Method for controlling a light emission of a headlight of a vehicle

• US 9,126,529 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2012
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Nordbruch, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C.
• Application Number:
  US13/587,718
• Publication Number:
  US 20130051042A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,118 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 315/82, 438/27, 362/466, 362/464, 362/465, 382/274
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/02 the devices being primarily intended to illuminate the way ahead or to illuminate other areas of way or environments
• 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 2300/056 Special anti-blinding beams, e.g. a standard beam is chopped or moved in order not to blind
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/41 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A method for controlling a light emission of at least one headlight of a vehicle includes: reading in at least one danger warning signal from a receiving device, the at least one danger warning signal indicating a danger position; checking whether the danger position indicated by the at least one danger warning signal is within a tolerance range on a route currently being traveled by the vehicle; and changing the light emission of the at least one headlight from a first radiation characteristic to a second radiation characteristic, if the danger position lies within the tolerance range on the route being currently traveled by the vehicle, in order to control the light emission of the at least one headlight.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a light emission of at least one headlight of a vehicle, comprising:

reading in at least one danger warning signal received using a receiving device, the at least one danger warning signal indicating a danger position at which an object is located and which represents a danger for the vehicle;

checking whether the danger position indicated by the at least one danger warning signal is within a specified tolerance range on a travel route currently being traveled by the vehicle; and

changing the light emission of the at least one headlight from a first radiation characteristic to a second radiation characteristic if the danger position is within the specified tolerance range on the travel route currently being traveled by the vehicle;

wherein the first radiation characteristic represents an original radiation characteristic and the second radiation characteristic represents a radiation characteristic adjusted to the indicated danger position, and wherein the indicated danger position is lit up more brightly using the second radiation characteristic than using the first radiation characteristic.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second radiation characteristic is determined based on one of:

(i) the at least one danger warning signal;

or (ii) based on the at least one danger warning signal and a position of at least one additional vehicle in the surroundings of the indicated danger position.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one danger warning signal additionally indicates a danger property.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the tolerance range is specified as a function of one of:

(i) the at least one danger warning signal;

or (ii) the at least one danger warning signal and a road property at the indicated danger position.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the light emission of the at least one headlight is changed if the vehicle has approached the indicated danger position no closer than a specified minimum distance.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

changing the light emission of the at least one headlight from the second radiation characteristic to a third radiation characteristic if the vehicle has passed the danger position.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

restoring the first radiation characteristic of the light emission of the at least one headlight if the vehicle has passed the danger position.

8. A control device for controlling a light emission of at least one headlight of a vehicle, comprising:

a reading arrangement to read in at least one danger warning signal received using a receiving device, the at least one danger warning signal indicating a danger position at which an object is located and which represents a danger for the vehicle;

a checking arrangement to check whether the danger position indicated by the at least one danger warning signal is within a specified tolerance range on a travel route currently being traveled by the vehicle; and

a changing arrangement to change the light emission of the at least one headlight from a first radiation characteristic to a second radiation characteristic if the danger position is within the specified tolerance range on the travel route currently being traveled by the vehicle;

wherein the first radiation characteristic represents an original radiation characteristic and the second radiation characteristic represents a radiation characteristic adjusted to the indicated danger position, and wherein the indicated danger position is lit up more brightly using the second radiation characteristic than using the first radiation characteristic.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable data storage medium storing a computer program having program codes which, when executed on a computer, implement a method for controlling a light emission of at least one headlight of a vehicle, the method comprising:

reading in at least one danger warning signal received using a receiving device, the at least one danger warning signal indicating a danger position at which an object is located and which represents a danger for the vehicle;

checking whether the danger position indicated by the at least one danger warning signal is within a specified tolerance range on a travel route currently being traveled by the vehicle; and

changing the light emission of the at least one headlight from a first radiation characteristic to a second radiation characteristic if the danger position is within the specified tolerance range on the travel route currently being traveled by the vehicle;

wherein the first radiation characteristic represents an original radiation characteristic and the second radiation characteristic represents a radiation characteristic adjusted to the indicated danger position, and wherein the indicated danger position is lit up more brightly using the second radiation characteristic than using the first radiation characteristic.

10. The computer-readable data storage medium as recited in claim 9, wherein the second radiation characteristic is determined based on one of:

(i) the at least one danger warning signal;

or (ii) based on the at least one danger warning signal and a position of at least one additional vehicle in the surroundings of the indicated danger position.

11. The computer-readable data storage medium as recited in claim 9, wherein the at least one danger warning signal additionally indicates a danger property.

12. The computer-readable data storage medium as recited in claim 9, wherein the tolerance range is specified as a function of one of:

(i) the at least one danger warning signal;

or (ii) the at least one danger warning signal and a road property at the indicated danger position.

13. The computer-readable data storage medium as recited in claim 9, wherein the light emission of the at least one headlight is changed if the vehicle has approached the indicated danger position no closer than a specified minimum distance.

14. The computer-readable data storage medium as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

changing the light emission of the at least one headlight from the second radiation characteristic to a third radiation characteristic if the vehicle has passed the danger position.

15. The computer-readable data storage medium as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

restoring the first radiation characteristic of the light emission of the at least one headlight if the vehicle has passed the danger position.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable data storage medium storing a computer program having program codes which, when executed on a computer, implement a method for controlling a light emission of at least one headlight of a vehicle, the method comprising:

reading in at least one danger warning signal received using a receiving device, the at least one danger warning signal indicating a danger position at which an object is located and which represents a danger for the vehicle;

checking whether the danger position indicated by the at least one danger warning signal is within a specified tolerance range on a travel route currently being traveled by the vehicle; and

changing the light emission of the at least one headlight from a first radiation characteristic to a second radiation characteristic if the danger position is within the specified tolerance range on the travel route currently being traveled by the vehicle;

wherein the first radiation characteristic represents an original radiation characteristic and the second radiation characteristic represents a radiation characteristic adjusted to the indicated danger position, wherein the indicated danger position is lit up more brightly using the second radiation characteristic than using the first radiation characteristic, and

wherein the second radiation characteristic is determined based on one of;

(i) the at least one danger warning signal;

or (ii) based on the at least one danger warning signal and a position of at least one additional vehicle in the surroundings of the indicated danger position, and wherein the tolerance range is specified as a function of one of;

(i) the at least one danger warning signal;

or (ii) the at least one danger warning signal and a road property at the indicated danger position.

17. The computer-readable data storage medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the at least one danger warning signal additionally indicates a danger property, and wherein the light emission of the at least one headlight is changed if the vehicle has approached the indicated danger position no closer than a specified minimum distance.

18. The computer-readable data storage medium as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

changing the light emission of the at least one headlight from the second radiation characteristic to a third radiation characteristic if the vehicle has passed the danger position; and

restoring the first radiation characteristic of the light emission of the at least one headlight if the vehicle has passed the danger position.

19. A method for controlling a light emission of at least one headlight of a vehicle, comprising:

reading in at least one danger warning signal received using a receiving device, the at least one danger warning signal indicating a danger position at which an object is located and which represents a danger for the vehicle;

checking whether the danger position indicated by the at least one danger warning signal is within a specified tolerance range on a travel route currently being traveled by the vehicle; and

changing the light emission of the at least one headlight from a first radiation characteristic to a second radiation characteristic if the danger position is within the specified tolerance range on the travel route currently being traveled by the vehicle;

wherein the first radiation characteristic represents an original radiation characteristic and the second radiation characteristic represents a radiation characteristic adjusted to the indicated danger position, wherein the indicated danger position is lit up more brightly using the second radiation characteristic than using the first radiation characteristic, and

wherein the second radiation characteristic is determined based on one of;

(i) the at least one danger warning signal;

or (ii) based on the at least one danger warning signal and a position of at least one additional vehicle in the surroundings of the indicated danger position, and wherein the tolerance range is specified as a function of one of;

(i) the at least one danger warning signal;

or (ii) the at least one danger warning signal and a road property at the indicated danger position.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the at least one danger warning signal additionally indicates a danger property, and wherein the light emission of the at least one headlight is changed if the vehicle has approached the indicated danger position no closer than a specified minimum distance.

21. The method as recited in claim 19, further comprising:

changing the light emission of the at least one headlight from the second radiation characteristic to a third radiation characteristic if the vehicle has passed the danger position; and

restoring the first radiation characteristic of the light emission of the at least one headlight if the vehicle has passed the danger position.