Headlamp in an automobile

• US 8,401,741 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2007
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Illium, Justus, Kanning, Torsten
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US12/376,095
• Publication Number:
  US 20100008097A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,113 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/36, 701/49, 356/121, 340/468, 340/602, 381/391, 250/208.1, 360/78.09, 362/273, 362/276, 362/281, 362/293, 362/296.07, 362/297, 362/284, 362/309, 362/329, 362/339, 362/348, 362/424, 362/454, 362/463, 362/464, 362/465, 362/515, 318/266, 318/272, 318/696, 315/73, 315/77, 315/82, 315/83, 307/10.8
• US Class Current: 701/49
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/12 due to steering position
• 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 2300/134 Yaw

Abstract

A headlamp in an automobile, which is rotatable about a yaw axis when negotiating a bend, has a controller for controlling the rotary movement. In order to improve the illumination of a roadway lying in front of an automobile, the controller may take into account a driving profile.

Claims

1. An automobile headlamp system, comprising:

a headlamp rotatable about a yaw axis; and

a controller adapted to control a rotary movement of the headlamp,

wherein the controller is further adapted to control the rotary movement based at least in part on a driving profile,

wherein the controller is configured to store a plurality of driving profiles,

wherein the driving profiles include a fast driving mode and a defensive driving mode, and

wherein the fast driving mode includes a first illumination area and the defensive driving mode includes a second illumination area, the first illumination area being broader than the second illumination area.

2. The automobile headlamp system according to claim 1, wherein the driving profile is an individual driving profile associated with an individual driver.

3. The automobile headlamp system according to claim 2, wherein the controller is adapted to store the individual driving profile as one of the plurality of driving profiles.

4. The automobile headlamp system according to claim 1, wherein the driving profile is selected with a personalizing function.

5. The automobile headlamp system according to claim 1, further comprising a static turning light that is controllable based at least in part on the driving profile.

6. The automobile headlamp system according to claim 5, wherein the static turning light is individually drivable relative to the headlamp.

7. The automobile headlamp system according to claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to operate the static turning light with a different response time and illumination time relative to the headlamp according to the driving profile.