Method for operating a lighting device for a vehicle and lighting device

Abstract

Method for operating a lighting device (10) for a vehicle (1) comprising at least one headlight with a plurality of lighting elements (11, 36), wherein the light intensity of the individual lighting elements is individually controllable, the method comprising the following steps: - Detecting a switched-on state of at least one headlight (21), - Detection of a body to be de-glared (3) (22), - Determining a glare reduction angle range (14) based on a determined extent and position of the detected body (3) and determining at least one transition angle range (19) adjacent to the glare reduction angle range (14) to a fully illuminated angle range (17), - Controlling the light intensity of the illuminating elements illuminating the glare-reducing angle range (14) to a light intensity below a specified limit value, - Controlling the light intensity of the illuminating elements illuminating the transition angle range (19) to a light intensity which depends on the distance (15) of the beam angle of the individual illuminating element from the glare-reducing angle range (14), wherein the light intensity increases with increasing distance (15) and wherein the size of the at least one transition angle range (19) is adjusted based on the angular velocity of a change in the position and / or size of the glare-reducing angle range (14).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for operating a lighting device for a vehicle, a lighting device for a vehicle, a vehicle, a computer-implemented method, a computer program product, a computer-readable data carrier and a data carrier signal.

[0002] Vehicles typically have lighting devices, such as headlights. There is an inherent risk that using these lighting devices could dazzle other road users. This is particularly relevant when using high beams on motor vehicles. To avoid constantly switching between high and low beams, the aim is to selectively dim the glare from specific subjects or objects, especially other road users, for example, by dimming or temporarily switching off only individual elements of a headlight. Examples of this are described in documents DE 10 2011 050 535 A1, US 11 034 287 B2, JP 2020 029 196 A, and US 10 793 059 B2.Document DE 10 2014 113 478 A1 discloses a lighting device for a motor vehicle and a method for operating a lighting device, wherein a plurality of individually controllable lighting units, for example in the form of a light-emitting diode matrix, are provided.

[0003] Automotive headlights are often designed as segmented LED systems, where the individual LEDs are arranged in a matrix or pixel-based system and can be individually controlled to illuminate different solid angle areas. Systems are also possible in which a single light source or a group of LEDs, or their light output, is manipulated using advanced techniques to explicitly control individual areas, for example, using LCD or DMD technology. In the context of targeted glare reduction, individual lighting elements, such as individual LEDs, are deactivated. To improve comfort for the human eye, the LEDs to be deactivated can be dimmed. If this dimming or masking occurs too slowly, there is a risk of glare. Conversely, if the dimming or masking occurs too quickly, there is a risk of creating jerky light movements.In principle, rapid movement, i.e., a rapid change in the light intensity distribution, should be avoided in order not to irritate the road users involved.

[0004] Against this background, the object of the present invention is to provide an advantageous method for operating a lighting device for a vehicle. This object is achieved by a method for operating a lighting device for a vehicle according to claim 1, a lighting device according to claim 8, a vehicle according to claim 10, a computer-implemented method according to claim 11, a computer program product according to claim 12, a computer-readable data carrier according to claim 13, and a data carrier signal according to claim 14. The dependent claims contain further advantageous embodiments of the invention.

[0005] The inventive method for operating a lighting device for a vehicle relates to a vehicle, for example a motor vehicle, a bicycle, a rail vehicle, a ship, or an aircraft, which comprises at least one headlight with a plurality of lighting elements. The light intensity of the individual lighting elements is individually controllable, i.e., separately for each individual lighting element or independently of one another, and in particular dimmable. Within the scope of the present invention, a lighting element is understood to mean both a single light source and a light-emitting or radiating area of ​​a light source that can be darkened individually, i.e., independently of other light-emitting or radiating areas of the light source.The individual lighting elements, for example, a number of lighting elements or all existing lighting elements, can be arranged next to each other, for example, in relation to a surface, which can be designed as a flat surface or as a curved surface. In particular, a number of lighting elements can be arranged next to each other in a horizontal direction.

[0006] The method according to the invention comprises the following steps: In a first step, the switched-on state of at least one headlight is detected. In a next step, a body to be glare-free, for example an object or subject, in particular another road user, for example another vehicle, is detected. This can be done by means of suitable sensors, for example a camera, or via a signal input from a user. Specifically, the area around the vehicle, preferably the area illuminated by the headlight, can be detected. By means of image recognition and / or by detecting a lighting device, for example a headlight of another road user, it can be determined whether a detected body is a body to be glare-free.

[0007] Based on the determined dimensions and position of the detected object, for example, its spatial extent or its extent in a plane of incidence, a glare reduction angle range is determined in a further step. In this context, a glare reduction angle range is understood to be the beam angle range of the headlight that needs to be glare reduced. Furthermore, at least one transition angle range adjacent to the glare reduction angle range, leading to a fully illuminated angle range, is determined.

[0008] In a further step, the light intensity of the luminaires illuminating the glare-reduction angle area is controlled to a level below a defined threshold. Furthermore, the light intensity of the luminaires illuminating the transition angle area is controlled to a level that depends on the distance, in particular the angular distance, of the beam angle of the individual luminaire from the glare-reduction angle area, with the light intensity increasing with increasing distance. The shortest angular distance between the beam angle of the segment (left or right boundary) and the glare-reduction angle area (left or right boundary) is always considered.In other words, the lighting elements with a beam angle greater than the glare-reduction angle exhibit higher light intensity than those with a beam angle closer to the glare-reduction angle. This method can be applied independently to different glare-reduction angle ranges simultaneously, for example, when two vehicles are detected and their glare is reduced. If this occurs and different transition zones affect the same lighting segment, arbitration takes place so that the segment with the lowest calculated intensity is activated.

[0009] The described method according to the invention has the advantage of enabling a smooth, human-eye-friendly transition from a darkened, i.e., glare-free, area to a fully illuminated area. This effectively prevents glare from the object being illuminated, particularly other road users, and simultaneously improves user comfort. Furthermore, it reduces or avoids the undesirable effects described above, which are associated with activating or deactivating individual lighting elements too quickly or too slowly. It also eliminates the risk of glare occurring due to an overlap of the beam angles of individual lighting elements, even when some elements are deactivated.

[0010] Preferably, the steps of the described procedure are repeated continuously. This allows both the glare reduction angle range and the transition angle range to be continuously updated, in particular recalculated, and thus adapted to the current traffic situation. As a result, the transition angle range and the light intensity of the affected lighting elements are continuously adjusted. This is of great importance because the movement of a glare-reduced object is continuously taken into account. For example, when an oncoming road user is present, the actual dimming behavior of the individual segments is implied by the object's own movement, since the segments receive a new intensity value with each execution step of the software. With sufficiently fast execution, this results in a smooth, natural-looking response for the human eye.This also minimizes the risk of dazzling other road users, since the control described here, when the position and extent of an object are correctly identified, ensures that movement of the object cannot lead to dazzling, because in the case of geometric overlap of a light segment and the object to be de-glared, the light intensity falls below the defined threshold value based on the distance-based logic.

[0011] In an advantageous embodiment, the light intensity of at least one luminaire element, which illuminates at least one transition angle range, is controlled according to a defined curve as a function of the minimum angular distance of the luminaire element's beam angle from an angular limit of the glare-reducing angle range. This curve can depend on a defined size of the transition range. For example, the curve can be stretched or compressed. In this way, a transition between a glare-reduced angle range and a fully illuminated angle range can be created that is comfortable for the user's eye and, in particular, non-irritating.

[0012] In one exemplary embodiment, the transition angle range can comprise at least a first angle range adjacent to the glare-reducing angle range and at least a second angle range adjacent to the first angle range in the direction of the fully illuminated angle range. The light intensity of the illuminating elements illuminating the first angle range can be controlled to between 10 percent and 50 percent, in particular between 20 percent and 40 percent, of the light intensity of the illuminating elements illuminating the fully illuminated angle range, and the light intensity of the illuminating elements illuminating the second angle range can be controlled to between 50 percent and 90 percent, in particular between 60 percent and 80 percent, of the light intensity of the illuminating elements illuminating the fully illuminated angle range. This embodiment offers a very simple and resource-efficient implementation of the inventive concept.Preferably, the intensities are variable according to the curves.

[0013] Preferably, the luminaires are assigned to defined beam angle segments. The beam angle segments can have at least one segment boundary. The light intensity of the luminaires assigned to a common beam angle segment can be controlled by a limit of the glare control range, advantageously according to a defined curve, depending on the angular spacing of the beam angle segment, for example, depending on the smallest angular spacing of the angular segment boundary. The defined curve can depend on the defined size of the transition range or ranges.

[0014] According to the invention, the size of the at least one transition angle region is adapted, for example controlled or fixed, based on, and in particular dependent on, the angular velocity of a change in the position and / or size of the glare-reducing angle region. For example, a first transition region adjacent to a first side of the glare-reducing angle region and a second transition region adjacent to a second side of the glare-reducing angle region can be determined. The first and second transition regions can differ in their size or extent. This is particularly advantageous when cornering with vehicles ahead and / or with oncoming traffic, since the individual adjustment of the size of the right- and left-hand transition regions enables optimal illumination of the area not requiring glare reduction. This method is also advantageous, for example,On straight sections, the transition zones can be defined as correspondingly small, thus maximizing the overall light output. This optimization or adjustment of the transition angle range occurs continuously.

[0015] The lighting device according to the invention for a vehicle, in particular a vehicle already mentioned above as an example, comprises at least one headlight with a plurality of lighting elements, wherein the light intensity of the individual lighting elements can be controlled individually, i.e., independently of one another, and in particular is dimmable. The individual lighting elements, for example, a number of the lighting elements or all of the existing lighting elements, can be arranged next to one another, for example, with respect to a surface, which can be designed as a flat surface or as a curved surface. In particular, a number of lighting elements can be arranged next to one another in a horizontal direction. The lighting device according to the invention comprises a control device which is designed to carry out a method already described according to the invention.The lighting device according to the invention has the features and advantages already mentioned in connection with the method according to the invention. It can include a device for detecting bodies to be de-glared, for example objects and / or subjects, such as other road users in particular.

[0016] The lighting elements can, in principle, comprise LEDs (light-emitting diodes) or be designed as LEDs. In principle, any type of segmented lighting technology can be used. This means that destructive technologies (LCD, DMD) capable of generating a segmented or individually controllable light distribution can also be employed. The lighting elements can be arranged in the form of a matrix (light source matrix).

[0017] The vehicle according to the invention comprises a previously described lighting device according to the invention. The vehicle according to the invention has the advantages already described. The vehicle can be a motor vehicle, a bicycle, a rail vehicle, an aircraft, or a ship. The motor vehicle can be a passenger car, a truck, a bus, a minibus, a motorcycle, or a moped.

[0018] The computer-implemented method according to the invention comprises instructions that, when the program is executed by a computer, cause it to execute a method according to the invention as described above. The computer program product according to the invention comprises instructions that, when the program is executed by a computer, cause it to execute a method according to the invention as described above. The computer program product according to the invention is stored on the computer-readable data carrier according to the invention. The data carrier signal according to the invention transmits the computer program product according to the invention. The computer-implemented method according to the invention, the computer program product according to the invention, the computer-readable data carrier according to the invention, and the data carrier signal according to the invention have the features and advantages already mentioned above.

[0019] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments and the accompanying figures. Although the invention is illustrated and described in detail by the preferred embodiments, the invention is not limited by the disclosed examples and other variations can be derived from them by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

[0020] The figures are not necessarily detailed or to scale and may be enlarged or reduced to provide a better overview. Therefore, the functional details disclosed here are not to be understood as limiting, but merely as an illustrative basis to guide those skilled in this field of technology in using the present invention in a variety of ways.

[0021] The expression "and / or" used here, when used in a series of two or more elements, means that each of the listed elements can be used alone, or any combination of two or more of the listed elements can be used. For example, when describing a composition containing the components A, B, and / or C, the composition can contain A alone; B alone; C alone; A and B in combination; A and C in combination; B and C in combination; or A, B, and C in combination. Fig. Figure 1 schematically shows a roadway with two motor vehicles in a top view. Fig. Figure 2 schematically shows a lighting device for a vehicle in an exploded view. Fig. Figure 3 schematically shows a method according to the invention for operating a lighting device for a vehicle in the form of a flowchart. Fig. Figure 4 schematically shows a first variant of a generated illumination of an oncoming vehicle from the perspective of the illuminating vehicle in the direction of travel. Fig. Figure 5 schematically shows a second variant of a generated illumination of an oncoming vehicle from the perspective of the illuminating vehicle in the direction of travel. Fig. Figure 6 schematically shows a diagram illustrating the light intensity of a luminaire as a function of the angular distance of the angular segment illuminated by a luminaire for different sizes of the transition angle range. Fig. Figure 7 schematically shows a lighting device according to the invention. Fig. Figure 8 schematically shows a vehicle according to the invention.

[0022] The Fig. Figure 1 schematically shows a roadway 2 with two motor vehicles 1 and 3 in a top view. The first motor vehicle 1 has its high beams switched on. The second motor vehicle 3 is approaching the first motor vehicle 1 in the opposite lane. The light cone emitted by the high beams of the first motor vehicle 1 is designated by reference numeral 4. The light cone of the high beams normally causes a user of the second motor vehicle 3 to be dazzled. The area designated by reference numeral 5 should therefore be glare-free. This can be advantageously achieved by means of the present invention.

[0023] The Fig. Figure 2 schematically shows an exploded view of a lighting device 10 for a vehicle. The lighting device 10 comprises a circuit board 11 with a plurality of LED chips, for example, 84 LED chips, each individually mounted and integrated into a control unit. The light 6 emitted by the LEDs is manipulated in a primary optic 12, which may, for example, comprise silicone, and directed to a secondary optic 13, which may, for example, comprise PMMA lenses. The light emitted by the lighting device 10 is identified by the reference numeral 4.

[0024] In the following, a method according to the invention is described using the method described in the Fig. The process is explained in more detail in the flowchart shown in Figure 3. In a first step 21, the switched-on state of a headlight 10 is detected. In a second step 22, a body to be glare-free is detected. This can be done using suitable sensors, such as cameras, in particular mono, stereo or infrared cameras, and / or ultrasonic sensors and / or radar sensors and / or lidar sensors. The body to be glare-free can be, in principle, an object or a subject, for example, one or more other road users, in particular another vehicle (see vehicle 3 in the diagram). Fig. 1) Act. Objects requiring glare reduction can be identified using a camera based on their lighting devices. In image processing, both light sources are evaluated and objects are identified based on their edges, and both pieces of information can be evaluated together.

[0025] In step 23, a glare reduction angle range 5 is determined based on the calculated dimensions of the detected object. These dimensions can be determined from measured geometric parameters, such as the object's width, and / or from the position of one or more of the object's measured lighting elements. Additionally, step 23 determines at least one transition angle range adjacent to the glare reduction angle range, leading to a fully illuminated angle range.

[0026] In step 24, the light intensity of the lighting elements illuminating the glare-reducing angle area, for example the corresponding LEDs, is controlled to a light intensity below a defined limit. The limit can, for example, be below 10% of the maximum light intensity. The corresponding lighting elements can also be switched off or deactivated.

[0027] In step 25, which can be performed simultaneously, before, or after step 24, the light intensity of the illuminating elements illuminating the transition angle area is controlled to a light intensity that depends on the distance, in particular the angular distance, of the beam angle of the individual illuminating elements from the glare control area. The light intensity increases with increasing distance. In the Fig. In the variant shown, steps 24 and 25 are executed simultaneously. Following this, the process returns to step 21. Alternatively, the process can also return to step 22. If the process returns to step 22, it is repeated until an input to terminate the process is received. This could occur, for example, when the headlight is switched off or a corresponding user input is detected.

[0028] The following are examples of how steps 24 and 25 can be implemented, based on the Fig. 4, Fig. 5 to Fig. 6 explained in more detail. In the Fig. Figure 4 shows two exemplary snapshots, one above the other, of the illumination of an oncoming vehicle 3 generated by a method or lighting device according to the invention, in a schematic front view. The temporal sequence is indicated by an arrow 7. In the illustrated variant, the individual lighting elements of the lighting device are divided into segments arranged side by side in the x-direction 9, for example, horizontally. Each segment illuminates a defined angular range 8, hereinafter referred to as the beam angle segment or angle segment. The angular segments 8 can be of the same size, but they can also have different sizes. Likewise, angular ranges of individual segments can overlap, which is not shown here for the sake of simplicity.

[0029] As part of step 23 of the process based on the Fig. In the procedure described in section 3, a glare reduction angle range is determined based on the determined dimensions of the vehicle 3 recorded, which is in the Fig. 4 is marked with the reference numeral 14. Subsequently, the respective distance 15, in particular the respective angular distance, of a limit of the respective illumination angle of the individual angular segments 8 is determined. In the Fig. In variant 4 shown above, the boundary measured from the glare reduction angle range 14 of a first angular segment 8 shown to the right of the vehicle 3 has an angular distance of 0.6 degrees, that of a second angular segment an angular distance of 1.6 degrees, and that of a third angular segment an angular distance of 2.6 degrees. The boundary measured from the glare reduction angle range 14 of a first angular segment 8 shown to the left of the vehicle 3 has an angular distance of 0.5 degrees, that of a second angular segment an angular distance of 1.5 degrees, and that of a third angular segment an angular distance of 2.5 degrees.

[0030] Depending on the angular distance, the light intensity of the individual lighting elements in each segment is controlled. The emitted light intensity is indicated as a percentage in line 16 below the angular segments 8. For visualization purposes, the angular segments 8 that produce a fully illuminated angular area are marked as indicated by reference numeral 17, and those that produce a glare-reducing angular area are marked as indicated by reference numeral 18. A transition angular area 19 is formed between the glare-reducing angular area 18 and the fully illuminated angular area 17; the size of this transition angular area can be individually defined and dynamically adjusted.

[0031] Lighting elements illuminating the transition angle range 19 exhibit a light intensity that increases with increasing angular distance x from the glare reduction angle range 18. In the Fig. In the variant shown, a first transition angle section 31 and a second transition angle section 32 are provided, each formed by an angular segment 8. The first transition angle section 31 borders the glare-reducing angle section 18 or an angular segment 8 encompassing it. The second transition angle section 32 borders the first transition angle section 31 in the direction of the fully illuminated angular area 17. The illuminating elements that illuminate the second transition angle section 32 each have a higher luminous intensity than the illuminating elements that illuminate the first transition angle section 31.

[0032] In the Fig. In the variant shown in Figure 5, only one transition angle area 19 is present, which in the variant shown is located to the left of the vehicle 3 between the glare reduction angle area 14 and the fully illuminated angle area 17. The transition angle area 19 comprises three angular segments 8 with increasing light intensity in the direction of the fully illuminated angle area 17.

[0033] The Fig. Figure 6 schematically shows a diagram illustrating the luminous intensity I, expressed as a percentage, of a luminaire or luminaires of a segment as a function of the angular distance x, in degrees, of the angular segment 8 illuminated by the luminaire or luminaires for various transition angle range sizes. Curve 33 shows the curve for a transition angle range size of 1 degree. Curve 34 shows the curve for a transition angle range size of 2 degrees. Curve 35 shows the curve for a transition angle range size 19 of 3 degrees. Depending on the selected size of the transition angle range 19, which can be dynamically adjusted, the luminous intensity I of the individual luminaires can be controlled as a function of the distance of the angular range illuminated by them from the glare control angle range 14.

[0034] The Fig. Figure 7 schematically shows a lighting device 10 according to the invention for a vehicle 1. The lighting device 10 comprises a plurality of lighting elements 36, for example LEDs, and a control device 37 for controlling the emitted light intensity of the individual lighting elements. The control device 37 is designed to control a method according to the invention, for example, a method based on the Fig. 3, Fig. 4, Fig. 5 to Fig. 6 to carry out the method according to the invention as described.

[0035] The Fig. Figure 8 schematically shows a vehicle 1 according to the invention, for example a motor vehicle according to the invention. The vehicle 1 according to the invention comprises a lighting device 10 as described above. Reference symbol list 1 motor vehicle 2 lanes 3 Motor vehicle 4 emitted light 5 Glare reduction area 6 emitted light 7. chronological sequence 8 angle segment 9 x-direction 10 Lighting device 11 circuit boards with LEDs 12 primary optics 13 secondary optics 14 Aperture control angle range 15 angular distance 16 emitted light intensity 17 fully illuminated angle range 18 glare reduction angle range 19 Transition angle range 21 headlights switched on 22 bodies to be de-glare detected 23 Determine the glare reduction angle range based on a determined extent of the detected body and determine the transition angle range 24 Controlling the light intensity of the illuminating elements illuminating the glare angle range to a light intensity below a specified limit value. 25. The light intensity of the illuminating elements illuminating the transition angle range is controlled to a light intensity which depends on the distance of the beam angle of the individual illuminating elements from the glare reduction angle range. 31 first transition angle range 32 second transition angle range 33 Curve 34 Curve 35 Curve 36 Multiple lighting elements 37 Control device

Claims

Method for operating a lighting device (10) for a vehicle (1), comprising at least one headlight with a plurality of lighting elements (11, 36), wherein the light intensity of the individual lighting elements is individually controllable, the method comprising the following steps: - detecting a switched-on state of the at least one headlight (21), - detecting a body (3) (22) to be glare-free, - determining a glare-free angle range (14) based on a determined extent and position of the detected body (3) and determining at least one transition angle range (19) adjacent to the glare-free angle range (14) to a fully illuminated angle range (17), - controlling the light intensity of the lighting elements illuminating the glare-free angle range (14) to a light intensity below a specified limit value,- Controlling the light intensity of the illuminating elements illuminating the transition angle range (19) to a light intensity which depends on the distance (15) of the beam angle of the individual illuminating element from the glare-reducing angle range (14), wherein the light intensity increases with increasing distance (15) and wherein the size of the at least one transition angle range (19) is adjusted based on the angular velocity of a change in the position and / or size of the glare-reducing angle range (14). The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the steps of the method are continuously repeated. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the light intensity of at least one luminaire element, which illuminates at least one transition angle range (19), is controlled as a function of the minimum angular distance (15) of the beam angle of the luminaire element from an angular limit of the glare control angle range (14) according to a defined curve (33, 34, 35). Method according to claim 3, characterized in that the curve (33, 34, 35) depends on a defined size of the transition region (19). Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the transition angle range (19) comprises at least one first angle range (31) adjacent to the glare reduction angle range (14, 18) and at least one second angle range (32) adjacent to the first angle range (31) in the direction of the fully illuminated angle range (17), and the light intensity of the illuminating elements illuminating the first angle range (31) is controlled to between 10 percent and 50 percent of the light intensity of the illuminating elements illuminating the fully illuminated angle range (17), and the light intensity of the illuminating elements illuminating the second angle range (32) is controlled to between 50 percent and 90 percent of the light intensity of the illuminating elements illuminating the fully illuminated angle range (17). Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the luminaire elements are assigned to defined beam angle segments (8) and the light intensity of the luminaire elements which are assigned to a common beam angle segment (8) is controlled as a function of the angular distance (15) of the beam angle segment from a limit of the glare control angle range (14). Method according to claim 6, characterized in that the light intensity of the luminous elements which are assigned to a common beam angle segment (8) is controlled as a function of the angular distance (15) of a segment boundary from a boundary of the glare control angle range (14) according to a defined curve (33, 34, 34). Lighting device (10) for a vehicle (1) comprising at least one headlight with a plurality of lighting elements (36), wherein the light intensity of the individual lighting elements is individually controllable, characterized in that the lighting device (10) comprises a control device (37) designed for carrying out a method according to one of claims 1 to 7. Method according to one of claims 1 to 7 or device (10) according to claim 8, characterized in that the lighting elements comprise LEDs and / or are arranged in the form of a matrix. Vehicle (1) comprising a lighting device (10) according to one of claims 8 to 9. A computer-implemented method comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause it to execute a method according to one of claims 1 to 7 or 9. Computer program product comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause it to execute a method according to one of claims 1 to 7 or 9. Computer-readable data carrier on which the computer program product according to claim 12 is stored. Data carrier signal that transmits the computer program product according to claim 12.

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