Headlight dimming control equipment, methods, systems and vehicles

By mapping the control module and the dimming motor, the illumination angle of the headlights is adjusted using pulse width modulation signals. This solves the problem of complex hardware circuit adjustment of mechanical dimming switches, enabling fast and low-cost dimming angle adjustment, and is suitable for multiple vehicle models.

CN119659455BActive Publication Date: 2025-12-02ZHEJIANG GEELY HLDG GRP CO LTD +1
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202411841951.1
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-12-13
Publication Date
2025-12-02
Estimated Expiration
2044-12-13

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The existing technology for adjusting the dimming angle corresponding to the headlight dimming level is complicated and requires adjusting the hardware circuit of the mechanical dimming switch, resulting in a long cycle, high cost, and inapplicability to different vehicle models.

Method used

By employing a control module and a dimming motor, the headlight's illumination angle is adjusted through the mapping relationship between the dimming level and the pulse width modulation signal, avoiding hardware circuit adjustments and requiring only the adjustment of the pulse width modulation signal.

Benefits of technology

It simplifies the headlight dimming angle adjustment process, shortens the rectification cycle, reduces costs, and is applicable to different vehicle models without the need to readjust the hardware circuitry.

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Abstract

This application provides a headlight dimming control device, method, system, and vehicle. The headlight dimming control device includes a control module and a dimming motor. The control module is configured to: receive a dimming command, wherein the dimming command instructs the headlight illumination angle to be adjusted to a target angle corresponding to a target dimming level; and, in response to the dimming command, locate a target pulse width modulation signal corresponding to the target dimming level according to the mapping relationship between dimming levels and pulse width modulation signals; and, based on the target pulse width modulation signal, control the dimming motor to adjust the headlight illumination angle to the target angle. This application can solve the problem of complex operation in adjusting the dimming angle corresponding to each dimming level of the headlight.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of vehicle technology, and in particular to a headlight dimming control device, method, system, and vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous improvement of living standards, the use of cars is increasing, and the resulting concerns about car safety are becoming more and more important. To reduce driving risks, relevant laws and regulations are constantly being improved and strengthened. As one of the active safety measures in automobiles, lighting fixtures are devices that provide illumination and signal indication for customers. The importance of lighting fixtures is self-evident; therefore, regulations regarding them are very strict. Regulations require that the headlights' beam angle be adjustable from inside the driver's seat to ensure that the headlights always illuminate the optimal driving area under different load conditions and vehicle postures, providing the safest lighting effect for the customer.

[0003] Currently, mechanical dimming switches are located on the dashboard. The internal hardware circuitry of the mechanical dimming switch controls each voltage level. Different voltage levels can be output through the mechanical dimming switch, which is transmitted to the headlight dimming motor via a hard wire. The dimming motor rotates accordingly under different voltages, causing the headlight reflector to rotate, thereby adjusting the headlight's illumination angle.

[0004] The dimming angles corresponding to the dimming levels of mechanical dimming switches deviated between initial theoretical calculations and subsequent real-world vehicle applications, necessitating optimization of the dimming angles for each dimming level based on actual vehicle conditions. Furthermore, to reduce development and verification costs and shorten the development and verification cycle, mechanical dimming switches and dimming motors are generally used across various vehicle models. However, different vehicle models have different loads and body postures, therefore, the dimming angles for each dimming level need to be readjusted for each model. Thus, there is a need to adjust the dimming angles corresponding to each dimming level.

[0005] Adjusting the dimming angle corresponding to each dimming level requires adjusting the output voltage of each dimming level of the mechanical dimming switch. The output voltage is controlled by the physical circuit, and adjusting the output voltage is done by adjusting the internal hardware circuit of the mechanical dimming switch. The internal hardware circuit of the mechanical dimming switch needs to be retested and verified, which is time-consuming and costly. Adjusting the dimming angle corresponding to each dimming level of the headlight is a complicated operation. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This application provides a headlight dimming control device, method, system, and vehicle to solve the problem of complex operation in adjusting the dimming angle corresponding to each dimming level of the headlight.

[0007] According to a first aspect of the embodiments of this application, a headlight dimming control device is provided, including a control module and a dimming motor;

[0008] The control module is used for:

[0009] Receive a dimming command, wherein the dimming command is used to instruct the headlights to be adjusted to the target angle corresponding to the target dimming level;

[0010] In addition, in response to the dimming command, the target pulse width modulation signal corresponding to the target dimming level is found according to the mapping relationship between the dimming level and the pulse width modulation signal;

[0011] Furthermore, based on the target pulse width modulation signal, the dimming motor is controlled to adjust the illumination angle of the headlights to the target angle.

[0012] Optionally, the control module includes a controller, a signal conversion submodule, and a motor drive chip;

[0013] The controller is configured to receive the dimming command; and, in response to the dimming command, locate the target pulse width modulation signal corresponding to the target dimming level according to the mapping relationship between the dimming level and the pulse width modulation signal; and, output the target pulse width modulation signal to the signal conversion submodule.

[0014] The signal conversion submodule is used to convert the target pulse width modulation signal into a target voltage signal and output the target voltage signal to the motor drive chip;

[0015] The motor drive chip is used to output a first voltage and a second voltage to the dimming motor based on the target voltage signal, wherein the first voltage and the second voltage are used to control the rotation of the dimming motor to adjust the illumination angle of the headlight to the target angle.

[0016] Optionally, the signal conversion submodule includes a switching circuit and a signal conversion circuit;

[0017] The switching circuit is used to convert the target pulse width modulation signal into a first pulse width modulation signal, and output the first pulse width modulation signal to the signal conversion circuit.

[0018] Wherein, the duty cycle of the first pulse width modulation signal is the same as that of the target pulse width modulation signal, and the voltage amplitude of the first pulse width modulation signal is determined based on the power supply voltage;

[0019] The signal conversion circuit is used to convert the first pulse width modulation signal into a target voltage signal and output the target voltage signal to the motor drive chip.

[0020] Optionally, the switching circuit includes a first controllable switch and a second controllable switch;

[0021] The first controllable switch is used to convert the target pulse width modulation signal into a second pulse width modulation signal, and output the second pulse width modulation signal to the second controllable switch;

[0022] The second controllable switch is used to convert the second pulse width modulation signal into a first pulse width modulation signal, and output the first pulse width modulation signal to the signal conversion circuit;

[0023] The sum of the duty cycle of the second pulse width modulation signal and the duty cycle of the target pulse width modulation signal is a preset value, and the voltage amplitude of the second pulse width modulation signal is determined based on the power supply voltage.

[0024] Optionally, different dimming levels correspond to different duty cycles of the pulse width modulation signal.

[0025] Optionally, the headlight dimming control device further includes a dimming command sending module;

[0026] The dimming command sending module is used to send dimming commands to the control module.

[0027] Optionally, the dimming command sending module includes an in-vehicle display screen;

[0028] The vehicle-mounted display screen is used to acquire dimming commands carried by the user's touch screen operation and send the dimming commands to the control module.

[0029] According to a second aspect of the embodiments of this application, a headlight dimming control method is provided, comprising:

[0030] Receive a dimming command, wherein the dimming command is used to instruct the headlights to be adjusted to the target angle corresponding to the target dimming level;

[0031] In response to the dimming command, the target pulse width modulation signal corresponding to the target dimming level is found according to the mapping relationship between the dimming level and the pulse width modulation signal;

[0032] Based on the target pulse width modulation signal, the dimming motor is controlled to adjust the illumination angle of the headlights to the target angle.

[0033] According to a third aspect of the embodiments of this application, a headlight dimming control system is provided, including a headlight dimming control device as described in the first aspect, a manual dimming ball head, a fixed ball head, a motor dimming ball head, and a headlight reflector.

[0034] The manual dimming ball head is connected to the headlight reflector, the fixed ball head is connected to the headlight reflector, the motor dimming ball head is connected to the headlight reflector, and the dimming motor is connected to the motor dimming ball head;

[0035] The dimming motor is used to rotate based on the target pulse width modulation signal, pull the motor dimming ball head to move, control the headlight reflector to rotate around the manual dimming ball head and the fixed ball head, and adjust the illumination angle of the headlight to the target angle.

[0036] According to a fourth aspect of the embodiments of this application, a vehicle is provided, including a headlight dimming control system as described in the third aspect.

[0037] In this application, the headlight dimming control device includes a control module and a dimming motor. The control module receives dimming commands, which instruct the headlights to adjust their illumination angle to the target angle corresponding to the target dimming level. Responding to the dimming commands, the control module locates the target pulse width modulation signal corresponding to the target dimming level according to the mapping relationship between dimming levels and pulse width modulation signals. Based on the target pulse width modulation signal, the control module adjusts the headlight illumination angle to the target angle. In this application, a mapping relationship exists between dimming levels and pulse width modulation signals. By controlling the dimming motor to adjust the headlight illumination angle through the pulse width modulation signal, the device eliminates the need to adjust the hardware circuitry when adjusting the dimming angle corresponding to each dimming level. Only the pulse width modulation signal corresponding to each dimming level needs adjustment. This allows for adjustments at any time, resulting in a short adjustment cycle and low cost. The operation of adjusting the dimming angle corresponding to each dimming level is simple. When the headlight dimming control device in this application is subsequently matched to other vehicle models, no hardware circuitry adjustment is required; only the pulse width modulation signal corresponding to each dimming level needs to be adjusted. Attached Figure Description

[0038] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0039] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a mechanical dimming switch and an instrument panel provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0040] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the circuit structure for controlling the rotation of a dimming motor with a mechanical dimming switch, as provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0041] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a headlight dimming control device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0042] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a headlight dimming control device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0043] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a headlight dimming control device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0044] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a headlight dimming control device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0045] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the circuit structure of a headlight dimming control device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0046] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a headlight dimming control device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0047] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of an in-vehicle display screen and control module provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0048] Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating a headlight dimming control method provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0049] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a headlight dimming control system provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0050] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0051] 100-Control module, 110-Controller, 120-Signal conversion submodule, 121-Switch circuit, 1211-First controllable switch, 1212-Second controllable switch, 122-Signal conversion circuit, 130-Motor driver chip, 200-Dimming motor, 300-Dimming command sending module. Detailed Implementation

[0052] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0053] Exemplary device

[0054] Currently, mechanical dimming switches are located on the dashboard. The internal hardware circuitry of the mechanical dimming switch controls each voltage level. Different voltage levels can be output through the mechanical dimming switch, which is transmitted to the headlight dimming motor via a hard wire. The dimming motor rotates accordingly under different voltages, causing the headlight reflector to rotate, thereby adjusting the headlight's illumination angle.

[0055] In an exemplary embodiment, such as Figure 1 The diagram shows a mechanical dimming switch and a dashboard. The mechanical dimming switch is located on the dashboard. The mechanical dimming switch occupies space, and its exposed placement affects aesthetics.

[0056] In an exemplary embodiment, such as Figure 2 The diagram shown is a schematic of the circuit structure for controlling the rotation of the dimming motor using a mechanical dimming switch. Figure 2 The mechanical dimming switch has three output terminals: V+ (positive power supply), V- (negative power supply), and an output voltage terminal. When the mechanical dimming switch is switched to different dimming levels, the output voltage terminal outputs the corresponding dimming level voltage. Diodes D1 and D2, capacitors C1, C5, and C6 form the front-end processing circuit. This circuit filters the V+ voltage output from the mechanical dimming switch and outputs the filtered, stable voltage to pin 12 of the motor driver chip (IC). The output voltage terminal of the mechanical dimming switch is connected to pin 16 of the motor driver chip (IC) via resistor R2. The output voltage terminal of the mechanical dimming switch outputs different dimming levels to pin 16 of the motor driver chip (IC). Based on the output voltage of the dimming level from the mechanical dimming switch, the motor driver chip (IC) outputs different voltages to the dimming motor (i.e., the dimming motor) through pins 6 (M1) and 11 (M2). Figure 2 The motor in the middle controls the rotation of the dimming motor, which in turn drives the headlight reflector to rotate, thereby adjusting the illumination angle of the headlight. Figure 2 In this context, W1 is a variable resistor.

[0057] Adjusting the dimming angle corresponding to each dimming level requires adjusting the output voltage of each dimming level of the mechanical dimming switch. The output voltage is controlled by the physical circuit, and adjusting the output voltage is done by adjusting the internal hardware circuit of the mechanical dimming switch. The internal hardware circuit of the mechanical dimming switch needs to be retested and verified, which is time-consuming and costly. Adjusting the dimming angle corresponding to each dimming level of the headlight is a complicated operation.

[0058] To address the issue of complex operation in adjusting the dimming angle corresponding to each dimming level of the headlights, this application provides a headlight dimming control device, method, system, and vehicle.

[0059] Please see Figure 3 In one exemplary embodiment, a headlight dimming control device is provided. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the headlight dimming control device includes a control module 100 and a dimming motor 200;

[0060] Control module 100 is used for:

[0061] Receive dimming command, wherein the dimming command is used to instruct the headlights to adjust the illumination angle to the target angle corresponding to the target dimming level;

[0062] In addition, in response to dimming commands, the target pulse width modulation signal corresponding to the target dimming level is located according to the mapping relationship between dimming level and pulse width modulation signal;

[0063] Furthermore, based on the target pulse width modulation signal, the dimming motor 200 is controlled to adjust the illumination angle of the headlights to the target angle.

[0064] In the exemplary embodiment, the pulse width modulation signal refers to the PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) signal, which can be adjusted by software.

[0065] In an exemplary embodiment, the dimming motor 200 may be a DC motor.

[0066] In this application, a mapping relationship exists between the dimming level and the pulse width modulation signal. The dimming motor is controlled by the pulse width modulation signal to adjust the illumination angle of the headlight. When adjusting the dimming angle corresponding to each dimming level of the headlight, no hardware circuit adjustment is required; only the pulse width modulation signal corresponding to each dimming level needs to be adjusted. This allows for adjustments at any time, resulting in a short rectification cycle and low cost. The operation of adjusting the dimming angle corresponding to each dimming level of the headlight is simple. When the headlight dimming control device in this application is subsequently matched to other vehicle models and applied, no hardware circuit adjustment is required; only the pulse width modulation signal corresponding to each dimming level needs to be adjusted.

[0067] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the control module 100 includes a controller 110, a signal conversion submodule 120, and a motor drive chip 130;

[0068] The controller 110 is used to receive a dimming command; and, in response to the dimming command, to find the target pulse width modulation signal corresponding to the target dimming level according to the mapping relationship between the dimming level and the pulse width modulation signal; and to output the target pulse width modulation signal to the signal conversion submodule 120.

[0069] The signal conversion submodule 120 is used to convert the target pulse width modulation signal into a target voltage signal and output the target voltage signal to the motor drive chip 130.

[0070] The motor driver chip 130 is used to output a first voltage and a second voltage to the dimming motor 200 based on the target voltage signal. The first voltage and the second voltage are used to control the dimming motor 200 to rotate and adjust the illumination angle of the headlight to the target angle.

[0071] In an exemplary embodiment, the controller 110 may be a ZCU (Zone Control Unit), or it may be other types of controllers in a vehicle. This application does not limit this to any particular type.

[0072] There is a mapping relationship between dimming levels and pulse width modulation (PWM) signals. The target PWM signal corresponding to the target dimming level is found according to this mapping relationship, and then converted into a target voltage signal. Based on the target voltage signal, a first voltage and a second voltage are output to the dimming motor 200. These first and second voltages control the rotation of the dimming motor 200 to adjust the headlight's illumination angle to the target angle. Different dimming levels correspond to different PWM signals. When different target dimming levels are selected, the target PWM signal is different, resulting in different converted target voltage signals. The first voltage output based on the target voltage signal is different, the second voltage output based on the target voltage signal is different, and the headlight illumination angle adjusted by the dimming motor 200 is different. By controlling the dimming motor to adjust the headlight's illumination angle through PWM signals, no hardware circuit adjustments are needed when adjusting the dimming angle corresponding to each dimming level of the headlight. Adjustments can be made at any time, resulting in a short adjustment cycle, low cost, and simple operation. When the headlight dimming control device in this application is subsequently matched to other models and applied to other vehicles, there is no need to adjust the hardware circuit; only the pulse width modulation signal corresponding to each dimming level needs to be adjusted.

[0073] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 As shown, the signal conversion submodule 120 includes a switching circuit 121 and a signal conversion circuit 122;

[0074] The switching circuit 121 is used to convert the target pulse width modulation signal into a first pulse width modulation signal and output the first pulse width modulation signal to the signal conversion circuit 122.

[0075] The duty cycle of the first pulse width modulation signal is the same as that of the target pulse width modulation signal, and the voltage amplitude of the first pulse width modulation signal is determined based on the power supply voltage.

[0076] The signal conversion circuit 122 is used to convert the first pulse width modulation signal into a target voltage signal and output the target voltage signal to the motor drive chip 130.

[0077] In an exemplary embodiment, the power supply voltage may be the voltage of the battery in the vehicle.

[0078] The duty cycle of the first pulse width modulation signal is the same as that of the target pulse width modulation signal. The voltage amplitude of the first pulse width modulation signal is determined based on the power supply voltage. The first pulse width modulation signal is converted into a target voltage signal. Based on the target voltage signal, a first voltage and a second voltage are output to the dimming motor 200. The duty cycles of the first and target pulse width modulation signals are related to the power supply voltage. When the duty cycle of the target pulse width modulation signal changes, the target voltage signal changes, thereby causing the dimming motor 200 to rotate and adjust the illumination angle of the headlight. By controlling the dimming motor to adjust the illumination angle of the headlight through the duty cycle of the pulse width modulation signal, when adjusting the dimming angle corresponding to each dimming level of the headlight, there is no need to adjust the hardware circuit. Only the duty cycle of the pulse width modulation signal corresponding to each dimming level needs to be adjusted. It can be adjusted at any time, with a short adjustment cycle and low cost. The operation of adjusting the dimming angle corresponding to each dimming level of the headlight is simple. When the headlight dimming control device in this application is subsequently matched with other vehicles and applied to other models, no hardware circuit adjustments are required. Only the duty cycle of the pulse width modulation signal corresponding to each dimming level needs to be adjusted. The voltage amplitude of the first pulse width modulation signal is determined based on the power supply voltage. Converting the first pulse width modulation signal into a target voltage signal can provide a suitable voltage to the motor drive chip 130.

[0079] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6 As shown, the switching circuit 121 includes a first controllable switch 1211 and a second controllable switch 1212;

[0080] The first controllable switch 1211 is used to convert the target pulse width modulation signal into a second pulse width modulation signal and output the second pulse width modulation signal to the second controllable switch 1212.

[0081] The second controllable switch 1212 is used to convert the second pulse width modulation signal into a first pulse width modulation signal and output the first pulse width modulation signal to the signal conversion circuit 122.

[0082] The sum of the duty cycle of the second pulse width modulation signal and the duty cycle of the target pulse width modulation signal is a preset value, and the voltage amplitude of the second pulse width modulation signal is determined based on the power supply voltage.

[0083] In the exemplary embodiment, the first controllable switch 1211 can be an NPN transistor, or it can be other controllable switches, such as MOS (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor), IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor), etc. As long as it is a controllable switch that can be controlled to turn on and off based on a pulse width modulation signal, this application does not limit it.

[0084] In the exemplary embodiment, the second controllable switch 1212 can be a PNP transistor, or it can be other controllable switches, such as MOS, IGBT, etc. As long as it is a controllable switch that can be controlled to turn on and off based on a pulse width modulation signal, this application does not limit it.

[0085] In the exemplary embodiment, the default value is 1.

[0086] In an exemplary embodiment, the first controllable switch 1211 is an NPN transistor, and the second controllable switch 1212 is a PNP transistor. The target pulse width modulation signal is transmitted to the base of the first controllable switch 1211, the emitter of the first controllable switch 1211 is grounded, the collector of the first controllable switch 1211 is connected to the voltage output terminal of the power supply, the collector of the first controllable switch 1211 is connected to the base of the second controllable switch 1212, the emitter of the second controllable switch 1212 is connected to the voltage output terminal of the power supply, and the collector of the second controllable switch 1212 is connected to the signal conversion circuit 122.

[0087] When the target pulse width modulation signal is high, the first controllable switch 1211 is turned on, and there is a connection between the collector and emitter of the first controllable switch 1211. The emitter of the first controllable switch 1211 is grounded, and the collector of the first controllable switch 1211 is pulled to ground. The collector of the first controllable switch 1211 is at a low level, and the collector of the first controllable switch 1211 is connected to the base of the second controllable switch 1212. The second controllable switch 1212 is turned on, and there is a connection between the collector and emitter of the second controllable switch 1212. When the second controllable switch 1212 is open, its emitter is connected to the voltage output terminal of the power supply, its emitter is at a high level, and its collector is at a high level. When the target pulse width modulation signal is low, the first controllable switch 1211 is open, its collector is connected to the voltage output terminal of the power supply, its collector is at a high level, and the second controllable switch 1212 is open, its collector is at a low level.

[0088] When the target pulse width modulation signal is high, the collector of the first controllable switch 1211 is low, and the collector of the second controllable switch 1212 is high; when the target pulse width modulation signal is low, the collector of the first controllable switch 1211 is high, and the collector of the second controllable switch 1212 is low. The sum of the duty cycle of the second pulse width modulation signal output from the collector of the first controllable switch 1211 and the duty cycle of the target pulse width modulation signal is 1. The collector of the first controllable switch 1211 is connected to the voltage output terminal of the power supply, and the voltage amplitude of the second pulse width modulation signal is determined based on the power supply voltage. The duty cycle of the first pulse width modulation signal output from the collector of the second controllable switch 1212 is the same as the duty cycle of the target pulse width modulation signal. The emitter of the second controllable switch 1212 is connected to the voltage output terminal of the power supply, and the voltage amplitude of the first pulse width modulation signal is determined based on the power supply voltage.

[0089] In an exemplary embodiment, the switching circuit 121 may include other components in addition to the first controllable switch 1211 and the second controllable switch 1212, such as resistors, capacitors, diodes, etc. This application does not limit this.

[0090] The connection in this application can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through other components, and this application does not limit this.

[0091] In some embodiments, different dimming levels correspond to different duty cycles of the pulse width modulation signal.

[0092] Different dimming levels correspond to different duty cycles of the pulse width modulation (PWM) signal. By adjusting the duty cycle of the PWM signal, the dimming motor controls the headlight's illumination angle. When adjusting the dimming angle corresponding to each dimming level of the headlight, no hardware circuit adjustments are required; only the duty cycle of the PWM signal corresponding to each dimming level needs to be adjusted. This allows for adjustments at any time, resulting in a short rectification period, low cost, and simple operation. When the headlight dimming control device described in this application is subsequently matched to other vehicle models and applied, no hardware circuit adjustments are required; only the duty cycle of the PWM signal corresponding to each dimming level needs to be adjusted.

[0093] In an exemplary embodiment, such as Figure 7 The diagram shown is a schematic diagram of the circuit structure of a headlight dimming control device. Figure 7 In this configuration, the battery outputs the power supply voltage. The battery has two output terminals: VC+ (positive terminal) and VC- (negative terminal). Figure 7 In this configuration, the controller is a ZCU, which has one output terminal. The output is the target pulse width modulation signal (i.e., Figure 7(PWM in the text). Figure 7 The first controllable switch 1211 is an NPN transistor, and the second controllable switch 1212 is a PNP transistor. The first controllable switch 1211 is denoted by Q1, and the second controllable switch 1212 is denoted by Q2. Diodes D3 and D4, capacitors C11, C12, C13, C14, C15, and C16, and resistor R3 form a front-end filter circuit. The filter achieves a stable output voltage at the VP terminal. The VP terminal and the emitter of the second controllable switch Q2 are connected through resistor R10. Since the VP terminal has a stable voltage, the emitter of the second controllable switch Q2 also has a stable voltage.

[0094] Resistors R4, R5, R6, R7, diode D5, and capacitors C17 and C18 form an anti-interference circuit, implementing electromagnetic compatibility anti-interference processing for the target pulse width modulation signal output by the ZCU. Resistors R8 and R9 provide voltage regulation control for the base of the second controllable switch Q2. Resistors R11, R12, R13, R17, and capacitors C19 and C20 form signal conversion circuit 122. W2 is a variable resistor. Resistors R14, R15, R16, and variable resistor W2 form the motor initial position adjustment circuit. Variable resistor W2 adjusts the motor linearity and factory initial position by matching resistors R14 and R15. Figure 7 The motor in this context is the dimming motor.

[0095] The ZCU outputs a target pulse width modulation signal corresponding to different dimming levels. The target pulse width modulation signal is output to the base of the first controllable switch Q1 through an anti-interference circuit. The target pulse width modulation signal controls the first controllable switch Q1 to periodically switch on and off. The collector of the first controllable switch Q1 outputs a second pulse width modulation signal. The sum of the duty cycle of the second pulse width modulation signal and the duty cycle of the target pulse width modulation signal is 1. The voltage amplitude of the second pulse width modulation signal is determined based on the stable voltage output from the VP terminal. The collector of the first controllable switch Q1 is connected to the base of the second controllable switch Q2 through a resistor R8. The second pulse width modulation signal controls the second controllable switch Q2 to periodically switch on and off. The collector of the second controllable switch Q2 outputs a first pulse width modulation signal to the signal conversion circuit 122. The duty cycle of the first pulse width modulation signal is the same as the duty cycle of the target pulse width modulation signal. The voltage amplitude of the first pulse width modulation signal is determined based on the stable voltage output from the VP terminal.

[0096] The signal conversion circuit 122 converts the first pulse width modulation signal into a target voltage signal and outputs the target voltage signal to pin 16 of the motor driver chip (IC). The magnitude of the target voltage signal is related to the duty cycle and frequency of the target pulse width modulation signal. The ZCU outputs corresponding target pulse width modulation signals according to different dimming levels. Different duty cycles of the target pulse width modulation signals result in different target voltage signals. The signal conversion circuit 122 outputs different target voltage signals to pin 16 of the motor driver chip (IC). Based on the target voltage signal, the motor driver chip (IC) outputs different voltages to the dimming motor (i.e., the target voltage motor) through pins 6 (M1) and 11 (M2). Figure 7 The motor in the middle controls the rotation of the dimming motor, which in turn drives the headlight reflector to rotate, thereby adjusting the illumination angle of the headlight.

[0097] Figure 7 In the circuit, the VC+ voltage of the battery provides the target voltage signal to pin 16 of the motor drive chip (IC) through diode D3, resistors R3 and R10, the second controllable switch Q2, resistors R12, R13, and R17. Without the second controllable switch Q2, when the ZCU does not output a pulse width modulation signal, the battery voltage will directly reach pin 16 of the motor drive chip (IC), and the motor will run to its limit position. When the ZCU outputs a pulse width modulation signal, the motor will run from the limit position to the desired position. Therefore, the second controllable switch Q2 is very important.

[0098] In some embodiments, such as Figure 8 As shown, the headlight dimming control device includes a control module 100, a dimming motor 200, and a dimming command sending module 300;

[0099] Control module 100 is used for:

[0100] Receive dimming command, wherein the dimming command is used to instruct the headlights to adjust the illumination angle to the target angle corresponding to the target dimming level;

[0101] In addition, in response to dimming commands, the target pulse width modulation signal corresponding to the target dimming level is located according to the mapping relationship between dimming level and pulse width modulation signal;

[0102] Furthermore, based on the target pulse width modulation signal, the dimming motor 200 is controlled to adjust the illumination angle of the headlights to the target angle;

[0103] The dimming command sending module 300 is used to send dimming commands to the control module 100.

[0104] The dimming command sending module 300 sends dimming commands to the control module 100 to realize the sending of dimming commands.

[0105] In some embodiments, the dimming command sending module 300 includes an in-vehicle display screen;

[0106] The vehicle-mounted display screen is used to acquire dimming commands carried by the user's touch screen operation and send the dimming commands to the control module 100.

[0107] In an exemplary embodiment, the user's touchscreen operation may be the user touching a virtual soft switch on the in-vehicle display screen.

[0108] The dimming command carried by the user's touch screen operation is obtained through the vehicle display screen and sent to the control module 100. The switch is a touch screen virtual soft switch. The touch screen virtual soft switch is designed in the vehicle display screen, without a physical switch. The structure is simple, does not require space, and has a beautiful, stylish and technological appearance, which is in line with the future development direction of automobiles.

[0109] In some embodiments, the dimming instruction sending module 300 can also acquire dimming instructions input by the user's voice and send the dimming instructions to the control module 100.

[0110] This application does not restrict the form in which the user inputs dimming commands.

[0111] In an exemplary embodiment, such as Figure 9 The diagram shown illustrates the in-vehicle display screen and control module. The control module and the in-vehicle display screen can communicate via CAN (Controller Area Network).

[0112] In the exemplary embodiment, the control module is ZCU.

[0113] Exemplary methods

[0114] Accordingly, embodiments of this application also provide a headlight dimming control method, such as... Figure 10 As shown, the headlight dimming control method includes:

[0115] Step S1: Receive a dimming command, wherein the dimming command is used to instruct the headlights to adjust the illumination angle to the target angle corresponding to the target dimming level.

[0116] Step S2: In response to the dimming command, find the target pulse width modulation signal corresponding to the target dimming level according to the mapping relationship between the dimming level and the pulse width modulation signal;

[0117] Step S3: Based on the target pulse width modulation signal, control the dimming motor to adjust the illumination angle of the headlights to the target angle.

[0118] In this application, a mapping relationship exists between the dimming level and the pulse width modulation signal. The dimming motor is controlled by the pulse width modulation signal to adjust the illumination angle of the headlight. When adjusting the dimming angle corresponding to each dimming level of the headlight, no hardware circuit adjustment is required; only the pulse width modulation signal corresponding to each dimming level needs to be adjusted. This allows for adjustments at any time, resulting in a short rectification cycle and low cost. The operation of adjusting the dimming angle corresponding to each dimming level of the headlight is simple. When the headlight dimming control device in this application is subsequently matched to other vehicle models and applied, no hardware circuit adjustment is required; only the pulse width modulation signal corresponding to each dimming level needs to be adjusted.

[0119] The headlight dimming control method provided in this application embodiment is applied to the control module in the headlight dimming control device provided in any of the above embodiments of this application.

[0120] In some embodiments, the headlight dimming control method provided in this application is applied to the controller in the headlight dimming control device provided in any of the above embodiments of this application.

[0121] For technical details not described in detail in this embodiment, please refer to the specific content of the headlight dimming control device provided in the above embodiments of this application, which will not be repeated here.

[0122] Exemplary System

[0123] Accordingly, embodiments of this application also provide a headlight dimming control system, such as... Figure 11 As shown, the headlight dimming control system includes the headlight dimming control device, manual dimming ball head, fixed ball head, motor dimming ball head, and headlight reflector provided in any of the above embodiments of this application;

[0124] The manual dimming ball head connects to the headlight reflector, the fixed ball head connects to the headlight reflector, the motor dimming ball head connects to the headlight reflector, and the dimming motor connects to the motor dimming ball head.

[0125] The dimming motor rotates based on the target pulse width modulation signal, pulling the motor dimming ball head to move, controlling the headlight reflector bowl to rotate around the manual dimming ball head and the fixed ball head, adjusting the headlight illumination angle to the target angle.

[0126] Figure 11 The control module is not shown in the image; it can be connected to the dimming motor. Figure 11 In this vehicle, because there are two headlights, one on the left and one on the right, there are two of each of the following components: manual dimming ball joint, fixed ball joint, motor dimming ball joint, dimming motor, and headlight reflector. Figure 11Each component is labeled left and right. Depending on the needs, one control module can be set up to connect both the dimming motor (left) and the dimming motor (right); alternatively, two control modules can be set up, one connected to the dimming motor (left) and the other connected to the dimming motor (right). This application does not limit this.

[0127] For technical details not described in detail in this embodiment, please refer to the specific content of the headlight dimming control device provided in the above embodiments of this application, which will not be repeated here.

[0128] Exemplary vehicle

[0129] Accordingly, this application also provides a vehicle including the headlight dimming control system provided in any of the above embodiments of this application.

[0130] For technical details not described in detail in this embodiment, please refer to the specific content of the headlight dimming control system provided in the above embodiments of this application, which will not be repeated here.

[0131] It should be noted that the various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on the differences from other embodiments. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other.

[0132] The modules and circuits in the various embodiments of this application can be merged, divided, and deleted according to actual needs.

[0133] Finally, it should be noted that in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0134] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use this application. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this application. Therefore, this application is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A headlight dimming control device, characterized in that, Includes a control module and a dimming motor; The control module is used for: Receive a dimming command, wherein the dimming command is used to instruct the headlights to be adjusted to the target angle corresponding to the target dimming level; In addition, in response to the dimming command, the target pulse width modulation signal corresponding to the target dimming level is found according to the mapping relationship between the dimming level and the pulse width modulation signal; Furthermore, based on the target pulse width modulation signal, the dimming motor is controlled to adjust the illumination angle of the headlights to the target angle; The control module includes a controller, a signal conversion submodule, and a motor drive chip. The controller is configured to receive the dimming command; and, in response to the dimming command, locate the target pulse width modulation signal corresponding to the target dimming level according to the mapping relationship between the dimming level and the pulse width modulation signal; and, output the target pulse width modulation signal to the signal conversion submodule. The signal conversion submodule is used to convert the target pulse width modulation signal into a target voltage signal and output the target voltage signal to the motor drive chip; The motor drive chip is used to output a first voltage and a second voltage to the dimming motor based on the target voltage signal, wherein the first voltage and the second voltage are used to control the rotation of the dimming motor to adjust the illumination angle of the headlight to the target angle.

2. The headlight dimming control device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The signal conversion submodule includes a switching circuit and a signal conversion circuit; The switching circuit is used to convert the target pulse width modulation signal into a first pulse width modulation signal, and output the first pulse width modulation signal to the signal conversion circuit; Wherein, the duty cycle of the first pulse width modulation signal is the same as that of the target pulse width modulation signal, and the voltage amplitude of the first pulse width modulation signal is determined based on the power supply voltage; The signal conversion circuit is used to convert the first pulse width modulation signal into a target voltage signal and output the target voltage signal to the motor drive chip.

3. The headlight dimming control device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The switching circuit includes a first controllable switch and a second controllable switch; The first controllable switch is used to convert the target pulse width modulation signal into a second pulse width modulation signal, and output the second pulse width modulation signal to the second controllable switch; The second controllable switch is used to convert the second pulse width modulation signal into a first pulse width modulation signal, and output the first pulse width modulation signal to the signal conversion circuit; The sum of the duty cycle of the second pulse width modulation signal and the duty cycle of the target pulse width modulation signal is a preset value, and the voltage amplitude of the second pulse width modulation signal is determined based on the power supply voltage.

4. The headlight dimming control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, Different dimming levels correspond to different duty cycles of the pulse width modulation signal.

5. The headlight dimming control device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The headlight dimming control device also includes a dimming command sending module; The dimming command sending module is used to send dimming commands to the control module.

6. The headlight dimming control device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The dimming command sending module includes an in-vehicle display screen; The vehicle-mounted display screen is used to acquire dimming commands carried by the user's touch screen operation and send the dimming commands to the control module.

7. A method for controlling headlight dimming, characterized in that, The method is applied to a headlight dimming control device, which includes a control module and a dimming motor. The control module includes a controller, a signal conversion submodule, and a motor drive chip. The controller receives a dimming command, wherein the dimming command is used to instruct the headlights to adjust the illumination angle to the target angle corresponding to the target dimming level; and, in response to the dimming command, the controller searches for the target pulse width modulation signal corresponding to the target dimming level according to the mapping relationship between the dimming level and the pulse width modulation signal; and, the controller outputs the target pulse width modulation signal to the signal conversion submodule. The target pulse width modulation signal is converted into a target voltage signal by the signal conversion submodule, and the target voltage signal is output to the motor driver chip. The motor driver chip outputs a first voltage and a second voltage to the dimming motor based on the target voltage signal. The first voltage and the second voltage are used to control the rotation of the dimming motor to adjust the illumination angle of the headlights to the target angle. Based on the first voltage and the second voltage, the dimming motor is controlled to adjust the illumination angle of the headlights to the target angle.

8. A headlight dimming control system, characterized in that, Includes the headlight dimming control device, manual dimming ball head, fixed ball head, motor dimming ball head, and headlight reflector as described in any one of claims 1 to 6; The manual dimming ball head is connected to the headlight reflector, the fixed ball head is connected to the headlight reflector, the motor dimming ball head is connected to the headlight reflector, and the dimming motor is connected to the motor dimming ball head; The dimming motor is used to rotate based on the target pulse width modulation signal, pull the motor dimming ball head to move, control the headlight reflector to rotate around the manual dimming ball head and the fixed ball head, and adjust the illumination angle of the headlight to the target angle.

9. A vehicle, characterized in that, Includes the headlight dimming control system as described in claim 8.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Headlamp adjusting system and automobile

    CN209600376U