Method and control unit for activating at least one headlight of a vehicle using a traffic density

• US 9,505,339 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2012
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Ehlgen, Tobias, Nordbruch, Stefan, Foltin, Johannes, Meisner, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Anh
• Assistant Examiner(s): HORIKOSHI, STEVEN Y
• Application Number:
  US14/125,646
• Publication Number:
  US 20140334168A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,653 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2300/322 Road curvature
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/33 Driving situation

Abstract

A method for activating at least one headlight of a vehicle has: a step of ascertaining a traffic density from an item of information about road users in the surroundings of the vehicle; a step of determining a control parameter for controlling an emission characteristic of the headlight using the ascertained traffic density; and a step of providing the control command for controlling an emission characteristic of the headlight using the control parameter.

Claims

1. A method for activating at least one headlight of a host vehicle, comprising:

ascertaining a traffic density in a surrounding of the host vehicle from an item of information relating to traffic conditions in the surrounding of the host vehicle;

determining a switching frequency of an emission characteristic of the headlight using the ascertained traffic density, wherein the switching frequency is decreased as the traffic density increases, and wherein the emission characteristic includes at least three different emission characteristics;

determining a control command for controlling the emission characteristic of the headlight to transition between the at least three different emission characteristics at the switching frequency; and

providing the control command to the headlight.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the item of information is detected by a sensor which is placed off-board the host vehicle.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the item of information is detected by a sensor which is placed on-board the host vehicle.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the item of information is ascertained using data provided by road users in the surrounding of the host vehicle.

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

ascertaining an imminent entry of the vehicle into a curve of a roadway

wherein the control command is determined so that a maximum range to be illuminated by the at least one headlight on the roadway is reduced before the entry of the vehicle into the curve.

6. A control unit for activating at least one headlight of a vehicle, comprising:

processing circuitry for;

ascertaining a traffic density in a surrounding of the host vehicle from an item of information relating to traffic conditions in the surrounding of the host vehicle;

determining a switching frequency of an emission characteristic of the headlight using the ascertained traffic density, wherein the switching frequency is decreased as the traffic density increases, and wherein the emission characteristic includes at least three different emission characteristics; and

determining a control command for controlling the emission characteristic of the headlight to transition between the at least three different emission characteristics at the switching frequency; and

an output unit for providing the control command to the headlight.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable data storage medium storing a computer program having program codes which, when executed on a computer, perform a method for activating at least one headlight of a host vehicle, the method comprising:

ascertaining a traffic density in a surrounding of the host vehicle from an item of information relating to traffic conditions in the surrounding of the host vehicle;

determining a switching frequency of an emission characteristic of the headlight using the ascertained traffic density, wherein the switching frequency is decreased as the traffic density increases, and wherein the emission characteristic includes at least three different emission characteristics;

determining a control command for controlling the emission characteristic of the headlight to transition between the at least three different emission characteristics at the switching frequency; and

providing the control command to the headlight.