Lighting systems for motor vehicles

Abstract

The invention relates to a lighting system for a motor vehicle (100). The lighting system comprises at least one first light emitting device (105), which is mounted on the right front side of the vehicle and is adapted to project a first pixelated light beam (110) in front of the vehicle. The lighting system further comprises at least one second light emitting device (115), which is mounted on the left front side of the vehicle and is adapted to project a second pixelated light beam (120) in front of the vehicle. The number of pixels of one of the first pixelated light beam (105) and the second pixelated light beam (110), referred to as the high-resolution light beam, is greater than or equal to at least five times, in particular greater than or equal to at least ten times, the number of pixels of the other pixelated light beam, referred to as the low-resolution light beam.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a lighting system for a vehicle, and more particularly to a headlamp for a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] A motor vehicle is equipped with headlights for illuminating the front of the motor vehicle. The headlights are configured to be mounted on a right-hand part and a left-hand part of the front side of the vehicle. Each headlight comprises at least one light-emitting device on its right front side and at least one light-emitting device on its left front side. Right and left are defined here relative to the normal direction of travel of the vehicle and for a user sitting in the driving position. These light-emitting devices are particularly suitable for emitting light beams of the low-beam and / or high-beam type and also signaling beams similar to daylight, also called DRLs ("daytime running lights"), position lights or direction indicators.

[0003] In addition to the aforementioned light beams, these light-emitting devices are increasingly being adapted to project advanced functions in front of the vehicle. Recent developments in the field of these lighting devices make it possible to generate pixelated light beams to project advanced functions. A pixelated light beam is a light beam that is subdivided in a known manner into elementary sub-beams called "pixels." Using such pixelated light beams, the lighting device can also perform localized lighting functions, such as projecting patterns onto a stage. These functions are known in the field of adaptive lighting. For example, glare-free lighting is known, which darkens the area corresponding to an oncoming vehicle so as not to dazzle another user. Another example is a vehicle traveling in the same direction in front of an already equipped vehicle. In this case, the purpose of this lighting is to avoid glare to the user through reflections in the side mirrors or interior mirrors by darkening the corresponding area. Driving lighting is also known, which, for example, enhances markings on the ground or road signs to make them more visible to the driver and / or projects one or more visible messages for the driver onto the road.

[0004] However, the cost of such devices, which enable advanced functionality, is very high. Furthermore, such devices typically increase power consumption. Finally, the high precision of the beams produced by such devices necessitates careful and complex alignment, further increasing costs. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The object of the present invention is to address the above-mentioned disadvantages of known lighting systems for motor vehicles. In particular, the object of the present invention is to provide a lighting system that can project two different pixelated light beams with a low resolution and a high resolution, so that the lighting system can effectively perform advanced lighting functions while meeting the luminous intensity required by the vehicle.

[0006] Another object of the present invention is to provide a lighting system that projects pixelated light beams of the same resolution type from two headlamps at a lower cost than conventional lighting systems.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to provide a lighting system that consumes less power than conventional lighting systems.

[0008] According to one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, a lighting system for a motor vehicle is provided, the lighting system comprising at least one first light emitting device adapted to be mounted on the right front side of the vehicle and adapted to project a first pixelated light beam in front of the vehicle. The lighting system further comprises at least one second light emitting device adapted to be mounted on the left front side of the vehicle and adapted to project a second pixelated light beam in front of the vehicle. The number of pixels of one of the first pixelated light beam and the second pixelated light beam, referred to as the high-resolution light beam, is greater than or equal to at least three times the number of pixels of the other of the pixelated light beams, referred to as the low-resolution light beam.

[0009] According to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the number of pixels of one of the first pixelated beam and the second pixelated beam, referred to as the high-resolution beam, is greater than or equal to at least five times, and in particular greater than or equal to at least ten times, the number of pixels of the other pixelated beam of the pixelated beam, referred to as the low-resolution beam.

[0010] Preferably, the first light emitting device is adapted to be mounted only on the right front side of the vehicle, and the second light emitting device is adapted to be mounted only on the left front side of the vehicle. In other words, the lighting system including the first light emitting device and the second light emitting device includes only light emitting devices adapted to project a high-resolution light beam on one side, and does not include light emitting devices adapted to project a low-resolution light beam on the same side, and only includes light emitting devices adapted to project a low-resolution light beam on the other side, and does not include light emitting devices adapted to project a high-resolution light beam on the same other side. Thus, because the light emitting device adapted to project a high-resolution light beam is only on one side of a pair of light emitting devices (typically a right headlight and a left headlight) of the lighting system to be mounted on the vehicle, the overall cost of the lighting system is reduced.

[0011] According to one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the low-resolution light beam covers a larger light field than the high-resolution light beam.

[0012] According to one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the low-resolution beam extends horizontally over a wider angular field of view than the high-resolution beam.

[0013] According to one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the low-resolution beam extends vertically higher than the high-resolution beam.

[0014] According to one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the high-resolution beam extends vertically below the low-resolution beam.

[0015] According to one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the low-resolution light beam exhibits a higher maximum luminous intensity than the high-resolution light beam.

[0016] According to one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, a lighting system includes a control module for at least one first light emitting device and at least one second light emitting device, the control module being adapted to selectively control turning on and off pixels of the first pixelated light beam and the second pixelated light beam.

[0017] According to one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the first pixelated light beam and the second pixelated light beam at least partially overlap.

[0018] According to one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the control module is adapted to switch on at least one pixel of the high-resolution light beam in a region corresponding to at least one switched-off pixel of the low-resolution light beam.

[0019] According to one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, at least one turned-on pixel of the high-resolution light beam abuts or overlaps an edge of a turned-on pixel of the low-resolution light beam.

[0020] According to one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the first light emitting device and the second light emitting device are adapted to project a dark area in front of the vehicle corresponding to a vehicle, pedestrian, etc. coming from or located in front. In other words, the first light emitting device and the second light emitting device are adapted to project a glare-free high beam in front of the vehicle so as not to dazzle the other user.

[0021] According to one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the first pixelated light beam and the second pixelated light beam are separated from each other.

[0022] According to one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the high-resolution beam extends vertically below the low-resolution beam.

[0023] According to one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the high-resolution light beam and the low-resolution light beam are arranged transversely to each other.

[0024] According to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the first light emitting device and the second light emitting device are adapted to perform a road surface mapping function, for example, the road surface mapping function includes projecting at least one of an image, pattern, logo, picture, symbol, character, etc., onto the road surface in front of the vehicle.

[0025] According to one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, a light emitting device adapted to project a low-resolution light beam in front of the vehicle is mounted on the same side of the vehicle as the steering wheel, and a light emitting device adapted to project a high-resolution light beam in front of the vehicle is mounted on the other side of the vehicle. This reduces the cost of damage that could result from an accident. Furthermore, by mounting the light emitting device projecting a high-resolution light beam on the other side of the vehicle, the likelihood of the expensive light emitting device being impacted is reduced.

[0026] According to one non-limiting embodiment of the invention, there is provided a motor vehicle comprising a lighting system according to the invention.

[0027] According to one non-limiting embodiment of the invention, a motor vehicle is provided having a lighting system according to the invention, the motor vehicle comprising at least one first light emitting device and at least one second light emitting device projecting a low-resolution light beam and a high-resolution light beam.

[0028] According to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the motor vehicle includes: at least one first light emitting device, which is mounted on the right front side of the vehicle and is suitable for projecting a first pixelated light beam in front of the vehicle; and at least one second light emitting device, which is mounted on the left front side of the vehicle and is suitable for projecting a second pixelated light beam in front of the vehicle, the number of pixels of one of the first pixelated light beam and the second pixelated light beam, referred to as a high-resolution light beam, being greater than or equal to at least three times, preferably at least five times, and in particular greater than or equal to at least ten times, the number of pixels of the other pixelated light beam, referred to as a low-resolution light beam, in the pixelated light beam.

[0029] According to one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, a light emitting device suitable for projecting a low-resolution light beam in front of the vehicle is installed on the same side of the vehicle as the steering wheel is located, and a light emitting device suitable for projecting a high-resolution light beam in front of the vehicle is installed on the other side of the vehicle.

[0030] Therefore, by providing a lighting system that can project two different pixelated light beams of low resolution and high resolution from the right and left sides of the headlamp, the cost and power consumption of the lighting system can be reduced while achieving the required luminous intensity for the vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] To complete the description and facilitate a better understanding of the present invention, a set of accompanying drawings is provided. These drawings form an integral part of the description and illustrate embodiments of the present invention. These embodiments should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention, but merely as examples of how the present invention may be implemented. These drawings include the following features.

[0032] Figure 1 A schematic top view of a motor vehicle comprising a light emitting device according to an embodiment of the invention is shown.

[0033] Figure 2a and Figure 2b The projection of a low-resolution light beam and a high-resolution light beam onto a virtual vertical screen placed in front of a vehicle is shown according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] 3a and 3b are schematic diagrams showing an illumination area formed by a low-resolution light beam and a high-resolution light beam according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] 3c, 3d and 3e show enlarged portions of the circular area shown in FIG. 3b according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 4 A schematic diagram showing an illumination area formed by a low-resolution light beam and a high-resolution light beam according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0038] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a lighting system includes a pair of headlights. The headlights are configured to be mounted on the right and left sides of the front portion of a vehicle. The lighting system can provide an overall lighting function for at least a portion of a scene, ie, the vehicle's surroundings that can be illuminated by the lighting system. The portion well illuminated by the overall lighting scene can be a portion of the driver's field of view that is visible or more visible to the driver, thereby assisting or enabling him to drive. Thus, the overall lighting can function, for example, as a high beam or a low beam.

[0039] Each headlight includes at least one light emitting device. One of the headlights may include at least one first light emitting device that generates a first pixelated light beam, and the other headlight may include at least one second light emitting device that generates a second pixelated light beam. The first pixelated light beam and the second pixelated light beam include a plurality of pixels extending in one direction (horizontally or vertically) or in both horizontal and vertical directions.

[0040] Figure 1 A schematic top view of a motor vehicle 100 including a light emitting device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The vehicle 100 includes a lighting system having a pair of headlights. The pair of headlights are configured to be mounted on the right and left sides of the front portion of the vehicle 100. Figure 1As can be seen in FIG, the lighting system comprises at least one first light emitting device 105 mounted on the left front side of the vehicle 100 and adapted to project a first pixelated light beam 120 in front of the vehicle. The lighting system further comprises at least one second light emitting device 115 mounted on the right front side of the vehicle 100 and adapted to project a second pixelated light beam 110 in front of the vehicle.

[0041] The lighting system further comprises a control module 125 coupled to the at least one first light emitting device 105 and the at least one second light emitting device 115. Thus, the control module 125 can control the generation and / or projection of the pixelated light beams 110, 120. In one aspect, the control module 125 can be integrated into the lighting device, i.e. the headlight, in particular one of the right headlight and the left headlight. The control module 125 can comprise a processor (or CPU (short for “Central Processing Unit”, referred to as “CPU” for short)) coupled to a memory on which is stored a computer program comprising instructions enabling the processor to execute the steps of generating signals for controlling the light sources. Thus, the control module 125 can, for example, control the light emission of each pixel individually.

[0042] In an embodiment, the number of pixels of one of the first pixelated light beam 120 and the second pixelated light beam 110, referred to as the high-resolution light beam, is greater than or equal to at least five times, in particular at least ten times, the number of pixels of the other pixelated light beam, referred to as the low-resolution light beam. In this example, 120 is the low-resolution light beam, and 110 is the high-resolution light beam.

[0043] In an embodiment, the low-resolution beam covers a larger light field than the high-resolution beam.

[0044] The pixelated light beam may be projected by a vehicle headlight or a lighting device comprising a light source (i.e. at least one light emitting device). The light source may be adapted to cooperate with an optical system (integrated in the device or not) that is arranged to project the pixelated light beam emitted by the light source onto a road. The same light source may emit both overall illumination and an image. In a specific embodiment, the light source is divided into a number of individually controllable light source units. Each pixel emitted by the light source and therefore each light source unit may correspond to a pixel of the pixelated projected light beam. Thus, the light intensity of each pixel of the light source and therefore the illumination of each pixel of the scene may be individually controlled.

[0045] In an embodiment, at least one first light emitting device or at least one second light emitting device comprises a so-called matrix beam module for generating a matrix beam, which is a glare-free high beam. Projected on a virtual vertical screen arranged in front of the vehicle 100 (for example, at a distance of 25 meters from the front of the vehicle), the matrix beam comprises a plurality of segments arranged in rows, as shown, for example, in the patent disclosed with reference FR 1.306.770. The latest known matrix beam modules comprise one or more light sources (in particular semiconductor light sources) and an optical system comprising one or more reflectors, one or more lenses, one or more light guides, or a combination of reflectors, lenses and / or light guides. The typical angular extension is approximately + / - 20° in the horizontal direction relative to the optical axis of the module. Typically, the light beam comprises 4 to 20 segments. In the present application, such a module is denoted by a matrix beam module.

[0046] In one embodiment, at least one first light emitting device or at least one second light emitting device comprises a so-called pixel beam module for generating a pixel beam. The pixel beam comprises a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, the matrix comprising at least two rows and two columns, at least one row being located in the far beam zone. In addition, the size of the pixels can be smaller than the segments of the matrix beam, which allows for better resolution of the beam. The width and / or height of the pixels can be varied within a row or between rows. An example of such a pixel beam is described in the patent disclosed with reference DE 10 2007 052 ​​745. The latest known pixel beam modules comprise one or several light sources (in particular semiconductor light sources) and an optical system comprising one or several reflectors, one or several lenses, one or several light guides, or a combination of reflectors, lenses and / or light guides. In the present application, such a module is represented by a pixel beam module.

[0047] In an embodiment, the at least one first light emitting device or the at least one second light emitting device comprises a DMD (an abbreviation standing for "Digital Micromirror Device"), wherein a rotating modulated mirror microphone provides a desired light intensity in a given direction.

[0048] In an embodiment, at least one of the first light emitting device and at least one of the second light emitting device comprises an LCD (short for "liquid crystal display"), which comprises a surface light source in front of which liquid crystals are placed. The movement of these liquid crystals can allow or not allow light to pass through, thereby forming a pixelated light beam.

[0049] In an embodiment, at least one first light emitting device or at least one second light emitting device comprises a laser scanning mechanism for sending a light beam to a scanning system which distributes the light beam over a surface of a wavelength converting device such as a sheet of photoluminescent material.

[0050] In an embodiment, at least one first light emitting device or at least one second light emitting device comprises one or more light emitting sources. In one embodiment, the light emitting source is a solid-state light source (standing for "solid-state lighting") comprising at least one light emitting element. Examples include light emitting diodes or LEDs (short for "light emitting diodes"), organic light emitting diodes or OLEDs (short for "organic light emitting diodes"), or polymer LEDs or PLEDs (short for "polymer light emitting diodes"). The light emitting source can be a semiconductor light source. Each light emitting element or group of light emitting elements can form a pixel and can emit light when the material is supplied with electricity. The light emitting elements can all be semiconductors, that is, they all have at least one semiconductor material.

[0051] In an embodiment, the light source of at least one of the first light emitting devices or at least one of the second light emitting devices comprises a solid-state emitting monolithic conductor. The light source can, for example, be a monolithic matrix of pixels. The light source can, for example, be a monolithic matrix of LEDs. The monolithic matrix includes at least 50 light emitting elements, for example, more than 100, 1000, or several thousand light emitting elements, located on the same substrate (e.g., on the same side of the substrate).

[0052] Each of the above technologies provides a different pixelated light beam having multiple pixels, and each pixel can be controlled based on the requirements. By way of example and not limitation, LCD, DMD, and laser scanning technologies can provide a light beam with at least 5 to 10 times the number of pixels as provided by monolithic light source technology. Further, monolithic light source technology can provide a light beam with at least 5 to 10 times the number of pixels as provided by pixel technology.

[0053] As previously described, according to the present invention, each headlamp includes at least one light emitting device 105, 115, i.e., a light source. One of the headlamps may include at least one first light emitting device 105 that generates a first pixelated light beam 120, and the other headlamp may include at least one second light emitting device 115 that generates a second pixelated light beam 110. The first pixelated light beam 120 and the second pixelated light beam 110 have different resolutions. In an embodiment, one of the first and second pixelated light beams is a low-resolution light beam, while the other pixelated light beam is a high-resolution light beam. As described above, in this example, light beam 120 is a low-resolution light beam, and light beam 110 is a high-resolution light beam.

[0054] In an example, at least one first light emitting device 105 comprises a matrix beam module as defined above generating and projecting a first pixelated light beam 120 and at least one second light emitting device 115 comprises a DMD generating and projecting a second pixelated light beam 110 , or vice versa.

[0055] In another example, at least one first light emitting device 105 includes a matrix beam module that generates and projects the first pixelated light beam 120, and at least one second light emitting device 115 includes a pixel beam module as defined above that generates and projects the second pixelated light beam 110, or vice versa.

[0056] In another example, at least one first light emitting device 105 includes a monolithic light source that generates and projects the first pixelated light beam 120, and at least one second light emitting device 115 includes a DMD that generates and projects the second pixelated light beam 110, or vice versa. For example, for a left-hand drive vehicle, the left headlight may be mounted with a monolithic light source and the right headlight may be mounted with a DMD.

[0057] In another example, at least one first light emitting device 105 includes a matrix beam module that generates and projects the first pixelated light beam 120, and at least one second light emitting device 115 includes a monolithic light source that generates and projects the second pixelated light beam 110, or vice versa. For example, for a left-hand drive vehicle, the left headlight may be installed with a monolithic light source, and the right headlight may be installed with a matrix beam module.

[0058] For the sake of understanding, only some of the technology combinations are mentioned above. However, different technology combinations can be incorporated into vehicle headlights so that low-resolution beams and high-resolution beams can be projected from the headlights.

[0059] In an embodiment, to reduce the cost of damage that may be caused in an accident, a light emitting device capable of projecting a low-resolution light beam in front of the vehicle may be installed on the same side of the vehicle as the steering wheel 130, and a light emitting device capable of projecting a high-resolution light beam in front of the vehicle may be installed on the other side of the vehicle. Furthermore, by installing the light emitting device projecting a high-resolution light beam on the other side of the vehicle, the possibility of this expensive light emitting device being impacted is reduced.

[0060] Figure 2a and Figure 2b 1 shows the projection of a low-resolution beam and a high-resolution beam on a virtual vertical screen placed in front of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. In particular, Figure 2a The figure shows an illumination area or light distribution pattern formed by a low-resolution light beam projected onto a virtual vertical screen positioned in front of vehicle 100. The distance between the screen and the lighting system can be selected to be between 10m and 50m. For example, the distance is 25 meters or 100 feet. The screen can also be a portion of a sphere centered on the lighting system. The radius of the sphere can have the same value as the aforementioned distance.

[0061] Figure 2aReference numeral 205 in FIG. 1 indicates an illuminated area formed by projection of a low-resolution light beam. Figure 2a In the example shown, the low resolution beam 205 includes 16 pixels 207. Figure 2a As can be seen in FIG, the pixels are arranged in a matrix comprising 4 rows and 4 columns. In another example, the low resolution beam 205 may comprise almost 16 pixels, and the pixels may be arranged in a matrix having the same number or a different number of rows and columns. Figure 2a The pixels are shown to be the same size, but one skilled in the art will appreciate that pixels may be of different sizes in width and / or height.

[0062] In an embodiment of the present invention, the first pixelated light beam 120 and the second pixelated light beam 115 at least partially overlap, which can be seen from Figure 2b see. Figure 2b A light distribution pattern formed by the high-resolution light beam and the low-resolution light beam projected onto a virtual vertical screen disposed in front of the vehicle 100 (eg, at a distance of 25 meters in front of the vehicle) is shown. Figure 2b Reference numeral 210 in FIG. 8 indicates an illumination area formed by projection of a high-resolution beam having high-resolution beam pixels 215 , and a locus of a low-resolution beam is indicated by reference numeral 205 . Figure 2b The dashed lines in correspond to the trajectories of the low-resolution beams.

[0063] The projection of the low beam and the high beam is shown with respect to a horizontal axis (H) and a vertical axis (V). The intersection of the horizontal and vertical axes (ie the center of the projected light beam) corresponds to the optical axis of the vehicle headlight.

[0064] As from Figure 2b It can be seen that the low resolution beam 205 extends horizontally over a wider angular field of view than the high resolution beam 210. Figure 2b It can be seen that the low resolution beam 205 extends vertically higher than the high resolution beam 210, that is, the upper edge of the low resolution beam 205 is higher than the upper edge of the high resolution beam 210. Figure 2b It can be seen that the high-resolution beam 210 extends vertically below the low-resolution beam 205 , ie, the lower edge of the high-resolution beam 210 is lower than the lower edge of the low-resolution beam 205 .

[0065] The lighting system further includes a leveling mechanism (not shown in the figure) for adjusting the angular position of the low-resolution light beam in the horizontal direction (i.e., along the horizontal line (HH line)) and / or in the vertical direction (i.e., along the vertical line (VV line)). The lighting system may further include a leveling mechanism (not shown in the figure) for adjusting the angular position of the high-resolution light beam along the horizontal line (HH line) and / or in the vertical direction (i.e., along the vertical line (VV line)). In another embodiment, the angular position of the high-resolution light beam is adjusted according to the angular position of the low-resolution light beam without a leveling mechanism, by calibration (particularly electronic calibration) of pixels corresponding to a given direction. This simplifies the alignment of the two light beams and avoids the additional cost of mechanical aiming.

[0066] In an embodiment, the low-resolution beam exhibits a higher luminous intensity than the high-resolution beam. For example, generating 120 Lux using matrix beam technology is inexpensive compared to DMD light technology. On the other hand, generating a matrix beam module with high resolution is very expensive, while generating a beam comprising a large number of pixels using DMD is not very expensive.

[0067] 3a and 3b are schematic diagrams showing an illumination area formed by a low-resolution light beam and a high-resolution light beam according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0068] FIG3a shows an example of a light distribution pattern obtained by at least one light emitting device configured to project a low-resolution light beam onto a virtual vertical screen disposed in front of a vehicle. Figure 2a and Figure 2b In this example, the low-resolution beam is a matrix beam.

[0069] Reference numeral 305 in FIG3a denotes a low-resolution light beam. In this example, low-resolution light beam 305 is a matrix light beam, and the light beam segments are arranged in a row. Here, shaded area 310 in FIG3a represents a non-illuminated area of ​​low-resolution light beam 305 that is not illuminated by light, i.e., the control module 125 is operated to turn off one or more low-resolution segments. Areas outside the shaded area in region 315 represent illuminated areas of low-resolution light beam 305 that are illuminated by light, i.e., the control module is operated to turn on one or more low-resolution segments. Reference numeral 320 indicates lights of preceding or oncoming vehicles detected by control module 125, such as headlights or taillights. Control module 125 may also be configured to detect the presence of pedestrians, preceding vehicles, etc., and control the operation of light sources installed in the headlights of vehicle 100, thereby changing the light distribution pattern to suppress glare for pedestrians, preceding vehicles, etc.

[0070] Figure 3b shows an example of a light distribution pattern obtained by combining a low-resolution light beam 305 (shown as a dotted line in Figure 3b) and a high-resolution light beam (shown as a solid line in Figure 3b) by projecting them onto a virtual vertical screen set in front of the vehicle (for example, at a distance of 25 meters from the front of the vehicle).

[0071] In an embodiment, whenever the control module 125 detects the presence of a pedestrian, a preceding vehicle, or the like in front of the vehicle 100, the control module 125 is adapted to turn on at least one pixel of the high-resolution beam 325 within a region corresponding to at least one disabled segment of the low-resolution beam 305. This can be clearly seen in FIG3b . Specifically, reference numeral 330 indicates an area where at least one pixel of the high-resolution beam 325 is turned on within a region corresponding to at least one disabled segment of the low-resolution beam 305 (here, region 310) to reduce the dark areas created by turning off one or more segments of the low-resolution beam 305. Reference numeral 331 denotes an area where both the high-resolution and low-resolution beams 305 are turned off to avoid glare to other users. As can be seen in FIG3b , the remaining non-illuminated region 331 is reduced in size compared to the non-illuminated region 310 of the low-resolution beam 305. This allows for improved illumination of the scene while still maintaining a non-glare function. In this way, the lighting system of this embodiment can suppress glare for pedestrians, preceding vehicles, or the like by turning off segments or pixels corresponding to the region where the vehicle information acquisition device detects a pedestrian, preceding vehicle, or the like. In another aspect, for a driver of a vehicle equipped with a lighting system according to the invention, the illumination of a scene is improved as the illuminated portion of the scene increases.

[0072] Further, it is noted from FIG3b that at least one activated pixel of high-resolution beam 325 abuts or overlaps the edge of at least one activated segment of low-resolution beam 305. This will be described in conjunction with FIG3c, FIG3d, and FIG3e, which correspond to enlarged views of the circled elements in FIG3b for three different embodiments. In these figures, reference numeral 340 denotes the edge of the activated segment of low-resolution beam 305, which is the boundary between illuminated area 315 and non-illuminated area 310. On one side, there is an activated segment of area 315. On the other side, there is a deactivated segment of area 310.

[0073] 3 c , some of the turned-on pixels of the high-resolution beam are in the illuminated region 315 of the low-resolution beam 305, and some of the turned-on pixels of the high-resolution beam are in the non-illuminated region 310 of the low-resolution beam 305. Some of the high-resolution pixels have edges that are co-located with the edges 340 of the low-resolution segment.

[0074] In another embodiment shown in FIG3 d , some of the high-resolution beam's turned-on pixels are within the illuminated region 315 of the low-resolution beam 305, and some of the high-resolution beam's turned-on pixels are within the non-illuminated region 310 of the low-resolution beam 305. In this embodiment, some of the high-resolution pixels overlap with the edges 340 of the low-resolution pixels. In this embodiment, the high-resolution pixels that overlap with the edges 340 of the low-resolution pixels may be the only turned-on pixels within the illuminated region 315 of the low-resolution beam 305. Alternatively, additional high-resolution pixels may be illuminated within the illuminated region 315 of the low-resolution beam 305 and be completely contained within this illuminated region 315.

[0075] However, in another embodiment, as shown in FIG3e , the pixels of the high-resolution beam are turned on only in the non-illuminated area 310 of the low-resolution beam 305. In this embodiment, some of the high-resolution pixels have edges that are co-located with the edge 340 of the low-resolution segment, and no pixels of the high-resolution beam are turned on in the illuminated area 315 of the low-resolution beam 305.

[0076] Although FIG. 3 c , FIG. 3 d and FIG. 3 e are described in conjunction with specific examples, it is clear that they are applicable to any kind of low-resolution beams and high-resolution beams, as long as these beams at least partially overlap.

[0077] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the first pixelated light beam 110 and the second pixelated light beam 120 are projected in such a manner that the first pixelated light beam and the second pixelated light beam are separated from each other, i.e., the projected low-resolution light beam 405 and high-resolution light beam 410 are separated from each other, as shown in FIG. Figure 4 The light beam projection according to this embodiment facilitates performing advanced lighting functions, such as suppressing glare on one side and performing a road surface mapping function on the other side. For example, the road surface mapping function includes projecting at least one of an image, pattern, logo, picture, symbol, character, etc., onto the road surface in front of the vehicle.

[0078] In an embodiment, high-resolution beam 410 extends vertically below low-resolution beam 405. This type of beam projection according to this embodiment is suitable for performing glare-free high beam on one side and road mapping on the other side. For example, low-resolution beam 405 can be suitable for performing glare-free functions, and high-resolution beam 410 can be suitable for performing road mapping functions.

[0079] In another embodiment, low-resolution beam 405 and high-resolution beam 410 are projected in such a manner that the low-resolution beam and the high-resolution beam are arranged transversely to each other. This type of beam projection according to this embodiment is suitable for performing high-resolution road mapping functions on one side and low-resolution road mapping functions on the other side.

[0080] According to another embodiment, the present invention discloses a motor vehicle 100 having a lighting system with at least one first light emitting device and at least one second light emitting device that generate a low-resolution light beam and a high-resolution light beam.

[0081] Therefore, the present invention provides a lighting system that can project two different pixelated light beams with different resolutions to reduce cost and power consumption while achieving the required luminous intensity for the vehicle.

Claims

1. A lighting system for a motor vehicle, the lighting system comprising: - at least one first light emitting device (105) adapted to be mounted on the right front side of the vehicle and adapted to project a first pixelated light beam in front of the vehicle; at least one second light emitting device (115) adapted to be mounted on the left front side of the vehicle and adapted to project a second pixelated light beam in front of the vehicle; The method is characterized in that the number of pixels of one of the first pixelated light beam and the second pixelated light beam, referred to as the high-resolution light beam, is greater than or equal to at least three times the number of pixels of the other pixelated light beam, referred to as the low-resolution light beam; The lighting system further comprises a control module (125) of the at least one first light emitting device (105) and the at least one second light emitting device (115), the control module being adapted to selectively control turning on and off pixels of the first pixelated light beam and the second pixelated light beam; The first pixelated light beam and the second pixelated light beam at least partially overlap; The control module (125) is adapted to turn on at least one pixel of the high-resolution light beam in a region corresponding to at least one turned-off pixel of the low-resolution light beam; The lighting system includes only a light emitting device suitable for projecting the high-resolution light beam on one side, and does not include a light emitting device suitable for projecting the low-resolution light beam on the same side, and only includes a light emitting device suitable for projecting the low-resolution light beam on the other side, and does not include a light emitting device suitable for projecting the high-resolution light beam on this same other side.

2. The lighting system according to claim 1, wherein The number of pixels of one of the first and second pixelated beams, referred to as a high-resolution beam, is greater than or equal to five times the number of pixels of the other of the pixelated beams, referred to as a low-resolution beam.

3. The lighting system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The low-resolution beam covers a larger light field than the high-resolution beam.

4. The lighting system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The low-resolution beam extends horizontally over a wider angular field of view than the high-resolution beam.

5. The lighting system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The low-resolution beam extends vertically higher than the high-resolution beam.

6. The lighting system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The high-resolution beam extends vertically below the low-resolution beam.

7. The lighting system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The low-resolution light beam exhibits a higher maximum luminous intensity than the high-resolution light beam.

8. The lighting system according to claim 1, wherein: The first light emitting device (105) and the second light emitting device (115) are adapted to project a dark area corresponding to a vehicle or pedestrian coming from the front in front of the vehicle.

9. The lighting system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that The first pixelated light beam and the second pixelated light beam are separated from each other.

10. Lighting system according to the preceding claim, characterized in that The high-resolution beam extends vertically below the low-resolution beam.

11. The lighting system according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that: The high-resolution beam and the low-resolution beam are arranged transversely to each other.

12. Lighting system according to the preceding claim, characterized in that The first light emitting device (105) and the second light emitting device (115) are suitable for projecting in front of the vehicle to project at least one of an image, a pattern, a logo, a picture, a symbol, and a character onto a road surface.

13. The lighting system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The light emitting device (105) adapted to project the low-resolution light beam in front of the vehicle is mounted on the same side as the steering wheel (130) of the vehicle, and the light emitting device (115) adapted to project the high-resolution light beam in front of the vehicle is mounted on the other side of the vehicle.

14. The lighting system according to claim 1, wherein The number of pixels of one of the first and second pixelated beams, referred to as a high-resolution beam, is greater than or equal to ten times the number of pixels of the other of the pixelated beams, referred to as a low-resolution beam.

15. A motor vehicle, characterized in that: The motor vehicle comprises a lighting system according to any one of the preceding claims.

16. Motor vehicle according to the preceding claim, characterized in that The light emitting device (105) adapted to project the low-resolution light beam in front of the vehicle is mounted on the same side as the steering wheel (130) of the vehicle, and the light emitting device (115) adapted to project the high-resolution light beam in front of the vehicle is mounted on the other side of the vehicle.

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