Method for controlling a headlamp system for a vehicle, and headlamp system

• US 8,811,668 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2010
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Dierks, Karsten, Freese, Martin, Jahrsau, Bernd
• Primary Examiner(s): AZARIAN, SEYED H
• Application Number:
  US13/511,121
• Publication Number:
  US 20130177202A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,401 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/103, 382106-107, 382/122, 382/162, 382/168, 382/173, 382/181, 382/190, 382/193, 382/199, 382/232, 382/254, 382/274, 382/276, 382286-291, 382/305, 382/312, 362/539, 362/331, 362/466, 362/465, 250/208.1
• US Class Current: 382/103
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/08 automatically
• 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 1/16 illuminating the way asymmetrically
• 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 2300/114 Vehicle acceleration or deceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/122 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/20 Indexing codes relating to the driver or the passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/322 Road curvature
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/335 Number or size of road lanes
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/338 Overtaking
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/41 preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/42 oncoming vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/255 Detecting or recognising potential candidate objects based on visual cues, e.g. shapes
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/584 of vehicle lights or traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 2201/08 Detecting or categorising vehicles

Abstract

In a method for controlling a headlamp system for a vehicle, the headlamp system having two headlamps, set apart from each other, road users are detected in front of the vehicle in the driving direction, and a first total light pattern is able to be produced, in which the illumination range on a first side of a center axis is greater than on the other, second side of this center axis, and a second total light pattern is able to be produced, in which the total light pattern is controllable such that it has an illumination range in the direction of at least one detected road user that is less than the distance to the detected road user, and which has an illumination range in another direction that is greater than the distance to the detected road user. During the switch from the first total light pattern to the second total light pattern, the illumination range of at least one headlamp on the first side of the center axis is first reduced to at least such an extent that it is less than the distance to the detected road user, the second total light pattern being produced subsequently.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a headlamp system for a vehicle, the headlamp system having two headlamps set apart from each other, comprising:

detecting road users in front of the vehicle in a driving direction;

producing a first total light pattern having an illumination range on a first side of a center axis is greater than on a second side of this center axis, and a second total light pattern having an illumination range in a direction of at least one detected road user that is less than a distance to the detected road user and an illumination range in another direction that is greater than the distance to the detected road user; and

during a switch from the first total light pattern to the second total light pattern, reducing the illumination range of at least one headlamp on the first side of the center axis to at least such an extent that it is less than the distance to the detected road user, the second total light pattern being produced subsequently;

wherein the road user is detected in front of the vehicle by;

recording an image of a traffic environment in a visible spectral range;

extracting cohesive areas having a brightness that exceeds a threshold value from the image;

classifying the areas at least as a function of size;

forming a confidence value that represents a measure of a similarity between the area of the image and a vehicle light, from the classification of the area and a physical quantity assigned to the area; and

determining whether an area will be assigned to a vehicle light as a function of the confidence value.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the total light patterns are produced by superpositioning a first partial light pattern of the first headlamp and a second partial light pattern of the second headlamp, the illumination range of at least the second headlamp on the first side of the center axis being reduced in the switch from the first total light pattern to the second total light pattern, and a light emission direction of the second headlamp being tilted about a perpendicular pivot angle to produce the second total light pattern.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first total light pattern includes a low beam functionality.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the second total light pattern, the illumination range in the direction of the detected road user is controlled to extend to the detected road user.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the second total light pattern, a center region having a lower illumination range is formed in the direction of the detected road user, and side regions, which have a greater illumination range, are formed on both sides adjacent to the center region.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein in the second total light pattern, the side regions each form a vertical light-dark cutoff to the center region.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the switch from one total light pattern to the other total light pattern is performed automatically as a function of the detection of the road user.

8. A headlamp system for a vehicle, comprising:

at least two headlamps set apart from each other and adapted to generate a total light pattern;

a road user detection device adapted to detect road users in front of the vehicle in a driving direction; and

a control unit, coupled to the road user detection device and adapted to produce a first total light pattern having an illumination range on a first side of a center axis that is greater than on a second side of the center axis and a second total light pattern having an illumination range in a direction of at least one detected road user that is less than a distance to the detected road user and having an illumination range in another direction that is greater than the distance to the detected road user;

wherein the control unit is adapted to control the headlamps, during a switch from the first total light pattern to the second total light pattern, to reduce the illumination range of at least one headlamp on the first side of the center axis to at least such an extent that it is less than the distance to the detected road user and to subsequently produce the second total light pattern;

wherein the road user is detected in front of the vehicle by;

recording an image of a traffic environment in a visible spectral range;

extracting cohesive areas having a brightness that exceeds a threshold value from the image;

classifying the areas at least as a function of size;

forming a confidence value that represents a measure of a similarity between the area of the image and a vehicle light, from the classification of the area and a physical quantity assigned to the area; and

determining whether an area will be assigned to a vehicle light as a function of the confidence value.