Method for controlling the light distribution of a headlight arrangement and a headlight arrangement

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for controlling the light distribution of a headlight arrangement (6) of a vehicle (2) which has at least two light sources (8, 10), wherein at least one control signal S is received in a control device. vx depending on vehicle speed v Fx is generated to control the light sources (8, 10), depending on the control signal S vx a lane is illuminated by the light sources (8, 10) by means of a illuminator (12), wherein the illuminator (12) has a starting point or starting line (14) and an end point or end line (16), wherein at least the end point or end line (16) of the illuminator (12) is dynamically adjusted depending on the vehicle speed v FX is shifted in the direction of travel. Furthermore, the invention relates to a headlight arrangement (6).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for controlling the light distribution of such a headlight arrangement of a vehicle, which has at least two light sources, wherein at least one control signal S is received in a control device. vx depending on vehicle speed v Fx is generated to control the light source, depending on the control signal S vx A lane is illuminated by the light sources using a reflector, wherein the reflector has a starting point or starting line and an endpoint or end line, wherein at least the endpoint or end line of the reflector is dynamically dependent on the vehicle speed v. FXis shifted in the direction of travel. The invention also relates to a headlight arrangement of a vehicle located on a carriageway for carrying out such a method, with at least two light sources, with a control device which receives at least one control signal S vx depending on vehicle speed v Fx generated to control the light sources, such that depending on the control signal S vx a lane is illuminated by the light sources using a reflector, wherein the reflector has a starting point or a starting line and an endpoint or an end line.

[0002] Such methods and arrangements are well known in the art. For example, European patent DE 10 2014 204 310 A1 describes a method for controlling the light distribution of a light cone as the light source of the headlight assembly, at least as a function of the vehicle speed. The primary goal of such control is to increase the beam angle of the light cone at low speeds in built-up areas, for example at intersections, in order to improve the driver's visibility. However, a major disadvantage of existing devices and methods for controlling such devices is that the light distribution cannot be adjusted at higher speeds, since under certain conditions, such as the absence of oncoming light sources, the light source operates at maximum intensity.Especially at higher speeds, such as those reached on highways, near-field visibility can be neglected, and it is desirable to provide the driver with the best possible long-range visibility. However, a headlight arrangement is known from generic EP 0 507 273 A1, the light cone of which is adjusted depending on oncoming vehicles. Even with such a headlight arrangement, optimal light distribution cannot be achieved in every operating situation. Further headlight arrangements are known from DE 297 20961 U1 and FR 2 999 492 A1.

[0003] The object of the invention is therefore to provide, in a simple and cost-effective manner, a method for controlling the light distribution of a headlight arrangement or a headlight arrangement that avoids the aforementioned disadvantage.

[0004] This task is accomplished by designing the illuminator in a cuboid shape, with the width of the illuminator being varied. This dynamic shift significantly improves driving safety in dark environments at high speeds. The variation in width is used to shift the endpoint or end line of the illuminator in the direction of travel at higher speeds. Due to the cuboid shape, this shift is particularly easy to achieve, as it only involves a change in the light distribution in the direction of travel.

[0005] Advantageously, the starting point or starting line is shifted in the direction of travel. At lower speeds, the starting point is close to the vehicle, and at higher speeds, the starting point is further away from the vehicle.

[0006] The brightening medium can be generated in a particularly simple way using LED matrix light sources as the light source. Alternatively, the brightening medium can be generated using laser light sources as the light source.

[0007] In a particularly advantageous way, when a light source from oncoming traffic is perceived, a limited shift of the endpoint or end line of the illuminating body is carried out.

[0008] The problem is also solved by the fact that, in the headlight arrangement according to the invention, the endpoint or the end line of the illuminating body is dynamically adjusted depending on the vehicle speed v. FX to be shifted in the direction of travel.

[0009] Advantageously, the light sources are designed as LED matrix light sources. Alternatively, the light sources can be designed as laser light sources.

[0010] The invention is explained in more detail with reference to a drawing, which shows: Fig. 1a a schematic top view of a vehicle with a headlight assembly switched on, Fig. 1b a schematic top view of the vehicle Fig. 1a with a displaced brightening body, and Fig. 2 a curve diagram showing a starting line shift as a function of vehicle speed.

[0011] Fig. Figure 1a now shows a top view of a vehicle 2 traveling on a carriageway 4 at a low vehicle speed v. F1The vehicle 2 moves at a speed of 50 km / h. It has a headlight assembly 6 comprising two schematically indicated light sources 8 and 10. The light sources 8 and 10 are designed as LED matrix light sources and produce a cuboid-shaped reflector 12, which has a start line 14 and an end line 16. In this embodiment, the start line 14 is located at a distance d1 = 10 m from the vehicle 2. The distance d1, and thus the start line 14, is controlled by a control unit (not shown) with a control signal S. v1 depending on the vehicle speed v F1 certainly.

[0012] Fig. 1b now shows vehicle 2. Fig. 1a, which is associated with a higher vehicle speed v F2 The vehicle is moving at 130 km / h on carriageway 4. The control unit now uses a control signal S to... v2 depending on the vehicle speed v F2A distance d2=40m from the starting line 14 is set, thereby shifting the end line 16 of the illuminating body 12 by the same amount. This significantly improves long-range visibility and thus driving safety.

[0013] Fig. Figure 2 shows a schematic curve diagram. The curve 18 stored in the control unit represents the dependence of the distance dx of the illuminating body 12 on the vehicle speed v. Fx This is shown. At a slow vehicle speed v Fx is the distance d x small, to ensure good close-up visibility and at high vehicle speeds Fx is the distance d x large, to ensure good long-distance visibility.

Claims

[1] Method for controlling the light distribution of a headlight arrangement (6) of a vehicle (2) which has at least two light sources (8, 10), wherein in a control device at least one control signal S vx depending on the vehicle speed v Fx for controlling the light sources (8, 10), wherein depending on the control signal S vx a lane is illuminated by the light sources (8, 10) by means of a illuminating body (12), wherein the illuminating body (12) has a starting point and / or a starting line (14) and an end point and / or an end line (16), wherein at least the starting point and / or the starting line (16) of the illuminating body (12) is dynamically dependent on the vehicle speed v FX is moved in the direction of travel, characterized by that the brightening body (12) is cuboid-shaped, wherein the width of the brightening body (12) is varied. [2] Method for controlling the light distribution of a headlight arrangement (6) of a vehicle (2) according to claim 1, characterized by that the starting point and / or the starting line (14) is moved in the direction of travel. [3] Method for controlling the light distribution of a headlight arrangement (6) of a vehicle (2) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the brightening body (12) is generated by LED matrix light sources (8, 10) as a light source. [4] Method for controlling the light distribution of a headlight arrangement (6) of a vehicle (2) according to one of claims 1-3, characterized by that the brightening body (12) is generated by laser light sources as light sources. [5] Method for controlling the light distribution of a headlight arrangement (6) of a vehicle (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat when a light source of oncoming traffic (10) is perceived, a limited displacement of the end point and / or the end line (16) of the illuminating body (12) is carried out. [6] Headlight arrangement (6) of a vehicle (2) located on a lane (4) in the direction of travel, with at least two light sources (8, 10) for carrying out a method according to one of the preceding claims, with a control device which generates at least one control signal S vx depending on the vehicle speed v Fx for controlling the light sources (8, 10) such that, depending on the control signal S vx a lane is to be illuminated by the light sources (8, 10) by means of a illuminating body (12), wherein the illuminating body (12) has a starting point and / or a starting line (14) and an end point and / or an end line (16), characterized bythat at least the end point and / or the end line (16) of the brightening body (12) is dynamically dependent on the vehicle speed v FX must be moved in the direction of travel. [7] Headlight arrangement according to claim 6, characterized by that the light sources (8, 10) are designed as LED matrix light sources. [8] Headlight arrangement according to claim 6, characterized by that the light source (8, 10) is designed as a laser light source.

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