Headlight control device and headlight control method

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a technology that makes it possible to suppress the occurrence of glare for a driver of a vehicle while illuminating a region. This headlight control device comprises an acquisition unit and a control unit. When an object is present in a region illuminated by a headlight of a vehicle, the acquisition unit acquires, from a camera, object information pertaining to the object. While using the headlight to gradually increase the brightness in the region, the control unit uses the headlight to illuminate the object with a brightness corresponding to a type of the object, on the basis of the object information acquired by the acquisition unit.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a headlamp control device and a headlamp control method. [Background technology]

[0002] Auto light and auto high beam have been proposed as technologies that automatically turn on / off a vehicle's headlights based on the illuminance around the vehicle at night or when the vehicle enters a tunnel or overpass (for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Furthermore, in order to reduce glare on pedestrians and the like, a technology for partially dimming or blocking headlight illumination has been proposed, such as adaptive driving beam (ADB) (for example, Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-195042 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 5438410 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, with conventional technology, the headlights turn on and their brightness rises sharply when they are turned on due to a decrease in illuminance around the vehicle, or when dimming or blocking is released in the ADB, causing problems such as glare to pedestrians and glare to the driver due to retroreflection from objects containing reflective materials, such as signs.

[0006] Therefore, the present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a technology that can suppress glare from occurring to the driver of a vehicle while brightening an area. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The headlight control device according to the present disclosure includes: an acquisition unit that acquires object information about an object from a camera when an object is present in an area illuminated by the headlight at the start of automatically turning on the headlight of a vehicle; Based on whether the brightness of the area reaches a preset brightness While the brightness of the area is gradually increased by the headlights, the brightness corresponding to the type of object is increased based on the object information. is set for the object, and the object is illuminated with the brightness. By headlights Te-Te and a control unit for explaining the operation. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present disclosure, while the brightness of the area is gradually increased by the headlights, the object is illuminated by the headlights at a brightness corresponding to the type of object based on the object information. With this configuration, it is possible to suppress glare to the driver of the vehicle while the area is being brightened.

[0009] The objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a functional block diagram showing a main part of a headlamp control device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an example of control of the headlamp control device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an example of control of the headlamp control device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an example of control of the headlamp control device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an example of control of the headlamp control device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the headlamp control device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the headlamp control device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram showing a main part of a headlamp control device according to a third embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining an example of determination by the headlamp control device according to the third embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining an example of determination by the headlamp control device according to the third embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining an example of determination by the headlamp control device according to the third embodiment. [Figure 12] 11 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the headlamp control device according to the third embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram showing a main part of a headlamp control device according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a top view for explaining an example of control of the headlamp control device according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 15] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the headlamp control device according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 11 is a top view for explaining an example of control of the headlamp control device according to the fifth embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a headlamp control device according to another modified example. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a headlamp control device according to another modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] <First Embodiment> 1 is a functional block diagram showing the main parts of a headlight control device 1 according to the first embodiment. The headlight control device 1 according to the first embodiment is mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile. In the following description, a vehicle on which the headlight control device 1 is mounted may be referred to as a "vehicle," and a vehicle other than the vehicle on which the headlight control device 1 is mounted may be referred to as an "other vehicle."

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, a headlamp control device 1 is connected to an illuminance detection unit 2, an imaging unit 3, and a headlamp 4 so as to be able to communicate with each other.

[0013] The headlamp 4 has a lamp with a low beam, high beam, or spot beam function, and has an ADB function that can adjust the illumination range and illumination intensity of the headlamp 4. The headlamp 4 configured in this way can emit light with various light distribution patterns based on a light distribution control signal from the headlamp control device 1.

[0014] The imaging unit 3 is, for example, a forward monitoring camera that captures visible light images of the area in front of the vehicle. The images are, for example, moving images. The imaging unit 3 captures images of the area in front of the vehicle, generates object information based on the images, and outputs the object information to the headlight control device 1. The object information is information about objects present in the area illuminated by the headlights 4 (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as the "illumination area").

[0015] In the first embodiment, the object information is information that allows the headlight control device 1 to determine the type and position information of the object, and an example of the object information is an imaging signal that shows an image ahead of the vehicle. However, as will be described later, the object information is not limited to imaging signals or the like.

[0016] The illuminance detection unit 2 is, for example, an illuminance sensor. The illuminance detection unit 2 outputs the illuminance around the vehicle as an illuminance signal to the headlamp control device 1. In the first embodiment, the illuminance detection unit 2 outputs the illuminance around the vehicle as an illuminance signal. Note that the illuminance signal is not limited to this, and for example, the illuminance detection unit 2 may output the luminance of an image captured by a camera provided on the vehicle as an illuminance signal. In this case, the function of the imaging unit 3 can be realized by the illuminance detection unit 2.

[0017] Although not shown, the headlamp control device 1 is connected to a computer network (for example, a CAN (Controller Area Network)) within the vehicle and can appropriately acquire various information (hereinafter referred to as "vehicle information") from the vehicle. The vehicle information includes, for example, information indicating the on / off state of a light switch. The light switch is configured to be able to switch between the on state and the off state of the headlamp 4 and to switch whether or not to automatically control the headlamp 4. For example, when an operation to execute automatic control of the headlamp 4 is performed on the light switch, the headlamp control device 1 executes automatic control of the headlamp 4.

[0018] Next, we will explain the headlamp control device 1. The headlamp control device 1 acquires an illuminance signal related to the illuminance around the vehicle from the illuminance detection unit 2, acquires object information from the imaging unit 3, and outputs a light distribution control signal for controlling the headlamp 4 to the headlamp 4 based on the illuminance signal and the object information. This enables the headlamp control device 1 to automatically control the light distribution of the vehicle's headlamp 4. The headlamp control device 1 in FIG. 1 includes a lighting determination unit 11, an acquisition unit 12, and a control unit 13.

[0019] The lighting determination unit 11 selectively determines whether the headlights 4 are on or off based on the illuminance signal from the illuminance detection unit 2. The lighting determination unit 11 outputs a lighting signal to the control unit 13 when the illuminance indicated by the illuminance signal is equal to or lower than a threshold, and outputs an off signal to the control unit 13 when the illuminance is greater than the threshold.

[0020] The acquisition unit 12 acquires object information (image pickup signals in the first embodiment) from the image pickup unit 3, which is a camera.

[0021] When the lighting determination unit 11 outputs a lighting signal indicating an illuminance exceeding a threshold, the control unit 13 starts lighting control of the headlights 4. When the lighting control starts, the control unit 13 gradually increases the brightness of the area illuminated by the headlights 4, i.e., the brightness of the illumination area. In the first embodiment, the control unit 13 controls the brightness of the headlights 4 based on the luminance of the headlights 4, so the brightness described in the first embodiment is substantially the same as the luminance. The control unit 13 linearly increases the brightness of the illumination area by having the headlights 4 illuminate the illumination area in order from the darkest luminance among a plurality of predetermined luminances.

[0022] In parallel with the above processing, the control unit 13 determines the type and position of an object present in the illumination area based on the object information (image capture signal in the first embodiment) acquired by the acquisition unit 12. The determination of the type and position of an object can be realized by known information processing techniques, such as pattern recognition and machine learning. The type of object may be, for example, another vehicle, a person (e.g., a cyclist or a pedestrian), a sign (e.g., a road sign), a road structure, a road marking, etc. In the first embodiment, the control unit 13 determining the type and position of an object is essentially the same as the control unit 13 detecting an object.

[0023] The control unit 13 illuminates the position of the object determined above with the headlights 4 at a brightness corresponding to the type of object determined above. As will be described in detail later, the control unit 13 illuminates the object as part of the illumination area until the brightness of the illumination area gradually increased by the headlights 4 reaches a brightness corresponding to the type of object. Then, when the brightness of the illumination area gradually increased by the headlights 4 exceeds the brightness corresponding to the type of object, the control unit 13 illuminates the object and the illumination area with different brightnesses.

[0024] The control unit 13 configured as described above generates a light distribution control signal for illuminating an object with the headlights 4 at a brightness corresponding to the type of object based on the object information while gradually increasing the brightness of the illumination area with the headlights 4. In this way, the control unit 13 controls the light distribution of the headlights 4.

[0025] 2 to 5 are diagrams for explaining an example of control by the control unit 13 according to the first embodiment.

[0026] 2 is a diagram illustrating a series of controls in which control unit 13 starts turning on headlights 4 in response to a lighting signal, and gradually increases the brightness of headlights 4 while illuminating an object with headlights 4 at a brightness corresponding to the type of object. The horizontal axis of FIG. 2 represents time, and the vertical axis represents the light distribution control signal, i.e., the brightness of headlights 4.

[0027] In the example of FIG. 2, a linear slope having a gradient ΔB is set for the change in brightness of the headlight 4, and the brightness of the headlight 4 increases linearly.

[0028] In the present embodiment 1, brightness levels corresponding to the types of objects are set for signs and people. Specifically, brightness B2 is set as the brightness level of the headlights 4 corresponding to signs, and brightness B3 is set as the brightness level of the headlights 4 corresponding to people.

[0029] Similarly, in the example of Fig. 2, brightness B4, which has an upper limit equal to the standard brightness of the headlights 4, is set as the brightness of the headlights 4 corresponding to the illumination area where an object is not ultimately detected. Note that the term "gradually" in the description of gradually increasing the brightness of the illumination area by the headlights 4 means that the time it takes for the illumination area to be illuminated at brightness B4 corresponding to the illumination area is longer than the time it takes for an object to be illuminated at the brightness corresponding to the type of object.

[0030] 2, when the object type is a person, the brightness B3 corresponding to the object type is greater than the brightness B2 corresponding to the object type when the object type is a sign. The brightness B4 of the headlight 4 corresponding to the illumination area where no object is ultimately detected is greater than the brightnesses B2 and B3 corresponding to the object types.

[0031] Here, brightness B4 is set to 100%. Brightness B2 is set to a brightness that allows the vehicle driver to recognize the sign, within a range that is greater than the brightness at which the control unit 13 can detect the sign (for example, 50%) and has an upper limit of brightness that does not cause glare to the vehicle driver or the like due to reflected light from the illuminated sign (for example, 60%).

[0032] Brightness B3 is set to a brightness that allows the vehicle driver to recognize people, within a range that is greater than the brightness at which the control unit 13 can detect people (e.g., 70%) and has an upper limit of brightness that does not cause glare on illuminated people, etc. (e.g., 80%).

[0033] In the first embodiment, when the control unit 13 detects another vehicle based on the object information, it does not illuminate the other vehicle with the headlights 4. Therefore, the brightness B1 of the headlights 4 corresponding to the other vehicle shown in Fig. 2 is substantially the same as the brightness (0%) of the headlights 4 when they are turned off.

[0034] Figures 3, 4 and 5 are diagrams showing an example of a traffic scene seen by a driver of a vehicle at a certain time. Figures 3 to 5 show an area A1 where another vehicle 31 traveling ahead of the vehicle exists, an area A2 where a road sign 32 exists, an area A3 where a pedestrian 33 exists, and an area where no object is ultimately detected, such as area A4.

[0035] The following describes the change in brightness of the headlights 4 over time. At time t-1, the control unit 13 turns off the headlights 4.

[0036] At time t, the lighting determination unit 11 outputs a lighting signal, and the control unit 13 starts lighting control of the headlights 4. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a traffic scene at time t. The control unit 13 detects an object based on object information (image capture signal in the first embodiment) acquired by the acquisition unit 12. At time t, the headlights 4 are not yet turned on, and the image indicated by the image capture signal is dark, so the control unit 13 cannot detect road signs 32 and pedestrians 33. On the other hand, for the other vehicle 31, for example, taillights 31a are turned on, so the control unit 13 can detect the other vehicle 31 from the dark image. The control unit 13 is configured not to illuminate the other vehicle 31 and area A1 with the headlights 4 when it is determined that the type of object is the other vehicle 31 based on the object information. With this configuration, glare for the driver of the other vehicle 31 can be reduced.

[0037] From time t to time t+1, the control unit 13 gradually brightens the illumination area other than area A1 using the headlights 4. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a traffic scene at time t+1. In FIG. 4, the illumination area other than area A1 is brighter than the illumination area in FIG. 3. By gradually increasing the brightness of the illumination area, it is possible to prevent a perceptual gap from occurring in the vehicle driver due to a sudden change in the illumination brightness, thereby reducing the discomfort of the vehicle driver. Furthermore, by gradually increasing the output in the headlights 4, it is possible to reduce the load on the boost circuit, which is expected to simplify the voltage resistance of the boost circuit.

[0038] Between time t and time t+1, the brightness of areas A2 to A4 gradually increases, and reaches a brightness at which the control unit 13 can detect road signs 32. Generally, road signs 32 are coated with a retroreflective material, so the minimum brightness required for the control unit 13 to detect road signs 32 is lower than the minimum brightness required for the control unit 13 to detect pedestrians 33. When the control unit 13 determines that the type of object is a road sign 32 based on the object information, it sets brightness B2 for area A2 where the road sign 32 is present. At time t+1, when the brightness of area A2, together with the other illuminated areas, reaches brightness B2, it is maintained at brightness B2 without becoming brighter.

[0039] Generally, signs coated with retroreflective material have the advantage that they are easily recognized by drivers with little light, but the disadvantage that they are easily dazzled by the illumination. Despite this, in the prior art, when the headlights 4 are turned on, the brightness of the headlights 4 is first increased relatively to detect the sign, and then the brightness is reduced. This has caused a problem in that glare is experienced by the driver of the vehicle immediately after the headlights 4 are turned on.

[0040] In contrast, in the first embodiment, while the brightness of the illumination area is gradually increased by the headlights 4, that is, before the brightness of the illumination area reaches brightness B4, the sign is illuminated by the headlights 4 at brightness B2 corresponding to the sign. This makes it possible to reduce glare for the vehicle driver. Note that brightness B2 is set to a brightness that allows the vehicle driver to recognize the sign, within a range that is greater than the brightness at which the control unit 13 can detect the sign and has an upper limit that does not cause glare for the vehicle driver and the like. This makes it possible to achieve both safety in object recognition and reduction in glare for the vehicle driver, and further reduces power consumption.

[0041] From time t+1 to time t+2, the control unit 13 uses the headlights 4 to gradually brighten the illumination areas other than areas A1 and A2. During this time, the brightness of areas A3 and A4 gradually increases until the control unit 13 can detect a pedestrian 33. When the control unit 13 determines that the type of object is a pedestrian 33 based on the object information, it sets brightness B3 for area A3 where the pedestrian 33 is present. At time t+2, when the brightness of area A3, along with the other illumination areas, reaches brightness B3, it is maintained at brightness B3 without becoming brighter.

[0042] In the prior art, when the headlights 4 are turned on, the brightness of the headlights 4 is relatively increased once a person is detected, and then the brightness is reduced. This causes a problem of glare being caused to the person immediately after the headlights 4 are turned on. In contrast, in the first embodiment, while the brightness of the illumination area is gradually increased by the headlights 4, that is, before the brightness of the illumination area reaches brightness B4, the headlights 4 illuminate the person at brightness B3 corresponding to the person. This reduces glare on the person. Note that brightness B3 is set to a brightness that is greater than the brightness at which the control unit 13 can detect a person, but within a range that has an upper limit of brightness that does not cause glare on people, etc., so that the vehicle driver can recognize the person. This makes it possible to achieve both safety in object recognition and suppression of glare on people, while also reducing power consumption.

[0043] From time t+2 to time t+3, the control unit 13 gradually brightens the illumination areas other than areas A1 to A3 using the headlights 4. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a traffic scene at time t+3. Because no new object types are detected, the control unit 13 sets brightness B4 for illumination areas where no objects are detected, such as area A4. Illuminating area A4, where no traffic participants (e.g., the driver of the vehicle, the driver of another vehicle 31, and pedestrian 33) are present, at brightness B4 improves the driver's nighttime visibility.

[0044] As a result of the above, area A1 where other vehicles 31 exist is not illuminated, and area A2 where road signs 32 exist is illuminated with brightness B2 that is greater than brightness B1. Also, area A3 where pedestrians 33 exist is illuminated with brightness B3 that is greater than brightness B2, and area A4 where no object is detected is illuminated with brightness B4 that is greater than brightness B3.

[0045] <Operation> 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the headlamp control device 1 according to Embodiment 1. First, in step S1, the illuminance detection unit 2 detects an illuminance signal, and the lighting determination unit 11 acquires the illuminance signal.

[0046] In step S2, the lighting determination unit 11 determines whether the illuminance indicated by the illuminance signal is equal to or less than a threshold value. If it is determined that the illuminance is equal to or less than the threshold value, the process proceeds to step S3, and if it is determined that the illuminance is greater than the threshold value, the operation in FIG. 6 ends.

[0047] In step S3, the imaging unit 3 captures an image and generates an imaging signal as object information, and the acquisition unit 12 acquires the object information.

[0048] In step S4, the control unit 13 determines whether or not the type of object present in the illumination area has been determined based on the object information. If it is determined that the type of object has been determined, the process proceeds to step S5, and if it is determined that the type of object has not been determined, the process proceeds to step S6.

[0049] In step S5, the control unit 13 sets brightness corresponding to the type of object for the area where the object exists.

[0050] In step S6, the control unit 13 determines whether the headlights 4 are on. If it is determined that the headlights 4 are on, the process proceeds to step S8, and if it is determined that the headlights 4 are not on, the process proceeds to step S7.

[0051] In step S7, the control unit 13 turns on the headlights 4.

[0052] In step S8, it is determined whether the brightness of the illumination area has reached the brightness set for the illumination area where an object is not ultimately detected (for example, brightness B4 in FIG. 2). If it is determined that the brightness of the illumination area has reached the set brightness, the operation in FIG. 6 ends, and if it is determined that the brightness of the illumination area has not reached the set brightness, the process proceeds to step S9.

[0053] In step S9, the control unit 13 increases the brightness of the illumination area by ΔB. However, if the type of object is determined and the brightness of the illumination area exceeds the brightness corresponding to the type of object, the control unit 13 illuminates the object with the headlights 4 at the brightness corresponding to the type of object. Then, the process returns to step S3.

[0054] <Summary of the First Embodiment> According to the headlight control device 1 of the first embodiment described above, while the brightness of the illumination area is gradually increased by the headlights 4, the object is illuminated by the headlights 4 at a brightness corresponding to the type of object based on the object information. With this configuration, while the illumination area is being brightened, glare to the vehicle driver or the like can be reduced, and the vehicle driver can easily identify the object. Furthermore, by gradually increasing the brightness of the illumination area by the headlights 4, the control unit 13 can easily determine the type of object, regardless of the brightness around the vehicle.

[0055] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the brightness of the illumination area is increased linearly, so that discomfort felt by the driver of the vehicle can be reduced.

[0056] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the headlights 4 are caused to illuminate the illumination area at a predetermined brightness. This allows open-loop control of the headlights 4, thereby simplifying the control of the headlight control device 1.

[0057] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the brightness corresponding to a person is greater than the brightness corresponding to a sign, and if the type of object is determined to be another vehicle, the other vehicle is not illuminated by the headlights 4. With this configuration, glare on the driver of the vehicle, people, and drivers of other vehicles can be reduced, and the driver of the vehicle can easily identify other vehicles, signs, and people.

[0058] <Modification> In the first embodiment, the object information is an imaging signal that enables the headlight control device 1 to determine the type and position of an object, but is not limited to this. For example, if the imaging unit 3 is capable of determining the type and position of an object based on an image in front of the vehicle, the object information may be the determination result of the type and position of the object by the imaging unit 3. In this case, the control unit 13 may use the object information from the imaging unit 3, i.e., the determination result of the type and position of the object by the imaging unit 3, as the determination result by the control unit 13. Furthermore, the imaging unit 3 and the control unit 13 may work together to determine the type and position of an object.

[0059] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the lighting determination unit 11 selectively determines whether the headlights 4 are on or off based on the illuminance signal from the illuminance detection unit 2, but this is not limiting. For example, the lighting determination unit 11 may selectively determine whether the headlights 4 are on or off based on the on / off state of a light switch included in the vehicle information, that is, based on the operation of the light switch.

[0060] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, when the type of object is determined to be another vehicle, the control unit 13 does not illuminate the other vehicle with the headlights 4. However, the control unit 13 may illuminate the other vehicle with the headlights 4 to such an extent that it can be considered that the other vehicle is not actually illuminated.

[0061] In addition, although the object types are other vehicles, signs, and people in the first embodiment, they are not limited to these. Furthermore, the brightness corresponding to signs and people is not limited to the brightness described in the first embodiment.

[0062] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the brightness with which the headlights 4 illuminate an object is set based on the type of object, but it may be changed as appropriate depending on the distance and direction of the object.

[0063] Furthermore, the brightness described in the first embodiment may be set to the minimum brightness that can be perceived by the driver of the vehicle, or may be set to the minimum brightness that allows the control unit 13 to detect an object.

[0064] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the gradient ΔB of the change in brightness of the illumination area is a fixed value, but it may be changed based on the type of object, distance, direction, vehicle speed, and the like.

[0065] In the first embodiment, the control unit 13 linearly increases the illumination area according to a linear slope having a gradient ΔB, but the illumination area may also be increased in a stepped manner, i.e., in stages. This configuration allows the illumination area to be brightened quickly, thereby enabling object type detection to be performed quickly.

[0066] In the first embodiment, if an object is newly detected after the brightness of the illumination area exceeds the brightness corresponding to the type of object, the control unit 13 may reduce the brightness of the object portion of the illumination area to the brightness corresponding to the type of object. For example, if a pedestrian is newly detected in the area A4 of FIG. 5 that is illuminated at brightness B4 without any detected object, the control unit 13 may illuminate the area A4 with the headlights 4 at brightness B3 corresponding to a pedestrian. Conversely, if an object that was previously present is no longer present, the control unit 13 may illuminate the area where the object was present with brightness B4 using the headlights 4. The above-described modified example may be applied to embodiments other than the first embodiment.

[0067] <Embodiment 2> In the first embodiment, the control unit 13 controls the brightness of the headlights 4 by luminance. That is, the brightness corresponding to an object is set in advance to a luminance that is assumed to enable the driver or the control unit 13 to recognize the object. However, unlike illuminance, luminance is not the brightness perceived by the observer. Therefore, depending on the environment and conditions, the brightness of an object may be too high or too low for the driver or the control unit 13.

[0068] For example, if a sign is not coated with a retroreflective material, the brightness corresponding to the sign described in the first embodiment may be insufficient for the driver or the control unit 13. Also, for example, if a pedestrian is wearing dark clothing that reduces visibility, the brightness corresponding to the person described in the first embodiment may be insufficient for the driver or the control unit 13. Also, for example, if it is determined that the headlights 4 are turned on, but the brightness around the vehicle is somewhat high due to street lights or the like, the brightness corresponding to the area where no object is detected may be excessive for the driver or the control unit 13.

[0069] In contrast to this, the headlamp control device 1 according to the second embodiment described below is configured to control the brightness of the headlamp 4 by illuminance rather than luminance, in order to solve this problem.

[0070] A functional block diagram of a headlamp control device 1 according to the second embodiment is similar to the functional block diagram (see FIG. 1) of the headlamp control device 1 according to the first embodiment. Hereinafter, among the components according to the second embodiment, components that are the same as or similar to the components described above will be assigned the same or similar reference numerals, and different components will be mainly described.

[0071] The acquisition unit 12 according to the second embodiment acquires the illuminance of an object illuminated by the headlight 4. For example, the acquisition unit 12 acquires the illuminance of an object illuminated by the headlight 4 from the luminance of an image captured by the imaging unit 3.

[0072] Based on the illuminance acquired by acquisition unit 12 and a predetermined illuminance, control unit 13 performs feedback control of headlights 4 so that the acquired illuminance becomes substantially the same as the predetermined illuminance. In other words, if the illuminance of an object acquired by acquisition unit 12 is lower than the predetermined illuminance, control unit 13 increases the brightness of the object. On the other hand, if the illuminance of an object acquired by acquisition unit 12 is higher than the predetermined illuminance, control unit 13 decreases the brightness of the object.

[0073] <Operation> Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the headlamp control device 1 according to the second embodiment. The flowchart in Fig. 7 is similar to the flowchart in Fig. 6, except that step S11 is added between step S7 and step S8 and step S9 is changed to step S12. Therefore, the following description will mainly focus on step S11 and step S12.

[0074] In step S11, the imaging unit 3 captures an image, and the acquisition unit 12 acquires, based on the image, the illuminance of an object illuminated by the headlights 4. After that, the process proceeds to step S8.

[0075] In step S12, the control unit 13 performs substantially the same control as in step S9 in Fig. 6. However, the control unit 13 performs feedback control based on the illuminance acquired in step S11. Thereafter, the process returns to step S3.

[0076] <Summary of the second embodiment> According to the headlamp control device 1 of the second embodiment described above, the headlamp 4 is feedback-controlled based on the acquired illuminance and the predetermined illuminance. With this configuration, it is possible to suppress the influence of the environment on the brightness of an object, thereby optimizing the brightness of the object.

[0077] <Third Embodiment> 8 is a functional block diagram showing the main parts of a headlamp control device 1 according to the present embodiment 3. In the following, among the components according to the present embodiment 3, components that are the same as or similar to the components described above are given the same or similar reference numerals, and different components will be mainly described.

[0078] 8 is the same as the configuration in FIG. 1 except that a danger determination unit 13a is added to the control unit 13. Note that the danger determination unit 13a may be provided outside the control unit 13 so as to be able to communicate with the control unit 13.

[0079] The risk determination unit 13a determines whether or not there is a predetermined possibility of collision between the vehicle and an object. An example of the risk determination unit 13a will be described below.

[0080] After the control unit 13 detects an object, if the position (i.e., coordinates) of the object in the image changes due to movement of at least one of the vehicle and the object, the danger determination unit 13a tracks the movement of the object. Tracking of the movement of the object can be realized by a known information processing technique for tracking the movements of multiple specific objects in a moving image, such as multi-object tracking.

[0081] The risk determination unit 13a determines whether or not there is a predetermined possibility of collision between the vehicle and the object based on the tracking of the object. Figures 9 to 11 are diagrams for explaining an example of the determination of the possibility of collision by the risk determination unit 13a. Figures 9 to 11 show a roadway 36, a vehicle 37 traveling on the roadway 36, and an object 38 with which the vehicle 37 may collide.

[0082] 9, when an object 38 detected in the initial detection stage is present in the traveling direction of a vehicle 37, the risk determination unit 13a predicts a collision between the two based on the traveling direction and speed of the vehicle 37 and the traveling direction and speed of the object 38. Then, when the risk determination unit 13a determines that the two will collide, it determines that there is a predetermined possibility of a collision.

[0083] 10, when an object 38 with limited brightness is moving toward a roadway 36, the risk determination unit 13a predicts a collision between the two based on the traveling direction and speed of the vehicle 37 and the traveling direction and speed of the object 38. Then, when the risk determination unit 13a determines that the two will collide, it determines that there is a possibility of a collision.

[0084] 9 and 10, the risk determination unit 13a determines whether an object 38 with limited brightness exists within a predetermined distance from the roadway 36 or the area in the traveling direction of the vehicle 37. Then, when the risk determination unit 13a determines that the object 38 exists within a predetermined distance from the roadway 36 or the area in the traveling direction of the vehicle 37 as shown in FIG. 11, the risk determination unit 13a determines that there is a possibility of a collision. For example, if the object 38 is a pedestrian checking the traffic conditions before crossing the road, the object 38 exists within a predetermined distance from the roadway 36 or the area in the traveling direction of the vehicle 37, and therefore the risk determination unit 13a can determine that there is a possibility of a collision.

[0085] 8 increases the upper limit of brightness corresponding to the type of object for which a collision possibility has been determined. For example, the danger determination unit 13a determines whether there is a predetermined collision possibility between the vehicle and the object after illuminating an area where the object exists with brightness corresponding to the type of object. Then, when it is determined that there is a collision possibility, the control unit 13 increases the upper limit of brightness corresponding to the object, thereby increasing the brightness of the object.

[0086] The control unit 13 outputs a light distribution control signal to the headlights 4 so as to increase the brightness corresponding to the type of object determined to have a collision possibility in a stepped manner, i.e., in a step-by-step manner, up to an upper limit value. This causes the brightness corresponding to the type of object to increase sharply, creating a perceptual gap for the vehicle driver, thereby enabling the driver to pay attention to the object. As long as this can be achieved, the presentation format for objects determined to have a collision possibility is not limited to this.

[0087] <Operation> Fig. 12 is a flowchart showing the operation of the headlamp control device 1 according to the third embodiment. The flowchart in Fig. 12 is similar to the flowchart in Fig. 6, except that step S21 is added between step S4 and step S5, and steps S22 and S23 are added between step S5 and step S6. Therefore, steps S21 to S23 will be mainly described below.

[0088] In step S21, if the object is the same as the object detected previously, the danger determination unit 13a tracks the movement of the object, and then the process proceeds to step S5.

[0089] In step S22, the risk determination unit 13a determines whether there is a predetermined possibility of collision between the vehicle and the object based on the tracking result. If it is determined that there is a predetermined possibility of collision, the process proceeds to step S23, and if it is determined that there is no predetermined possibility of collision, the process proceeds to step S6.

[0090] In step S23, the control unit 13 increases the upper limit value of brightness corresponding to the type of object for an object determined to have a predetermined collision possibility, after which the process proceeds to step S6.

[0091] <Summary of the Third Embodiment> According to the headlamp control device 1 of the third embodiment described above, for an object determined to have a collision possibility, the upper limit value of brightness corresponding to the type of object is increased. With this configuration, the driver of the vehicle can easily recognize an object that has the possibility of interfering with the driving of the vehicle.

[0092] <Modification> In the third embodiment, the control unit 13 increases the upper limit value of the brightness corresponding to the type of object for which a collision possibility has been determined, but the upper limit value may be canceled. That is, the control unit 13 may set the upper limit value of the brightness of an object for which a collision possibility has been determined to be the same as the brightness of an illumination area in which no object type is detected. In this case, the control unit 13 may increase the brightness corresponding to the type of object for which a collision possibility has been determined to be the brightness of the illumination area in a stepwise manner, i.e., in a stepwise and steep manner.

[0093] <Fourth Embodiment> In the modified example of the first embodiment, when a new object is detected after the brightness of the illumination area exceeds the brightness corresponding to the type of object, the control unit 13 reduces the brightness of the object portion of the illumination area to the brightness corresponding to the type of object. However, since it takes some time for the brightness to be reduced to the brightness corresponding to the type of object after the object enters the illumination area, glare may be caused to the driver of the vehicle during that time. In contrast, the headlamp control device 1 according to the fourth embodiment described below is configured to solve this problem.

[0094] 13 is a functional block diagram showing the main parts of a headlamp control device 1 according to the present embodiment 4. In the following, among the components according to the present embodiment 4, components that are the same as or similar to the components described above are given the same or similar reference numerals, and different components will be mainly described.

[0095] The configuration in FIG. 13 is the same as the configuration in FIG. 1 in which the control unit 13 is connected to the detection unit 5. The detection unit 5 detects objects that exist farther than the illumination area of ​​the vehicle, that is, objects that exist farther than the detection range of the image capture unit 3 at night, without relying on the illumination of the headlights 4, and generates object detection information including the detection results. In the fourth embodiment, the detection of an object by the detection unit 5 includes detection of the position of the object. The detection unit 5 is a distance measurement sensor mounted on the vehicle, such as a LiDAR (Light detection and Ranging), a ToF (Time of Flight) camera, an infrared camera, a millimeter-wave radar, or an ultrasonic sensor.

[0096] The detector 5 is not limited to a distance measuring sensor mounted on a vehicle. For example, the detector 5 may be a communication device that acquires object detection information detected by a sensor of another vehicle using V2V (Vehicle-to-Vehicle) technology. Alternatively, the detector 5 may be a communication device that acquires object detection information detected by an infrastructure sensor such as a roadside camera or roadside LiDAR, location information from a mobile phone, or an external device of the vehicle such as a dynamic map using V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) technology.

[0097] The acquisition unit 12 acquires object detection information from the detection unit 5. Then, when the control unit 13 detects, based on the acquired object detection information, that an object exists farther away from the vehicle than the illumination area, the control unit 13 darkens the brightness of a portion of the illumination area into which the object will enter in the future by lowering the upper limit value of the brightness of the portion. For example, the portion into which the object will enter in the future may be a portion of the illumination area that is closest to the position of the object indicated by the object detection information. Alternatively, for example, the portion into which the object will enter in the future may be a portion of the illumination area that is determined to be the portion into which the object will enter in the future based on the position and speed of the object indicated by the object detection information, by a determination similar to that made by the danger determination unit 13a according to the third embodiment.

[0098] Fig. 14 is a top view for explaining an example of control by the control unit 13 according to the fourth embodiment. Fig. 14 illustrates a vehicle 37, a road sign 32, a pedestrian 33, an illumination area 39 indicated by a thick line, and a detection area 40.

[0099] Generally, the illumination area 39 illuminated by the headlights 4 is different from the area in which the control unit 13 can detect an object based on object information, but for simplicity, they are considered to be the same here. The detection area 40 is the area in which the detection unit 5 can detect an object. It is assumed that the detection unit 5 is a millimeter-wave radar, and the distance from the vehicle 37 to the edge of the detection area 40 is greater than the distance from the vehicle 37 to the edge of the illumination area 39.

[0100] When a road sign 32 and a pedestrian 33 approach the vehicle 37 due to the vehicle 37 traveling, for example, they are not present in the illumination area 39 but are present in the detection area 40, as shown in FIG. 14 . In this case, the detection unit 5 detects the road sign 32 and the pedestrian 33 and outputs object detection information to the control unit 13. The control unit 13 detects the road sign 32 and the pedestrian 33 that are not present in the illumination area 39 but are present in the detection area 40, based on the object information from the imaging unit 3 and the object detection information from the detection unit 5. When such a detection result is obtained, the control unit 13 calculates portions 39a and 39b of the illumination area 39 into which the road sign 32 and the pedestrian 33 will enter in the future, and makes the brightness of the portions 39a and 39b darker than the brightness of the illumination area 39 other than the portions 39a and 39b.

[0101] When the road sign 32 and the pedestrian 33 come closer to the vehicle 37 due to the vehicle 37 traveling or the like, they will be present in the illumination area 39, and the control unit 13 will detect the road sign 32 and the pedestrian 33 present in the illumination area 39 based on the object information from the imaging unit 3. When such a detection result is obtained, the control unit 13 then causes the headlights 4 to illuminate the road sign 32 and the pedestrian 33 at a brightness corresponding to the road sign 32 and the pedestrian 33, as in the first embodiment.

[0102] <Operation> Fig. 15 is a flowchart showing the operation of the headlamp control device 1 according to the fourth embodiment. The flowchart in Fig. 15 is similar to the flowchart in Fig. 6, except that steps S31 to S33 are added between steps S5 and S6. Therefore, steps S31 to S33 will be mainly described below.

[0103] In step S31, the detection unit 5 generates object detection information, and the acquisition unit 12 acquires the object detection information. In step S32, the control unit 13 determines whether the detected object will enter the illumination area in the future based on the object information and the object detection information. For example, if an object is present in an area of ​​the detection area of ​​the detection unit 5 that is outside the illumination area and within a predetermined distance from the illumination area, the control unit 13 determines that the object will enter the illumination area in the future. If it is determined that the detected object will enter the illumination area in the future, the process proceeds to step S33, and if it is determined that the detected object will not enter the illumination area in the future, the process proceeds to step S6.

[0104] In step S33, control unit 13 reduces the upper limit value of the brightness of the portion of the illumination area into which the object will enter in the future. Then, the process proceeds to step S6. According to the above operation, when an object is present in an area of ​​the detection area of ​​detection unit 5 that is relatively close to the illumination area, the brightness of the illumination area related to the object becomes darker, but when an object is present in an area relatively far from the illumination area, the brightness of the illumination area related to the object is maintained.

[0105] <Summary of the Fourth Embodiment> According to the headlight control device 1 of the fourth embodiment described above, when an object is detected to be present farther away than the illumination area relative to the vehicle, the brightness of the portion of the illumination area into which the object will enter in the future is dimmed. With this configuration, even if a new object enters the illumination area due to the movement of the vehicle or the like after the headlights 4 are turned on, the glare caused by the entry of the object can be suppressed.

[0106] <Modification> In the fourth embodiment, the detection unit 5 may be a sensor capable of determining the type of object to some extent, or a receiver capable of receiving the determination result of the type of object, as will be described in the following fifth embodiment. In this case, the control unit 13 may change the brightness of a portion of the illumination area into which the object will enter in the future, based on the determination result.

[0107] <Fifth Embodiment> In the first embodiment, the imaging unit 3 is a camera such as a forward monitoring camera that captures visible light images, but images from such a camera are easily affected by the environment outside the vehicle (for example, rain, snow, fog, etc.), which may reduce the reliability of object type determination by the control unit 13. In contrast, the headlamp control device 1 according to the fifth embodiment described below is configured to be able to solve such problems.

[0108] A functional block diagram of the headlamp control device 1 according to the fifth embodiment is similar to the functional block diagram of the headlamp control device 1 according to the fourth embodiment (see FIG. 13). Hereinafter, among the components according to the fifth embodiment, components that are the same as or similar to the components described above will be assigned the same or similar reference numerals, and different components will be mainly described.

[0109] The detection unit 5 according to the fifth embodiment is a millimeter-wave radar, a distance measurement sensor installed in a vehicle that does not rely on visible light, and generates and acquires information about the type and location of an object as a detection result. The determination of the type of object using millimeter-wave radar can be achieved using conventional technology, such as micro-Doppler. Pedestrians have a characteristic movement pattern of moving their arms and legs while walking, and the movement of their arms and legs appears as a Doppler shift in the frequency components of the detection wave reflected from the pedestrian. By detecting this Doppler shift, the millimeter-wave radar can identify not only relatively stationary objects, relatively moving objects, and unidentified objects, but also pedestrians.

[0110] The control unit 13 determines the type of object based on the object information of the imaging unit 3 acquired by the acquisition unit 12 and the object detection result acquired by the detection unit 5 (millimeter-wave radar in the fifth embodiment). Fig. 16 is a diagram for explaining an example of determination by the control unit 13 according to the fifth embodiment. Fig. 16 illustrates a vehicle 37, an object 38a which is a road sign, an object 38b which is a pedestrian, an illumination area 39 indicated by a thick line, and a detection area 40.

[0111] Generally, the illumination area 39 illuminated by the headlights 4 is different from the area in which the control unit 13 can detect objects based on object information, but for simplicity, they are considered to be the same here. The detection area 40 is the area in which the millimeter-wave radar, which is the detection unit 5, can detect objects. Here, the millimeter-wave radar, which is the detection unit 5, can distinguish at least stationary objects, moving objects, unidentified objects, and pedestrians.

[0112] When the headlights 4 start to be turned on, the acquisition unit 12 acquires object information from the imaging unit 3 and the detection results from the detection unit 5, and the control unit 13 determines the type of object based on the object information from the imaging unit 3 and the detection results from the detection unit 5.

[0113] For example, when visibility is good and the control unit 13 determines that the object 38a is a road sign and the object 38b is a pedestrian based on the object information of the imaging unit 3, and if the reliability of the determination based on the object information is greater than a threshold, illumination similar to that of embodiment 1 is performed.

[0114] For example, assume that due to mildly poor visibility caused by weather, the control unit 13 determines that object 38a is a road sign and object 38b is a pedestrian based on the object information from the imaging unit 3, but the reliability of the determination based on the object information is below a threshold. In this assumed case, if the detection result from the detection unit 5 indicates that object 38a is unidentified and object 38b is a pedestrian, the control unit 13 gradually increases the illumination of the headlights 4 to brightness B5 to illuminate object 38a, and gradually increases the illumination of the headlights 4 to brightness B3 in FIG. 2 to illuminate object 38b. Note that brightness B5 is set to a brightness that does not cause problems such as glare, regardless of the type of object.

[0115] In addition to the above-mentioned assumed case where the reliability of the determination based on the object information of the imaging unit 3 is equal to or lower than the threshold, if the detection result of the detection unit 5 indicates that no object is present, the control unit 13 determines that the determination based on the object information is incorrect. Then, the control unit 13 illuminates the objects 38a and 38b with the same brightness as the illumination area where no object is detected.

[0116] For example, if the control unit 13 is unable to determine the type of object based on the object information from the imaging unit 3 due to severe poor visibility caused by weather, the control unit 13 illuminates the objects 38a and 38b with a brightness corresponding to the type of object based on the detection results from the detection unit 5.

[0117] <Summary of the Fifth Embodiment> Visible light cameras that capture images using visible light can identify a large number of object types, but are subject to the effects of poor visibility, etc. On the other hand, distance measuring sensors are less susceptible to the effects of poor visibility, but the number of object types they can identify is smaller than that of visible light cameras.

[0118] In contrast, the headlamp control device 1 according to the fifth embodiment determines the type of object based on the object information acquired by the acquisition unit 12 and the information acquired by the distance measurement sensor, which is the detection unit 5. With this configuration, the camera that captures a visible light image and the distance measurement sensor can be used complementarily, thereby improving the reliability of object type determination.

[0119] <Modification> In the fifth embodiment, the distance measurement sensor of the detection unit 5 is a millimeter wave radar, but is not limited to this and may be a LiDAR, a ToF camera, an infrared camera, an ultrasonic sensor, or the like, and is not limited to one. Furthermore, the types of objects that can be detected by the distance measurement sensor are not limited to stationary objects, moving objects, unidentified objects, and pedestrians.

[0120] Furthermore, the detection unit 5 is not limited to a distance measurement sensor such as a millimeter wave radar, but may also be a communication device that acquires information regarding the type and position of an object through communication from an external device of the vehicle using V2V technology or V2X technology.

[0121] A visible light camera can make a determination even if there are no other vehicles or infrastructure around the vehicle, but it is affected by poor visibility, etc. On the other hand, V2V technology or V2X technology is less affected by poor visibility, etc., but it cannot function unless there are other vehicles or infrastructure around the vehicle. In contrast, with the configuration of the above-described modified example, a camera that captures visible light images and a communication device can be used complementarily, thereby increasing the reliability of object type determination.

[0122] <Other variations> The acquisition unit 12 and control unit 13 in FIG. 1 described above will hereinafter be referred to as the "acquisition unit 12, etc." The acquisition unit 12, etc. are realized by a processing circuit 81 shown in FIG. 17. That is, the processing circuit 81 includes: an acquisition unit 12 that acquires object information about an object from a camera when the object is present in an area illuminated by the vehicle's headlights; and a control unit 13 that illuminates the object with the headlights at a brightness corresponding to the type of object based on the object information while gradually increasing the brightness of the area with the headlights. The processing circuit 81 may be implemented by dedicated hardware, or may be implemented by a processor that executes a program stored in a memory. Examples of the processor include a central processing unit, a processing unit, an arithmetic unit, a microprocessor, a microcomputer, and a DSP (Digital Signal Processor).

[0123] When the processing circuit 81 is dedicated hardware, the processing circuit 81 may be, for example, a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel programmed processor, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or a combination thereof. The functions of each unit such as the acquisition unit 12 may be realized by a circuit in which processing circuits are distributed, or the functions of each unit may be realized together by a single processing circuit.

[0124] When the processing circuit 81 is a processor, the functions of the acquisition unit 12 and the like are realized in combination with software and the like. The software and the like may include, for example, software, firmware, or both software and firmware. The software and the like are written as a program and stored in a memory. As shown in FIG. 18 , the processor 82 applied to the processing circuit 81 realizes the functions of each unit by reading and executing a program stored in a memory 83. That is, the headlight control device 1 includes a memory 83 for storing a program that, when executed by the processing circuit 81, results in the following steps: acquiring object information about an object from a camera when an object is present in an area illuminated by the vehicle's headlights; and illuminating the object with the headlights at a brightness corresponding to the object's type based on the object information while gradually increasing the brightness of the area with the headlights. In other words, this program can be said to cause a computer to execute the procedures and methods of the acquisition unit 12 and the like. Here, the memory 83 may be, for example, a non-volatile or volatile semiconductor memory such as RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), flash memory, EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), a magnetic disk, a flexible disk, an optical disk, a compact disk, a mini disk, a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), a drive device for any of these, or any storage medium to be used in the future.

[0125] The above describes a configuration in which each function of the acquisition unit 12, etc. is realized either by hardware or software, etc. However, this is not limited to this, and a configuration in which part of the acquisition unit 12, etc. is realized by dedicated hardware and another part is realized by software, etc. For example, the function of the acquisition unit 12 can be realized by a processing circuit 81 as dedicated hardware, and the other functions can be realized by the processing circuit 81 as a processor 82 reading and executing a program stored in a memory 83.

[0126] As described above, the processing circuitry 81 can realize the above-mentioned functions by hardware, software, or a combination of these.

[0127] It should be noted that the embodiments and modifications may be freely combined, and the embodiments and modifications may be modified or omitted as appropriate.

[0128] The above description is illustrative in all respects and is not restrictive. It is understood that countless variations not illustrated can be envisioned. [Explanation of symbols]

[0129] 1 headlight control device, 3 imaging unit, 4 headlight, 12 acquisition unit, 13 control unit, 13a danger determination unit, 31 other vehicles, 32 road signs, 33 pedestrians, 37 vehicles, 38 objects

Claims

1. an acquisition unit that acquires object information about an object from a camera when an object is present in an area illuminated by the headlights at the start of automatic lighting of the vehicle headlights; a control unit that sets a brightness for the object corresponding to a type of the object based on the object information and illuminates the object at the set brightness using the headlights while gradually increasing the brightness of the area using the headlights based on whether the brightness of the area has reached a preset brightness; A headlamp control device comprising:

2. The headlamp control device according to claim 1, The control unit increases the brightness of the area linearly or stepwise.

3. The headlamp control device according to claim 1, The control unit controls the headlight to illuminate the area at a predetermined brightness.

4. The headlamp control device according to claim 1, The acquisition unit further acquires an illuminance of the object illuminated by the headlight, The control unit performs feedback control of the headlight based on the acquired illuminance and a predetermined illuminance.

5. The headlamp control device according to claim 1, A headlamp control device, wherein the brightness corresponding to the type of object when the type of object is a person is greater than the brightness corresponding to the type of object when the type of object is a sign.

6. The headlamp control device according to claim 5, The control unit, when it is determined based on the object information that the type of the object is another vehicle other than the vehicle, does not illuminate the other vehicle with the headlights.

7. The headlamp control device according to claim 1, a risk determination unit that determines whether there is a predetermined possibility of a collision between the vehicle and the object; The control unit increases or cancels the upper limit value of brightness corresponding to the type of the object for which the object is determined to have the possibility of collision.

8. The headlamp control device according to claim 7, The control unit increases the brightness corresponding to the type of object for which the object is determined to have the possibility of collision in a stepwise manner to the upper limit value or the brightness of the area.

9. The headlamp control device according to claim 1, The control unit A headlight control device that, when it is detected that the object is present farther away than the area relative to the vehicle, reduces the brightness of a portion of the area into which the object will enter in the future.

10. The headlamp control device according to claim 1, The control unit determines the type of the object based on the object information acquired by the acquisition unit, information acquired by a ranging sensor, or information acquired via communication from an external device of the vehicle.

11. an acquisition unit acquires object information about an object from a camera when an object is present in an area illuminated by the headlights at the start of automatically turning on the vehicle headlights; A headlight control method in which a control unit gradually increases the brightness of the area using the headlights based on whether the brightness of the area has reached a predetermined brightness, while setting a brightness for the object corresponding to the type of the object based on the object information, and illuminating the object at that brightness using the headlights.

Images