Vehicle headlamp apparatus and control method thereof

• US 8,564,204 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2009
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Sugimoto, Atsushi, Deguchi, Hirohisa, Yokoi, Shoichiro, Sugiyama, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Ismail, Shawki
• Assistant Examiner(s): WHITE, DYLAN C
• Application Number:
  US12/555,010
• Publication Number:
  US 20100060169A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,505 Days
• Field of Search: 315/77, 315/291, 315/82, 315/88, 315/159, 315/83, 362/507, 307/10.8, 307/10.1, 250/221
• US Class Current: 315/82
• 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 2300/41 preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/42 oncoming vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/689 Flaps, i.e. screens pivoting around one of their edges

Abstract

A vehicle headlamp apparatus is provided. The vehicle headlamp apparatus includes a first lamp configured to selectively produce a first high beam light distribution pattern and an infrared light distribution pattern, a second lamp configured to selectively produce a second high beam light distribution pattern and a low beam light distribution pattern, a vehicle detector which detects a vehicle running ahead, and a condition-dependent selection controller which controls the first and second lamps. The condition-dependent selection controller controls the second lamp to produce the low beam light distribution pattern when the vehicle detector detects a vehicle and to produce the second high beam light distribution pattern when the vehicle detector detects no vehicle. The condition-dependent selection controller controls the first lamp to produce the infrared light distribution pattern, irrespective of whether the vehicle detector detects a vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle headlamp apparatus comprising:

a first lamp configured to selectively produce a first high beam light distribution pattern and an infrared light distribution pattern, the first lamp switches only between the first high beam light distribution pattern and the infrared light distribution pattern;

a second lamp configured to selectively produce a second high beam light distribution pattern and a low beam light distribution pattern, the second lamp switches only between the second high beam light distribution pattern and the low beam light distribution pattern;

a vehicle detector which detects a vehicle running ahead based on received infrared light;

a condition-dependent selection controller which controls the first and second lamps; and

at least one switch which is manually operable to select one of a low beam mode, a high beam mode, and a condition dependent mode comprising a first condition dependent mode and a second condition dependent mode,

wherein the condition-dependent selection controller controls the first lamp to produce the infrared light distribution pattern irrespective of whether the vehicle detector detects a vehicle and the second lamp to produce the low beam light distribution pattern irrespective of whether the vehicle detector detects a vehicle if the low beam mode is being selected; and

the condition-dependent selection controller controls the first lamp to produce the first high beam light distribution pattern irrespective of whether the vehicle detector detects a vehicle and the second lamp to produce the second high beam light distribution pattern irrespective of whether the vehicle detector detects a vehicle if the high beam mode is being selected,

if the first condition dependent mode is selected,

the condition-dependent selection controller controls the first lamp to produce the infrared light distribution pattern and controls the second lamp to produce the low beam light distribution pattern, if the vehicle detector detects a vehicle and

the condition-dependent selection controller controls the first lamp to produce the first high beam light distribution pattern and controls the second lamp to produce the second high beam light distribution pattern, if the vehicle detector detects no vehicle, and

if the second condition dependent mode is selected,

the condition-dependent selection controller controls the second lamp to produce the low beam light distribution pattern if the vehicle detector detects a vehicle and to produce the second high beam light distribution pattern if the vehicle detector detects no vehicle, and

the condition-dependent selection controller controls the first lamp to produce the infrared light distribution pattern, irrespective of whether the vehicle detector detects a vehicle.

2. The vehicle headlamp apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one switch comprises a first switch which is manually operable to activate or to deactivate the condition-dependent selection controller.

3. The vehicle headlamp apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the at least one switch further comprises

a second switch which is manually operable to select one of the low beam mode and the high beam mode, wherein

when the low beam mode is selected while the condition-dependent selection controller is deactivated, the first lamp produces the infrared light distribution pattern and the second lamp produces the low beam light distribution pattern, and

when the high beam mode is selected while the condition-dependent selection controller is deactivated, the first lamp produces the first high beam light distribution pattern and the second lamp produces the second high beam light distribution pattern.

4. The vehicle headlamp apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, when the condition-dependent selection controller is activated, the first switch is further manually operable to select whether to allow the condition-dependent selection controller to control the first lamp such that the first lamp produces the first high beam light distribution pattern if the vehicle detector detects no vehicle.

5. The vehicle headlamp apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one switch comprises a mode selection switch which is manually operable to select one of the low beam mode, the high beam mode, and the condition dependent mode, wherein

when the low beam mode is selected, the condition-dependent selection controller controls the first lamp to produce the infrared light distribution pattern and the second lamp to produce the low beam light distribution pattern,

when the high beam mode is selected, the condition-dependent selection controller controls the first lamp to produce the first high beam light distribution pattern and the second lamp to produce the second high beam light distribution pattern, and

when the condition dependent mode is selected, the condition-dependent selection controller controls the first and second lamp to produce the first condition dependent mode or the second condition dependent mode.

6. The vehicle headlamp apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the mode selection switch is manually operable to further select between the first condition dependent mode and the second condition dependent mode.

7. The vehicle headlamp apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first lamp comprises:

a projection lens disposed on an optical axis extending in a front-and-rear direction of a vehicle on which the vehicle headlamp apparatus is mounted;

a light source disposed more rearward than a rear focal point of the projection lens;

a reflector which forwardly reflects light from the light source toward the optical axis;

an infrared transmission filter disposed between the reflector and the projections lens; and

an actuator which moves the infrared transmission filter between a transmitting position and a retracted position, wherein

when the infrared transmission filter is in the transmitting position, the infrared light distribution pattern is produced, and

when the infrared transmission filter is in the retracted position, the second high beam light distribution pattern is produced.

8. The vehicle headlamp apparatus according to claim 1, the condition-dependent selection controller controls the first lamp to produce the infrared light distribution pattern, irrespective of whether the vehicle detector detects a vehicle when the condition-dependent selection controller is activated.

9. The vehicle headlamp apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first lamp is configured to increase a voltage applied to a light source when a light distribution pattern of the first lamp is switched from the infrared light distribution pattern to the first high beam light distribution pattern to increase light intensity of the first high beam light distribution pattern.

10. The vehicle headlamp apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first lamp is configured to apply a battery voltage to a light source when producing the first high beam light distribution pattern, and to reduce a voltage applied to the light source when a light distribution pattern is switched from the high beam light distribution pattern to the infrared light distribution pattern.

11. A method of controlling a vehicle headlamp apparatus, the vehicle headlamp apparatus comprising:

a first lamp configured to selectively produce a first high beam light distribution pattern and an infrared light distribution pattern, the first lamp switches only between the first high beam light distribution pattern and the infrared light distribution pattern;

a second lamp configured to selectively produce a second high beam light distribution pattern and a low beam light distribution pattern, the second lamp switches only between the second high beam light distribution pattern and the low beam light distribution pattern; and

at least one switch which is manually operable to select one of a low beam mode, a high beam mode, and a condition dependent mode comprising a first condition dependent mode and a second condition dependent mode,

the method comprising;

detecting a vehicle running ahead of a vehicle on which the first lamp and the second lamp are mounted based on received infrared light;

determining which one of the low beam mode, the high beam mode, and the condition dependent mode is being selected;

if the low beam mode is being selected, controlling the first lamp to produce the infrared light distribution pattern irrespective of whether the vehicle detector detects a vehicle and the second lamp to produce the low beam light distribution pattern irrespective of whether the vehicle detector detects a vehicle,

if the high beam mode is being selected, controlling the first lamp to produce the first high beam light distribution pattern irrespective of whether the vehicle detector detects a vehicle and the second lamp to produce the second high beam light distribution pattern irrespective of whether the vehicle detector detects a vehicle,

if the condition dependent mode is being selected, determining which one of the first and second condition dependent mode is being selected,

if the first condition dependent mode is selected,

controlling the first lamp to produce the infrared light distribution pattern and controlling the second lamp to produce the low beam light distribution pattern, if the vehicle detector detects a vehicle and controlling the first lamp to produce the first high beam light distribution pattern and controlling the second lamp to produce the second high bear light distribution pattern, if the vehicle detector detects no vehicle, and

if the second condition dependent mode is selected,

controlling the second lamp to produce the low beam light distribution pattern if a vehicle running ahead is detected, controlling the second lamp to produce the second high beam light distribution pattern if no vehicle running ahead is detected; and

controlling the first lamp to produce the infrared light distribution pattern, irrespective of whether a vehicle running ahead is detected.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

detecting a vehicle speed of the detected vehicle running ahead of the vehicle if one of the low beam mode and the condition dependent mode is being selected;

turning on the first lamp to produce the infrared light distribution pattern if the vehicle speed is equal to or higher than a first threshold value; and

turning off the first lamp if the vehicle speed is equal to or lower than a second threshold value which is smaller than the first threshold value.