Procedures for controlling a high beam assistant and the high beam assistant

Abstract

Method (5) for controlling a high-beam assist system (4) of a vehicle (2) at night,- wherein the high-beam assist system (4) determines data on the presence of a foreign vehicle (3) in a road section (1) preceding the vehicle (2),- wherein the high-beam assist system (4) determines the presence of the foreign vehicle (3) in the preceding road section (1) from the determined data, depending on an adjustable confidence level,- wherein the high-beam assist system (4) automatically switches off the high beam when the foreign vehicle (3) is present in the preceding road section (1) and automatically switches on the high beam when the foreign vehicle (3) is not present in the preceding road section (1),- wherein the high-beam assist system (4) determines whether the vehicle (2) is in a curve (6),- wherein, if the vehicle (2) is in a curve (6), the high-beam assist system (4) determines a curve radius (R) of the curve (6),and- wherein the high-beam assist (4) changes the confidence level for determining the presence of the other vehicle (3) in the preceding road section (1) depending on the curve radius (R). characterized in that,- that the high-beam assist (4) determines a speed of the other vehicle (3) in the preceding road section (1) when determining data on the presence of the other vehicle (3), and- that the high-beam assist (4) sets the confidence level for determining the presence of the other vehicle (3) comparatively high, in particular equal to 99%, when the curve radius (R) is less than 180 m and the speed of the other vehicle (3) is greater than 10 km / h.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for controlling a high-beam assistant of a vehicle at night according to the preamble of claim 1. The invention also relates to the high-beam assistant for carrying out the method.

[0002] A vehicle may be equipped with a high-beam assist system for automatically switching the high beams on and off at night. This system relies on accurate object detection. For detecting other vehicles at night, the taillights and headlights of the other vehicle are essential features. However, reflectors on guardrails often exhibit the characteristics of a taillight, reflecting red, or those of a headlight, reflecting white. This can lead to errors when switching the high beams on and off.

[0003] US 8587456 B2 describes a method for distinguishing between reflectors and vehicle lights located at the roadside. The method identifies the reflectors and vehicle lights using a sensor equipped with a camera mounted in the vehicle and focused on the vehicle's surroundings.

[0004] EP 1905643 B1 describes a method for the anticipated detection of a curve on a section of road travelled by a motor vehicle.

[0005] The object of the invention is therefore to provide an improved or at least alternative embodiment of a method of the generic type, in which the described disadvantages are overcome. The object of the invention is also to provide a corresponding high-beam assist system for carrying out the method.

[0006] This problem is solved according to the invention by the subject matter of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

[0007] The present invention is based on the general idea of ​​working with different confidence levels for curve radii and optionally also including motion detection in order to avoid unnecessary dimming or uninterrupted dimming or unnecessary switching off of the high beam.

[0008] The method according to the invention is designed for controlling a vehicle's high-beam assist system at night. The high-beam assist system determines data regarding the presence of another vehicle in a road segment ahead of the vehicle. Based on this data, and depending on an adjustable confidence level, the high-beam assist system determines whether the other vehicle is present in the road segment ahead. If the other vehicle is present in the road segment ahead, the high-beam assist system automatically switches off the high beams; if the other vehicle is not present in the road segment ahead, the high-beam assist system automatically switches the high beams on. According to the invention, the high-beam assist system also determines whether the vehicle is on a curve. If the vehicle is on a curve, the high-beam assist system determines the curve's radius.Depending on the curve radius, the high beam assist changes the confidence level for determining the presence of the other vehicle in the preceding section of road.

[0009] In connection with the present invention, the term "confidence level" is used synonymously with the terms "confidence" and / or "confidence interval" and / or "confidence interval" and / or "expected range". In the present invention, the abbreviations "m" stand for meter and "km / h" for kilometers per hour.

[0010] The method according to the invention reduces the occurrence of faulty dimming or faulty switching off of the high beam. In particular, a foreign vehicle in a curve with a certain radius can be detected more reliably by changing the confidence level. This prevents reflective objects such as reflectors on guardrails from being mistaken for foreign vehicles and increases the reliability of the high beam assist system.

[0011] The high-beam assist system can determine the vehicle's position in a curve using the vehicle's steering angle and / or predictive route data from the preceding road segment. This predictive route data can be read from existing map data, for example.

[0012] The high-beam assist can set a relatively high confidence level for detecting the presence of another vehicle, specifically 99%, when the curve radius is less than 180 m. Conversely, when the curve radius is greater than 180 m, the high-beam assist can set a relatively low confidence level, specifically 95%. This reduces unnecessary dimming or switching off of the high beams by up to 50%.

[0013] The high beam assist system can determine the speed of another vehicle in the preceding road segment when determining its presence. If the speed of the other vehicle is greater than 10 km / h, the high beam assist system can set a comparatively high confidence level for determining the presence of the other vehicle, in particular 99%, when the curve radius is less than 180 m.

[0014] The invention also relates to a high-beam assistant for a vehicle for automatically switching on and off the high beams at night. According to the invention, the high-beam assistant is designed to perform the method described above.

[0015] Further important features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims, the drawing and the associated description of the figures based on the drawing.

[0016] It is understood that the features mentioned above and those to be explained below can be used not only in the combinations specified, but also in other combinations or on their own, without leaving the scope of the present invention.

[0017] Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawing and are explained in more detail in the following description.

[0018] The only Fig. Figure 1 shows a schematic view of a road section 1 with a vehicle 2 and a foreign vehicle 3. The vehicle 2 has a high-beam assistant 4 according to the invention for carrying out a method 5 according to the invention. In the method 5, the high-beam assistant 4 determines data on the presence of the foreign vehicle 3 in the road section 1 and determines the presence of the foreign vehicle 3 from the determined data depending on an adjustable confidence level.

[0019] Furthermore, the high-beam assist 4 determines whether vehicle 2 is in a curve 6. If vehicle 2 is in a curve 6, the high-beam assist 4 determines its curve radius R using the vehicle's steering angle and / or predictive route data from the preceding road segment 1. Depending on the curve radius R, the high-beam assist 4 changes the confidence level when evaluating the data or when determining the presence of the other vehicle 3. In particular, the high-beam assist 4 can set the confidence level to 99% if the curve radius R is less than 180 m and to 95% if the curve radius R is greater than 180 m. Additionally, the high-beam assist 4 can only set the confidence level to 99% for curves with a radius less than 180 m if the speed of the other vehicle 3 is greater than 10 km / h.

[0020] In procedure 5, the presence of the foreign vehicle 3 can be reliably determined and the unnecessary dimming or switching off of the high beam can be reduced by up to 50%. QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] US 8587456 B2

[0003] EP 1905643 B1

[0004]

Claims

[1] Method (5) for controlling a high beam assistant (4) of a vehicle (2) at night, - wherein the high beam assistant (4) determines data on the presence of a foreign vehicle (3) in a road section (1) ahead of the vehicle (2), - wherein the high beam assistant (4) determines the presence of the other vehicle (3) in the preceding road section (1) from the determined data depending on an adjustable confidence level, - wherein the high beam assistant (4) automatically switches off the high beam when the other vehicle (3) is present in the preceding road section (1) and automatically switches on the high beam when the other vehicle (3) is not present in the preceding road section (1), characterized by , - that the high beam assistant (4) determines whether the vehicle (2) is in a curve (6), - that the high beam assistant (4), when the vehicle (2) is in the curve (6), determines a curve radius (R) of the curve (6), and - that the high beam assistant (4) changes the confidence level for determining the presence of the other vehicle (3) in the preceding road section (1) depending on the curve radius (R). [2] Method (5) according to claim 1, characterized by that the high beam assistant (4) determines the position of the vehicle (2) in a curve (6) via a steering angle of the vehicle (2) and / or via predictive route data of the preceding road section (1). [3] Method (5) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by , - that the high beam assistant (4) sets the confidence level for determining the presence of the other vehicle (3) comparatively high, in particular equal to 99%, for a curve radius (R) of less than 180 m, and - that the high beam assistant (4) sets the confidence level for determining the presence of the other vehicle (3) comparatively small, in particular equal to 95%, for a curve radius (R) greater than 180 m. [4] Method (5) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , - that the high beam assistant (4) determines a speed of the other vehicle (3) in the preceding road section (1) when determining data on the presence of the other vehicle (3), and - that the high beam assistant (4) sets the confidence level for determining the presence of the other vehicle (3) comparatively high, in particular equal to 99%, for a curve radius (R) of less than 180 m and a speed of the other vehicle (3) of greater than 10 km / h. [5] High beam assistant (4) of a vehicle (2) for automatically switching on and automatically switching off a high beam at night, wherein the high beam assistant (4) is designed to carry out the method (5) according to one of the preceding claims.

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