Vehicle lamp system, light distribution control device, and light distribution control method

Abstract

A vehicle lamp system includes a light distribution control device that controls formation of light distribution patterns of a first lamp unit and a second lamp unit. The light distribution control device forms a combined high-illumination pattern (42) for a region in which no object exists. In addition, a combined shading pattern is formed for a preceding vehicle. In addition, for a specific object (A), the first lamp unit is controlled so as to form an illumination-fixed pattern (46), and the second lamp unit is controlled so as to form the illumination-fixed pattern (46) or an illumination-adjusted pattern that adjusts the illumination so that the brightness of the specific object (A) in an image approaches a target brightness, and a combined medium-illumination pattern (44) is formed by superimposing the light distribution patterns formed by the first lamp unit and the second lamp unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to vehicle lighting systems, light distribution control devices, and light distribution control methods. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, ADB (Adaptive Driving Beam) control, which dynamically and adaptively controls the light distribution pattern based on the surrounding conditions of the vehicle, has been proposed. ADB control uses a camera to detect the presence of objects in front of the vehicle that require light reduction to avoid high-brightness illumination, and then reduces the light in the area corresponding to the object (for example, see Patent Document 1). Examples of objects that require light reduction include vehicles traveling in front or oncoming traffic. By reducing the light in the area corresponding to the vehicle in front, glare to drivers of other vehicles can be reduced, and the driver's visual visibility can be improved.

[0003] [Prior Technology Documents]

[0004] [Patent Literature]

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-088224 Summary of the Invention

[0006] [The problem the invention aims to solve]

[0007] In previous ADB control systems, vehicles ahead were specifically studied as targets for light reduction. Through repeated in-depth research, the inventors have discovered that road signs, line-of-sight markers (road markings), billboards, and other light-reflecting objects are also important targets for light reduction. Specifically, in recent years, the increasing brightness of vehicle lights has led to a trend of increasing light intensity reflected from light-reflecting objects. Therefore, the high brightness of light reflected from these objects causes glare to the driver, reducing visual visibility.

[0008] This disclosure was made in view of the circumstances, and one of its objectives is to provide a technique to improve the visual recognition of the driver of the vehicle.

[0009] [Technical solutions used to address technical problems]

[0010] One aspect of the present invention is a vehicle lighting system. This vehicle lighting system includes: a first lamp unit and a second lamp unit capable of forming a light distribution pattern with a variable intensity distribution; and a light distribution control device that controls the formation of the light distribution pattern of the first lamp unit and the second lamp unit based on an object contained in an image captured by an imaging device. For areas where no object is present, the light distribution control device controls at least one of the first lamp unit and the second lamp unit to form a high-illuminance pattern with a specified illuminance, and overlaps the light distribution patterns formed by the first lamp unit and the second lamp unit to form a composite high-illuminance pattern. For a vehicle ahead as an object, the light distribution control device controls the first lamp unit and the second lamp unit to form a light-shielding pattern with an illuminance lower than the high-illuminance pattern, independent of the image brightness, and overlaps the light-shielding patterns formed by the first lamp unit and the second lamp unit to form a composite light-shielding pattern. The first luminaire unit is controlled in a manner that forms a composite medium illuminance pattern with a lower illuminance than the composite high illuminance pattern and a higher illuminance than the composite shading pattern. The second luminaire unit is controlled in a manner that forms an illuminance fixed pattern independent of the image brightness, and the illuminance adjustment pattern is formed either as an illuminance fixed pattern independent of the image brightness or as an illuminance adjustment pattern. The illuminance adjustment pattern adjusts the illuminance so that the illuminance of the specific object in the image is close to the target illuminance. The light distribution patterns formed by the first luminaire unit and the second luminaire unit are superimposed to form a composite medium illuminance pattern.

[0011] Another aspect of the invention is a light distribution control device that controls the formation of light distribution patterns of a first lamp unit and a second lamp unit based on an object contained in an image captured by an imaging device. The first and second lamp units are capable of forming light distribution patterns with variable intensity distributions. For areas where no object is present, the light distribution control device controls at least one of the first and second lamp units to form a high-illuminance pattern with a specified illuminance, and overlaps the light distribution patterns formed by the first and second lamp units to form a composite high-illuminance pattern. For a vehicle ahead as an object, the device controls the first and second lamp units to form a light-shielding pattern with an illuminance lower than the high-illuminance pattern, independent of image brightness, and overlaps the light-shielding patterns formed by the first and second lamp units to form a composite light-shielding pattern. The first luminaire unit is controlled in a manner that forms a composite medium illuminance pattern with a lower illuminance than the composite high illuminance pattern and a higher illuminance than the composite shading pattern. The second luminaire unit is controlled in a manner that forms an illuminance fixed pattern independent of the image brightness. The illuminance adjustment pattern adjusts the illuminance so that the illuminance of the specific object in the image is close to the target illuminance. The light distribution patterns formed by the first luminaire unit and the second luminaire unit are superimposed to form a composite medium illuminance pattern.

[0012] Another aspect of the present invention is a light distribution control method that controls the formation of light distribution patterns of a first lamp unit and a second lamp unit based on an object contained in an image captured by an imaging device. The first and second lamp units are capable of forming light distribution patterns with variable intensity distributions. This light distribution control method includes the following steps: for areas where no object is present, controlling at least one of the first and second lamp units in a manner that forms a high-illuminance pattern with a predetermined illuminance, and overlapping the light distribution patterns formed by the first and second lamp units to form a composite high-illuminance pattern; for a vehicle ahead in the image as an object, controlling the first and second lamp units in a manner that forms a light-shielding pattern independent of image brightness from an illuminance lower than the high-illuminance pattern, and overlapping the light-shielding patterns formed by the first and second lamp units to form a composite light-shielding pattern; and... For a specific object in the image that should form a composite medium illuminance pattern with an illuminance lower than the composite high illuminance pattern and a illuminance higher than the composite shading pattern, the first luminaire unit is controlled to form an illuminance fixed pattern that is independent of the image brightness, and the second luminaire unit is controlled to form either an illuminance fixed pattern that is independent of the image brightness or an illuminance adjustment pattern. The illuminance adjustment pattern adjusts the illuminance so that the illuminance of the specific object in the image is close to the target illuminance. The light distribution patterns formed by the first luminaire unit and the second luminaire unit are superimposed to form a composite medium illuminance pattern.

[0013] Furthermore, any combination of the above-mentioned constituent elements, or any scheme that transforms the embodiment of the present invention into methods, apparatus, systems, etc., is also effective as a solution of the present invention.

[0014] [Invention Effects]

[0015] According to the present invention, the visual recognition of the driver of the vehicle can be improved. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing the general configuration of the vehicle lighting system according to Embodiment 1.

[0017] Figure 2 (A) is a schematic diagram showing the light distribution pattern formed by the first luminaire unit. Figure 2 (B) is a schematic diagram showing the light distribution pattern formed by the second luminaire unit. Figure 2 (C) is a schematic diagram showing the result of combining the light distribution pattern formed by the first luminaire unit and the light distribution pattern formed by the second luminaire unit.

[0018] Figure 3 (A)~ Figure 3 (C) is a schematic diagram showing the light distribution pattern formed by the first lamp unit and the second lamp unit for the vehicle in front.

[0019] Figure 4(A)~ Figure 4 (E) is a schematic diagram showing the light distribution patterns formed by the first luminaire unit and the second luminaire unit under the conditions of the presence and absence of a specific object, respectively.

[0020] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of light distribution control in Implementation 1.

[0021] Figure 6 This is a diagram showing the general configuration of the vehicle lighting system according to Embodiment 2.

[0022] Figure 7 (A)~ Figure 7 (E) is a schematic diagram showing the light distribution patterns formed by the first luminaire unit and the second luminaire unit under the conditions of the presence and absence of a specific object.

[0023] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of light distribution control in Implementation Method 2.

[0024] Figure 9 This is a diagram showing the general configuration of the vehicle lighting system according to Embodiment 3.

[0025] Figure 10 (A)~ Figure 10 (E) is a schematic diagram showing the light distribution patterns formed by the first luminaire unit and the second luminaire unit under the conditions of the presence and absence of a specific object.

[0026] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of light distribution control in Implementation Method 3.

[0027] Figure 12 (A)~ Figure 12 (E) is a schematic diagram showing the light distribution patterns formed by the first luminaire unit and the second luminaire unit under the conditions of the presence and absence of a specific object. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The present invention will now be described based on preferred embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are not intended to limit the invention but are merely illustrative, and all features and combinations thereof described in the embodiments may not be essential to the invention. Identical or equivalent constituent elements, components, and processes shown in the various drawings are labeled with the same reference numerals, and repetitive descriptions are omitted where appropriate. Furthermore, for ease of explanation, the scale and shape of the parts shown in the figures are conveniently set and are not to be interpreted limitingly unless specifically mentioned. Additionally, when terms such as "first" and "second" are used in this specification or claims, unless specifically mentioned, these terms do not indicate any order or importance, but are used to distinguish one configuration from others. Furthermore, in the various drawings, parts of components that are not important in describing the embodiments are omitted.

[0029] (Implementation Method 1)

[0030] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing the schematic configuration of the vehicle lighting system 1 according to Embodiment 1. Figure 1 In this document, some of the constituent elements of the vehicle lighting system 1 are described as functional blocks. These functional blocks are implemented as hardware components by elements or circuits, such as a computer's CPU or memory, and as software components by computer programs, etc. Those skilled in the art should understand that these functional blocks can be implemented in various forms through a combination of hardware and software.

[0031] The vehicle lighting system 1 includes a first lighting unit 2, a second lighting unit 4, a camera 6, and a light distribution control device 8. Furthermore, the vehicle lighting system 1 of this embodiment includes a lamp body 10 having an opening on the front side of the vehicle and a light-transmitting cover 12 mounted to cover the opening of the lamp body 10. The lamp body 10 and the light-transmitting cover 12 form a lamp chamber 14. The first lighting unit 2, the second lighting unit 4, and the light distribution control device 8 are disposed within the lamp chamber 14. The camera 6 is disposed outside the lamp chamber 14, for example, on the vehicle side. As an example, the camera 6 is an in-vehicle camera. Alternatively, the light distribution control device 8 may also be disposed outside the lamp chamber 14, for example, on the vehicle side. For example, all or part of the light distribution control device 8 may be constituted by a vehicle ECU.

[0032] The first lighting unit 2 includes: a first light source group 16, a second light source group 18, a circuit board 20, a heat sink 22, a light-shielding member 24, a lens bracket 26, and a projection lens 28. The first light source group 16 and the second light source group 18 each have multiple light sources arranged horizontally. The first light source group 16 is positioned above the second light source group 18. Each light source is, for example, an LED (light-emitting diode). Alternatively, the light source can be a semiconductor light-emitting element other than an LED, such as an LD (laser diode), organic or inorganic EL (electroluminescent) light source. Furthermore, the light source can also be composed of an incandescent lamp, a halogen lamp, a discharge lamp, etc.

[0033] The first light source group 16 and the second light source group 18 are mounted on a circuit board 20. The circuit board 20 is a thermally conductive insulating substrate made of ceramic or the like. Electrodes for transmitting power to the first light source group 16 and the second light source group 18 are formed on the circuit board 20. Furthermore, the circuit board 20 is configured to allow independent dimming of each light source in the second light source group 18. Therefore, the second light source group 18 can illuminate the front area of ​​the vehicle with a visible light beam L1 of variable intensity distribution.

[0034] The circuit board 20 is mounted on the heat sink 22. The heat sink 22 is supported on the lamp body 10 by a known connecting mechanism (not shown). A light-shielding member 24 is fixed to the heat sink 22. The light-shielding member 24 has a ridge portion with a shape corresponding to the shape of the light-dark cutoff line CL described later. The positional relationship between the light-shielding member 24 and the first light source group 16 is determined by the ridge portion being located in the optical path of the light emitted from the first light source group 16.

[0035] Additionally, a lens bracket 26 is fixed to the heat sink 22. The lens bracket 26 is a generally cylindrical component extending along the front-rear direction of the luminaire, with its rear end fixed to the heat sink 22. A projection lens 28 is fixed to the front end of the lens bracket 26. For example, the projection lens 28 is made of a plano-convex aspherical lens, which projects the image of the light source formed on the rear focal plane as a reversed image onto a virtual vertical screen in front of the luminaire. The projection lens 28 is arranged on the optical axis of the first luminaire unit 2, with its rear focal point approximately aligned with the ridge of the light-shielding member 24.

[0036] Light emitted from the first light source group 16 enters the projection lens 28 near the ridge portion of the light-shielding member 24. The light incident on the projection lens 28 illuminates the front of the lamp as approximately parallel light. At this time, the light from the first light source group 16 is selectively cut off with the ridge portion of the light-shielding member 24 as the boundary line. As a result, a light distribution pattern including a light-dark cutoff line CL corresponding to the shape of the ridge portion, i.e., a low beam light distribution pattern PL, is formed in the front area of ​​the vehicle.

[0037] The visible light beam L1 emitted from the second light source group 18 is not blocked by the light-shielding member 24 and enters the projection lens 28. The visible light beam L1 that enters the projection lens 28 illuminates the front of the luminaire as a roughly parallel beam and is positioned above the light from the first light source group 16. As a result, a high-beam light distribution pattern can be formed in an area above the light cutoff line.

[0038] Furthermore, the structure of the first lamp unit 2 is not limited to the above-described structure and can employ a known structure. For example, the first light source group 16 and the second light source group 18 can be mounted on different circuit boards or on different heat sinks. The number and arrangement of light sources included in each light source group are also not limited. Additionally, the first lamp unit 2 may not have a projection lens 28. Furthermore, the first lamp unit 2 may also have a reflector. Moreover, the illumination of the visible light beam L1 can also be achieved using a matrix-type pattern forming device such as a DMD (Digital Mirror Device) or a liquid crystal device, or by scanning an optical pattern forming device that scans the front of the vehicle with light from a light source.

[0039] The second lamp unit 4 is composed of a variable-distribution lamp capable of illuminating a visible light beam L2 with variable intensity distribution towards the area in front of the vehicle. The second lamp unit 4 is supported on the lamp body 10 by a known connecting mechanism (not shown). The second lamp unit 4 of this embodiment has a light source array 30. The light source array 30 includes a plurality of light sources 32 arranged in a matrix and a circuit board 34 capable of independently dimming each light source 32. As a preferred example of the light source 32, semiconductor light-emitting elements such as LEDs, LDs, organic or inorganic ELs can be cited. The number of light sources 32, in other words, the resolution of the second lamp unit 4, is higher than the number of light sources in the second light source group 18, in other words, the resolution of the first lamp unit 2, for example, 10 million to 1.3 million pixels.

[0040] Furthermore, the structure of the second lamp unit 4 is not limited to the above-described structure and can adopt a known structure. For example, the variable light distribution lamp constituting the second lamp unit 4 can also be a matrix-type pattern forming device such as a DMD or a liquid crystal device, or a scanning optical type pattern forming device that scans the front of the vehicle with light from a light source. In addition, the first lamp unit 2 and the second lamp unit 4 can also be integrated.

[0041] The imaging device 6 is sensitive in the visible light region and captures images of the area in front of the vehicle to generate an image (IMG). The image IMG acquired by the imaging device 6 is sent to the light distribution control device 8. The imaging device 6 repeatedly captures images of the area in front of the vehicle at predetermined intervals, and sends an image IMG to the light distribution control device 8 each time it acquires one. The image IMG acquired by the light distribution control device 8 can be RAW image data or image data that has undergone predetermined image processing by the imaging device 6 or other processing units. In the following description, "image IMG based on imaging device 6" means that it can be either RAW image data or data that has undergone image processing. In addition, sometimes the two types of image data are not distinguished and are simply referred to as "image IMG".

[0042] The light distribution control device 8 controls the formation of the light distribution patterns of the first lamp unit 2 and the second lamp unit 4 based on the targets contained in the image IMG based on the imaging device 6. As an example, the light distribution control device 8 includes a status determination unit 36 ​​and a pattern determination unit 38. The light distribution control device 8 can be configured as a digital processor, for example, a combination of a microcomputer including a CPU and software programs, or it can be configured as an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), ASIC (Application Specified IC), etc. Each unit included in the light distribution control device 8 operates by executing programs stored in memory through integrated circuits that constitute themselves.

[0043] The shape of the light distribution pattern formed by each luminaire unit and the control of the formation of the light distribution pattern based on the light distribution control device 8 will be explained below. Figure 2 (A) is a schematic diagram showing the light distribution pattern formed by the first luminaire unit 2. Figure 2 (B) is a schematic diagram showing the light distribution pattern formed by the second luminaire unit 4. Figure 2 (C) is a schematic diagram showing the result of combining the light distribution pattern formed by the first lamp unit 2 and the light distribution pattern formed by the second lamp unit 4. The light distribution pattern is defined as a two-dimensional illuminance distribution of the illumination pattern formed by each lamp unit on a virtual vertical screen in front of the vehicle. Furthermore, Figure 2 (A)~ Figure 2 (C) indicates the light distribution pattern for left-hand traffic. In addition, the relative positional relationship of each light distribution pattern sometimes deviates from the state shown in the figure.

[0044] The first lighting unit 2, by illuminating the first light source group 16, can, as Figure 2 (A) and Figure 2(C) shows a low beam beam pattern PL. The low beam beam pattern PL has a cut-off line CL at its upper end. The cut-off line CL includes a first cut-off line CL1, a second cut-off line CL2, and a third cut-off line CL3. The first cut-off line CL1 extends horizontally on the opposite lane side. The second cut-off line CL2 extends horizontally on the lane side and at a position higher than the first cut-off line CL1. The third cut-off line CL3 extends obliquely between the first cut-off line CL1 and the second cut-off line CL2, connecting the two.

[0045] The first lighting unit 2, by illuminating a visible light beam L1 from the second light source group 18, can, as Figure 2 (A) and Figure 2 (C) shows a first variable light distribution pattern PV1 with a variable intensity distribution. The first variable light distribution pattern PV1 is a pattern that overlaps with the area above the light cutoff line CL of the low beam light distribution pattern PL, for example, in the area where a known high beam light distribution pattern should be formed. The first variable light distribution pattern PV1 has a structure consisting of a set of multiple partial regions R1 arranged in the horizontal direction. Each partial region R1 is, for example, a rectangle that is longer in the vertical direction. As an example, each partial region R1 corresponds one-to-one with each light source of the second light source group 18. By adjusting the illumination state of each light source, the illuminance of each partial region R1 can be adjusted independently. The shape and arrangement of each partial region R1 can be appropriately changed along with the arrangement of each light source of the second light source group 18.

[0046] The second lighting unit 4, by illuminating a visible light beam L2 from the light source array 30, can, as Figure 2 (B) and Figure 2 A second variable light distribution pattern PV2 with variable intensity distribution is formed as shown in (C). The second variable light distribution pattern PV2 is formed in a region above the light-dark cutoff line CL. Furthermore, it is formed to overlap with the first variable light distribution pattern PV1. The second variable light distribution pattern PV2 has a structure consisting of a plurality of partial regions R2 arranged in a matrix. As an example, each partial region R2 corresponds one-to-one with each light source 32. By adjusting the illumination state of each light source 32, the illuminance of each partial region R2 can be adjusted independently.

[0047] The light distribution control device 8 performs the following light distribution control on the vehicle V in front of the vehicle, which is an object present in front of the vehicle. Figure 3 (A)~ Figure 3 (C) is a schematic diagram showing the light distribution pattern formed by the first lamp unit 2 and the second lamp unit 4 for the vehicle V in front. Figure 3 (A) indicates the light distribution pattern formed by the first lamp unit 2 for the vehicle V in front. Figure 3(B) indicates the light distribution pattern formed by the second lamp unit 4 for the vehicle V ahead. Figure 3 (C) indicates the result of combining the light distribution pattern formed by the first luminaire unit 2 and the light distribution pattern formed by the second luminaire unit 4.

[0048] That is, the situation determination unit 36 ​​determines the presence and position of the vehicle V ahead based on the image IMG based on the imaging device 6. The vehicle V ahead includes vehicles traveling in front and vehicles coming from the opposite direction. The situation determination unit 36 ​​can determine the presence and position of the vehicle V ahead by performing known image processing and image analysis on the image IMG. In addition, the situation determination unit 36 ​​can identify vehicles traveling in front and vehicles coming from the opposite direction based on the position of the vehicle V ahead, the difference between the red of the taillights and stop lights and the white of the headlights, etc.

[0049] Furthermore, the situation determination unit 36 ​​can also detect the vehicle V ahead based on the measurement results of a ranging sensor (not shown). The ranging sensor measures towards the area ahead, acquiring information about that area. The ranging sensor can be, for example, a millimeter-wave radar or LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging or Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging). Based on the timing from the emission of millimeter waves or light towards the area ahead to the detection of the reflected wave or light, the ranging sensor can obtain the presence of an object associated with that reflected wave or light and the distance to that object. Furthermore, by integrating this distance data with the detection position of the object, information related to the movement of the object can be obtained. Additionally, the light distribution control device 8 can also obtain information related to the vehicle V ahead from the vehicle ECU. In this case, the vehicle ECU functions as the situation determination unit 36.

[0050] When vehicle V is detected ahead, such as Figure 3 As shown in (A), the pattern determining unit 38 determines a light-shielding pattern 40a that overlaps with the preceding vehicle V in the first variable light distribution pattern PV1. The pattern determining unit 38 sets the light-shielding pattern 40a by ensuring that the illuminance of at least the portion R1 overlapping with the preceding vehicle V is lower than the illuminance of the portion R1 where the preceding vehicle V is not present. Furthermore, as... Figure 3 As shown in (B), the pattern determination unit 38 determines the light-shielding pattern 40b that overlaps with the vehicle V ahead in the second light distribution variable pattern PV2. The pattern determination unit 38 can set the light-shielding pattern 40b by making the illuminance of the portion R2 that overlaps with the vehicle V ahead lower than the illuminance of the portion R2 where the vehicle V is not present.

[0051] Furthermore, the pattern determination unit 38 controls the first luminaire unit 2 in a manner that forms a first variable light distribution pattern PV1 including a light-shielding pattern 40a, and controls the second luminaire unit 4 in a manner that forms a second variable light distribution pattern PV2 including a light-shielding pattern 40b. Thus, as... Figure 3 As shown in (C), the light-shielding patterns 40a and 40b overlap to form a composite light-shielding pattern 40 for the vehicle V ahead. In addition, a composite light-shielding pattern 40 may also be formed in the area adjacent to the area that overlaps with the vehicle V ahead.

[0052] The shading patterns 40a and 40b are patterns with lower illuminance than the prescribed high-illuminance patterns 42a and 42b formed by each luminaire unit for areas without objects, and are independent of the brightness of the image IMG. The composite shading pattern 40 is the sum of the illuminance of shading pattern 40a and the illuminance of shading pattern 40b. By forming the composite shading pattern 40 for the vehicle V ahead, glare to the driver of the vehicle V ahead can be reduced and the driver's visual recognition of the vehicle can be improved.

[0053] In this embodiment, the illuminance of the light-shielding patterns 40a, 40b, and the composite light-shielding pattern 40 is substantially zero. However, the illuminance of the light-shielding patterns 40a, 40b, and the composite light-shielding pattern 40 may also be higher than zero. For example, the luminous intensity of the light forming the light-shielding patterns 40a and 40b is 625 cd or less. Furthermore, it is preferable that the luminous intensity of the light forming the composite light-shielding pattern 40 is 625 cd or less. The illuminance of these patterns can be appropriately set through experiments and simulations based on factors such as the degree of glare experienced by the driver of the vehicle V ahead. Additionally, the illuminance of the light-shielding pattern 40a and the illuminance of the light-shielding pattern 40b may also be different.

[0054] Furthermore, the pattern determination unit 38 controls at least one of the first luminaire unit 2 and the second luminaire unit 4 to form prescribed high-illuminance patterns 42a and 42b for areas where no object is present. Then, the light distribution patterns formed by the first luminaire unit 2 and the second luminaire unit 4 are superimposed to form a composite high-illuminance pattern 42. The illuminance of the composite high-illuminance pattern 42 is, for example, the illuminance of a high-beam light distribution pattern as specified by regulations. The illuminance of high-illuminance patterns 42a and 42b can be set to the sum of the illuminances of other light distribution patterns they overlap with, which constitutes the required illuminance of the composite high-illuminance pattern 42, or they can be set to individually satisfy the required illuminance of the composite high-illuminance pattern 42. Additionally, the illuminance of high-illuminance pattern 42a and the illuminance of high-illuminance pattern 42b can be different.

[0055] Details will be explained later. In this embodiment, a first fixed illuminance pattern 46a is determined in the portion R1 of the first variable light distribution pattern PV1 that does not overlap with the vehicle V ahead. Additionally, a high illuminance pattern 42b is determined in the portion R2 of the second variable light distribution pattern PV2 that does not overlap with the vehicle V ahead. Then, the pattern determination unit 38 controls the first luminaire unit 2 to form a first variable light distribution pattern PV1 including the first fixed illuminance pattern 46a, and controls the second luminaire unit 4 to form a second variable light distribution pattern PV2 including the high illuminance pattern 42b. Thus, as... Figure 3 As shown in (C), the first fixed illuminance pattern 46a and the high illuminance pattern 42b overlap to form a composite high illuminance pattern 42 for areas where no object is present. This composite high illuminance pattern 42 is the sum of the illuminance of the first fixed illuminance pattern 46a and the illuminance of the high illuminance pattern 42b.

[0056] In addition, the light distribution control device 8 performs the following light distribution control on a specific object A among the objects present in front of the vehicle. Figure 4 (A)~ Figure 4 (E) is a schematic diagram showing the light distribution patterns formed by the first luminaire unit 2 and the second luminaire unit 4 under the conditions of the presence and absence of a specific object A, respectively. Figure 4 (A) indicates the light distribution pattern formed by the first luminaire unit 2 in the absence of a specific object A. Figure 4 (B) indicates the light distribution pattern formed by the first luminaire unit 2 in the presence of a specific object A. Figure 4 (C) indicates the light distribution pattern formed by the second luminaire unit 4 in the absence of a specific object A. Figure 4 (D) indicates the light distribution pattern formed by the second luminaire unit 4 in the presence of a specific object A. Figure 4 (E) indicates the situation where the light distribution pattern formed by the first luminaire unit 2 and the light distribution pattern formed by the second luminaire unit 4 are combined in the presence of a specific object A.

[0057] That is, the situation determination unit 36 ​​determines the presence and position of a specific object A based on the image IMG from the imaging device 6. The specific object A is an object that should form a composite medium illuminance pattern 44 with illuminance lower than the composite high illuminance pattern 42 and higher than the composite light-shielding pattern 40. A light reflector can be exemplified as the specific object A. In this embodiment, a light reflector refers to at least one selected from the group consisting of road signs, line-of-sight markers (road markings), billboards, etc. Furthermore, a light reflector is an object that has a retroreflective surface at least in a portion visually recognizable from the vehicle. When light is shone from the vehicle's lamps onto a light reflector, the high brightness of the light is reflected from the reflector, which can sometimes cause glare for the driver. On the other hand, since a light reflector is not self-illuminating, reducing the light irradiation onto it may decrease the driver's visual recognition of it. Therefore, a light reflector corresponds to the specific object A that should form the composite medium illuminance pattern 44.

[0058] The situation determination unit 36 ​​can determine the existence and location of a specific object A by performing known image processing and image analysis on the image IMG. For example, if the specific object A is a light reflector, the situation determination unit 36 ​​can pre-store feature points representing the light reflector and identify the existence and location of the light reflector by detecting the presence of feature points representing the light reflector in the presumed area of ​​the light reflector in the image IMG.

[0059] Alternatively, the situation determination unit 36 ​​can detect light reflectors based on the changes in brightness when switching between illumination and non-illumination from the first lamp unit 2 and / or the second lamp unit 4. That is, since light reflectors are not self-illuminating, their brightness varies significantly depending on the presence or absence of light from the lamp units. Therefore, the pattern determination unit 38 controls the lamp units by switching between illumination and non-illumination of individual areas R. This switching is preferably performed at a speed that is not visually perceptible to the driver and is repeated periodically at predetermined intervals. The situation determination unit 36 ​​can detect light reflectors based on the changes in the brightness values ​​of each pixel in the image IMG at that time. Furthermore, the situation determination unit 36 ​​can also detect a specific object A based on measurement results from a distance sensor or the like (not shown). Additionally, the light distribution control device 8 can also obtain information related to the specific object A from the vehicle ECU.

[0060] In this embodiment, the pattern determination unit 38 controls the first luminaire unit 2 and the second luminaire unit 4 to form an illuminance fixed pattern 46 for a specific object A. The illuminance fixed pattern 46 is a pattern that is independent of the brightness of the image IMG. As a result, the illuminance fixed patterns 46 formed by the first luminaire unit 2 and the second luminaire unit 4 overlap to form a composite illuminance pattern 44 for the specific object A.

[0061] More specifically, the pattern determination unit 38 determines a first illuminance fixed pattern 46a that overlaps with the specific object A in the first variable light distribution pattern PV1. The first illuminance fixed pattern 46a is a pattern with illuminance lower than the high illuminance pattern 42a and higher than the light-shielding pattern 40a. In this embodiment, the pattern determination unit 38 controls the first luminaire unit 2 to form the first illuminance fixed pattern 46a independently of the presence or absence of the specific object A. For example, if the specific object A is not present, the pattern determination unit 38 may determine the first illuminance fixed pattern 46a in the absence of the specific object A. Figure 4 As shown in (A), the entire first variable light distribution pattern PV1 is set as the first fixed illuminance pattern 46a. Therefore, in the case of... Figure 4 When a specific object A appears in front of the vehicle as shown in (B), the first illuminance fixed pattern 46a is naturally determined for that specific object A. Furthermore, in the case of a vehicle V in front, a pattern including the shading pattern 40a is set.

[0062] Furthermore, the pattern determination unit 38 controls the second lighting unit 4 to form a high-illuminance pattern 42b when the specific object A is not detected. For example, when the specific object A is not detected, the pattern determination unit 38, such as... Figure 4 As shown in (C), the entire second variable light distribution pattern PV2 is set to a high-illuminance pattern 42b. Furthermore, in the presence of a vehicle V ahead, a pattern including a shading pattern 40b is set. If a specific object A is detected, the pattern determination unit 38... Figure 4 As shown in (D), a second illuminance fixed pattern 46b is determined in the second variable light distribution pattern PV2, overlapping with the specific target A. The second illuminance fixed pattern 46b is a pattern with a lower illuminance than the first illuminance fixed pattern 46a. As an example, the illuminance of the second illuminance fixed pattern 46b is the same as that of the shading pattern 40b, that is, zero.

[0063] Then, the pattern determination unit 38 controls the first luminaire unit 2 to form a first variable light distribution pattern PV1 including a first fixed illuminance pattern 46a, and controls the second luminaire unit 4 to form a second variable light distribution pattern PV2 including a second fixed illuminance pattern 46b. Thus, as Figure 4 As shown in (E), the first illuminance fixed pattern 46a and the second illuminance fixed pattern 46b overlap to form a composite illuminance pattern 44 for a specific object A.

[0064] The composite intermediate illuminance pattern 44 is the sum of the illuminance of the first fixed illuminance pattern 46a and the illuminance of the second fixed illuminance pattern 46b. In this embodiment, since the illuminance of the second fixed illuminance pattern 46b is zero, the illuminance of the composite intermediate illuminance pattern 44 is equal to the illuminance of the first fixed illuminance pattern 46a. Furthermore, the composite intermediate illuminance pattern 44 may have uniform illuminance overall, or it may have an uneven illuminance distribution, such as illuminance gradually increasing from the center to the periphery. For areas where a specific object A is not present, the first fixed illuminance pattern 46a and the high illuminance pattern 42b overlap to form a composite high illuminance pattern 42. Furthermore, the composite intermediate illuminance pattern 44 may also be formed in areas that overlap with regions adjacent to the specific object A.

[0065] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the light distribution control in Embodiment 1. The process, for example, involves an execution instruction for light distribution control via a lamp switch (not shown), and is repeatedly executed at predetermined time intervals when the igniter is turned on. Furthermore, in the light distribution control of this embodiment, a first variable light distribution pattern PV1, which is generally a first fixed illuminance pattern 46a, and a second variable light distribution pattern PV2, which is generally a high illuminance pattern 42b, are formed under normal conditions.

[0066] The light distribution control device 8 determines whether the image IMG based on the imaging device 6 contains a vehicle V in front (S101). If the vehicle V is contained (Yes in S101), the light distribution control device 8 determines a light-blocking pattern 40a in the first variable light distribution pattern PV1 and a light-blocking pattern 40b in the second variable light distribution pattern PV2 (S102). Next, the light distribution control device 8 determines whether the image IMG contains a specific object A (S103). If the vehicle V is not contained (No in S101), step S102 is skipped and the process proceeds to step S103.

[0067] If the specific object A is included (S103 Yes), the light distribution control device 8 determines the second illuminance fixed pattern 46b in the second variable light distribution pattern PV2 (S104). Then, the light distribution control device 8 controls the first luminaire unit 2 and the second luminaire unit 4 in a manner that forms the determined light distribution pattern (S105), ending the routine. If the specific object A is not included (S103 No), step S104 is skipped and the process proceeds to step S105.

[0068] As described above, the vehicle lighting system 1 of this embodiment includes: a first lighting unit 2 capable of forming a first variable light distribution pattern PV1; a second lighting unit 4 capable of forming a second variable light distribution pattern PV2; and a light distribution control device 8, which controls the formation of the first variable light distribution pattern PV1 of the first lighting unit 2 and the formation of the second variable light distribution pattern PV2 of the second lighting unit 4 based on the markers contained in the image IMG of the imaging device 6.

[0069] The light distribution control device 8 controls at least one of the first luminaire unit 2 and the second luminaire unit 4 to form high-illuminance patterns 42a and 42b with a specified illuminance for areas where no target is present, and overlaps the light distribution patterns formed by the first luminaire unit 2 and the second luminaire unit 4 to form a high-illuminance pattern 42. Additionally, the light distribution control device 8 controls the first luminaire unit 2 and the second luminaire unit 4 to form light-shielding patterns 40a and 40b with a lower illuminance than the high-illuminance patterns 42a and 42b, which are independent of the brightness of the image IMG, for vehicles ahead of the target. The light-shielding patterns 40a and 40b formed by the first luminaire unit 2 and the second luminaire unit 4 are overlapped to form a composite light-shielding pattern 40.

[0070] In addition, the light distribution control device 8 controls the first luminaire unit 2 and the second luminaire unit 4 to form an illuminance fixed pattern 46 that is independent of the brightness of the image IMG for a specific object A that should form a composite medium illuminance pattern 44 with an illuminance lower than that of the composite high illuminance pattern 42 and a illuminance higher than that of the composite light-shielding pattern 40. The illuminance fixed patterns 46 formed by the first luminaire unit 2 and the second luminaire unit 4 are overlapped to form a composite medium illuminance pattern 44.

[0071] As a specific object A, a light reflector that is not self-luminous and can reflect high-brightness light can be cited. By forming a synthetic illuminance pattern 44 for such a light reflector, the visual recognition of the light reflector can be maintained while reducing glare caused by the light reflector. Therefore, the driver of this vehicle can improve the visual recognition of the area in front.

[0072] Furthermore, in recent years, research and development of Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving technologies, which assist drivers in their driving operations, have been advancing. In ADAS or autonomous driving technologies, cameras and other imaging devices, acting as mechanical eyes, monitor the situation ahead of the vehicle and execute vehicle controls accordingly. If bright light is reflected from a reflective object, it will appear washed out in the image generated by the imaging device, potentially hindering situational awareness. Conversely, if the light illumination on the reflective object is reduced, it becomes difficult for the imaging device to detect it. Therefore, the light distribution control in this embodiment is also useful for improving the accuracy of ADAS or autonomous driving technologies.

[0073] Furthermore, in this embodiment, illuminance fixed patterns 46 are each formed by the first luminaire unit 2 and the second luminaire unit 4, and the two illuminance fixed patterns 46 are overlapped to form a composite intermediate illuminance pattern 44. Therefore, for each luminaire unit, compared to the case where so-called feedback control is performed to adjust the illuminance of the light distribution pattern to a level close to the target illuminance of a specific object A in the image IMG to form the composite intermediate illuminance pattern 44, light distribution control can be simplified. As a result, faster and more stable light distribution control can be achieved, reducing the load on the light distribution control device 8.

[0074] Furthermore, the light distribution control device 8 of this embodiment controls the first luminaire unit 2 in a manner that forms a first illuminance fixed pattern 46a with an illuminance lower than that of the high illuminance pattern 42a and an illuminance higher than that of the light-shielding pattern 40a, for a specific target A. Additionally, it controls the second luminaire unit 4 in a manner that forms a second illuminance fixed pattern 46b with an illuminance lower than that of the first illuminance fixed pattern 46a. Thus, a composite medium illuminance pattern 44 can be formed through simple light distribution control.

[0075] Furthermore, the light distribution control device 8 of this embodiment controls the first luminaire unit 2 in a manner that forms the first fixed illuminance pattern 46a regardless of the presence or absence of a specific object A. Additionally, the second luminaire unit 4 is controlled in a manner that forms a high illuminance pattern 42b when the specific object A is not detected, and forms a second fixed illuminance pattern 46b when the specific object A is detected. That is, when the specific object A is absent, the first fixed illuminance pattern 46a and the high illuminance pattern 42b overlap to form a composite high illuminance pattern 42; when the specific object A appears, only the high illuminance pattern 42b formed by the second luminaire unit 4 is switched to the second fixed illuminance pattern 46b, thereby forming the second fixed illuminance pattern 46b. This further simplifies light distribution control and improves the stability of light distribution control.

[0076] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first lamp unit 2 and the second lamp unit 4 are disposed inside the lamp chamber 14, while the imaging device 6 is disposed outside the lamp chamber 14. With the imaging device 6 disposed outside the lamp chamber 14, the necessity for processing to correct the parallax between the first lamp unit 2 and the second lamp unit 4 and the imaging device 6 increases. Additionally, with the light distribution control device 8 disposed inside the lamp chamber 14, the communication time between the imaging device 6 and the light distribution control device 8 also increases. Therefore, the speed at which the light distribution control device 8 performs light distribution control tends to slow down. Maintaining the control speed increases the load applied to the light distribution control device 8.

[0077] Furthermore, since the resolution of the second lamp unit 4 is higher than that of the first lamp unit 2, it can form a more precise light distribution pattern. However, compared to the first lamp unit 2, the load on the light distribution control device 8 during control is greater. Consequently, compared to switching to the fixed illuminance pattern 46, the load on the light distribution control device 8 due to feedback control is greater. On the other hand, even with the parallax correction described above, the accuracy of the obtained target position information is more likely to be lower compared to the case where the imaging device 6 is positioned inside the lamp chamber 14.

[0078] Even if feedback control is performed by the high-resolution second lamp unit 4, the benefit is minimal if the accuracy of the object's position information is low, and the load applied to the light distribution control device 8 may be wasted. Therefore, when the imaging device 6 is located outside the lamp chamber 14, it is preferable that the second illuminance fixed pattern 46b is formed by the second lamp unit 4 as shown in this embodiment. This suppresses the application of unnecessary load to the light distribution control device 8.

[0079] (Implementation Method 2)

[0080] Embodiment 2 has the same configuration as Embodiment 1, except for the structure of the first lamp unit 2 and the second lamp unit 4 and the control function of the light distribution control device 8. Hereinafter, this embodiment will be described with a focus on the configuration that is different from Embodiment 1, and the common configuration will be briefly described or omitted. Figure 6 This is a diagram showing the schematic configuration of the vehicle lighting system 1 according to Embodiment 2. Figure 6 In, with Figure 1 Similarly, a portion of the constituent elements of the vehicle lighting system 1 is described as a functional block.

[0081] The vehicle lighting system 1 of this embodiment includes: a first lighting unit 2, a second lighting unit 4, a camera 6, and a light distribution control device 8. The first lighting unit 2, the second lighting unit 4, and the light distribution control device 8 are disposed within a lamp housing 14. The camera 6 is disposed outside the lamp housing 14, for example, on the side of the vehicle.

[0082] The first luminaire unit 2 has the same structure as the second luminaire unit 4 in Embodiment 1. That is, the first luminaire unit 2 has a light source array 30. By irradiating a visible light beam L2 from the light source array 30, the first luminaire unit 2 can form a first variable light distribution pattern PV1 consisting of a plurality of partial regions R1 arranged in a matrix. The resolution of the first luminaire unit 2 is higher than that of the second luminaire unit 4.

[0083] The second lighting unit 4 has the same structure as the first lighting unit 2 in Embodiment 1. That is, the second lighting unit 4 includes: a first light source group 16, a second light source group 18, a circuit board 20, a heat sink 22, a light-shielding member 24, a lens bracket 26, and a projection lens 28. The second lighting unit 4 can form a low beam light distribution pattern PL by irradiating the light from the first light source group 16. In addition, by irradiating a visible light beam L1 from the second light source group 18, a second variable light distribution pattern PV2 consisting of multiple partial regions R2 arranged in a horizontal direction can be formed.

[0084] The light distribution control device 8 controls the formation of the light distribution patterns of the first lamp unit 2 and the second lamp unit 4 based on the targets contained in the image IMG based on the imaging device 6. The light distribution control device 8 includes a condition determination unit 36 ​​and a pattern determination unit 38.

[0085] The light distribution control device 8 forms a composite light-shielding pattern 40 for the vehicle V ahead. Specifically, the pattern determination unit 38 determines a light-shielding pattern 40a that overlaps with the vehicle V ahead in the first variable light distribution pattern PV1. Additionally, it determines a light-shielding pattern 40b that overlaps with the vehicle V ahead in the second variable light distribution pattern PV2. Then, the pattern determination unit 38 controls the first lamp unit 2 to form the first variable light distribution pattern PV1 including the light-shielding pattern 40a, and controls the second lamp unit 4 to form the second variable light distribution pattern PV2 including the light-shielding pattern 40b. Thus, the light-shielding patterns 40a and 40b overlap, forming a composite light-shielding pattern 40 for the vehicle V ahead.

[0086] Furthermore, the pattern determination unit 38 forms a composite high-illuminance pattern 42 for areas where no object is present. Specifically, the pattern determination unit 38 determines a high-illuminance pattern 42a that overlaps with the area where no object is present in the first variable light distribution pattern PV1. Additionally, it determines a high-illuminance pattern 42b that overlaps with the area where no object is present in the second variable light distribution pattern PV2. Then, the pattern determination unit 38 controls the first luminaire unit 2 to form the first variable light distribution pattern PV1 containing the high-illuminance pattern 42a, and controls the second luminaire unit 4 to form the second variable light distribution pattern PV2 containing the high-illuminance pattern 42b. Thus, the high-illuminance patterns 42a and 42b overlap, forming a composite high-illuminance pattern 42 for the area where no object is present.

[0087] In addition, for a specific object A among the objects present in front of the vehicle, the light distribution control device 8 performs the following light distribution control. Figure 7 (A)~ Figure 7 (E) is a schematic diagram showing the light distribution patterns formed by the first luminaire unit 2 and the second luminaire unit 4 under the conditions of the presence and absence of a specific object A, respectively. Figure 7(A) indicates the light distribution pattern formed by the first luminaire unit 2 in the absence of a specific object A. Figure 7 (B) indicates the light distribution pattern formed by the first luminaire unit 2 in the presence of a specific object A. Figure 7 (C) indicates the light distribution pattern formed by the second luminaire unit 4 in the absence of a specific object A. Figure 7 (D) indicates the light distribution pattern formed by the second luminaire unit 4 in the presence of a specific object A. Figure 7 (E) indicates the situation where the light distribution pattern formed by the first luminaire unit 2 and the light distribution pattern formed by the second luminaire unit 4 are combined in the presence of a specific object A.

[0088] In this embodiment, the pattern determination unit 38 controls the first lighting unit 2 to form an illuminance fixed pattern 46 for a specific object A. Additionally, the pattern determination unit 38 controls the second lighting unit 4 to form an illuminance adjustment pattern 48 for the specific object A. The illuminance adjustment pattern 48 is a pattern that adjusts the illuminance so that the brightness (pixel value) of the specific object A in the image IMG is close to the target brightness. Thus, the illuminance fixed pattern 46 and the illuminance adjustment pattern 48 overlap to form a composite illuminance pattern 44 for the specific object A.

[0089] Specifically, the pattern determination unit 38 controls the first luminaire unit 2 to form a high-illuminance pattern 42a when a specific object A is not detected. For example, when the specific object A is not detected, the pattern determination unit 38, such as... Figure 7 As shown in (A), the entire first variable light distribution pattern PV1 is set to a high-illuminance pattern 42a. Furthermore, in the presence of a vehicle V ahead, a pattern including a shading pattern 40a is set. If a specific object A is detected, the pattern determination unit 38... Figure 7 As shown in (B), a light-shielding pattern 40a is determined in the first variable light distribution pattern PV1 that overlaps with the specific target A. This light-shielding pattern 40a corresponds to the illuminance fixed pattern 46.

[0090] Furthermore, the pattern determination unit 38 controls the second lighting unit 4 to form a high-illuminance pattern 42b when the specific object A is not detected. For example, when the specific object A is not detected, the pattern determination unit 38, such as... Figure 7 As shown in (C), the entire second variable light distribution pattern PV2 is set to a high-illuminance pattern 42b. Furthermore, in the presence of a vehicle V ahead, a pattern including a shading pattern 40b is set. If a specific object A is detected, the pattern determination unit 38... Figure 7 As shown in (D), an illuminance adjustment pattern 48 is determined in the second variable light distribution pattern PV2 that overlaps with the specific target A.

[0091] For example, the pattern determination unit 38 stores information related to the target brightness in advance in the memory. The target brightness is the brightness that reduces glare to the driver caused by reflected light from a specific object A and allows the driver to visually recognize the specific object A. It can be appropriately set based on experiments and simulations. The pattern determination unit 38 performs feedback control to determine the illuminance of the illuminance adjustment pattern 48 that should be formed next, based on the brightness of the region R2 in the image IMG that overlaps with the specific object A and the maintained target brightness.

[0092] Then, the pattern determination unit 38 controls the first luminaire unit 2 in a manner that forms a first variable light distribution pattern PV1 including a light-shielding pattern 40a, and controls the second luminaire unit 4 in a manner that forms a second variable light distribution pattern PV2 including an illuminance adjustment pattern 48. Thus, as Figure 7 As shown in (E), the light-shielding pattern 40a and the illuminance adjustment pattern 48 overlap to form a composite medium illuminance pattern 44 for a specific object A. The composite medium illuminance pattern 44 is the sum of the illuminance of the light-shielding pattern 40a and the illuminance of the illuminance adjustment pattern 48. In this embodiment, since the illuminance of the light-shielding pattern 40a is zero, the illuminance of the composite medium illuminance pattern 44 is equal to the illuminance of the illuminance adjustment pattern 48. Furthermore, the pattern determination unit 38 can also control the first luminaire unit 2 to form a first illuminance fixed pattern 46a for a specific object A.

[0093] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of light distribution control in Embodiment 2. Furthermore, in the light distribution control of this embodiment, a first variable light distribution pattern PV1, which is generally a first fixed illuminance pattern 46a, and a second variable light distribution pattern PV2, which is generally a high illuminance pattern 42b, are formed when the system is stable.

[0094] The light distribution control device 8 determines whether the image IMG based on the imaging device 6 contains a vehicle V in front (S201). If the vehicle V is contained (Yes in S201), the light distribution control device 8 determines a light-blocking pattern 40a in the first variable light distribution pattern PV1 and a light-blocking pattern 40b in the second variable light distribution pattern PV2 (S202). Next, the light distribution control device 8 determines whether the image IMG contains a specific object A (S203). If the vehicle V is not contained (No in S201), step S202 is skipped and the process proceeds to step S203.

[0095] If a specific object A is included (S203 is yes), the light distribution control device 8 determines a shading pattern 40a in the first variable light distribution pattern PV1 and an illuminance adjustment pattern 48 in the second variable light distribution pattern PV2 (S204). Then, the light distribution control device 8 controls the first luminaire unit 2 and the second luminaire unit 4 in a manner that forms the determined light distribution patterns (S205), ending the routine. If a specific object A is not included (S203 is no), step S204 is skipped and the process proceeds to step S205.

[0096] The vehicle lighting system 1 of this embodiment, as described above, can also improve the driver's visual recognition of the vehicle in the same way as in Embodiment 1. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first lighting unit 2 forms a fixed illuminance pattern 46, and the second lighting unit 4 forms an illuminance adjustment pattern 48. These two light distribution patterns are superimposed to form a composite medium illuminance pattern 44. Therefore, compared to the case where the composite medium illuminance pattern 44 is formed by feedback control performed by two lighting units, the light distribution control can be simplified. As a result, the light distribution control can be made faster and more stable, reducing the load on the light distribution control device 8. In addition, by forming the illuminance adjustment pattern 48, the illuminance of the composite medium illuminance pattern 44 can be varied according to the different reflectivities of light reflectors. Therefore, the driver's visual recognition of the vehicle can be further improved.

[0097] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first lamp unit 2 and the second lamp unit 4 are disposed inside the lamp chamber 14, and the imaging device 6 is disposed outside the lamp chamber 14. The first lamp unit 2, with its relatively high resolution, forms a light-shielding pattern 40a with a fixed illuminance, while the second lamp unit 4, with its relatively low resolution, forms an illuminance adjustment pattern 48. This suppresses the application of unnecessary loads to the light distribution control device 8.

[0098] (Implementation Method 3)

[0099] Embodiment 3, except for the configuration of the imaging device 6 and the control functions of the light distribution control device 8, has the same configuration as Embodiment 1. Hereinafter, this embodiment will be described focusing on the configurations different from Embodiment 1, while the common configurations will be briefly described or omitted. Figure 9 This is a diagram showing the schematic configuration of the vehicle lighting system 1 according to embodiment 3. Figure 9 In, with Figure 1 Similarly, a portion of the constituent elements of the vehicle lighting system 1 is described as a functional block.

[0100] The vehicle lighting system 1 of this embodiment includes: a first lighting unit 2, a second lighting unit 4, an imaging device 6, and a light distribution control device 8. The first lighting unit 2, the second lighting unit 4, the imaging device 6, and the light distribution control device 8 are disposed in the lamp chamber 14.

[0101] The first lighting unit 2 has the same structure as the first lighting unit 2 in Embodiment 1. That is, the first lighting unit 2 includes: a first light source group 16, a second light source group 18, a circuit board 20, a heat sink 22, a light-shielding member 24, a lens bracket 26, and a projection lens 28. The first lighting unit 2 can form a low beam light distribution pattern PL by irradiating light from the first light source group 16. In addition, by irradiating a visible light beam L1 from the second light source group 18, a first variable light distribution pattern PV1 consisting of multiple partial regions R1 arranged in a horizontal direction can be formed.

[0102] The second lighting unit 4 has the same structure as the second lighting unit 4 in Embodiment 1. That is, the second lighting unit 4 has a light source array 30. By irradiating light from the light source array 30, the second lighting unit 4 can form a second variable light distribution pattern PV2 consisting of multiple partial regions R2 arranged in a matrix. The resolution of the second lighting unit 4 is higher than that of the first lighting unit 2.

[0103] The light distribution control device 8 controls the formation of the light distribution patterns of the first lamp unit 2 and the second lamp unit 4 based on the targets contained in the image IMG based on the imaging device 6. The light distribution control device 8 includes a condition determination unit 36 ​​and a pattern determination unit 38.

[0104] The light distribution control device 8 forms a composite light-shielding pattern 40 for the vehicle V ahead. Specifically, the pattern determination unit 38 determines a light-shielding pattern 40a that overlaps with the vehicle V ahead in the first variable light distribution pattern PV1. Additionally, it determines a light-shielding pattern 40b that overlaps with the vehicle V ahead in the second variable light distribution pattern PV2. Then, the pattern determination unit 38 controls the first lamp unit 2 to form the first variable light distribution pattern PV1 including the light-shielding pattern 40a, and controls the second lamp unit 4 to form the second variable light distribution pattern PV2 including the light-shielding pattern 40b. Thus, the light-shielding patterns 40a and 40b overlap, forming a composite light-shielding pattern 40 for the vehicle V ahead.

[0105] Furthermore, the pattern determination unit 38 forms a composite high-illuminance pattern 42 for areas where no object is present. Specifically, the pattern determination unit 38 determines a first fixed illuminance pattern 46a that overlaps with the area where no object is present in the first variable light distribution pattern PV1. Additionally, it determines a high-illuminance pattern 42b that overlaps with the area where no object is present in the second variable light distribution pattern PV2. Then, the pattern determination unit 38 controls the first luminaire unit 2 to form a first variable light distribution pattern PV1 including the first fixed illuminance pattern 46a, and controls the second luminaire unit 4 to form a second variable light distribution pattern PV2 including the high-illuminance pattern 42b. Thus, the first fixed illuminance pattern 46a and the high-illuminance pattern 42b overlap, forming a composite high-illuminance pattern 42 for the area where no object is present.

[0106] In addition, for a specific object A among the objects present in front of the vehicle, the light distribution control device 8 performs the following light distribution control. Figure 10 (A)~ Figure 10 (E) is a schematic diagram showing the light distribution patterns formed by the first luminaire unit 2 and the second luminaire unit 4 under the conditions of the presence and absence of a specific object A, respectively. Figure 10 (A) indicates the light distribution pattern formed by the first luminaire unit 2 in the absence of a specific object A. Figure 10 (B) indicates the light distribution pattern formed by the first luminaire unit 2 in the presence of a specific object A. Figure 10 (C) indicates the light distribution pattern formed by the second luminaire unit 4 in the absence of a specific object A. Figure 10 (D) indicates the light distribution pattern formed by the second luminaire unit 4 in the presence of a specific object A. Figure 10 (E) indicates the situation where the light distribution pattern formed by the first luminaire unit 2 and the light distribution pattern formed by the second luminaire unit 4 are combined in the presence of a specific object A.

[0107] In this embodiment, the pattern determination unit 38 controls the first luminaire unit 2 to form an illuminance fixed pattern 46 for a specific object A. Additionally, the pattern determination unit 38 controls the second luminaire unit 4 to form an illuminance adjustment pattern 48 for the specific object A. Thus, the illuminance fixed pattern 46 and the illuminance adjustment pattern 48 overlap, forming a composite intermediate illuminance pattern 44 for the specific object A.

[0108] Specifically, the pattern determination unit 38 determines a first illuminance fixed pattern 46a that overlaps with the specific object A in the first variable light distribution pattern PV1. In this embodiment, the pattern determination unit 38 controls the first luminaire unit 2 to form the first illuminance fixed pattern 46a independently of the presence or absence of the specific object A. For example, if the specific object A is absent, the pattern determination unit 38 may... Figure 10As shown in (A), the entire first variable light distribution pattern PV1 is set as the first fixed illuminance pattern 46a. Therefore, in the case of... Figure 10 When a specific object A appears in front of the vehicle as shown in (B), the first illuminance fixed pattern 46a is naturally determined for that specific object A. Furthermore, in the case of a vehicle V in front, a pattern including the shading pattern 40a is set.

[0109] Furthermore, the pattern determination unit 38 controls the second lighting unit 4 to form a high-illuminance pattern 42b when the specific object A is not detected. For example, when the specific object A is not detected, the pattern determination unit 38, such as... Figure 10 As shown in (C), the entire second variable light distribution pattern PV2 is set to a high-illuminance pattern 42b. Furthermore, in the presence of a vehicle V ahead, a pattern including a shading pattern 40b is set. If a specific object A is detected, the pattern determination unit 38... Figure 10 As shown in (D), an illuminance adjustment pattern 48 is determined in the second variable light distribution pattern PV2 that overlaps with the specific target A.

[0110] Then, the pattern determination unit 38 controls the first luminaire unit 2 in a manner that forms a first variable light distribution pattern PV1 including a first fixed illuminance pattern 46a, and controls the second luminaire unit 4 in a manner that forms a second variable light distribution pattern PV2 including an illuminance adjustment pattern 48. Thus, as Figure 10 As shown in (E), the first fixed illuminance pattern 46a and the illuminance adjustment pattern 48 overlap to form a composite medium illuminance pattern 44 for a specific object A. The composite medium illuminance pattern 44 is the sum of the illuminance of the first fixed illuminance pattern 46a and the illuminance of the illuminance adjustment pattern 48.

[0111] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of light distribution control in Embodiment 3. Furthermore, in the light distribution control of this embodiment, a first variable light distribution pattern PV1, which is generally a first fixed illuminance pattern 46a, and a second variable light distribution pattern PV2, which is generally a high illuminance pattern 42b, are formed when the system is stable.

[0112] The light distribution control device 8 determines whether the image IMG based on the imaging device 6 contains a vehicle V in front (S301). If the vehicle V is contained (Yes in S301), the light distribution control device 8 determines a light-blocking pattern 40a in the first variable light distribution pattern PV1 and a light-blocking pattern 40b in the second variable light distribution pattern PV2 (S302). Next, the light distribution control device 8 determines whether the image IMG contains a specific object A (S303). If the vehicle V is not contained (No in S301), step S302 is skipped and the process proceeds to step S303.

[0113] If a specific object A is included (S303 Yes), the light distribution control device 8 determines the illuminance adjustment pattern 48 in the second variable light distribution pattern PV2 (S304). Then, the light distribution control device 8 controls the first luminaire unit 2 and the second luminaire unit 4 in a manner that forms the determined light distribution pattern (S305), ending the routine. If a specific object A is not included (S303 No), step S304 is skipped and the process proceeds to step S305.

[0114] The vehicle lighting system 1 of this embodiment, as described above, can also improve the driver's visual recognition of the vehicle in the same way as in Embodiment 1. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first lighting unit 2 forms a fixed illuminance pattern 46, and the second lighting unit 4 forms an illuminance adjustment pattern 48. These two light distribution patterns are superimposed to form a composite medium illuminance pattern 44. Therefore, compared to the case where the composite medium illuminance pattern 44 is formed by feedback control performed by two lighting units, the light distribution control can be simplified. As a result, the light distribution control can be made faster and more stable, reducing the load on the light distribution control device 8. In addition, by forming the illuminance adjustment pattern 48, the illuminance of the composite medium illuminance pattern 44 can be varied according to the different reflectivities of light reflectors. Therefore, the driver's visual recognition of the vehicle can be further improved.

[0115] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first lighting unit 2, the second lighting unit 4, and the imaging device 6 are disposed within the lamp chamber 14. With the imaging device 6 disposed within the lamp chamber 14, the necessity for parallax correction between the first lighting unit 2, the second lighting unit 4, and the imaging device 6 is reduced. Additionally, with the light distribution control device 8 disposed within the lamp chamber 14, the communication time between the imaging device 6 and the light distribution control device 8 is also shortened. Therefore, compared to the case where the imaging device 6 is disposed outside the lamp chamber 14, it is easier to suppress the increase in load applied to the light distribution control device 8. Furthermore, compared to the case where the imaging device 6 is disposed outside the lamp chamber 14, the obtained target position information tends to be more accurate.

[0116] The execution of feedback control by the high-resolution second lamp unit 4 places a heavy load on the light distribution control device 8. However, when the imaging device 6 is disposed within the lamp housing 14, the load on the light distribution control device 8 can be easily reduced by omitting parallax correction processing and shortening communication time. Therefore, when the imaging device 6 is disposed within the lamp housing 14, as shown in this embodiment, by forming the illuminance adjustment pattern 48 by the second lamp unit 4, it is possible to suppress the undue load on the light distribution control device 8 and to form a more precise light distribution pattern, thereby improving the driver's visual recognition.

[0117] (Implementation Method 4)

[0118] Embodiment 4 has the same configuration as Embodiment 3, except for the control functions of the light distribution control device 8. Hereinafter, this embodiment will be described focusing on the configurations that differ from Embodiment 3, while the common configurations will be briefly described or omitted.

[0119] The vehicle lighting system 1 of this embodiment includes: a first lighting unit 2, a second lighting unit 4, an imaging device 6, and a light distribution control device 8. The first lighting unit 2, the second lighting unit 4, the imaging device 6, and the light distribution control device 8 are disposed within a lamp housing 14 (see reference). Figure 9 ).

[0120] The first luminaire unit 2 includes: a first light source group 16, a second light source group 18, a circuit board 20, a heat sink 22, a light-shielding member 24, a lens bracket 26, and a projection lens 28. The first luminaire unit 2 can form a low-beam light distribution pattern PL by irradiating light from the first light source group 16. Furthermore, by irradiating a visible light beam L1 from the second light source group 18, a first variable light distribution pattern PV1 consisting of multiple sets of partial regions R1 arranged in a horizontal direction can be formed.

[0121] The second luminaire unit 4 has a light source array 30. By irradiating light from the light source array 30, the second luminaire unit 4 can form a second variable light distribution pattern PV2 consisting of multiple partial regions R2 arranged in a matrix. The resolution of the second luminaire unit 4 is higher than that of the first luminaire unit 2.

[0122] The light distribution control device 8 controls the formation of the light distribution patterns of the first lamp unit 2 and the second lamp unit 4 based on the targets contained in the image IMG based on the imaging device 6. The light distribution control device 8 includes a condition determination unit 36 ​​and a pattern determination unit 38.

[0123] The light distribution control device 8 forms a composite light-shielding pattern 40 for the vehicle V ahead. Specifically, the pattern determination unit 38 determines a light-shielding pattern 40a that overlaps with the vehicle V ahead in the first variable light distribution pattern PV1. Additionally, it determines a light-shielding pattern 40b that overlaps with the vehicle V ahead in the second variable light distribution pattern PV2. Then, the pattern determination unit 38 controls the first lamp unit 2 to form the first variable light distribution pattern PV1 including the light-shielding pattern 40a, and controls the second lamp unit 4 to form the second variable light distribution pattern PV2 including the light-shielding pattern 40b. Thus, the light-shielding patterns 40a and 40b overlap, forming a composite light-shielding pattern 40 for the vehicle V ahead.

[0124] Furthermore, the pattern determination unit 38 forms a composite high-illuminance pattern 42 for areas where no object is present. Specifically, the pattern determination unit 38 determines a high-illuminance pattern 42a that overlaps with the area where no object is present in the first variable light distribution pattern PV1. Additionally, it determines a high-illuminance pattern 42b that overlaps with the area where no object is present in the second variable light distribution pattern PV2. Then, the pattern determination unit 38 controls the first luminaire unit 2 to form the first variable light distribution pattern PV1 containing the high-illuminance pattern 42a, and controls the second luminaire unit 4 to form the second variable light distribution pattern PV2 containing the high-illuminance pattern 42b. Thus, the high-illuminance patterns 42a and 42b overlap, forming a composite high-illuminance pattern 42 for the area where no object is present.

[0125] In addition, for a specific object A among the objects present in front of the vehicle, the light distribution control device 8 performs the following light distribution control. Figure 12 (A)~ Figure 12 (E) is a schematic diagram showing the light distribution patterns formed by the first luminaire unit 2 and the second luminaire unit 4 under the conditions of the presence and absence of a specific object A, respectively. Figure 12 (A) indicates the light distribution pattern formed by the first luminaire unit 2 in the absence of a specific object A. Figure 12 (B) indicates the light distribution pattern formed by the first luminaire unit 2 in the presence of a specific object A. Figure 12 (C) indicates the light distribution pattern formed by the second luminaire unit 4 in the absence of a specific object A. Figure 12 (D) indicates the light distribution pattern formed by the second luminaire unit 4 in the presence of a specific object A. Figure 12 (E) indicates the situation where the light distribution pattern formed by the first luminaire unit 2 and the light distribution pattern formed by the second luminaire unit 4 are combined in the presence of a specific object A.

[0126] In this embodiment, the pattern determination unit 38 controls the first luminaire unit 2 to form an illuminance fixed pattern 46 for a specific object A. Additionally, the pattern determination unit 38 controls the second luminaire unit 4 to form an illuminance adjustment pattern 48 for the specific object A. Thus, the illuminance fixed pattern 46 and the illuminance adjustment pattern 48 overlap, forming a composite intermediate illuminance pattern 44 for the specific object A.

[0127] Specifically, the pattern determination unit 38 controls the first luminaire unit 2 to form a high-illuminance pattern 42a when a specific object A is not detected. For example, when the specific object A is not detected, the pattern determination unit 38, such as... Figure 12 As shown in (A), the entire first variable light distribution pattern PV1 is set to a high-illuminance pattern 42b. Furthermore, in the presence of a vehicle V ahead, a pattern including a shading pattern 40a is set. If a specific object A is detected, the pattern determination unit 38... Figure 12 As shown in (B), a light-shielding pattern 40a is determined in the first variable light distribution pattern PV1 that overlaps with the specific target A. This light-shielding pattern 40a corresponds to the illuminance fixed pattern 46.

[0128] Furthermore, the pattern determination unit 38 controls the second lighting unit 4 to form a high-illuminance pattern 42b when the specific object A is not detected. For example, when the specific object A is not detected, the pattern determination unit 38, such as... Figure 12 As shown in (C), the entire second variable light distribution pattern PV2 is set to a high-illuminance pattern 42b. Furthermore, in the presence of a vehicle V ahead, a pattern including a shading pattern 40b is set. If a specific object A is detected, the pattern determination unit 38... Figure 12 As shown in (D), an illuminance adjustment pattern 48 is determined in the second variable light distribution pattern PV2 that overlaps with the specific target A.

[0129] Then, the pattern determination unit 38 controls the first luminaire unit 2 in a manner that forms a first variable light distribution pattern PV1 including a light-shielding pattern 40a, and controls the second luminaire unit 4 in a manner that forms a second variable light distribution pattern PV2 including an illuminance adjustment pattern 48. Thus, as Figure 12 As shown in (E), the light-shielding pattern 40a and the illuminance adjustment pattern 48 overlap to form a composite medium illuminance pattern 44 for a specific object A. The composite medium illuminance pattern 44 is the sum of the illuminance of the light-shielding pattern 40a and the illuminance of the illuminance adjustment pattern 48. In this embodiment, since the illuminance of the light-shielding pattern 40a is zero, the illuminance of the composite medium illuminance pattern 44 is equal to the illuminance of the illuminance adjustment pattern 48. Furthermore, the pattern determination unit 38 can also control the first luminaire unit 2 to form a first illuminance fixed pattern 46a for a specific object A.

[0130] A flowchart illustrating an example of light distribution control in this embodiment and a flowchart illustrating embodiment 2 ( Figure 8 The process is essentially the same. Specifically, the light distribution control device 8 determines whether the image IMG based on the imaging device 6 contains a vehicle V in front (S201). If the vehicle V is present (yes in S201), the light distribution control device 8 determines a light-blocking pattern 40a in the first variable light distribution pattern PV1 and a light-blocking pattern 40b in the second variable light distribution pattern PV2 (S202). Next, the light distribution control device 8 determines whether the image IMG contains a specific object A (S203). If the vehicle V is not present (no in S201), step S202 is skipped, and step S203 is performed.

[0131] If a specific object A is included (S203 is yes), the light distribution control device 8 determines a shading pattern 40a in the first variable light distribution pattern PV1 and an illuminance adjustment pattern 48 in the second variable light distribution pattern PV2 (S204). Then, the light distribution control device 8 controls the first luminaire unit 2 and the second luminaire unit 4 in a manner that forms the determined light distribution patterns (S205), ending the routine. If a specific object A is not included (S203 is no), step S204 is skipped and the process proceeds to step S205.

[0132] The vehicle lighting system 1 of this embodiment, as described above, can also improve the driver's visual recognition of the vehicle in the same way as in Embodiment 1. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first lighting unit 2 forms a fixed illuminance pattern 46, and the second lighting unit 4 forms an illuminance adjustment pattern 48. These two light distribution patterns are superimposed to form a composite medium illuminance pattern 44. Therefore, compared to the case where the composite medium illuminance pattern 44 is formed by feedback control performed by two lighting units, the light distribution control can be simplified. As a result, the light distribution control can be made faster and more stable, reducing the load on the light distribution control device 8. In addition, by forming the illuminance adjustment pattern 48, the illuminance of the composite medium illuminance pattern 44 can be varied according to the different reflectivities of light reflectors. Therefore, the driver's visual recognition of the vehicle can be further improved.

[0133] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first lamp unit 2, the second lamp unit 4, and the imaging device 6 are disposed within the lamp chamber 14. The first lamp unit 2, with its relatively lower resolution, forms a shading pattern 40a with fixed illuminance, while the second lamp unit 4, with its relatively higher resolution, forms an illuminance adjustment pattern 48. This suppresses unnecessary load on the light distribution control device 8 and enables the formation of a more precise light distribution pattern, thereby improving the driver's visual recognition.

[0134] The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above. The above embodiments are merely specific examples of implementing the present invention. The content of the embodiments does not limit the technical scope of the present invention; various design changes, such as alterations, additions, and deletions of constituent elements, can be made without departing from the inventive spirit defined in the claims. New embodiments with applied design changes combine the effects of the combined embodiments and the variations. In the above embodiments, the content that allows such design changes is emphasized by expressions such as "in this embodiment" or "in this embodiment," but design changes are also permitted for content without such expressions. Any combination of the above constituent elements is also valid as a solution of the present invention. The shading lines in the cross-section annotations of the drawings do not limit the material of the objects marked with shading lines.

[0135] The invention described above can also be determined by the items described below.

[0136] [Project 1]

[0137] A vehicle lighting system (1) includes:

[0138] The first luminaire unit (2) and the second luminaire unit (4) are capable of forming light distribution patterns (PV1, PV2) with variable intensity distribution, and

[0139] The light distribution control device (8) controls the formation of the light distribution patterns (PV1, PV2) of the first lamp unit (2) and the second lamp unit (4) based on the targets contained in the image (IMG) of the imaging device (6);

[0140] Light distribution control device(8)

[0141] For areas where no object is present, at least one of the first luminaire unit (2) and the second luminaire unit (4) is controlled to form a high illuminance pattern (42a, 42b) with a specified illuminance. The light distribution patterns formed by the first luminaire unit (2) and the second luminaire unit (4) are overlapped to form a composite high illuminance pattern (42).

[0142] For the vehicle (V) in front of the target, the first lamp unit (2) and the second lamp unit (4) are controlled to form a light-shielding pattern (40a, 40b) with a brightness independent of the image (IMG) by forming a light-shielding pattern (40a, 40b) with a lower illuminance than the high-illuminance pattern (42a, 42b). The light-shielding patterns (40a, 40b) formed by the first lamp unit (2) and the second lamp unit (4) are superimposed to form a composite light-shielding pattern (40).

[0143] For a specific object (A) in the object that should form a composite medium illuminance pattern (44) with an illuminance lower than that of the composite high illuminance pattern (42) and a illuminance higher than that of the composite shading pattern (40), the first luminaire unit (2) is controlled in such a way as to form an illuminance fixed pattern (46) independent of the brightness of the image (IMG), and the second luminaire unit (4) is controlled in such a way as to form an illuminance fixed pattern (46) independent of the brightness of the image (IMG) or to form an illuminance adjustment pattern (48), the illuminance adjustment pattern (48) adjusting the illuminance so that the brightness of the specific object (A) in the image (IMG) is close to the target brightness, and the light distribution patterns formed by the first luminaire unit (2) and the second luminaire unit (4) are superimposed to form a composite medium illuminance pattern (44).

[0144] [Project 2]

[0145] As described in Project 1, the vehicle lighting system (1),

[0146] The light distribution control device (8) is designed for a specific target (A).

[0147] The first luminaire unit (2) is controlled by a first illuminance fixed pattern (46a) that forms an illuminance higher than the shading pattern (40a) by a illuminance lower than the high illuminance pattern (42a).

[0148] The second luminaire unit (4) is controlled in such a way that a second illuminance fixed pattern (46b) with a lower illuminance than the first illuminance fixed pattern (46a) is formed.

[0149] [Project 3]

[0150] As described in Project 2, the vehicle lighting system (1),

[0151] Light distribution control device(8)

[0152] The first luminaire unit (2) is controlled in a manner that forms a first fixed illuminance pattern (46a) independent of the presence or absence of a specific object (A).

[0153] The second luminaire unit (4) is controlled in such a way that a high illuminance pattern (42b) is formed when a specific object (A) is not detected, and a second fixed illuminance pattern (46b) is formed when a specific object (A) is detected.

[0154] [Project 4]

[0155] As described in item 2 or 3, vehicle lighting system (1),

[0156] The first lighting unit (2) and the second lighting unit (4) are arranged in the lamp room (14);

[0157] The shooting device (6) is located outside the light chamber (14).

[0158] [Project 5]

[0159] As described in Project 1, the vehicle lighting system (1),

[0160] The light distribution control device (8) is designed for a specific target (A).

[0161] The first luminaire unit (2) is controlled in a manner that forms a shading pattern (40a) or a first illuminance fixed pattern (46a) that forms a higher illuminance than the shading pattern (40a) from an illuminance lower than the high illuminance pattern (42a).

[0162] The second luminaire unit (4) is controlled in a manner that forms an illuminance adjustment pattern (48).

[0163] [Project 6]

[0164] As described in Project 5, the vehicle lighting system (1),

[0165] Light distribution control device(8)

[0166] The first luminaire unit (2) is controlled in such a way that a high illuminance pattern (42a) is formed when a specific object (A) is not detected, and a light-blocking pattern (40a) or a first illuminance fixed pattern (46a) is formed when a specific object (A) is detected.

[0167] The second luminaire unit (4) is controlled in such a way that a high illuminance pattern (42b) is formed when a specific object (A) is not detected, and an illuminance adjustment pattern (48) is formed when a specific object (A) is detected.

[0168] [Project 7]

[0169] As described in Project 5, the vehicle lighting system (1),

[0170] Light distribution control device(8)

[0171] The first luminaire unit (2) is controlled in a manner that forms a first fixed illuminance pattern (46a) independent of the presence or absence of a specific object (A).

[0172] The second luminaire unit (4) is controlled in such a way that a high illuminance pattern (42b) is formed when a specific object (A) is not detected, and an illuminance adjustment pattern (48) is formed when a specific object (A) is detected.

[0173] [Project 8]

[0174] As described in Project 6, the vehicle lighting system (1),

[0175] The resolution of the first lighting unit (2) is higher than that of the second lighting unit (4);

[0176] The first lighting unit (2) and the second lighting unit (4) are arranged in the lamp room (14);

[0177] The shooting device (6) is located outside the light chamber (14).

[0178] [Project 9]

[0179] As described in item 6 or 7, vehicle lighting systems (1),

[0180] The resolution of the second lighting unit (4) is higher than that of the first lighting unit (2);

[0181] The first lighting unit (2), the second lighting unit (4), and the shooting device (6) are arranged in the lighting chamber (14).

[0182] [Project 10]

[0183] A light distribution control device (8) controls the formation of light distribution patterns (PV1, PV2) of a first luminaire unit (2) and a second luminaire unit (4) based on a target contained in an image (IMG) of an imaging device (6). The first luminaire unit (2) and the second luminaire unit (4) are capable of forming light distribution patterns (PV1, PV2) with variable intensity distribution.

[0184] For areas where no object is present, at least one of the first luminaire unit (2) and the second luminaire unit (4) is controlled to form a high illuminance pattern (42a, 42b) with a specified illuminance. The light distribution patterns formed by the first luminaire unit (2) and the second luminaire unit (4) are overlapped to form a composite high illuminance pattern (42).

[0185] For the vehicle (V) in front of the target, the first lamp unit (2) and the second lamp unit (4) are controlled to form a light-shielding pattern (40a, 40b) with a brightness independent of the image (IMG) by forming a light-shielding pattern (40a, 40b) with a lower illuminance than the high-illuminance pattern (42a, 42b). The light-shielding patterns (40a, 40b) formed by the first lamp unit (2) and the second lamp unit (4) are superimposed to form a composite light-shielding pattern (40).

[0186] For a specific object (A) in the object that should form a composite medium illuminance pattern (44) with an illuminance lower than that of the composite high illuminance pattern (42) and a illuminance higher than that of the composite shading pattern (40), the first luminaire unit (2) is controlled in such a way as to form an illuminance fixed pattern (46) independent of the brightness of the image (IMG), and the second luminaire unit (4) is controlled in such a way as to form an illuminance fixed pattern (46) independent of the brightness of the image (IMG) or to form an illuminance adjustment pattern (48), the illuminance adjustment pattern (48) adjusting the illuminance so that the brightness of the specific object (A) in the image (IMG) is close to the target brightness, and the light distribution patterns formed by the first luminaire unit (2) and the second luminaire unit (4) are superimposed to form a composite medium illuminance pattern (44).

[0187] [Project 11]

[0188] A light distribution control method is a method for controlling the formation of light distribution patterns (PV1, PV2) of a first lamp unit (2) and a second lamp unit (4) based on a target contained in an image (IMG) of an imaging device (6), wherein the first lamp unit (2) and the second lamp unit (4) are capable of forming light distribution patterns (PV1, PV2) with variable intensity distribution. The light distribution control method includes the following steps:

[0189] For areas where no object is present, at least one of the first luminaire unit (2) and the second luminaire unit (4) is controlled to form a high illuminance pattern (42a, 42b) with a specified illuminance. The light distribution patterns formed by the first luminaire unit (2) and the second luminaire unit (4) are overlapped to form a composite high illuminance pattern (42).

[0190] For the vehicle (V) in front of the target, the first lamp unit (2) and the second lamp unit (4) are controlled to form a light-shielding pattern (40a, 40b) with a brightness independent of the image (IMG) by forming a light-shielding pattern (40a, 40b) with a lower illuminance than the high-illuminance pattern (42a, 42b). The light-shielding patterns (40a, 40b) formed by the first lamp unit (2) and the second lamp unit (4) are superimposed to form a composite light-shielding pattern (40).

[0191] For a specific object (A) in the object that should form a composite medium illuminance pattern (44) with an illuminance lower than that of the composite high illuminance pattern (42) and a illuminance higher than that of the composite shading pattern (40), the first luminaire unit (2) is controlled in such a way as to form an illuminance fixed pattern (46) independent of the brightness of the image (IMG), and the second luminaire unit (4) is controlled in such a way as to form an illuminance fixed pattern (46) independent of the brightness of the image (IMG) or to form an illuminance adjustment pattern (48), the illuminance adjustment pattern (48) adjusting the illuminance so that the brightness of the specific object (A) in the image (IMG) is close to the target brightness, and the light distribution patterns formed by the first luminaire unit (2) and the second luminaire unit (4) are superimposed to form a composite medium illuminance pattern (44).

[0192] [Industrial Availability]

[0193] This invention can be used in vehicle lighting systems, light distribution control devices, and light distribution control methods.

[0194] [Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures]

[0195] 1. Vehicle lighting system; 2. First lighting unit; 4. Second lighting unit; 6. Imaging device; 8. Light distribution control device; 14. Lamp chamber; 40. Composite shading pattern; 40a and 40b. Shading patterns; 42. Composite high-illuminance pattern; 42a and 42b. High-illuminance patterns; 44. Composite medium-illuminance pattern; 46. Illuminance fixed pattern; 46a. First illuminance fixed pattern; 46b. Second illuminance fixed pattern; 48. Illuminance adjustment pattern; A. Specific object; CL. Cut-off line; IMG image; PL. Light distribution pattern for low beam; V. Vehicle ahead.

Claims

1. A vehicle lighting system, comprising: The first and second luminaire units are capable of forming a light distribution pattern with variable intensity distribution, and A light distribution control device that controls the formation of light distribution patterns of the first lamp unit and the second lamp unit based on targets contained in an image captured by the imaging device; The light distribution control device For areas where the target is absent, at least one of the first luminaire unit and the second luminaire unit is controlled to form a high-illuminance pattern with a specified illuminance. The light distribution patterns formed by the first luminaire unit and the second luminaire unit are overlapped to form a composite high-illuminance pattern. For the vehicle ahead in the target, the first lamp unit and the second lamp unit are controlled to form a light-shielding pattern that is independent of the brightness of the image, by forming a light-shielding pattern with an illuminance lower than that of the high-illuminance pattern. The light-shielding patterns formed by the first lamp unit and the second lamp unit are overlapped to form a composite light-shielding pattern. For a specific object in the image that should form a composite medium illuminance pattern with an illuminance lower than the composite high illuminance pattern but higher than the composite shading pattern, the first luminaire unit is controlled to form an illuminance fixed pattern independent of the image's brightness. The second luminaire unit is controlled to form either an illuminance fixed pattern independent of the image's brightness or an illuminance adjustment pattern. The illuminance adjustment pattern adjusts the illuminance so that the brightness of the specific object in the image approaches a target brightness. The light distribution patterns formed by the first and second luminaire units are overlapped to form the composite medium illuminance pattern. The light distribution control device is designed for the specific target. The first luminaire unit is controlled in a manner that forms the light-shielding pattern or a first illuminance fixed pattern that forms a higher illuminance than the light-shielding pattern from an illuminance lower than the high illuminance pattern. The second luminaire unit is controlled in a manner that forms the illuminance adjustment pattern.

2. The vehicle lighting system as described in claim 1, The light distribution control device is designed for the specific target. The first luminaire unit is controlled in a manner that forms a first illuminance fixed pattern, which consists of an illuminance lower than the high illuminance pattern and an illuminance higher than the light-shielding pattern. The second luminaire unit is controlled in such a way that it forms a second illuminance fixed pattern with a lower illuminance than the first illuminance fixed pattern.

3. The vehicle lighting system as described in claim 2, The light distribution control device The first luminaire unit is controlled in a manner that forms the first fixed illuminance pattern regardless of the presence or absence of the specific object. The second luminaire unit is controlled in such a way that the high illuminance pattern is formed when the specific object is not detected, and the second fixed illuminance pattern is formed when the specific object is detected.

4. The vehicle lighting system as described in claim 2 or 3, The first lighting unit and the second lighting unit are disposed in the lamp chamber; The camera is positioned outside the light fixture.

5. The vehicle lighting system as described in claim 1, The light distribution control device The first luminaire unit is controlled to form the high-illuminance pattern when the specific object is not detected, and to form the light-blocking pattern or the first fixed-illuminance pattern when the specific object is detected. The second luminaire unit is controlled in such a way that the high illuminance pattern is formed when the specific object is not detected, and the illuminance adjustment pattern is formed when the specific object is detected.

6. The vehicle lighting system as described in claim 1, The light distribution control device The first luminaire unit is controlled in a manner that forms the first fixed illuminance pattern regardless of the presence or absence of the specific object. The second luminaire unit is controlled in such a way that the high illuminance pattern is formed when the specific object is not detected, and the illuminance adjustment pattern is formed when the specific object is detected.

7. The vehicle lighting system as described in claim 5, The resolution of the first lighting unit is higher than that of the second lighting unit; The first lighting unit and the second lighting unit are disposed in the lamp chamber; The camera is positioned outside the light fixture.

8. The vehicle lighting system as described in claim 5 or 6, The resolution of the second lighting unit is higher than that of the first lighting unit; The first lighting unit, the second lighting unit, and the shooting device are disposed in the lighting chamber.

9. A light distribution control device that controls the formation of light distribution patterns of a first lamp unit and a second lamp unit based on a target contained in an image captured by an imaging device, wherein the first lamp unit and the second lamp unit are capable of forming a light distribution pattern with a variable intensity distribution. For areas where the target is absent, at least one of the first luminaire unit and the second luminaire unit is controlled to form a high-illuminance pattern with a specified illuminance. The light distribution patterns formed by the first luminaire unit and the second luminaire unit are overlapped to form a composite high-illuminance pattern. For the vehicle ahead in the target, the first lamp unit and the second lamp unit are controlled to form a light-shielding pattern that is independent of the brightness of the image, by forming a light-shielding pattern with an illuminance lower than that of the high-illuminance pattern. The light-shielding patterns formed by the first lamp unit and the second lamp unit are overlapped to form a composite light-shielding pattern. For a specific object in the image that should form a composite medium illuminance pattern with an illuminance lower than the composite high illuminance pattern but higher than the composite shading pattern, the first luminaire unit is controlled to form an illuminance fixed pattern independent of the image's brightness. The second luminaire unit is controlled to form either an illuminance fixed pattern independent of the image's brightness or an illuminance adjustment pattern. The illuminance adjustment pattern adjusts the illuminance so that the brightness of the specific object in the image approaches a target brightness. The light distribution patterns formed by the first and second luminaire units are overlapped to form the composite medium illuminance pattern. The light distribution control device is designed for the specific target. The first luminaire unit is controlled in a manner that forms the light-shielding pattern or a first illuminance fixed pattern that forms a higher illuminance than the light-shielding pattern from an illuminance lower than the high illuminance pattern. The second luminaire unit is controlled in a manner that forms the illuminance adjustment pattern.

10. A light distribution control method, which controls the formation of light distribution patterns of a first lamp unit and a second lamp unit based on a target contained in an image captured by an imaging device, wherein the first lamp unit and the second lamp unit are capable of forming a light distribution pattern with variable intensity distribution, the light distribution control method comprising the following steps: For areas where the target is absent, at least one of the first luminaire unit and the second luminaire unit is controlled to form a high-illuminance pattern with a specified illuminance. The light distribution patterns formed by the first luminaire unit and the second luminaire unit are overlapped to form a composite high-illuminance pattern. For the vehicle ahead in the target, the first lamp unit and the second lamp unit are controlled to form a light-shielding pattern that is independent of the brightness of the image, by forming a light-shielding pattern with an illuminance lower than that of the high-illuminance pattern. The light-shielding patterns formed by the first lamp unit and the second lamp unit are overlapped to form a composite light-shielding pattern. For a specific object in the image that should form a composite medium illuminance pattern with an illuminance lower than the composite high illuminance pattern but higher than the composite shading pattern, the first luminaire unit is controlled to form an illuminance fixed pattern independent of the image's brightness. The second luminaire unit is controlled to form either an illuminance fixed pattern independent of the image's brightness or an illuminance adjustment pattern. The illuminance adjustment pattern adjusts the illuminance so that the brightness of the specific object in the image approaches a target brightness. The light distribution patterns formed by the first and second luminaire units are overlapped to form the composite medium illuminance pattern. The light distribution control method is designed for the specific target. The first luminaire unit is controlled in a manner that forms the light-shielding pattern or a first illuminance fixed pattern that forms a higher illuminance than the light-shielding pattern from an illuminance lower than the high illuminance pattern. The second luminaire unit is controlled in a manner that forms the illuminance adjustment pattern.

Images