Method for controlling a headlight of a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for controlling a headlight of a motor vehicle, said headlight comprising a light module (1) having a plurality of light sources, comprising the following steps: dynamically determining a first region (3) and a second region (2) within an upper region, said upper region comprising the light module (1) and a first virtual frame surrounding the light module (1); if the light source is in the first area (3), the light source is operated at a first light intensity; if the light source is in the second area (2), the light source is operated at a second light intensity, the second light intensity being higher than the first light intensity; and dynamically determining a transition region (4), which is positioned between the first region (3) and the second region (2), only when the light source is in the first region (3); if the light source is in the transition region (4), the light source is operated at a light intensity between the first light intensity and the second light intensity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for controlling the headlights of a motor vehicle according to claim 1. Background Technology

[0002] As is known in the prior art, headlights with multiple light sources, such as LEDs, operate in high beam mode, achieving a brighter and farther illumination of the lane compared to low beams. It is also known that a glare-free zone is integrated into this high beam mode to reduce the risk of glare to other road users. For this purpose, other road users (e.g., pedestrians, cyclists, and other motor vehicles) are identified. The light source illuminating the area where other road users are located operates at a first light intensity. The first light intensity is lower than the second light intensity of the remaining light sources to reduce the risk of glare. When other road users and / or said motor vehicles are in motion, the other and / or additional light sources operate at lower light intensities.

[0003] To create a visually comfortable impression of light distribution, the light source adjacent to the light source with a first light intensity operates at a light intensity between the first and a second light intensity. This creates a transition zone between the area illuminated by the high beams and the area with reduced glare risk.

[0004] A method for controlling an onboard illumination system emitting a light beam in a vehicle is known from WO 2024 / 156946 A1. At least three pairs of boundary positions are acquired for an object within the illumination field of the light beam. Based on the acquired pairs of positions, at least two pairs of relative velocities are calculated for the object's boundaries relative to the vehicle. Based on at least two of the acquired velocity pairs, a pair of accelerations is calculated for the object's boundaries. Based on one of the multiple pairs of boundary positions of the object, a pair of boundary positions for a shadow region in the illumination field is calculated. The illumination system is controlled to form a shadow region within the light beam defined by the boundary positions of the shadow region. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In contrast, the objective of this invention is to create a method that can be implemented more efficiently. Furthermore, systems and vehicles suitable for implementing such a method should be created.

[0006] The task is solved by the method according to claim 1, the system according to claim 12, and the motor vehicle according to claim 13. Various embodiments of the invention are given in the dependent claims.

[0007] The headlight includes a light module with multiple light sources. In the method, a first region and a second region are dynamically determined within an upper region. Within the scope of this specification, "dynamically determined" is particularly understood to mean that these regions are not fixed once determined, but are continuously or repeatedly redefined at short time intervals.

[0008] The upper region includes an optical module and a first virtual frame surrounding the optical module. Within the scope of this specification, a virtual frame is specifically understood as a frame that does not exist in reality. For example, the virtual frame may exist only in a computer program. It is also possible that the virtual frame exists only as an imaginary frame and therefore neither in reality nor in a computer program.

[0009] Here, if the light source is in the first region, it operates at a first light intensity; if the light source is in the second region, it operates at a second light intensity. The second light intensity is higher than the first light intensity. This means that a light source operating at the second light intensity emits light more brightly than a light source operating at the first light intensity.

[0010] The transition region is dynamically determined only when a light source is present in the first region. Here, the transition region is positioned between the first and second regions. For example, the transition region may be framed around the first region. If a light source is in the transition region, the light source operates at a light intensity between a first light intensity and a second light intensity. If no light source is present in the first region, the transition region is not determined. It is possible that if the first region only includes a portion of the first virtual frame without a light source, then no light source is present in the first region.

[0011] The method can be implemented more efficiently because it eliminates the need to determine the transition region when there is no light source in the first region. Once it is determined that there is no light source in the first region, there is no need to determine the transition region by computer. This saves computational resources, thus requiring less computing power and / or reducing computation time.

[0012] It is also possible in the method to dynamically determine multiple first zones. This can be advantageous, for example, when the risk of glare to multiple other road users needs to be reduced. In this case, the first zone containing the light source is assigned to a transition zone. Thus, the method is implemented separately for each of the first zones and transition zones assigned to each other. Therefore, if there is no light source in one of the first zones, it does not mean that the transition zone is uncertain. Only the transition zone assigned to that first zone is uncertain.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the present invention, if there is no light source in the first region, the transition region is not defined.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the invention, the transition region may be a second virtual frame surrounding the first region. Specifically, this is understood to mean that the transition region may completely surround the first region in two-dimensional space.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the invention, the location and size of the first area can be adapted to the location and size of an object or person. This helps reduce the risk of glare for people or people in or on objects. The object may, for example, be another vehicle, such as another motor vehicle or bicycle.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the invention, the position and size of the object or person can be determined by the motor vehicle. For this purpose, a camera in the motor vehicle can be used, for example.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the invention, the light source in the first region can emit light toward an object or person. Within the scope of this specification, this is particularly understood to mean that the object or person is essentially illuminated by light emitted by the light source in the first region. Light from other light sources in the optical module can also reach the person or object, for example, through scattering, but contributes to the illumination of the person or object to a lesser extent. Alternatively, it is also possible that the object or person is illuminated by other light sources independent of the optical module.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the light source in the transition region can operate with different light intensities. In this way, the transition region can be designed as a transition between a light source in the first region and a light source in the second region. Thus, the light intensity can continuously increase from the first region to the second region.

[0019] According to one embodiment of the invention, light sources in the transition region can operate with a light intensity gradient. If a light source is in the first region, a light source positioned adjacent to the first region can operate with a lower light intensity than a light source positioned adjacent to the second region. Between these regions, light sources in the transition region can operate with a light intensity that increases from the first region to the second region. This results in a visually comfortable light distribution if the risk of glare to other road users is reduced.

[0020] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the light intensity gradient can be set by an intensity user input. For example, the user can set the difference in light intensity between a light source arranged adjacent to the first region and a light source arranged adjacent to the second region.

[0021] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the shape of the transition region can be set by shape user input.

[0022] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the size of the transition region can be set by user input.

[0023] The system according to claim 12 includes a control unit and a headlight. The headlight includes a light module having multiple light sources. The control unit is configured to perform the method according to any embodiment of the invention.

[0024] The motor vehicle according to claim 13 includes the system described in any embodiment of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Other features and advantages of the invention will become clear from the following description of preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Here, the same reference numerals are used for the same or similar components, features, or elements, and for components, features, or elements having the same or similar functions. In the figures:

[0026] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a light module for a motor vehicle headlight according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein a first region, a second region and a transition region are shown, wherein the light source is in the first region;

[0027] Figure 2 Show Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the optical module, in which there is no light source in the first area. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The optical module 1 includes multiple light sources, which are not shown individually in the accompanying drawings for clarity. When performing the method, a first region 3 is determined. If the light sources are located in the first region 3, they operate at a first light intensity. Furthermore, a second region 2 is determined, in which the light sources of the optical module 1 are positioned.

[0029] This first region 3 is selected such that, within the light distribution produced by the headlights, the light source of the first region 3 substantially illuminates a section in which other road users, or at least those other road users presume to be, located. This section can be determined, for example, by a motor vehicle using a camera. For instance, other vehicles or people can be identified within this section.

[0030] The light source in the second area 2 operates at a second light intensity. For example, the second light intensity can be selected such that the light source in the second area 2 emits a high-beam distribution. To reduce the risk of glare to other road users, the light source in the first area 3 operates at a first light intensity, which is lower than the second light intensity.

[0031] Furthermore, if the light source is in the first region 3, a transition region 4 is defined between the first region 3 and the second region 2. The light source in the transition region 4 operates with a light intensity lower than the second light intensity but higher than the first light intensity. In this way, a transition is created in the light distribution generated by the light module between the section where other road users are located and the section illuminated with the second light intensity. This is generally perceived as visually comfortable.

[0032] If motor vehicles and / or other road users move, what is needed is to adapt to the position and / or size of the first area 3. Therefore, it is possible that (e.g.) Figure 2 (As shown in the diagram) No light source is placed in the first area 3. In this case, the transition area 4 is not determined. The computer program performing the method does not need to determine the transition area in this case. In this way, computational costs are reduced for cases where there is no light source in the first area 3. This is particularly advantageous when there are multiple first areas. Furthermore, it is advantageous for the user that a larger area is illuminated with a second light intensity. Nevertheless, the risk of glare to other road users is not increased.

[0033] List of reference numerals

[0034] 1 Optical Module

[0035] 2 Second Area

[0036] 3. First Area

[0037] 4. Transition Zone

Claims

1. A method for controlling the headlights of a motor vehicle, wherein, The headlight includes a light module (1) having multiple light sources, and the method includes the following steps: Within the upper region, a first region (3) and a second region (2) are dynamically defined. The upper region includes an optical module (1) and a first virtual frame surrounding the optical module (1). If the light source is in the first region (3), the light source operates at a first light intensity. If the light source is in the second region (2), the light source operates at a second light intensity, which is higher than the first light intensity. - The transition region (4) is dynamically determined only when the light source is in the first region (3), the transition region (4) being located between the first region (3) and the second region (2); if the light source is in the transition region (4), the light source operates at a light intensity between the first light intensity and the second light intensity.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, If there is no light source in the first region (3), the transition region (4) is uncertain.

3. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The transition region (4) is a second virtual frame surrounding the first region (3).

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The position and size of the first region (3) are adapted to the position and size of an object or person.

5. The method according to the preceding claims, characterized in that, The position and size of the object or person are determined by the motor vehicle.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding two claims, characterized in that, The light source in the first region (3) emits light in the direction of the object or person.

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, If the light source is in the first region (3), the light source in the transition region (4) operates with different light intensities.

8. The method according to the preceding claims, characterized in that, If the light source is in the first region (3), the light source in the transition region (4) operates with a light intensity gradient, wherein the light source located adjacent to the first region (3) operates with a lower light intensity than the light source located adjacent to the second region (2).

9. The method according to the preceding claims, characterized in that, The light intensity gradient can be set by the user input of the intensity.

10. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The shape of the transition region (4) can be set by the shape user input.

11. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The size of the transition region (4) can be set by user input.

12. A system including a control unit and headlights, wherein, The headlight includes a light module (1) having multiple light sources, and the control unit is configured to perform the method according to any one of the preceding claims.

13. A motor vehicle, said motor vehicle including the system according to the preceding claims.

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