting of a vehicle. The system includes a first and second headlamps, a first and second swivel mechanisms and a controller. The first and second headlamps project a beam pattern for illumination of the vehicle path. The controller receives vehicle position data, for example from a GPS system, and accesses a map database to identify a map location of the vehicle. The controller further analyzes the map to determine a most likely path of the vehicle based on the map location and other vehicle heading parameters. The controller then calculates the desired swivel angle of the first and second headlamps based on the most likely path of the vehicle, and the first and second swivel mechanisms manipulate the first and second headlamps to accordingly change the swivel angle of the headlamps.

Claims

1. A system for predictive adaptive front lighting of a vehicle, the system comprising:

a first headlamp and a second headlamp configured to cooperatively project a beam pattern;

a first swivel mechanism coupled to the first headlamp to change a swivel angle of the first headlamp;

a second swivel mechanism coupled to the second headlamp to change a swivel angle of the second headlamp;

a controller configured to identify a map location of the vehicle, to determine a most likely path of the vehicle based on the map location, and to calculate a desired swivel angle of the first and second headlamps based on the most likely path of the vehicle; and

wherein the controller is configured to determine a kink point position relative to the most likely path of the vehicle, wherein the kink point is an inflection point in the beam pattern formed by the first and second headlamp.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to calculate a nominal swivel angle such that the kink point is a predefined distance from a center of a host vehicle lane.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to calculate a maximum swivel angle so as to minimize glare for on coming traffic.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to determine a desired swivel angle based on the maximum swivel angle and the nominal swivel angle.

5. A system for predictive adaptive front lighting of a vehicle, the system comprising:

a first headlamp and a second headlamp configured to cooperatively project a beam pattern;

a first swivel mechanism coupled to the first headlamp to change a swivel angle of the first headlamp;

a second swivel mechanism coupled to the second headlamp to change a swivel angle of the second headlamp;

a controller configured to identify a map location of the vehicle, to determine a most likely path of the vehicle based on the map location, and to calculate a desired swivel angle of the first and second headlamps based on the most likely path of the vehicle; and

wherein the controller is configured to determine a kink point position relative to the most likely path of the vehicle; and

calculate a nominal swivel angle such that the kink point is a predefined distance from a center of a host vehicle lane, the nominal swivel angle is calculated according to the relationship;

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the controller is configured in a curve entry scenario to start to swivel the first and second headlamps ahead of the curve.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the controller is configured in a curve exiting scenario to swivel the first and second headlamps back to a straight position before the vehicle ends the curve.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein the controller is configured in an S-curve scenario to start to swivel the headlamps before the saddle point in the direction of an upcoming curve to avoid glare for oncoming traffic and improve the visibility of the upcoming curve ahead.

9. The system according to claim 6, wherein the desired swivel angle is calculated based on a curvature of the most likely path of the vehicle.

10. A system for predictive adaptive front lighting of a vehicle, the system comprising:

a first headlamp and a second headlamp configured to cooperatively project a beam pattern;

a first swivel mechanism coupled to the first headlamp to change a swivel angle of the first headlamp;

a second swivel mechanism coupled to the second headlamp to change a swivel angle of the second headlamp;

a controller configured to identify a map location of the vehicle, to determine a most likely path of the vehicle based on the map location, and to calculate a desired swivel angle of the first and second headlamps based on the most likely path of the vehicle; and

wherein the controller is configured to determine a kink point position relative to the most likely path of the vehicle;

calculate a nominal swivel angle such that the kink point is a predefined distance from a center of a host vehicle lane; and

wherein the controller is configured to calculate the maximum swivel angle based on the relationship so as to minimize glare for on coming traffic;

11. A system for predictive adaptive front lighting of a vehicle, the system comprising:

a first headlamp and a second headlamp configured to cooperatively project a beam pattern;

a first swivel mechanism coupled to the first headlamp to change a swivel angle of the first headlamp;

a second swivel mechanism coupled to the second headlamp to change a swivel angle of the second headlamp;

a controller configured to identify a map location of the vehicle, to determine a most likely path of the vehicle based on the map location, and to calculate a desired swivel angle of the first and second headlamps based on the most likely path of the vehicle; and

wherein the controller is configured to determine a kink point position relative to the most likely path of the vehicle;

calculate a nominal swivel angle such that the kink point is a predefined distance from a center of a host vehicle lane; and

wherein the controller is configured to calculate a maximum swivel angle so as to minimize glare for on coming traffic based the relationship;

|φ

_f|=min(|φ

_L|,|φ

|);

where, φ

_f is the desired swivel angle;

φ

is the nominal swivel angle; and

φ

_L is the maximum swivel angle.

12. A method for predictive adaptive front lighting of a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving a vehicle position;

identifying a map location of the vehicle;

determining a most likely path of the vehicle based on the map location;

calculating a desired swivel angle for vehicle headlamps based on the most likely path;

wherein the desired swivel angle is calculated such that a kink point position is determined relative to the most likely path of the vehicle; and

calculating a nominal swivel angle such that the kink point is a predefined distance from a center of a host vehicle lane, according to the relationship;

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising calculating a maximum swivel angle that does not create glare for on coming traffic.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the maximum swivel angle is calculated based on the relationship:

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising determining a desired swivel angle based on the maximum swivel angle and the nominal swivel angle.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the desired swivel angle is calculated based the relationship.

|φ

_f|=min(|φ

_L|,|φ

|);

where, φ

_f is the desired swivel angle;

φ

is the nominal swivel angle; and

φ

_L is the maximum swivel angle.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein the desired swivel angle is calculated based on a curvature of the likely path.