Control device for electricity supply to a headlamp

• US 8,410,703 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2010
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Vision (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Le Bars, Jean-Franois, Wiegand, Boris, Blusseau, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Ismail, Shawki
• Assistant Examiner(s): WHITE, DYLAN C
• Application Number:
  US12/868,935
• Publication Number:
  US 20110050102A1
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• Field of Search: 315/82, 701/70, 362464-466, 362/503, 382/104
• US Class Current: 315/82
• 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 1/1423 Automatic dimming circuits, i.e. switching between high beam and low beam due to change of ambient light or light level in road traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/054 Variable non-standard intensity, i.e. emission of various beam intensities different from standard intensities, e.g. continuous or stepped transitions of intensity
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/112 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/114 Vehicle acceleration or deceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/124 Steering speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/21 Manual control
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/312 Adverse weather
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/314 Ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/32 Road surface or travel path
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/3321 Detection of streetlights
• 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

Abstract

A process, system and procedure of controls of the supply of a vehicle headlamp suitable to supply lighting in high beam function and/or low beam function, comprising the following stages for at least one of the low beam function and high beam functions:

• • determining at least one driving parameter pertinent to the lighting of the vehicle,
  • defining several lighting modes characterized by the value of this at least one parameter,
  • attributing a supply mode of the headlamp to each lighting mode,
  • and storing in memory the supply mode associated with each of the lighting modes.

Claims

1. A procedure of controls of the supply of a vehicle headlamp suitable to supply lighting in high beam function and/or low beam function, wherein said procedure comprises the following stages for at least one among the low high beam function and the high beam function:

determining at least one driving parameter pertinent to the lighting of the vehicle;

defining a plurality of lighting modes characterized by the value of at least one parameter;

attributing a supply mode of the headlamp to each lighting mode;

storing in memory the supply mode associated with each of the lighting modes;

wherein the supply modes are defined by carrying out the following stages;

defining a desired life duration for the headlamp and/or desired maximum energy consumption of the headlamp for a given duration of use of the headlamp;

defining a previously determined driving profile characterizing a relative duration of use of the headlamp in each of the lighting modes; and

calculating a supply mode for each lighting mode, so that with this supply mode the headlamp provides lighting satisfactory for this lighting mode while presenting a life duration close to the desired life duration and/or while inducing an energy consumption close to the maximum energy consumption desired for a use corresponding to the previously determined driving profile.

2. The procedure according to claim 1, in which each supply mode of the headlamp corresponds to a given voltage applied to the headlamp and/or corresponds to a given intensity applied to the headlamp.

3. The procedure according to claim 1, in which the headlamp comprises several light sources and in which each supply mode of the headlamp defines the activation or deactivation of at least one light source regardless of other light sources.

4. The procedure according to claim 3, in which the lighting supplied by the headlamp generates a lighting pattern and a light intensity, in which the supply modes are defined so that the pattern is significantly identical for at least several supply modes and so that for these several supply modes the light intensity varies from one supply mode to the other.

5. The procedure according to claim 4, in which the light sources are incandescent bulbs, electro-luminescent diodes or modules comprising a plurality of electro-luminescent diodes or a plurality of bulbs.

6. The procedure according to claim 1, in which this at least one parameter, comprises at least one parameter within the vehicle chosen from among the following parameters:

vehicle speed, navigation data, running speed of the vehicle engine, rotation speed of a steering wheel of the vehicle, activation of the windscreen wiper and fog lamps, an acceleration value, a speed or angle of activation of a brake pedal or accelerator, the engaging of a control by the driver.

7. The procedure according to claim 1, in which this at least one parameter comprises a parameter which is indicative of the state outside the vehicle chosen from among the following parameters:

ambient lighting, brightness of street lighting, brightness of daylight, degrees of pollution, number of vehicles within a certain perimeter, distance in relation to a followed vehicle, relative speed and/or acceleration in relation to a followed vehicle, following vehicle or passed vehicle, the color of a marking line on the ground, meaning of a signal panel, presence of an obstacle, arrival at a crossroads or roundabout, presence of an urban environment, presence of street lighting, presence of a red light, presence of fog, rain, snow or smoke, obstacle detection.

8. The procedure according to claim 1, in which this at least one parameter, comprising a parameter which is indicative of traffic density, traffic density being determined by navigation data reflecting traffic density or by navigation data reflecting the vehicle speed combined with at least one sub-parameter from among:

the distance in relation to a followed vehicle, number of vehicles within a certain perimeter, navigation data reflecting traffic density.

9. The procedure according to claim 1, in which the following stages are carried out while the vehicle is in use:

receipt of values concerning the said parameter;

identification of the lighting mode corresponding to these values, from among the plurality of lighting modes; and

determination of a supply mode of the headlamp in accordance with the said lighting mode.

10. A control device of the supply of a vehicle headlamp suitable to supply lighting in high beam function and in low beam function, wherein for at least one among the low and high beam functions, it is set up to:

receive values concerning at least one parameter pertinent to the lighting of the vehicle;

identify, among a plurality of lighting modes, a lighting mode corresponding to these values; and

determine a supply mode of the headlamp in accordance with the identified lighting mode;

wherein said control device is adapted to;

determine at least one driving parameter pertinent to the lighting of the vehicle;

define a plurality of lighting modes characterized by the value of at least one parameter;

attribute a supply mode of the headlamp to each lighting mode;

storing in memory the supply mode associated with each of the lighting modes;

wherein the supply modes are defined by carring out the following stages;

define a desired life duration for the headlamp and/or desired maximum energy consumption of the headlamp for a given duration of use of the headlamp;

define a previously determined driving profile characterizing a relative duration of use of the headlamp in each of the lighting modes; and

calculate a supply mode for each lighting mode, so that with this supply mode the headlamp provides lighting satisfactory for this lighting mode while presenting a life duration close to the desired life duration and/or while inducing an energy consumption close to the maximum energy consumption desired for a use corresponding to the previously determined driving profile.

11. The control device according to claim 10, wherein said control device comprises at least one of the following means configured to receive at least one parameter pertinent to the lighting of the vehicle:

means of detecting the number of vehicles close to the said vehicle;

means of detecting the distance between the said vehicle and at least one followed vehicle;

means of detecting the absolute speed of the said vehicle;

means of detecting the relative speed and/or acceleration of the said vehicle in relation to a followed vehicle, following vehicle or passed vehicle;

means of detecting the color of a marking line on the ground;

means of detecting the meaning of a traffic sign;

means of detecting and measuring ambient lighting;

means of detecting the presence of an urban environment;

means of detecting the presence of streetlights;

means of detecting an obstacle;

means of detecting the ignition of brake lights of a followed vehicle; and

a radar or lidar configured to receive one of the following parameters;

number of vehicles close to the said vehicle, detection of a followed vehicle, distance between the said vehicle and a followed vehicle, relative speed and/or acceleration in relation to followed vehicle, following vehicle or passed vehicle, presence of an obstacle.

12. The control device according to claim 10, wherein said control device is suitable to commission a procedure having the following steps:

determining at least one driving parameter pertinent to the lighting of the vehicle;

defining several lighting modes characterized by the value of this at least one parameter;

attributing a supply mode of the headlamp to each lighting mode; and

storing in memory the supply mode associated with each of the lighting modes.

13. A vehicle headlamp that comprises a device according to claim 10.

14. A vehicle headlamp according to claim 13 comprising a plurality of light sources and in which the device is set up so as to control, in accordance with the identified lighting mode, the activation and deactivation of at least one light source taken from among the plurality of light sources, regardless of the activation and deactivation of other light sources.

15. A control device for controlling an electrical supply of a vehicle light source suitable to supply lighting in high beam function and/or low beam function, wherein said control device comprises:

at least one sensor for determining at least one driving parameter pertinent to the lighting of the vehicle;

a database stored in memory and defining a plurality of lighting modes characterized by the value of this at least one parameter;

said database defining supply modes of the vehicle light source to each of said plurality of lighting modes; and

a memory for storing said supply modes associated with each of said plurality of lighting modes;

where said control device is adapted to;

determine at least one driving parameter pertinent to the lighting of the vehicle;

define a plurality of lighting modes characterized by the value of at least one parameter;

attribute a supply mode of the headlamp to each lighting mode; and

storing in memory the supply mode associated with each of the lighting modes; and

wherein the supply modes are defined by carrying out the following stages;

define a desired life duration for the headlamp and/or desired maximum energy consumption of the headlamp for a given duration of use of the headlamp;

define a previously determined driving profile characterizing a relative duration of use of the headlamp in each of the lighting modes; and

calculate a supply mode for each lighting mode, so that with this supply mode the headlamp provides lighting satisfactory for this lighting mode while presenting a life duration close to the desired life duration and/or while inducing an energy consumption close to the maximum energy consumption desired or the a use corresponding to the previously determined driving profile.

16. The control device according to claim 15, wherein each supply mode of the vehicle light source corresponds to a given voltage applied to the vehicle light source and/or corresponds to a given intensity applied to the vehicle light source.

17. The control device according to claim 15, in which the vehicle light source comprises several light sources and in which each supply mode of the vehicle light source defines the activation or deactivation of at least one light source regardless of other light sources.

18. The control device according to claim 17, in which the lighting supplied by the vehicle light source generates a lighting pattern and a light intensity, in which the supply modes are defined so that the pattern is significantly identical for at least several supply modes and so that for these several supply modes the light intensity varies from one supply mode to the other.

19. The control device according to claim 18, in which the vehicle light sources are incandescent bulbs, electro-luminescent diodes or modules comprising a plurality of electro-luminescent diodes or a plurality of bulbs.