Vehicle lamp and control device for vehicle lamp

Abstract

A vehicle lamp includes a combination unit (11A) including a low beam unit (18) that irradiates a low beam distribution pattern and a high beam unit (20) that irradiates a high beam distribution pattern upward with respect to the low beam distribution pattern. The high beam unit (20) can be used for road surface drawing. The combination unit (11A) is capable of switching between a first irradiation direction in which a predetermined low-beam region is irradiated with a low-beam light distribution pattern and a second irradiation direction that is downward than the first irradiation direction. The high-beam unit (20) is configured so as to illuminate the road surface so as to assist the low-beam light distribution pattern while performing road surface drawing when the combination unit (11A) faces the second irradiation direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to vehicle lighting fixtures that can be installed in vehicles such as automobiles. Furthermore, this invention relates to a control device for such vehicle lighting fixtures. Background Technology

[0002] A vehicle lighting system is known in the past, which integrates a low beam lamp, a high beam lamp, and an image forming device in each of a pair of left and right headlights (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In such a vehicle lighting system, the left and right image forming devices can project different images onto each other. Thus, for example, one image forming device can selectively illuminate pedestrians in front of the vehicle, while the other image forming device can depict the vehicle's driving lane on the road surface, allowing the left and right image forming devices to be used for different purposes.

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: International Publication No. 2015 / 033900 Summary of the Invention

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

[0007] During their research on the aforementioned vehicle lighting fixtures, the inventors of this invention recognized the following technical problem. As a design solution for vehicle lighting fixtures, they envisioned using the high beam lamp not only exclusively for high beam illumination but also for image formation, such as road mapping. In other words, this means that in recent years, high beam units capable of illuminating while simultaneously changing their beam pattern, similar to ADB (Adaptive Driving Beam), have been realized, and road mapping can also be achieved using this variable beam pattern functionality.

[0008] In this type of light that combines high beam and road painting, the elimination of a dedicated unit for road painting allows for miniaturization and cost reduction of vehicle lighting fixtures. While high beams illuminate farther areas, road painting primarily illuminates closer areas. To accommodate this, the dual-purpose light can also be configured to switch its illumination direction vertically, allowing the illumination direction to be set further downwards than the high beam during road painting.

[0009] Typically, the high beam unit and the low beam unit, which illuminates the low beam, are configured to be driven by a single actuator. In this case, when the high beam unit, which is capable of road mapping, switches its illumination direction downwards for road mapping purposes, the low beam unit's illumination direction also turns downwards. That is, with the execution of road mapping, the low beam illumination will be lower than the original intended position. As a result, the brightness in front of the vehicle is insufficient, and forward visibility may be reduced.

[0010] The present invention was made in view of the following situation, and one of the exemplary objects of one of its solutions is to provide a vehicle lamp that can achieve both road surface drawing and forward visibility.

[0011] Methods for solving technical problems

[0012] To address the aforementioned technical problems, one aspect of the present invention provides a vehicle lighting fixture comprising a first assembly unit, which includes a low beam unit for illuminating a low beam pattern and a high beam unit for illuminating a high beam pattern upward relative to the low beam pattern. The high beam unit is capable of road surface painting. The first assembly unit is capable of switching between a first illumination direction for illuminating the low beam pattern towards a predetermined low beam area and a second illumination direction downward relative to the first illumination direction. The high beam unit is configured to perform road surface painting when the first assembly unit is facing the second illumination direction, and to illuminate the road surface in a manner that assists the low beam pattern.

[0013] According to this solution, when performing road surface mapping via the high beam unit, the high beam unit can be used to illuminate the road surface in a way that assists the low beam light distribution pattern. Therefore, a vehicle lighting fixture that can achieve both road surface mapping and forward visibility can be provided.

[0014] The first combined unit may also include: a support member for supporting the low beam unit and the high beam unit; and an actuator for driving the support member to switch between the first illumination direction and the second illumination direction. In this way, the high beam unit and the low beam unit are driven integrally by the actuator, thereby enabling the switching of the illumination direction of the combined unit.

[0015] The high beam unit can also be equipped with a pattern generator. The pattern generator can also be configured such that, when the first combined unit is facing the second illumination direction, a part of the pattern generator generates a road surface pattern, and another part of the pattern generator generates an auxiliary beam pattern to assist the low beam beam pattern. In this way, both the road surface pattern and the auxiliary beam pattern are generated on the pattern generator of the high beam unit, thereby taking into account both road surface pattern and forward visibility.

[0016] The auxiliary light distribution pattern can also be defined as at least a portion of the part of the low beam light distribution pattern that is detached from the low beam light distribution pattern within the prescribed low beam area when the first combination unit is oriented toward the second illumination direction. In this way, for road surface painting, the auxiliary light distribution pattern can be used to compensate for the reduction in road surface brightness caused by the downward displacement of the low beam light distribution pattern when the illumination direction of the combination unit is switched.

[0017] The auxiliary light distribution pattern can also be defined as at least the elbow point of the cutoff line between light and dark areas that forms the low beam light distribution pattern. In this way, a light distribution pattern that is similar to the original low beam light distribution pattern can be created using the auxiliary light distribution pattern.

[0018] The first combination unit can also be configured such that, when a predetermined event occurs while the first combination unit is facing the first illumination direction and the high beam unit is illuminating the high beam beam pattern, the first combination unit switches from the first illumination direction to the second illumination direction and performs road surface drawing to notify the event. In this way, such an event can be notified to the driver before the high beam illumination.

[0019] The vehicle lighting fixture may further include a second assembly unit, which is a pair with the first assembly unit. This second assembly unit includes a low beam unit that illuminates a low beam pattern and a high beam unit that illuminates a high beam pattern upwards relative to the low beam pattern. The high beam unit is capable of road surface painting. The second assembly unit can switch between a first illumination direction that illuminates the low beam pattern towards a predetermined low beam area and a second illumination direction that is downwards relative to the first illumination direction. The second assembly unit may also be configured such that when the first assembly unit is facing the second illumination direction, the second assembly unit faces the first illumination direction. Alternatively, the first assembly unit may be mounted within a pair of headlight units, specifically the first headlight unit, and the second assembly unit may be mounted within a pair of headlight units, specifically the second headlight unit. In this way, while the high beam unit of the first assembly unit performs road surface painting, the second assembly unit can be used to illuminate a predetermined low beam area. Therefore, a vehicle lighting fixture capable of achieving both road surface painting and forward visibility can be provided.

[0020] Other embodiments of the present invention also pertain to vehicle lighting fixtures. These vehicle lighting fixtures include a pair of combined units, each comprising a low beam unit that illuminates a low beam pattern and a high beam unit that illuminates a high beam pattern upwards relative to the low beam pattern. The high beam unit is capable of road surface painting. Each combined unit is capable of switching between a first illumination direction that illuminates a low beam pattern towards a predetermined low beam area and a second illumination direction that is downwards relative to the first illumination direction. The pair of combined units is configured such that when one combined unit is oriented towards the second illumination direction, the high beam unit of one combined unit performs road surface painting, while the other combined unit is oriented towards the first illumination direction.

[0021] According to this scheme, when road surface mapping is performed by the high beam unit of one combined unit, a designated low beam area can be illuminated using another combined unit. Therefore, a vehicle lighting fixture that can achieve both road surface mapping and forward visibility can be provided.

[0022] Another aspect of the invention is a control device for a vehicle lamp. The vehicle lamp includes a combination unit comprising a low beam unit that illuminates a low beam pattern and a high beam unit that illuminates a high beam pattern upwards relative to the low beam pattern. The high beam unit is capable of road surface painting. The combination unit is capable of switching between a first illumination direction that illuminates the low beam pattern towards a predetermined low beam area and a second illumination direction that is downwards relative to the first illumination direction. The control device is configured to perform road surface painting when the combination unit is oriented towards the second illumination direction, and to activate the high beam unit so as to illuminate the road surface in a manner that assists the low beam pattern.

[0023] Furthermore, any combination of the above-mentioned constituent elements, or any scheme in which the constituent elements of the present invention are transformed into one another in a method, apparatus, system, computer program, recording medium, etc., is also valid as a scheme of the present invention.

[0024] Invention Effects

[0025] According to the present invention, a vehicle lighting fixture that can achieve both road surface mapping and forward visibility can be provided. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram showing the state in which the vehicle lamps of the embodiment are installed in a vehicle.

[0027] Figure 2 This is a schematic perspective view showing the outline configuration of a vehicle lamp according to an embodiment.

[0028] Figure 3 It is a summary. Figure 2 The diagram shows the cross-section of the vehicle lighting fixture along line A-A.

[0029] Figure 4 (a) and Figure 4 (b) is a schematic diagram showing an exemplary light distribution pattern of a vehicle lamp according to an embodiment.

[0030] Figure 5 (a) to Figure 5 (e) is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a road surface painting pattern according to an embodiment.

[0031] Figure 6 (a) and Figure 6 (b) is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an action that can be performed in a vehicle lamp according to an embodiment.

[0032] Figure 7 (a) to Figure 7 (d) is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the operation of a vehicle lamp according to an embodiment.

[0033] Figure 8 It is shown Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the visual effect of the light distribution pattern shown in (d) on the road surface.

[0034] Figure 9 (a) and Figure 9 (b) is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of an auxiliary light distribution pattern of an embodiment.

[0035] Figure 10 (a) to Figure 10 (d) is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the operation of a vehicle lamp according to an embodiment.

[0036] Figure 11 (a) and Figure 11 (b) is a schematic diagram showing an exemplary light distribution pattern of a vehicle lamp according to an embodiment.

[0037] Figure 12 It is shown Figure 11 (a) and Figure 11 (b) is a schematic diagram of the visual effect of the light distribution pattern on the road surface.

[0038] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary light distribution pattern of a vehicle lamp according to an embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings based on preferred embodiments. These embodiments are illustrative rather than limiting, and all features or combinations thereof described in the embodiments do not necessarily represent the essential content of the invention. Identical or equivalent constituent elements, components, and processes shown in the various drawings are labeled with the same reference numerals, and repeated descriptions are omitted where appropriate. Furthermore, the scales or shapes of the parts shown in the various drawings are set for ease of explanation and are not intended to be limiting unless specifically mentioned. Additionally, the terms "first," "second," etc., used in this specification or claims do not indicate any order or degree of importance, but are used to distinguish one configuration from other configurations. Furthermore, in the various drawings, parts of components that are not important in describing the embodiments are omitted.

[0040] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram showing the vehicle lighting fixture of the embodiment installed in a vehicle. Furthermore, Figure 2 This is a schematic perspective view showing the general configuration of a vehicle lamp according to an embodiment. Figure 3 It is a summary. Figure 2 The diagram shows the cross-section of the vehicle lighting fixture along line A-A. Figure 4 (a) and Figure 4 (b) is a schematic diagram showing an exemplary light distribution pattern of a vehicle lamp according to an embodiment. Figure 4 (a) and Figure 4 In (b), a light distribution pattern is shown in summary on an imaginary vertical screen projected in front of the vehicle's lamps.

[0041] The vehicle lamp 10 of this embodiment is a vehicle headlight device having a pair of headlight units 10A and 10B disposed on the left and right sides at the front of the vehicle. The vehicle lamp 10 includes a pair of combination units 11A and 11B. One combination unit 11A is mounted on one headlight unit 10A, and the other combination unit 11B is mounted on the other headlight unit 10B. Figure 2 and Figure 3 The diagram shows a headlight unit 10A and its internal assembly unit 11A.

[0042] The pair of headlight units 10A and 10B have a roughly symmetrical structure and are essentially identical. Therefore, the following description of the structure of one headlight unit 10A and the combination unit 11A is provided as an example. Since the other headlight unit 10B and the combination unit 11B have the same structure, the description is omitted to avoid repetition.

[0043] The headlight unit 10A includes: a lamp body 12 having a front opening 13; and a light-transmitting cover 14 mounted on the lamp body 12 to cover the front opening 13. The lamp body 12 and the light-transmitting cover 14 constitute the housing of the headlight unit 10A. The assembly unit 11A is disposed within a lamp chamber 16, which serves as the internal space of the lamp housing. Typically, the lamp body 12 is formed from a suitable material, such as a general-purpose resin material, and the light-transmitting cover 14 is formed from a suitable light-transmitting material, such as a synthetic resin material or glass. Furthermore, in Figure 2 In order to facilitate explanation and to clearly show the internal components of the headlight unit 10A, such as the combination unit 11A, the light-transmitting cover 14 is shown removed from the lamp body 12.

[0044] The combined unit 11A includes a low beam unit 18, a high beam unit 20, a support member 26 supporting the low beam unit 18 and the high beam unit 20, and an actuator 30 that drives the low beam unit 18 and the high beam unit 20 in one unit.

[0045] The low beam unit 18 is configured to illuminate a low beam pattern Lo. The low beam unit 18 includes a light source such as an LED and an optical system for projecting light from the light source onto the front of the vehicle. Any known optical configuration for forming the low beam pattern Lo can also be used for the low beam unit 18.

[0046] Figure 4 Example of a low beam pattern Lo is shown in (a). As is known, the low beam pattern Lo illuminates a predetermined area below the horizontal line H. The cut-off line 32 of the low beam pattern Lo is located at or near the horizontal line H. The cut-off line 32 may have an opposing lane-side cut-off line extending parallel to the horizontal line H on the right side of the vertical line V, and a lane-side cut-off line extending parallel to the horizontal line H at a higher position on the left side of the vertical line V, and a sloping cut-off line connecting the opposing lane-side cut-off line and the lane-side cut-off line. The cut-off line 32 may have an elbow point 34 serving as the boundary (intersection) between the opposing lane-side cut-off line and the sloping cut-off line.

[0047] The high beam unit 20 is configured to illuminate the high beam distribution pattern Hi. Figure 3 The vertical cross-section of the high beam unit 20 is shown in a schematic diagram. The high beam unit 20 includes a pattern generator 22 and a projection optics system 24.

[0048] Figure 4 An example of a high beam distribution pattern Hi is shown in (a). As is known, the high beam distribution pattern Hi is a distribution pattern used to illuminate a predetermined area above the horizontal line H, relative to the low beam distribution pattern Lo. Furthermore, as shown, a portion of the high beam distribution pattern Hi may illuminate below the light cutoff line 32 of the low beam distribution pattern Lo, overlapping with the low beam distribution pattern Lo.

[0049] The pattern generator 22 has multiple pixels arranged in a two-dimensional pattern, each of which can be controlled independently. By individually controlling these pixels (e.g., switching them on and off), the pattern generator 22 can generate various light distribution patterns. For example, bright areas within a light distribution pattern are formed by the on pixels, and dark areas are formed by the off pixels. To generate light distribution patterns at high resolution, the pattern generator 22 can have at least 1000 pixels, or at least 10000 pixels.

[0050] In this embodiment, the pattern generator 22 can be a device in which multiple light-emitting elements (e.g., LEDs) are arranged in a matrix. In this case, each light-emitting element functions as a pixel. Such a high-precision device can also be called a pixel lamp or a matrix LED, etc. For example, the pattern generator 22 can also be a 64-row, 256-column matrix LED light source.

[0051] Alternatively, instead of such a self-illuminating pattern generator 22, a combination of a light source and MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) devices such as micromirror devices, or other forms of pattern generators such as liquid crystal displays can be used.

[0052] The so-called ADB (Adaptive Driving Beam) control, which dynamically and adaptively controls the high beam pattern Hi based on the surrounding conditions of the vehicle, can also be applied to the pattern generator 22. As is known, in ADB control, by detecting a vehicle in front, such as a vehicle traveling in front or an oncoming vehicle, a dark area is formed in the high beam pattern Hi at the location corresponding to the vehicle in front, thereby reducing or preventing glare that may be caused to the vehicle in front.

[0053] Pattern generator 22 can not only generate the high beam distribution pattern Hi, but also perform road surface painting. Pattern generator 22 can also generate a beam distribution pattern (hereinafter also referred to as a road surface painting pattern) for road surface painting instead of the high beam distribution pattern Hi (which may include an ADB beam distribution pattern). Alternatively, pattern generator 22 can also generate a road surface painting pattern together with the high beam distribution pattern Hi.

[0054] Road surface painting patterns can include various designs such as desired text, graphics, or markings that should be painted on the road surface. Through road surface painting, various information can be conveyed, such as attracting the attention of the driver of the vehicle, pedestrians around the vehicle, or drivers of other vehicles, or displaying messages on the ground near the vehicle welcoming drivers.

[0055] The projection optical system 24 is configured to project the light distribution pattern generated by the pattern generator 22 onto an area outside the vehicle lamp 10. The projection optical system 24 includes at least one optical component (e.g., a lens or mirror). Typically, as shown, the projection optical system 24 may also include a projection lens that receives light from the pattern generator 22, allowing it to pass through the light-transmitting cover 14 and be projected onto an area outside the vehicle lamp 10. Furthermore, the projection optical system 24 may also be a flip optical system that flips and projects the light distribution pattern generated on the pattern generator 22.

[0056] The support member 26 is supported by the lamp body 12 within the lamp chamber 16 in a tiltable manner relative to the lamp body 12. As an example, the support member 26 may be a support component (e.g., a support bracket) having a plate-like portion arranged with one side facing forward (towards the light-transmitting cover 14) and the opposite side facing backward (towards the lamp body 12). The support member 26 may be formed from a suitable material, such as synthetic resin or metal. The support member 26 may function as a heat dissipation component for dissipating heat emitted by the pattern generator 22, or such a heat dissipation component may be installed within the support member 26.

[0057] As described above, the support member 26 supports the low beam unit 18 and the high beam unit 20. The low beam unit 18 and the high beam unit 20 can be fixed to the support member 26. At this time, the relative positional relationship between the low beam unit 18 and the high beam unit 20 on the support member 26 remains unchanged.

[0058] Alternatively, for initial adjustment work, such as during manufacturing or maintenance, at least one of the low beam unit 18 and the high beam unit 20 may be mounted on the support member 26 in a manner that allows for adjustment of its posture relative to the support member 26. For example, the low beam unit 18 (or the high beam unit 20) may also be mounted on the support member 26 via a beam adjustment mechanism such as a calibration bolt.

[0059] The actuator 30 is configured to drive the assembly unit 11A in a manner that changes the orientation of the assembly unit 11A. For example, the actuator 30 may be a so-called leveling actuator that drives the assembly unit 11A in a manner that changes the orientation of the assembly unit 11A in the vertical direction. The drive shaft of the actuator 30 is connected to the support member 26, thereby enabling the actuator 30 to drive the support member 26. Within the lamp chamber 16, the actuator 30 may be positioned relative to the assembly unit 11A on the side of the lamp body 12 (e.g., below or behind the assembly unit 11A). The support structure of the actuator 30 and the support member 26 for the lamp body 12 can appropriately employ various known structures, and therefore will not be described in detail here.

[0060] The support member 26 supports the low beam unit 18 and the high beam unit 20, so the actuator 30 can drive the low beam unit 18 and the high beam unit 20 as a single unit (i.e., while maintaining the relative positional relationship between the low beam unit 18 and the high beam unit 20). By activating the actuator 30, the posture (angle) of the combined unit 11A relative to the lamp body 12 is changed, thereby altering the illumination direction of the combined unit 11A. In other words, the direction of the light emitted by the vehicle lamp 10 can be set to a desired direction.

[0061] For example, the combination unit 11A can switch between a first illumination direction typically used for illuminating the low beam pattern Lo and a second illumination direction that is downward relative to the first illumination direction. Figure 2As schematically shown by arrow 28, actuator 30 can drive support 26 to switch between the first irradiation direction and the second irradiation direction.

[0062] like Figure 3 As shown, the high beam unit 20 includes a light distribution control ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 36 that controls the pattern generator 22. The light distribution control ECU 36 can also be mounted on the support 26. Furthermore, the headlight unit 10A includes a lamp ECU 38 that controls the vehicle lamp 10. The lamp ECU 38 can also be mounted on the lamp body 12. The ECU can also be installed via a combination of a processor (hardware) such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a microcontroller, and a software program executed by the processor (hardware).

[0063] The light distribution control ECU 36 includes a processor 36a and a memory 36b. The processor 36a is configured to receive command signals from the luminaire ECU 38, determine the light distribution pattern to be generated based on the command signals, and generate the determined light distribution pattern on the pattern generator 22. The control function of the pattern generator 22 based on the processor 36a is achieved by the processor 36a executing a software program for light distribution control stored in the memory 36b, which is installed in the processor 36a. The memory 36b may contain non-volatile memory and / or volatile memory. In addition to the software program, the memory 36b also stores data required for the operation of the luminaire ECU 38 or the execution of the software program, and data generated by executing the software program.

[0064] The lighting ECU 38 can also obtain necessary vehicle information from the host controller for controlling the vehicle lighting 10, and control the combination units 11A and 11B (i.e., low beam unit 18, high beam unit 20, and actuator 30) based on this information. This host controller is an ECU that comprehensively controls the entire vehicle or a part thereof, excluding the vehicle lighting 10; it can also be called a vehicle ECU. The lighting ECU 38 and the vehicle ECU 300 can communicate via an in-vehicle network conforming to network protocols such as CAN (Controller Area Network) or LIN (Local Interconnect Network), or other suitable communication networks, and can receive vehicle information from the vehicle ECU via such a network.

[0065] For example, the lighting ECU 38 can also control the operation of the low beam unit 18 (e.g., turning it on / off, light intensity, etc.) based on vehicle information. The lighting ECU 38 can also control the operation of the high beam unit 20 (e.g., turning it on / off, light distribution pattern, etc.) based on vehicle information. The lighting ECU 38 can also generate the aforementioned command signals based on vehicle information and send them to the light distribution control ECU 36. The lighting ECU 38 can also control the operation of the actuator 30 based on vehicle information (e.g., switching from a first illumination direction to a second illumination direction, or switching from a second illumination direction to a first illumination direction).

[0066] Figure 4 In (a), the near beam pattern Lo and the far beam pattern Hi are shown when the combination unit 11A is irradiated from the combination unit 11A in the first irradiation direction. Figure 4 In (b), the near beam pattern Lo and the far beam pattern Hi are shown when the combination unit 11A is irradiated from the combination unit 11A in the second irradiation direction.

[0067] When the combined unit 11A is oriented toward the first illumination direction, a low beam pattern Lo is irradiated onto the designated low beam region 40 (for ease of understanding, ...). Figure 4 (shown by dashed lines in (b)). Figure 4 (a) and Figure 4 As can be understood from the comparison in (b), the second illumination direction is more downward than the first illumination direction. When the combination unit 11A faces the second illumination direction, the low beam pattern Lo is illuminated from the position after the specified low beam area 40 is shifted downward, as shown by arrow 48.

[0068] For ease of explanation, such as Figure 4 As shown in (a), the portion below the horizontal line H in the far-beam light distribution pattern Hi generated by the pattern generator 22 when the combination unit 11A is oriented toward the first irradiation direction is called the first portion 42. Furthermore, as... Figure 4 As shown in (b), the portion below the horizontal line H in the high beam distribution pattern Hi when the combined unit 11A is oriented toward the second irradiation direction is called the second portion 44.

[0069] Regarding the high beam pattern Hi, similarly to the low beam pattern Lo, when the combining unit 11A faces the second illumination direction, the illumination is shifted downwards. Therefore, as from... Figure 4 (a) and Figure 4 The comparison of (b) shows that, compared to the second part 44, the first part 42 extends in the vertical direction (the direction of the vertical line V).

[0070] In road surface drawing, light emitted from the vehicle's headlights 10 that is directed downwards from the horizontal line H is used. In other words, light directed upwards from the horizontal line H will not reach the road surface and therefore cannot be used in road surface drawing. Therefore, when the combination unit 11A is oriented towards the first illumination direction, the high beam unit 20 (i.e., the pattern generator 22) can only utilize the first part 42 to generate the road surface drawing pattern.

[0071] In contrast, when the combined unit 11A is oriented toward the second illumination direction, the high beam unit 20 can utilize the second part 44, which is wider than the first part 42, in order to generate a road surface drawing pattern. Figure 4 In (b), an example of a road surface painting pattern 46 that can be generated in the second part 44 is shown. The areas of the first part 42 and the second part 44 correspond to the number of pixels on the pattern generator 22. Therefore, the resolution of the road surface painting pattern can be improved by switching the combining unit 11A from the first illumination direction to the second illumination direction.

[0072] Figure 5 (a) to Figure 5 (e) is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a road surface painting pattern according to an embodiment. The illustrated road surface painting pattern can be projected onto the road surface in front of a vehicle while the vehicle is in motion. Figure 5 (a) and Figure 5 In (b), lane keeping assist warning signs 46a and 46b are shown. These signs are painted on the road surface to prompt drivers to prevent them from leaving the lane they are traveling in. Figure 5 The right-pointing arrow shown in (a) is used to prevent deviation to the left from the driving lane. Figure 5 The left-pointing arrow shown in (b) is used to prevent deviation to the right from the driving lane. As an example, it could be... Figure 5 The right arrow in (a) is drawn from the driver's perspective, from the left headlight unit 10A onto the road surface. Figure 5 The left arrow in (b) is drawn from the right headlight unit 10B onto the road surface.

[0073] The pattern generator 22 can also represent the road surface pattern 46 using bright areas 50. To clearly show the outline of the road surface pattern 46, the pattern generator 22 can also generate dark areas 52 around the road surface pattern. As described above, the bright areas 50 are generated by turning on the pixels at the positions corresponding to the bright areas 50 on the pattern generator 22, and the dark areas 52 are generated by turning off the pixels at the positions corresponding to the dark areas 52 on the pattern generator 22. In this way, for example, as... Figure 5 (a) and Figure 5As shown in (b), the arrows corresponding to the lane keeping assist warning signs 46a and 46b are brightly illuminated on the road surface.

[0074] In addition to the road surface pattern 46, if the pattern generator 22 also generates other light distribution patterns such as the high beam pattern Hi or the auxiliary light distribution pattern described later, in order to distinguish the road surface pattern 46 from other light distribution patterns, the pattern generator 22 may also generate a dark area 52 between the bright area 50 of the road surface pattern 46 and the bright area of ​​other light distribution patterns.

[0075] Alternatively, pattern generator 22 can also represent the road surface pattern 46 using dark areas. Pattern generator 22 can also generate dark areas equivalent to the road surface pattern 46 within bright areas of other light distribution patterns, such as the high beam pattern Hi, or the auxiliary light distribution pattern described later. In this case, compared to... Figure 5 (a) and Figure 5 In contrast to the lane keeping assist warning signs 46a and 46b shown in (b), the arrow sign is a dark part of a background that is brightly illuminated around it. In this way, by contrasting the bright and dark areas, a pavement drawing pattern 46 can be generated on the road surface.

[0076] Pattern generator 22 can also make the brightness of the road surface pattern 46 different from the low beam pattern Lo. For example, pattern generator 22 can also illuminate the bright area 50 of the road surface pattern 46 (the bright area around which the road surface pattern 46 is represented when it is dark) brighter than the low beam pattern Lo. In conjunction with or instead of this, pattern generator 22 can also illuminate the road surface pattern 46 with a color different from the low beam pattern Lo (e.g., red, orange, blue, or other non-white colors).

[0077] This is effective in improving the visibility of the road surface pattern 46. When at least a portion of the road surface pattern 46 generated by the pattern generator 22 overlaps with the low beam distribution pattern Lo, the road surface pattern 46 can be easily identified as the low beam distribution pattern Lo.

[0078] In addition, Figure 5 In (c), a wrong-way warning sign 46c is shown to inform the driver that the vehicle is traveling in the wrong direction. Figure 5 In (d), a collision risk warning sign 46d is shown, which is used to inform the driver that there is a risk of the vehicle colliding with the vehicle in front. Figure 5 In (e), a warning sign 46e is shown to inform the driver that the vehicle is traveling on slippery surfaces such as snowy or icy roads.

[0079] The illustrated road surface pattern is an example, but other road surface patterns can also be used. For example, road surface patterns may include path guidance signs indicating the direction the vehicle should be heading, speeding warning signs indicating that the vehicle is traveling at a speed exceeding the legal speed limit, and various signs corresponding to driving conditions.

[0080] Figure 6 (a) and Figure 6 (b) is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an action that can be performed in a vehicle lamp according to an embodiment. Figure 6 In (a), the low beam pattern Lo and the road surface pattern 46 are shown when the combined unit 11A is irradiated from the combined unit 11A in the second irradiation direction. Figure 6 In (b), it is shown Figure 6 The visual effect of the light distribution pattern on the road surface shown in (a).

[0081] In this example, pattern generator 22 only generates road surface painting pattern 46. Pattern generator 22 does not generate high beam pattern Hi. Road surface painting pattern 46 serves as an example for a lane keeping assist warning sign. Figure 6 (a) and Figure 6 As shown in (b), the road surface pattern 46 can be drawn by irradiating the area 54 below the horizontal line H.

[0082] At this time, the combination unit 11A faces the second illumination direction. Therefore, as described above, the low beam distribution pattern Lo is shifted downward from the designated low beam area (i.e., the low beam distribution pattern Lo when the combination unit 11A faces the first illumination direction). The other combination unit 11B also faces the second illumination direction, and its low beam distribution pattern Lo is also shifted downward.

[0083] Therefore, if the combination units 11A and 11B are oriented towards the first illumination direction, the area 54 below the horizontal line H illuminated by the low beam pattern Lo will deviate from the low beam pattern Lo. In this example, as road surface painting is performed, the low beam pattern Lo illuminates a lower position than it should have. As a result, the brightness in front of the vehicle is insufficient, and forward visibility may be reduced.

[0084] Therefore, in this embodiment, the high beam unit 20 is configured to perform road surface drawing when the combination unit 11A is facing the second illumination direction, and to illuminate the road surface in a manner that assists the low beam light distribution pattern Lo. In this way, when the high beam unit 20 performs road surface drawing, it illuminates the road surface in a manner that assists the low beam light distribution pattern Lo. Therefore, a vehicle lamp 10 that can achieve both road surface drawing and forward visibility can be provided.

[0085] Figure 7 (a) to Figure 7 (d) is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the operation of a vehicle lamp according to an embodiment. Here, the switching action from low beam to road surface is explained. The control method of the vehicle lamp according to the embodiment includes the step of switching the combination units 11A and 11B from a first illumination direction to a second illumination direction (see...). Figure 7 (c) and the steps of performing road surface drawing and activating the high beam unit 20 to illuminate the road surface in a manner that assists the low beam distribution pattern Lo when the combined units 11A and 11B are oriented toward the second illumination direction (see [reference]). Figure 7 (d)

[0086] exist Figure 7 In the initial state shown in (a), the combination units 11A and 11B are oriented toward the first illumination direction, and the low beam pattern Lo is illuminated from the low beam unit 18. When a predetermined event occurs during the illumination of the low beam pattern Lo, the operation of the combination units 11A and 11B for road surface painting begins.

[0087] The predetermined event is an event that is pre-determined in the manner of performing road surface drawing; for example, it refers to the event that should be illuminated. Figure 5 (a) to Figure 5 The event of the road surface painting pattern illustrated in (e) can be included in the vehicle information supplied from the vehicle side to the lighting ECU 38. In response to such vehicle information, the lighting ECU 38 generates a command signal instructing the road surface painting and sends it to the light distribution control ECU 36 and the actuator 30.

[0088] The light distribution control ECU 36 receives a command signal from the luminaire ECU 38, determines the light distribution pattern to be generated based on the command signal, and generates the determined light distribution pattern on the pattern generator 22. First, as... Figure 7 As shown in (b), when the combination units 11A and 11B are oriented toward the first illumination direction (i.e., before the illumination direction switches from the first illumination direction to the second illumination direction), the pattern generator 22 generates an initial light distribution pattern 56. The initial light distribution pattern 56 can also be determined by illuminating at least a portion of the area overlapping with the near-beam light distribution pattern Lo. In the illustrated example, the initial light distribution pattern 56 illuminates the portion of the area below the horizontal line H that can be illuminated by the pattern generator 22. Figure 4 The first part 42 shown in (a) is determined in a way that does not illuminate the area above the horizontal line H.

[0089] The actuator 30 operates by receiving a command signal from the lamp ECU 38 and, in response to the command signal, switching the illumination direction of the combination units 11A and 11B from a first illumination direction to a second illumination direction. This switching of illumination direction (schematically shown by arrow 48) is achieved as follows: Figure 7As shown in (c), the low beam distribution pattern Lo and Figure 7 (a) and Figure 7 Compared to the initial state shown in (b), the position where the light is shifted downwards.

[0090] Synchronously with the operation of the illumination direction of the switching combination units 11A, 11B based on actuator 30, the light distribution control ECU 36 adjusts the light distribution pattern generated on the pattern generator 22. For example... Figure 7 As shown in (c), the pattern generator 22 is controlled to expand the initial light distribution pattern 56 upward (schematically shown by arrow 60) and the auxiliary light distribution pattern 58. At this time, the action of the actuator 30 is synchronized with the expansion of the light distribution pattern, so that, from the driver's perspective, the position of the upper edge of the auxiliary light distribution pattern 58 has not moved, but remains at the horizontal line H.

[0091] The auxiliary beam pattern 58 is determined to illuminate a predetermined low beam area 40 when the combined units 11A and 11B are oriented towards the second illumination direction (the area where the low beam beam pattern Lo is irradiated when the combined units 11A and 11B are oriented towards the first illumination direction, as shown in the reference). Figure 4 At least a portion of the part of (b) that is detached from the near beam pattern Lo. Figure 7 (a) to Figure 7 In the example shown in (d), the auxiliary light distribution pattern 58 is set to illuminate the area below the horizontal line H, which is the portion that the pattern generator 22 can illuminate. In this way, for road surface drawing, the auxiliary light distribution pattern 58 can compensate for the decrease in road surface brightness caused by the downward shift of the low beam light distribution pattern Lo when switching the illumination direction of the combination units 11A and 11B.

[0092] Furthermore, when the combination units 11A and 11B are oriented towards the second illumination direction, the light distribution control ECU36 controls the pattern generator 22 to generate a road surface painting pattern 46. For example... Figure 7 As shown in (d), in this example, the lane keeping assist warning sign is represented by a dark area within the assist light pattern 58.

[0093] In this way, when the combination units 11A and 11B are facing the second irradiation direction, the pattern generator 22 generates a road surface drawing pattern 46 with a part of the pattern generator 22 and generates an auxiliary light distribution pattern 58 for assisting the low beam light distribution pattern Lo with another part of the pattern generator 22.

[0094] Figure 8 It is shown Figure 7 (d) is a summary diagram of the visual effect of the light distribution pattern on the road surface. Figure 6 In (b), as the road surface painting is executed, the low beam pattern Lo shifts downwards, resulting in insufficient brightness in front of the vehicle and reduced forward visibility. In contrast, Figure 8 In the process, when the high beam unit 20 performs road surface drawing, it generates both the road surface drawing pattern 46 and the auxiliary light distribution pattern 58 on the pattern generator 22, thereby taking into account both road surface drawing and forward visibility.

[0095] In addition, in reference Figure 7 (a) to Figure 7 In the control method described in (d), firstly, the pattern generator 22 illuminates the initial light distribution pattern 56, and then the actuator 30 switches the illumination direction, but other methods may also be used. For example, initially, the illumination direction may be switched from the first illumination direction to the second illumination direction by the actuator 30, and then the pattern generator 22 generates the auxiliary light distribution pattern 58 and the road surface painting pattern 46.

[0096] Figure 9 (a) and Figure 9 (b) is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of the auxiliary light distribution pattern of the embodiment. In the above embodiment, the upper end of the auxiliary light distribution pattern 58 is a straight line parallel to the horizontal line H, but unlike that, as shown in... Figure 9 As shown in (a), the auxiliary light distribution pattern 58 can also be determined by at least the elbow point 34 of the cutoff line 32 that forms the low beam light distribution pattern Lo. In this way, a light distribution pattern that is similar to the original low beam light distribution pattern Lo can be produced using the auxiliary light distribution pattern 58.

[0097] Furthermore, as another example, the auxiliary light distribution pattern 58 can also be set to illuminate an area above the horizontal line H. For example, as... Figure 9 As shown in (b), the auxiliary beam pattern 58 may include an ADB beam pattern. That is, the beam control ECU 36 may also control the pattern generator 22 to form a dark area 64 at the location corresponding to the vehicle 62 ahead. In this case, similar to the above embodiment, the pattern generator 22 may also illuminate the area below the horizon and generate a road surface pattern 46 to assist the low beam beam pattern Lo.

[0098] Figure 10 (a) to Figure 10 (d) is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the operation of a vehicle lighting fixture according to an embodiment. This description focuses on the operation of switching from high beam to road surface rendering. Figure 10 In the initial state shown in (a), the combination units 11A and 11B are irradiated with a low beam pattern Lo from the low beam unit 18 and a high beam pattern Hi from the high beam unit 20, facing the first irradiation direction. When a predetermined event occurs during the irradiation of the low beam pattern Lo and the high beam pattern Hi, the operation of the combination units 11A and 11B for road surface painting begins.

[0099] like Figure 10As shown in (b), when the combination units 11A and 11B are facing the first irradiation direction (i.e., before the irradiation direction is switched from the first irradiation direction to the second irradiation direction), the pattern generator 22 switches from the high beam distribution pattern Hi to the auxiliary beam distribution pattern 58.

[0100] Next, as Figure 10 As schematically shown by arrow 48 in (c), the illumination direction of the combination units 11A and 11B is switched from the first illumination direction to the second illumination direction via actuator 30. The auxiliary light distribution pattern 58 and the near beam light distribution pattern Lo are shifted downwards. Furthermore, as... Figure 7 As shown in (d), the pattern generator 22 generates a road surface drawing pattern 46 within the auxiliary light distribution pattern 58.

[0101] In this way, when a predetermined event occurs while the combination units 11A and 11B are facing the first illumination direction and the high beam unit 20 is illuminating the high beam pattern Hi, the combination units 11A and 11B can switch from the first illumination direction to the second illumination direction, and road surface drawing to notify the event can be performed. In this way, such an event can be notified to the driver before the high beam illumination.

[0102] In addition, in reference Figure 10 (a) to Figure 10 In the control method described in (d), firstly, the pattern generator 22 illuminates the auxiliary light distribution pattern 58, and then the illumination direction is switched by the actuator 30, but other methods may also be used. For example, it may be that initially the illumination direction is switched from the first illumination direction to the second illumination direction by the actuator 30, and then the pattern generator 22 generates the auxiliary light distribution pattern 58 and the road surface painting pattern 46.

[0103] In the above embodiments, the pair of combined units 11A and 11B perform the same operation, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In one embodiment, these combined units 11A and 11B may also perform different operations. Such embodiments are described below.

[0104] Figure 11 (a) and Figure 11 (b) is a schematic diagram showing an exemplary light distribution pattern of a vehicle lamp according to an embodiment. Figure 11 An example of the light distribution pattern of a combination unit 11A is shown in (a). Figure 11 Example of the light distribution pattern of another combination unit 11B is shown in (b). One combination unit 11A is mounted on the left headlight unit 10A as viewed from the driver, and the other combination unit 11B is mounted on the right headlight unit 10B. Figure 12 It is shown Figure 11 (a) and Figure 11(b) is a schematic diagram of the visual effect of the light distribution pattern on the road surface.

[0105] like Figure 11 (a) and Figure 11 As shown in (b), a pair of combined units 11A, 11B can also be configured to perform road surface drawing by the high beam unit 20 (i.e., pattern generator 22) of the combined unit 11B when the combined unit 11B is facing the second illumination direction, and to make the other combined unit 11A face the first illumination direction.

[0106] like Figure 11 As shown in (a), the combination unit 11A faces the first illumination direction and illuminates the low beam pattern Lo1 from the low beam unit 18. The high beam unit 20 of the combination unit 11A is off and does not illuminate the high beam pattern. At this time, as... Figure 11 As shown in (b), another assembly unit 11B faces the second illumination direction. In this assembly unit 11B, the low beam pattern Lo2, which is shifted downward, is illuminated from the low beam unit 18, and the road surface pattern 46 is illuminated from the high beam unit 20.

[0107] Similarly, a pair of combined units 11A and 11B can also be configured such that when combined unit 11A is facing the second illumination direction, road surface drawing is performed by the high beam unit 20 of combined unit 11A, and the other combined unit 11B is facing the first illumination direction.

[0108] In this way, such as Figure 12 As shown, when the high beam unit 20 of one combination unit 11B (or 11A) performs road surface mapping, another combination unit 11A (or 11B) can be used to illuminate the low beam area defined by the low beam distribution pattern Lo1. Therefore, a vehicle lamp 10 that can achieve both road surface mapping and forward visibility can be provided.

[0109] In addition, references can be made Figures 1 to 10 The implementation method described in (d) and reference Figure 11 (a) to Figure 12 The described implementation is a hybrid approach. That is, a pair of combined units 11A and 11B can also be configured such that when one combined unit 11A (or 11B) faces the second illumination direction, it performs road surface mapping and low beam assist via its high beam unit 20, while the other combined unit 11B (or 11A) faces the first illumination direction. In this way, a vehicle lighting fixture 10 that can achieve both road surface mapping and forward visibility can be provided.

[0110] This invention is not limited to the embodiments and modifications described above. Embodiments and modifications can be combined, and further modifications, such as various design changes, can be made based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art. Such combinations or further modifications of embodiments or modifications are also included within the scope of this invention. The embodiments or modifications described above, as well as new embodiments resulting from combinations of the above embodiments or modifications with the modifications described below, combine the effects of the combined embodiments, modifications, and further modifications.

[0111] In the above embodiments, the low beam unit 18 is configured to illuminate only the low beam light distribution pattern Lo, but this is not mandatory. In one embodiment, the low beam unit 18 may also be configured to illuminate not only the low beam light distribution pattern Lo, but also other light distribution patterns.

[0112] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary light distribution pattern of a vehicle lamp according to an embodiment. Figure 13 The diagram illustrates the light distribution pattern of a low beam unit 18. The low beam unit 18 can illuminate both the low beam light distribution pattern Lo and the high beam light distribution pattern Hi1. The low beam unit 18 may also include a first row of light-emitting elements (e.g., an LED row) for forming the low beam light distribution pattern Lo and a second row of light-emitting elements for forming the high beam light distribution pattern Hi1. Such a low beam unit 18 can be referred to as a BiLED unit. For ease of understanding, Figure 13 The image also shows the high beam pattern Hi2 based on the high beam unit 20.

[0113] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the case in which a pair of combined units 11A and 11b are symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides of the vehicle has been described as an example. However, the arrangement of the pair of combined units 11A and 11b is not limited to this. For example, the pair of combined units 11A and 11b may also be both mounted in a single-sided headlight unit 10A (or 10B).

[0114] According to the embodiments, the present invention has been described using specific statements. However, the embodiments only show one aspect of the principle and application of the present invention. Various modifications or configuration changes are allowed for the embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the claims.

[0115] The implementation method may be represented by the following items with additional numbers.

[0116] 1. A vehicle lamp, characterized in that,

[0117] The system includes a first assembly unit comprising a low-beam unit that illuminates a low-beam beam pattern and a high-beam unit that illuminates a high-beam beam pattern upwards relative to the low-beam beam pattern. The high-beam unit is capable of road surface mapping. The first assembly unit is capable of switching between a first illumination direction that illuminates the low-beam beam pattern onto a predetermined low-beam area and a second illumination direction that is downwards relative to the first illumination direction.

[0118] The high beam unit is configured to perform road surface drawing when the first combined unit is facing the second illumination direction, and to illuminate the road surface in a manner that assists the low beam light distribution pattern.

[0119] 2. The vehicle lighting fixture according to Project 1, characterized in that,

[0120] The first combining unit includes:

[0121] Support members that support the low beam unit and the high beam unit; and

[0122] An actuator that drives the support member by switching between the first irradiation direction and the second irradiation direction.

[0123] 3. The vehicle lighting fixture according to item 1 or 2, characterized in that,

[0124] The high beam unit includes a pattern generator.

[0125] The pattern generator is configured to generate a road surface pattern with a portion of the pattern generator when the first combination unit is oriented toward the second illumination direction, and to generate an auxiliary light distribution pattern for assisting the low beam light distribution pattern with another portion of the pattern generator.

[0126] 4. The vehicle lighting fixture according to Project 3, characterized in that,

[0127] The auxiliary light distribution pattern is defined as: when the first combination unit is oriented toward the second irradiation direction, irradiating at least a portion of the portion of the predetermined low beam area that is detached from the low beam light distribution pattern.

[0128] 5. The vehicle lighting fixture according to Project 4, characterized in that,

[0129] The auxiliary light distribution pattern is defined as: at least the elbow point of the light and dark cutoff line that forms the low beam light distribution pattern.

[0130] 6. The vehicle lamp according to any one of items 1 to 5, characterized in that,

[0131] The first combination unit is configured to: when a predetermined event occurs while the first combination unit is facing the first illumination direction and the high beam unit is illuminating the high beam pattern, switch the first combination unit from the first illumination direction to the second illumination direction and perform road surface drawing to notify the event.

[0132] 7. The vehicle lamp according to any one of items 1 to 6, characterized in that,

[0133] It also includes a second assembly unit, which is paired with the first assembly unit. This assembly unit includes a low-beam unit that illuminates a low-beam beam pattern and a high-beam unit that illuminates a high-beam beam pattern upwards relative to the low-beam beam pattern. The high-beam unit can perform road surface painting. The second assembly unit can switch between a first illumination direction that illuminates the low-beam beam pattern towards a predetermined low-beam area and a second illumination direction that is downwards relative to the first illumination direction.

[0134] The second assembly unit is configured such that when the first assembly unit is oriented toward the second irradiation direction, the second assembly unit is oriented toward the first irradiation direction.

[0135] 8. The vehicle lighting fixture according to item 7, characterized in that,

[0136] The first combination unit is mounted on the first headlight unit of a pair of headlight units, and the second combination unit is mounted on the second headlight unit of the pair of headlight units.

[0137] 9. A vehicle lamp, characterized in that,

[0138] The device comprises a pair of combined units, each including a low beam unit that illuminates a low beam pattern and a high beam unit that illuminates a high beam pattern upwards relative to the low beam pattern. The high beam unit is capable of road surface painting. Each combined unit can switch between a first illumination direction that illuminates the low beam pattern onto a predetermined low beam area and a second illumination direction that is downwards relative to the first illumination direction.

[0139] The pair of combined units are configured such that when one combined unit is facing the second illumination direction, road surface drawing is performed by the high beam unit of the one combined unit, and the other combined unit is facing the first illumination direction.

[0140] 10. The vehicle lighting fixture according to item 9, characterized in that,

[0141] Each of the pair of combined units includes:

[0142] Support members that support the low beam unit and the high beam unit; and

[0143] An actuator that drives the support member by switching between the first irradiation direction and the second irradiation direction.

[0144] 11. The vehicle lamps according to item 9 or 10, characterized in that,

[0145] The high beam unit includes a pattern generator.

[0146] The pattern generator is configured to generate a road surface pattern with a portion of the pattern generator of the combined unit when the combined unit is oriented toward the second irradiation direction, and to generate an auxiliary light distribution pattern for assisting the low beam light distribution pattern with another portion of the pattern generator.

[0147] 12. The vehicle lighting fixture according to item 11, characterized in that,

[0148] The auxiliary light distribution pattern is defined as follows: when the combined unit is oriented toward the second irradiation direction, at least a portion of the portion of the predetermined low beam area that is detached from the low beam light distribution pattern is irradiated.

[0149] 13. The vehicle lighting fixture according to item 12, characterized in that,

[0150] The auxiliary light distribution pattern is defined as: at least the elbow point of the light and dark cutoff line that forms the low beam light distribution pattern.

[0151] 14. The vehicle lamp according to any one of items 9 to 13, characterized in that,

[0152] The pair of combined units are configured to, when a predetermined event occurs while the pair of combined units are oriented toward the first illumination direction and the high beam unit is illuminating the high beam pattern, switch one of the combined units from the first illumination direction to the second illumination direction and perform road surface drawing to notify the event.

[0153] 15. The vehicle lamp according to any one of items 9 to 14, characterized in that,

[0154] The first combination unit is mounted on a first headlight unit of a pair of headlight units, and the second combination unit is mounted on a second headlight unit of the pair of headlight units.

[0155] 16. A control device for vehicle lighting, characterized in that,

[0156] This is a control device for vehicle lighting fixtures. The vehicle lighting fixtures include a combination unit comprising a low beam unit that illuminates a low beam pattern and a high beam unit that illuminates a high beam pattern upwards relative to the low beam pattern. The high beam unit is capable of road surface mapping. The combination unit is capable of switching between a first illumination direction that illuminates the low beam pattern onto a designated low beam area and a second illumination direction that is downwards relative to the first illumination direction.

[0157] The control device is configured to: perform road surface drawing when the combined unit is oriented toward the second illumination direction, and activate the high beam unit to illuminate the road surface in a manner that assists the low beam beam pattern.

[0158] 17. A computer program, characterized in that,

[0159] This is a computer program for controlling vehicle lighting fixtures, which include a combination unit comprising a low beam unit that illuminates a low beam pattern and a high beam unit that illuminates a high beam pattern upwards relative to the low beam pattern. The high beam unit can perform road surface mapping. The combination unit is capable of switching between a first illumination direction that illuminates the low beam pattern onto a predetermined low beam area and a second illumination direction that is downwards relative to the first illumination direction.

[0160] The computer program causes the computer to perform the following steps: when the combined unit is oriented toward the second irradiation direction, to perform road surface drawing, and to activate the high beam unit so as to irradiate the road surface in a manner that assists the low beam beam pattern.

[0161] 18. A computer-readable medium, characterized in that,

[0162] It is a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer programs for controlling vehicle lighting fixtures, the vehicle lighting fixtures having an assembly unit including a low beam unit that illuminates a low beam pattern and a high beam unit that illuminates a high beam pattern upward relative to the low beam pattern, the high beam unit being capable of road surface painting, the assembly unit being capable of switching between a first illumination direction illuminating the low beam pattern into a predetermined low beam area and a second illumination direction downward relative to the first illumination direction.

[0163] The computer program causes the computer to perform the following steps: when the combined unit is oriented toward the second irradiation direction, to perform road surface drawing, and to activate the high beam unit so as to irradiate the road surface in a manner that assists the low beam beam pattern.

[0164] Industrial availability

[0165] This invention can be used in vehicle lighting fixtures, for example, those that can be mounted in automobiles. Furthermore, this invention can be used in control devices for such vehicle lighting fixtures.

[0166] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0167] 10 Vehicle lighting fixtures, 11A and 11B combination units, 18 low beam unit, 20 high beam unit, 22 pattern generator, 26 support, 30 actuator, 32 cut-off line, 34 elbow point, 46 road surface pattern, 58 auxiliary light distribution pattern, Lo low beam light distribution pattern, Hi high beam light distribution pattern.

Claims

1. A vehicle lamp, characterized in that, The system includes a first assembly unit comprising a low-beam unit that illuminates a low-beam beam pattern and a high-beam unit that illuminates a high-beam beam pattern upwards relative to the low-beam beam pattern. The high-beam unit is capable of road surface mapping. The first assembly unit is capable of switching between a first illumination direction that illuminates the low-beam beam pattern onto a predetermined low-beam area and a second illumination direction that is downwards relative to the first illumination direction. The high beam unit is configured to perform road surface drawing when the first combined unit is facing the second illumination direction, and to illuminate the road surface in a manner that assists the low beam light distribution pattern.

2. The vehicle lighting fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first combining unit includes: Support members that support the low beam unit and the high beam unit; and The actuator drives the support member by switching between the first irradiation direction and the second irradiation direction.

3. The vehicle lighting fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that, The high beam unit includes a pattern generator. The pattern generator is configured to generate a road surface drawing pattern with a portion of the pattern generator when the first combination unit is oriented toward the second illumination direction, and to generate an auxiliary light distribution pattern for assisting the low beam light distribution pattern with another portion of the pattern generator.

4. The vehicle lighting fixture according to claim 3, characterized in that, The auxiliary light distribution pattern is defined as: when the first combination unit is oriented toward the second irradiation direction, irradiating at least a portion of the portion of the specified low beam area that is detached from the low beam light distribution pattern.

5. The vehicle lighting fixture according to claim 4, characterized in that, The auxiliary light distribution pattern is defined as: at least the elbow point of the light and dark cutoff line that forms the low beam light distribution pattern.

6. The vehicle lighting fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first combination unit is configured to: when a predetermined event occurs while the first combination unit is facing the first illumination direction and the high beam unit is illuminating the high beam pattern, switch the first combination unit from the first illumination direction to the second illumination direction and perform road surface drawing to notify the event.

7. The vehicle lamp according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, It also includes a second assembly unit, which is paired with the first assembly unit. This assembly unit includes a low-beam unit that illuminates a low-beam beam pattern and a high-beam unit that illuminates a high-beam beam pattern upwards relative to the low-beam beam pattern. The high-beam unit can perform road surface painting. The second assembly unit can switch between a first illumination direction that illuminates the low-beam beam pattern towards a predetermined low-beam area and a second illumination direction that is downwards relative to the first illumination direction. The second assembly unit is configured such that when the first assembly unit is facing the second irradiation direction, the second assembly unit is facing the first irradiation direction.

8. The vehicle lighting fixture according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first combination unit is mounted on the first headlight unit of a pair of headlight units, and the second combination unit is mounted on the second headlight unit of the pair of headlight units.

9. A vehicle lamp, characterized in that, The device comprises a pair of combined units, each including a low beam unit that illuminates a low beam pattern and a high beam unit that illuminates a high beam pattern upwards relative to the low beam pattern. The high beam unit is capable of road surface painting. Each combined unit can switch between a first illumination direction that illuminates the low beam pattern onto a predetermined low beam area and a second illumination direction that is downwards relative to the first illumination direction. The pair of combined units are configured such that when one combined unit is facing the second illumination direction, road surface drawing is performed by the high beam unit of the one combined unit, and the other combined unit is facing the first illumination direction.

10. A control device for vehicle lighting, characterized in that, This is a control device for vehicle lighting fixtures. The vehicle lighting fixtures include a combination unit comprising a low beam unit that illuminates a low beam pattern and a high beam unit that illuminates a high beam pattern upwards relative to the low beam pattern. The high beam unit can perform road surface painting. The combination unit can switch between a first illumination direction that illuminates the low beam pattern onto a designated low beam area and a second illumination direction that is downwards relative to the first illumination direction. The control device is configured to perform road surface drawing when the combined unit is oriented toward the second illumination direction, and to activate the high beam unit to illuminate the road surface in a manner that assists the low beam pattern.

11. A computer program, characterized in that, This is a computer program for controlling vehicle lighting fixtures, which include a combination unit comprising a low beam unit that illuminates a low beam pattern and a high beam unit that illuminates a high beam pattern upwards relative to the low beam pattern. The high beam unit is capable of road surface mapping. The combination unit is capable of switching between a first illumination direction that illuminates a defined low beam area of ​​the low beam pattern and a second illumination direction that is downwards relative to the first illumination direction. The computer program causes the computer to perform the following steps: activate the high beam unit so that when the combined unit is oriented toward the second illumination direction, road surface drawing is performed, and the road surface is illuminated in a manner that assists the low beam beam pattern.

Images