System and method for object-based control of a high-resolution headlight for a motor vehicle

Abstract

System (1) for controlling a light distribution of a headlight device (2) for a motor vehicle, comprising - a headlight device (2) having a pixel light system (3, 3'), - an environment detection device (4) arranged in a predeterminable position relative to the headlight device (2), with which the environment of the motor vehicle can be detected, - an evaluation device (5) which is communicatively connected to the surroundings detection device (4) and with which data from the surroundings detection device (4) can be evaluated at least to determine the position relative to the surroundings detection device (4) or the headlight device (2) of objects in the detected surroundings of the motor vehicle, the contour of the objects and the class to which the objects belong, - a control device (6) which is communicatively connected to the evaluation device (5) and which is designed to control the brightness distribution in the pixel light system (3, 3') on the basis of data which are transmitted from the evaluation device (5) to the control device (6), characterized in that - the evaluation device (5) is designed to transmit to the control device (6) data relating to the contour of the object, the position of the object relative to the environment detection device (4) or to the headlight device (2) and a dimming value for the object for each relevant object detected in the detected environment of the motor vehicle, for which anti-glare or marking by means of light is required or desired, - the control device (6) has a memory device or has access to a memory device, wherein the fundamentally possible light distribution of the headlight device (2) is stored in the memory device, and the control device (6) is further configured to calculate control data for controlling the brightness distribution in the pixel light system (3, 3') on the basis of the fundamentally possible light distribution stored in the memory device and the data received from the evaluation device (5) and to control the brightness distribution in the pixel light system (3, 3') in accordance with the control data, - in which the evaluation device (5) is further configured to determine the movement of the relevant object(s) relative to the motor vehicle on the basis of the data from the environment detection device (4) and to transmit data relating to the movement of the object(s) relative to the motor vehicle to the control device (6), and - in which the control device (6) is configured to calculate control data for the brightness distribution in the pixel light system (3, 3') taking into account the movement of the relevant object(s) relative to the motor vehicle, such that a forecast regarding the position and size of the object(s) relative to the motor vehicle is made within a predeterminable period of time from the time at which the data of the object(s) are detected by the surroundings detection device (4).

Description

The present invention relates to a system and method for object-based control of a high-resolution headlight for a motor vehicle.For illuminating a region lying in front of a motor vehicle mainly in the direction of travel, motor vehicles are known to have a vehicle lighting system (headlight, headlight device) with a driving light, by means of which at least the light functions parking light, low beam and high beam can be realized.The low beam is generally designed asymmetrically and, in the case of right-hand traffic on the left-hand half, is cut vertically by 1%, as a result of which glare to oncoming traffic and to road users driving in front is avoided. The high beam illuminates beyond the low beam region. Since the high beam (for example according to the German StVO) can only be switched on if no driver of a motor vehicle driving in front or on the other hand can be blinded, in contrast to the low beam, an exact bright-dark limit for the high beam is not prescribed.Due to the relatively high traffic density in many countries, a considerable portion of the drivers do not require the use of the conventional high beam. And when used, the operation of the high beam operation device required at short intervals due to the traffic density is often felt to be inconvenient. In view of this, adaptive high beam systems have been developed, such as sliding headlight range regulation and masked continuous high beam light.Another more recent development of these systems comprises a headlight device in which the emitted light is suitable for individually illuminating a larger number of defined, respectively comparatively small segments, wherein the size and position of each segment that can be illuminated is defined by a predeterminable horizontal and vertical angular range with which the light for the respective segment is emitted by the headlight device, and the distance to the headlight device. The light-generating devices used in such headlight devices are generally referred to as pixel light systems, wherein the term "pixel" here does not mean a definition with respect to a pixel-like arrangement of light-emitting elements in the light system, but rather rather rather generally means a pixel-like illumination of an environment of the headlight device, which illumination is divided into definable segments.An example of such a headlight device is, for example, a full LED matrix headlight, which can have a number of up to approximately 180 LEDs in models that are currently commercially available. Each of the LEDs radiates light with a predefined horizontal and vertical angular range, so that a number of segments corresponding to the number of LEDs can be illuminated in the environment of the motor vehicle. If a plurality of LEDs emit light with an identical predefined horizontal and vertical angular range, the number of illuminated segments corresponds to the number of LED groups formed in this way. If, for example, another road user is detected by a surroundings detection device / object detection device in one of the illuminated segments, the corresponding LEDs can be switched off or dimmed and glare to the detected road user can thereby be avoided.To actuate the individual LEDs or groups of LEDs, calculated dimming values for the respective LEDs are calculated via a bus (for example. CAN bus system) to the respective control device of the headlight, wherein the bus load remains within the predetermined data rates for the bus used because of the small number of segments.GB 2 359 390 A describes an apparatus for illuminating an environment with an infrared camera for generating data representing a 2-dimensional thermal image scene of the environment; a data processing system for processing the data representing a 2-dimensional thermal image scene of the environment to generate therefrom an illumination intensity pattern; and a headlamp for projecting the illumination intensity pattern into the environment. The visibility of objects can be improved by the device.And from DE 10 2009 051 485 A1, a method for controlling a driving light of a vehicle is known, having at least one headlamp, at least one sensor for detecting objects in a surrounding area of the vehicle and an evaluation unit for identifying the detected objects, wherein at least one light distribution of the at least one headlamp is set in such a way that an optical axis of the light distribution is directed onto an object recognized as a hazard point.Recent developments in vehicle headlight development are going to significantly increase the number of illuminatable segments, up to several thousand or even several hundred thousand segments, in order to achieve an even more precise illumination and illumination by the vehicle headlights. In this case, the problem arises that-generally speaking-individual control for the individual segments (in the above-mentioned example for the individual LEDs or groups of LEDs) via current bus systems cannot be carried out, since the predefined data rates are not sufficient for this purpose.It is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method by which this problem can be solved. This object is achieved by the system according to claim 1 and the method according to claim 10.According to the invention, a system for controlling a light distribution of a headlight device for a motor vehicle is proposed, comprisinga headlight device having a pixel light system,a surroundings detection device which is arranged in a predeterminable position relative to the headlight device and with which a surroundings of the motor vehicle can be detected,an evaluation device with which data of the environment detection device can be evaluated at least to the position relative to the environment detection device or the headlight device at which objects are located in the detected environment of the motor vehicle, which contour the objects have and which class the objects belong, anda control device which is in communication with the evaluation device and is configured to control the brightness distribution in the pixel light system on the basis of data which are transmitted from the evaluation device to the control device.The system according to the present invention is characterized in thatthe evaluation device is configured to transmit data relating to the contour of the object, the position of the object relative to the environment detection device or to the headlight device and a dimming value for the object to the control device for each relevant object detected in the detected environment of the motor vehicle, with respect to which dimming or marking by means of light is required or desired, andthe control device has a storage device or has access to a storage device, wherein the fundamentally possible light distribution of the headlight device is stored in the storage device, and the control device is further configured to calculate control data for controlling the brightness distribution in the pixel light system on the basis of the fundamentally possible light distribution stored in the storage device and the data received from the evaluation device, and to control the brightness distribution in the pixel light system in accordance with the control data.According to the invention, only object information about the objects to be dimmed and / or marked (for example. If road users, traffic signs, etc.) are transmitted from the evaluation device to the control device of the headlight device (and no longer control data with respect to each segment), a significantly reduced data load results in comparison with the prior art, which must be transmitted from the evaluation device to the control device.This is of particular advantage if-as provided according to a first advantageous refinement of the invention-the system further comprises a data bus system (such as a CAN bus system), by means of which the data can be transmitted from the evaluation device to the control device.As already mentioned above, it is not possible to activate high-resolution headlight devices, with which, for example, several thousand or even several hundred thousand segments can be illuminated, using systems and methods according to the prior art via conventionally used bus systems, since the predefined data rates for these bus systems would be exceeded as a result. This problem is solved by the system according to the present invention, with which, in contrast to the prior art, object-based control of high-resolution headlight devices is provided, since by such control the amount of data to be transmitted via a bus system can be greatly reduced in comparison with the prior art.According to a second advantageous development of the system, the control device is configured, in the event that data relating to the position of the relevant object / objects relative to the environment detection device are transmitted from the evaluation device to it, to calculate the position of the object / objects with respect to the headlight device.The system according to the present invention is further characterized in that in the system the evaluation device is further configured to determine the movement of the relevant object / objects relative to the motor vehicle on the basis of the data of the environment detection device and also to transmit data relating to the movement of the object / objects relative to the motor vehicle to the control device.The control device is configured to calculate control data for the brightness distribution in the pixel light system taking into account the movement of the relevant object / objects relative to the motor vehicle in such a way that a prediction is made with respect to the position and size of the object / objects relative to the motor vehicle within a predeterminable period of time from the time at which the data of the object / objects are detected by the environment detection device.Furthermore, it can be advantageously provided in this case that, in the system, the control device is configured to calculate a larger area around the object / objects for the masking or marking in the case of a relevant object / objects which / have a relative movement away from the motor vehicle than in the case of an object / objects which / have a relative movement away from the motor vehicle or a constant distance from the motor vehicle.According to yet another advantageous development of the invention, in the system the evaluation device can be configured to evaluate the current data of the environment detection device in each case within a predeterminable cycle time in the range from 10 ms to 30 ms and to transmit correspondingly processed data to the control device.Insofar as a "pixel light system" is referred to in the present application, this encompasses all possible types of high-resolution light systems, i.e. light systems which can emit light in an individually controlled manner into a large number of defined or definable segments in the front of the motor vehicle, each segment being defined by a horizontal and vertical angular range with which the respective light for the respective segment is emitted from the headlight device into the environment of the motor vehicle. Preferred examples of such "pixel light systems" are those comprising a matrix-like, area-modulated and / or beam-guided pixel light system. The present invention is likewise preferably applicable to pixel light systems with which 500 or more segments, particularly preferably 1000 or more segments, very particularly preferably 2000 or more segments can be illuminated individually (and cannot be illuminated and / or can be illuminated only more weakly than maximally possible).The present invention also includes a method for controlling a light distribution of a headlight device for a motor vehicle, comprising the stepsproviding a system according to the invention or one of its advantageous developments,detecting the surroundings of the motor vehicle using a surroundings detection device,evaluating the data of the environment detection device by an evaluation device at least as to the position relative to the environment detection device or the headlight device of objects in the detected environment of the motor vehicle, the contour of which the objects have and the class of which the objects belong,transmitting data for each relevant object detected in the detected environment of the motor vehicle, with respect to which a masking or marking by means of light is necessary or desired, with respect to the contour of the object, the position of the object relative to the environment detection device or to the headlight device and a dimming value for the object by the evaluation device to the control device, andcalculating, by the control device which has a storage device or has access to a storage device, wherein the fundamentally possible light distribution of the headlight device is stored in the storage device, control data for controlling the brightness distribution in the pixel light system on the basis of the fundamentally possible light distribution stored in the storage device and the data received from the evaluation device, and controlling the brightness distribution in the pixel light system by the control device in accordance with the control data.The present invention also includes those embodiments and developments of the method which are directly evident to a person skilled in the art from the description of the system according to the invention and from its advantageous embodiments and developments, claims 1 to 8, the figure and the description of the figures.The present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the attached drawings.The following are shown: FIG. 1 is a schematic and exemplary illustration of a system in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 2 shows a schematic and exemplary example of a fundamentally possible light distribution through a pixel light system.The representations in the figures are purely schematic and not to scale. Throughout the figures, the same or similar elements are provided with the same reference numerals.The embodiments explained below represent preferred embodiments of the present invention. The present invention is not limited to these embodiments, as a matter of course.The features and combinations of features mentioned in the above description and the features and combinations of features mentioned in the following description of embodiments, exemplary embodiments and the description of the figures and / or shown alone in the figures can be used not only in the respectively specified combination but also in other combinations or alone without departing from the scope of the present invention.As is schematically and exemplarily shown in FIG. 1, the system 1 comprises a headlight device 2 comprising a pixel light system 3, 3'.In Fig. 1, two pixel light systems 3, 3' are shown, but the system 1 according to the present invention is not limited to such a headlight device 2. Thus, the headlight device 2 can also have only one pixel light system 3, 3' or three or more pixel light systems 3, 3'. The headlight device 2 can be provided in the front of a motor vehicle, but the headlight device 2 or the pixel light system(s) 3, 3' can / can also be arranged at any other suitable and / or permitted location of the motor vehicle, for example in the roof region and / or in the side region of the motor vehicle. In the case of more than one pixel light system 3, 3', the individual pixel light systems 3, 3' can also be arranged at different locations of the motor vehicle.Pixel light systems 3, 3' have been known for a long time and have recently also already found entry in the field of vehicle headlight devices.FIG. 2 shows an example of a fundamentally possible light distribution of a pixel light system 3, 3'. Each of the rectangular area elements shown represents a segment which can be illuminated individually with the aid of the pixel light system 3, 3'. The resolution of the pixel light system 3, 3' is of course not limited to the number of segments (35×100=3500) shown by way of example in FIG. 2 and can have both a low resolution and a higher resolution. The surface elements need not have a substantially square shape-as shown by way of example in FIG. 2-but can also have a different, for example rectangular or other polygonal shape. The basically possible light distribution can also be configured differently both in the vertical and in the horizontal direction (for example not angular, different aspect ratio, etc.).Pixel light systems 3, 3' can already be used to currently achieve a resolution in the horizontal and / or vertical direction of up to 0.3° or less (for example. 0.29°, 0.28°, 0.27°, 0.26°, 0.25°, 0.24°, 0.23°, 0.22°, 0.21 °, 0.20°, 0.19°, 0.18°, 0.17°, 0.16°, 0.16°, 0.15°, 0.14°, 0.13°, 0.12°, 0.10°, or even less).According to the present invention, any type of high resolution light system may be used. Some of the presently preferred pixel light systems will be discussed in more detail below.A first possible embodiment of a pixel light system comprises an arrangement of LEDs which-as already mentioned at the beginning-currently have at most approximately 180 LEDs and with which different regions of the low beam and high beam can be illuminated and which can be controlled individually. The higher the number of LEDs in an LED headlight device, the higher the "resolution" of the LED headlight device can be.A further possibility for realizing a headlight device 2 with a pixel light system is represented by a laser-based pixel light system 3, 3'. In current laser-based vehicle headlight devices, blue laser light is generated by means of one or more laser diodes, which is converted by means of a converter into the white light required for a car headlight.A laser-based pixel light system 3, 3' can be obtained using several different technical solutions. For example, a surface-modulated laser-based pixel light system 3, 3' can be realized on the basis of a single-line or multi-line array of laser diodes (matrix beam, MxB), wherein individual laser diodes can be switched on / off and / or dimmed in a targeted manner. Since the individual laser diodes are each provided for illuminating a specific area in front of the motor vehicle, a plurality of marking and / or masking areas can be generated, for example, by switching laser diodes on / off or dimming them up / off.A surface-modulated, laser-based pixel light system 3, 3' can also be realized with the aid of a "digital micromirror device" (DMD), i.e. with the aid of a mirror array in which microscopically small mirrors, which are pivotably arranged in the range from several hundred thousand to several million (currently up to approximately 8 million), are arranged on a semiconductor chip. The micromirrors of a DMD point either toward the light source (switching state: ON) or away therefrom (switching state: OFF). This produces a bright or dark spot in the illuminated area.Each of the micromirrors may be turned on and off ten thousands of times per second. When a micromirror is on more often than off, it represents a gray dot. A mirror that is more often turned off produces a dot of still darker gray. In this way, the micromirrors can generate several hundred (currently already more than 1000) different brightness levels.By means of a laser-based pixel light system 3, 3' using a DMD, areas illuminated with quite different brightness can thus be generated in the front of a motor vehicle.In addition to area-modulated, laser-based pixel light systems 3, 3', beam-guided, laser-based pixel light systems 3, 3' are also known and can be used for the present invention. An example of a beam-guided, laser-based pixel light system 3, 3' is one in which laser light is deflected 1-axis or 2-axis with the aid of at least one optical unit or at least one micromirror, the brightness of each segment being determined by the laser power and dwell time.The headlight device 2 according to the present invention may be one that is exclusively provided for generating high beam, but may also be one that is suitable and provided for both generating high beam and generating low beam. Laser-based pixel light systems 3, 3' are currently provided only for generating high beam, wherein future developments here, too, do not exclude their use in the field of low beam.In addition to a pixel light system 3, 3', the headlight device 2 can of course have one or more further light-generating / emitting devices, for example a conventional halogen lamp headlight device and / or a xenon headlight device.As is further schematically shown in FIG. 1, the system 1 according to the present invention further comprises a surroundings detection device 4 which has a predeterminable position relative to the headlight device 2.For the system 1 according to the present invention, all known environment detection devices 4 available in the future can be used, from the data of which the position of objects relative to the environment detection device 4 can be determined. Such surroundings detection devices 4 and the sensor systems used therein are already known in large numbers and designs and forms today and are already used for various driver assistance systems, such as, for example, for a distance control device (Adaptive Cruise Control, ACC), a device for automatic collision avoidance (emergency braking assistant), a lane recognition or lane keeping assist system, a blind spot assist system (lane change assistant), a road sign recognition system, a parking aid, etc.A common feature of these devices / systems is that a type of two-dimensional or three-dimensional "image" of the environment of the motor vehicle is captured by means of the environment capture devices 4, the capture being carried out at suitable time intervals (for example. 10x, 11x, 12x, 13x, 14x, 15x, 20x, 25x, 30x, 35x, 40x, 45x, 50x or more times per second).For the system 1 according to the present invention, all known 2D and 3D environment detection devices 4 can be used, with which data of an environment of the motor vehicle can be detected, for example such environment detection devices 4 which have at least one camera device for visible light, camera device for infrared light (night vision camera), radar device, lidar device, a laser scanner, an ultrasonic device and / or a time-of-flight device.Suitable for the present invention are, in particular, spatially detecting or spatially measuring 3D surroundings detection devices 4, which include, for example, at least one stereo camera device, a time-of-flight camera device (for example. The photo-mixing detector camera device, PMD), a laser scanner device, a radar device and / or a lidar device may be provided.However, those environment detection devices 4 with which only a 2D environment can be detected are also suitable for the present invention. By means of a suitable image evaluation (software), it is possible to determine the position of an object in space and thus also a position of an object relative to the environment detection device 4 from 2D data.The structure and the mode of operation of 2D and 3D environment detection devices 4 are known to the person skilled in the art, so that they need not be discussed in more detail here.Of course, in the system 1 according to the present invention, any suitable combination of 2D and 3D environment detection devices 4 can be used or present. For example, two PMD camera devices operating with light of different wavelengths can be used to obtain a larger range of uniqueness than would be possible with only one PMD camera device. It is also possible, for example, for any suitable or advantageous combination of at least one (stereo) camera device, a PMD camera device, a radar device, a lidar device and / or a laser scanner device to be used or present. The respective devices may be used either singly or in combination. The data recorded with the sensor systems of the respective environment recording device 4 can also be compared with one another in the evaluation device 5 in order, for example, to detect faulty data of a sensor system or in order to obtain an even more precise result overall.In many cases, it may be advantageous if the environment detection device 4 is an "active" environment detection device 4, i.e. a device which itself emits (one) signal(s) (such as radar waves, laser light, infrared light, ultrasound) and receives signal(s) reflected from (an) object(s). As a result, the performance of the environment detection device 4 can be independent of the ambient brightness / visibility conditions just given, for example, as is the case with "passive" camera devices, for example for visible light. This is also against the background that the present invention is used in particular in night, darkness or in poor visibility conditions (i.e. in situations in which the headlights of a motor vehicle are switched on).Since the at least one environment detection device 4 serves to detect an environment of the motor vehicle in which (an) object(s) can / can be located, which object / s can in principle also be illuminated by the headlight device 2, the detection range of the environment detection device 4 is advantageously aligned in such a way that it comprises an area in front of and laterally in front of the motor vehicle.As is further schematically shown in FIG. 1, the system 1 also comprises an evaluation device 5. the evaluation device 5 is configured to be able to evaluate data of the environment detection device 4 at least to the position at which objects are located in the detected environment of the motor vehicle relative to the environment detection device 4 or to the headlight device 2, which contour comprises the objects (generation of a "bounding box") and which class the objects belong to.Any known evaluation device 5 available in the future can be used as the evaluation device 5. An evaluation device 5 can be a digital computing device (computer), on which a corresponding evaluation software is installed in a executable manner. The digital computing device usually has a working memory, corresponding data inputs and outputs and all further modules and elements required for its functioning.The evaluation device 5 can be one which is assigned to the environment detection device 4 or one which is divided into a plurality of evaluation modules, of which, for example, one is assigned to the environment detection device 4 and a further evaluation module is an independent evaluation module which is separate therefrom. Of course, an independent evaluation device 5 can also be used for the system 1 according to the invention. If sufficient computing power is given and available, one which is already present for other tasks in a motor vehicle can be used as the evaluation device 5 used for the system 1.Against this background, it can be provided, for example, that a first evaluation is carried out by the environment detection device 4 or the evaluation module provided in this case with regard to which class, position and extent the detected objects have and the further processing of the corresponding data prepared by the environment detection device 4 is carried out by a further evaluation module separate therefrom.The evaluation device 5 can have, for example, special devices with respect to its hardware and software in order to be able to carry out the tasks according to the invention in a particularly advantageous manner. Since objects must be detected in the front of a motor vehicle according to the present invention, object detection and tracking is advantageously implemented in the evaluation device 5. Corresponding apparatuses and methods are known to those skilled in the art, so that they need not be discussed in more detail here.Object recognition can be used to identify both at which position relative to the environment detection device 4 or the headlight device 2 (calculation easily possible on the basis of the predefined positioning of environment detection device 4 and headlight device 2 with respect to one another) objects are located in the detected environment of the motor vehicle and which contour the objects have. In the example shown in FIG. 2, for example, an oncoming motor vehicle, a traffic sign and a plurality of trees can be recognized as objects.Based on the contour of the detected objects, each object can be assigned to a class. The type and number of object classes is not subject to any particular restriction and, for example, the classes persons, animals, trees, buildings, (traffic) signs, single-lane vehicles, two-lane vehicles and undefined objects can be provided.Depending on the class into which a recognized object is classified, it may be necessary or desirable for the region of the object to be illuminated not at all or only with reduced light intensity, such as, for example, vehicles traveling ahead or on the opposite side (in order to avoid dazzling the road users located therein), traffic signs on the road edge (in order to avoid dazzling the road users located in the "ego motor vehicle"). However, it may also be necessary or desirable for objects to be "marked" by means of light (optionally repeated periodically), such as humans or animals on the roadside or humans or animals which approach the roadside and which would not be illuminated, or would only be illuminated weakly, by the "normal" headlight light. All these objects are referred to as "relevant" objects within the scope of the present application.According to the invention, it is provided that the evaluation device 5 is configured to, for each relevant object detected in the captured environment of the motor vehicle, with respect to which a masking ("dark gap", i.e. no or weaker illumination than the environment of the object, wherein a dark gap can comprise a rectangular area in a simple case, the dimension of which is defined by the maximum width and height of an object) or marking by means of light (i.e. more brightly illuminated than the environment of the object; Here, too, the "light illumination" can comprise, in a simple case, a rectangular area, the dimension of which is defined by the maximum width and height of an object) required or desired to transmit data relating to the contour of the object, the position of the object relative to the environment detection device 4 or to the headlight device 2 and a dimming value for the object to the control device 6.A "dimming value" can be a value which specifies how much percent of the maximum possible brightness or power the region of an object is to be illuminated by the pixel light system 3, 3', and in a simple case a dimming value can also only be a first value (for example. 0; no illumination of the object) or a second value (for example. 1; lighting of the object).The control device 6 in communication with the evaluation device 5 is configured according to the present invention to control the brightness distribution in the pixel light system on the basis of data transmitted from the evaluation device 5 to the control device 6.The present invention is of great advantage in particular when the system 1 comprises a data bus system 7, in particular a CAN bus system 7, by means of which the data of the evaluation device 5 can be transmitted to the control device 6.Assuming a system 1 with a high resolution pixel light system, in which up to several hundred thousand segments can be illuminated individually, for example by means of a micromirror system, a cycle time of 20 ms and a driving of the individual segments with a "resolution" of 64 or 128 grey levels (6 or 8 bits), data rates up to approximately 100 Mbit would be required in a conventional driving of such a pixel light system (i.e. in which a driving signal for each micromirror is transmitted to the control device of the pixel light system). Such a data rate cannot be realized, for example, by means of a CAN bus system 7, the maximum data rate of which is 500 kbits.This problem is solved by the object-based driving concept according to the present invention. For example, if the signals are generated in the surroundings of a motor vehicle, for example. If 15 relevant objects are detected, then according to the present invention only one dimming value is assigned to each of the detected relevant objects. The transmission of the corresponding object data, which also comprises information regarding the contour and position relative to the "ego motor vehicle" and, if appropriate, the relative movement relative to the ego motor vehicle, from the evaluation device 5 to the control device 6 requires only data rates, even with cycle times of 20 ms or shorter, which can be easily realized with conventional bus systems.If the data transmitted from the evaluation device 5 to the control device 6 contain the position(s) of the relevant object / objects relative to the environment detection device 4, the control device 6 can calculate the position (position and distance) of the relevant object / objects relative to the headlight device 2 or to the pixel light system(s) 3, 3' so that these objects can be represented correctly from "headlight view" for the masking or marking.The object regions thus defined are then determined by the control device 6 with a fundamentally possible light distribution stored in a storage device (see, for example. FIG. 2 ) is superimposed on the headlight device 2, specifies the interior of the object regions on the basis of the dimming values and controls the pixel light system 3, 3' accordingly.Further preferred, advantageous embodiments and developments of the system are specified in claims 5 to 8.The present invention also comprises a method having the features as set out in claim 9. As already mentioned at the outset, the present invention also includes those embodiments and developments of the method which are directly evident to a person skilled in the art from the description of the system according to the invention and from its advantageous embodiments and developments, claims 1 to 8, the figure and the relevant description.The present invention also includes a motor vehicle having a system according to the invention or one of its advantageous embodiments and developments.In summary, it can be stated that glare-free headlight devices for motor vehicles, for example in the form of glare-free high beam systems, currently comprise a comparatively small number of LEDs, for example up to 180 LEDs. These LEDs can illuminate different regions (segments) in the front of the motor vehicle, in particular different regions of the high beam, and can be controlled individually. According to the prior art, the dimming values of the individual LEDs are controlled via a bus system (for example. CAN bus system) to the headlight or a control device provided in the headlight. Due to the small number of segments, the bus load remains within the predetermined data rates for the bus system used.This type of individual control of the individual segments is no longer possible in future high-resolution headlights with several thousand (up to several hundred thousand) segments that can be illuminated individually, since the maximum data rates of the known bus systems would be exceeded as a result.To solve this problem, it is provided according to the invention that object information about the objects to be deblended / marked (for example, for controlling high-resolution headlights. The control device of the headlight can be transmitted to road users, traffic signs) to the headlight. The control device then superimposes a basic light distribution for the high-resolution module stored in a storage device with the object data in order to ensure a masking / marking of the objects.The object-based control concept according to the invention thus enables control of even high-resolution headlight systems via conventional bus systems.One of the possible technical implementations may provide, for example, for a vehicle sensor system, preferably a camera system, to capture the surroundings of a motor vehicle, in particular in the case of darkness (night), twilight or other poor visibility conditions. An evaluation device, which may be part or all of the vehicle sensor system, serves to determine the class, position and extent of relevant objects, such as, for example, the class, position and extent of the vehicle sensor system. The object is determined by the actual object region is defined over a specific (predefinable) number of object points and combined together with a dimming value and the actual distance of the object / objects for transmission to the control device (headlight electronics). The transmission can be carried out via a currently common bus system, for example. CAN bus system. The data are received by the control device (headlight electronics). A memory of the control device (headlight electronics) stores a basic light distribution for the high-resolution headlight device or the high-resolution module(s) 3, 3'. The received data are processed on the basis of the different positions of sensor of the environment detection device 4 and headlight device 2 and their distance, so that these can be correctly displayed from "headlight view" for a masking or marking. The regions thus defined are superimposed on the light distribution and the interior of the regions is specified on the basis of the dimming values.

Claims

System (1) for controlling a light distribution of a headlight device (2) for a motor vehicle, comprising - a headlight device (2) which has a pixel light system (3, 3'), - a surroundings detection device (4) which is arranged in a predeterminable position relative to the headlight device (2) and with which a surroundings of the motor vehicle can be detected, - an evaluation device (5) which is communicatively connected to the surroundings detection device (4) and with which data of the surroundings detection device (4) can be evaluated at least to the position at which objects are located in the detected surroundings of the motor vehicle relative to the surroundings detection device (4) or to the headlight device (2), which contour the objects have and which class the objects belong, - a control device (6) which is communicatively connected to the evaluation device (5) and is configured to, A method for controlling the brightness distribution in the pixel light system (3, 3') on the basis of data which are transmitted from the evaluation device (5) to the control device (6), characterized in that - the evaluation device (5) is configured to transmit data relating to the contour of the object, the position of the object relative to the environment detection device (4) or to the headlight device (2) and a dimming value for the object to the control device (6) for each relevant object detected in the detected environment of the motor vehicle, with respect to which dimming or marking by means of light is required or desired, - the control device (6) has a storage device or has access to a storage device, wherein the basically possible light distribution of the headlight device (2) is stored in the storage device, and the control device (6) is further configured to transmit the light distribution of the headlight device (2) which is basically possible, Control data for controlling the brightness distribution in the pixel light system (3, 3') on the basis of the fundamentally possible light distribution stored in the storage device and the data received from the evaluation device (5) and for controlling the brightness distribution in the pixel light system (3, 3') in accordance with the control data, - in which the evaluation device (5) is further configured to determine the movement of the relevant object / objects relative to the motor vehicle on the basis of the data of the environment detection device (4) and to transmit data regarding the movement of the object / objects relative to the motor vehicle to the control device (6), and - in which the control device (6) is configured to transmit control data for the brightness distribution in the pixel light system (3, 3') taking into account the movement of the relevant object / objects relative to the motor vehicle, in such a way that a prediction is made with respect to the position and size of the object / objects relative to the motor vehicle within a predeterminable period of time from the time of the detection of the data of the object / objects by the environment detection device (4).System (1) according to Claim 1, further comprising a data bus system (7), preferably a CAN bus system, by means of which the data of the evaluation device (5) can be transmitted to the control device (6).System (1) according to Claim 1 or 2, in which, in the event that data relating to the position of the relevant object / s relative to the environment detection device (4) are transmitted to them by the evaluation device (5), the control device (6) is configured to calculate the position of the object / s relative to the headlight device (2).System according to one of the preceding claims, in which the control device (6) is configured to calculate a larger area around the object / objects for the deblending or marking in the case of a relevant object / objects which / have a relative movement away from the motor vehicle or a constant distance from the motor vehicle than in the case of an object / objects which / have a relative movement away from the motor vehicle.System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the evaluation device (5) is configured to evaluate the current data of the environment detection device (4) in each case within a predeterminable cycle time in the range from 10 ms to 30 ms and to transmit correspondingly processed data to the control device (6).The system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pixel light system (3, 3') comprises a matrix-like, area-modulated and / or beam-guided pixel light system (3, 3').Method for controlling a light distribution of a headlight device (2) for a motor vehicle, comprising the steps of - providing a system (1) having the features according to one of Claims 1 to 6, - detecting an environment of the motor vehicle with an environment detection device (4), - evaluating the data of the environment detection device (4) by an evaluation device (5) at least as to which position relative to the environment detection device (4) or to the headlight device (2) objects are located in the detected environment of the motor vehicle, which contour the objects have and which class the objects belong, - transmitting data for each relevant object detected in the detected environment of the motor vehicle, with respect to which a masking or marking by means of light is necessary or desired, relating to the contour of the object, the position of the object relative to the environment detection device (4) or the headlight device (2) and a dimming value for the object by the evaluation device (5) to the control device (6), and - calculation by the control device (6) which has a storage device or has access to a storage device, wherein the storage device stores the fundamentally possible light distribution of the headlight device (2), of control data for controlling the brightness distribution in the pixel light system (3, 3') on the basis of the fundamentally possible light distribution stored in the storage device and the data received from the evaluation device (5), and control of the brightness distribution in the pixel light system (3, 3') by the control device (6) in accordance with the control data.

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