Headlight control device and headlight control method

Abstract

This headlight control device (10) comprises: a road surface information acquisition unit (13) that acquires road surface information including first information pertaining to the relative position between a reference point of a vehicle and a first target on a road surface, and second information pertaining to the relative position between the reference point and a second target on the road surface; a table acquisition unit (17) that acquires a table including a first record, in which the first information and information pertaining to the emission direction of a headlight of the vehicle in a state in which the headlight is irradiating the first target are associated with each other, and a second record, in which the second information and information pertaining to a second emission direction of the headlight in a state in which the headlight is irradiating the second target are associated with each other; a selection unit (15) that selects one record among the first record and the second record on the basis of the road surface information acquired by the road surface information acquisition unit (13) and the table acquired by the table acquisition unit (17); and a direction control unit (16) that controls the emission direction of the headlight to emit light in the emission direction corresponding to the record on the basis of the record selected by the selection unit (15).

Description

Headlight control device and headlight control method

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a headlight control device and a headlight control method.

[0002] A vehicle headlamp device that adjusts the angle of the optical axis of the vehicle headlamp has been disclosed (see Patent Document 1). This vehicle headlamp device adjusts the angle of the optical axis of the headlamp so that the headlamp produces a low beam when traveling at low speeds, thereby preventing dazzling to drivers of oncoming vehicles.

[0003] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 61-036032

[0004] However, when aiming to improve the visibility of a target on the road surface by shining light from headlights, including headlights, on the target, the relative position between the vehicle and the target changes depending on the road width or the vehicle's traveling position, and there is a problem that the headlight illumination range may not be aligned with the target on the road surface, making it impossible to sufficiently improve the visibility of the target.

[0005] The present disclosure aims to solve the above-mentioned problem and to provide a headlight control device and a headlight control method that can reduce the deviation between the illumination range of a vehicle's headlights and a target on the road surface.

[0006] The headlight control device according to the present disclosure is characterized by comprising: a road surface information acquisition unit that acquires road surface information including first information regarding the relative position between a reference point of the vehicle and a first target on the road surface, and second information regarding the relative position between the reference point and a second target on the road surface; a table acquisition unit that acquires a table including a first record in which the first information is associated with information regarding the headlight illumination direction when the headlights of the vehicle are illuminating the first target, and a second record in which the second information is associated with information regarding the headlight second illumination direction when the headlights are illuminating the second target; a selection unit that selects either the first record or the second record based on the road surface information acquired by the road surface information acquisition unit and the table acquired by the table acquisition unit; and a direction control unit that controls the headlight illumination direction based on the record selected by the selection unit so as to illuminate in the illumination direction corresponding to the record.

[0007] According to the present disclosure, the direction of headlight illumination is controlled to illuminate the target based on information regarding the relative position between the vehicle's reference point and a target set on the road surface, thereby reducing the deviation between the illumination range of the vehicle's headlights and the target on the road surface.

[0008] 6A is a side view showing a state before the adjustment of the irradiation direction by the headlight control device according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 6B is a plan view showing a state after the adjustment of the irradiation direction by the headlight control device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6B is a diagram showing an example of a table stored in a storage unit of the headlight control device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 7A is a side view showing a state after the adjustment of the irradiation direction by the headlight control device according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 7B is a plan view showing a state after the adjustment of the irradiation direction by the headlight control device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 7B is a diagram showing an example of a table stored in a storage unit of the headlight control device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 8A is a side view showing a state after the adjustment of the irradiation range by the headlight control device according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 8B is a plan view showing a state after the adjustment of the irradiation range by the headlight control device according to the first embodiment.

[0009] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Embodiment 1. First, a schematic configuration of a headlight control system 100 according to embodiment 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the headlight control system 100 according to embodiment 1. The headlight control system 100 according to embodiment 1 is a system that controls vehicle headlights 40 that are capable of changing the direction of light irradiation. As shown in FIG. 1, the headlight control system 100 according to embodiment 1 includes an external information acquisition device 20, an input device 30, headlights 40, and a headlight control device 10. The headlight control device 10 is electrically connected to the external information acquisition device 20, the input device 30, and the headlights 40 by wired or wireless connections so as to enable transmission and reception of information. For example, the headlight control system 100 is provided in a vehicle.

[0010] The headlight control system 100 may be configured such that some components are provided separately from the vehicle and are electrically connected to the vehicle so as to be able to send and receive information. Also, some components of the headlight control device 10 may be provided in the external information acquisition device 20 or the input device 30, or some components of the external information acquisition device 20 and the input device 30 may be provided in the headlight control device 10.

[0011] The external information acquisition device 20 acquires information outside the vehicle. For example, the external information acquisition device 20 is configured to include one or more of an imaging device such as an infrared camera or a visible light camera, a sensor such as a millimeter wave radar, a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor, or an ultrasonic sensor, and a car navigation system.

[0012] The external information acquisition device 20 acquires road surface information including information about the relative positions of a preset reference point of the vehicle and a target on the road surface that is to be illuminated by the headlights 40. For example, the external information acquisition device 20 acquires road surface information that indicates the coordinates of the target on the road surface, with the reference point of the vehicle as the origin.

[0013] For example, the external information acquisition device 20 captures an image of the surroundings of the vehicle using an imaging device such as a camera, and acquires, based on the image information obtained by the imaging, information indicating the relative positions of the vehicle and a lane marking on the road surface on which the vehicle is traveling. In other words, the external information acquisition device 20 captures an image of the surroundings of the vehicle using an imaging device, and acquires, based on the image information obtained by the imaging, information indicating the relative positions of the reference point of the vehicle and a road marking such as a lane marking on the road surface on which the vehicle is traveling.

[0014] For example, the external information acquisition device 20 captures an image of the surroundings of the vehicle using an imaging device, and acquires information indicating the relative positions of the reference point of the vehicle and road signs on the road surface on which the vehicle is traveling based on the image information obtained by the imaging. For example, the external information acquisition device 20 captures an image of the surroundings of the vehicle using an imaging device, and acquires information indicating the relative positions of the reference point of the vehicle and pedestrians, other vehicles, and other objects present around the vehicle.

[0015] Furthermore, for example, the external information acquisition device 20 acquires, from information from a sensor, information indicating the relative position between the reference point of the vehicle and road signs on the road surface on which the vehicle is traveling. Furthermore, for example, the external information acquisition device 20 acquires, from information from a sensor, information indicating the relative position between the reference point of the vehicle and pedestrians, other vehicles, and other objects present around the vehicle.

[0016] Furthermore, for example, the external information acquisition device 20 acquires vehicle position information indicating the absolute position of the vehicle and map information of the area around the vehicle using a car navigation system. For example, the external information acquisition device 20 acquires information indicating the latitude and longitude of a preset reference point of the vehicle as vehicle position information using a High-Definition Locator (HDL) that uses information acquired by a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver.

[0017] The input device 30 accepts an input operation by a user or an operator and outputs a signal corresponding to the input operation to the headlight control device 10. For example, the input device 30 accepts an input operation by a user or an operator and outputs a signal to the headlight control device 10 to change the illumination mode of the headlights 40 in accordance with the input operation. Specifically, the input device 30 accepts an input operation by a user or an operator and outputs a signal to the headlight control device 10 to change the illumination direction of the headlights 40 in accordance with the input operation. For example, the input device 30 is arranged near the driver's seat in the vehicle cabin and is configured to be operable by a driver seated in the driver's seat of the vehicle. Note that in the first embodiment, the illumination direction refers to the direction from the center of the portion from which light is emitted toward the center of the illumination range of the light (the direction of the optical axis).

[0018] When turned on, the headlights 40 project light ahead of the vehicle. For example, the headlights 40 are headlights for projecting light onto a road marking on the road surface on which the vehicle is driving. In the first embodiment, the front is defined as the direction in front of a driver seated in the driver's seat of the vehicle V1 (see FIGS. 5A and 5B ) in a driving position, and the front-rear, back-rear, up-down, left-right directions are defined based on this. That is, the right direction in FIGS. 5A and 5B is defined as the front, the up direction in FIG. 5B is defined as the left direction, and the down direction in FIG. 5B is defined as the right direction.

[0019] For example, the headlight 40 includes one or more light sources that emit light, such as LEDs or incandescent bulbs, a lens that collects or diffuses the light from the light sources, and a reflector that reflects the light from the lens. The headlight 40 irradiates the light reflected by the reflector toward the front of the vehicle. The light irradiation mode of the headlight 40 is controlled based on an input signal from the headlight control device 10. For example, the headlight 40 is configured to change the light irradiation direction by changing one or more of the positions of the light source, the lens, and the reflector based on the input signal from the headlight control device 10. Specifically, the headlight 40 is configured to change the light irradiation direction and thus the irradiation range by changing the orientation of the reflector, which is supported rotatably around a specific axis, using power from a drive source. For example, the headlight 40 is configured to change the light irradiation range by selectively switching between lit light sources among multiple light sources based on the input signal from the headlight control device 10.

[0020] The headlights 40 may be configured independently as a driving headlight for illuminating the driving route ahead, a passing headlight for illuminating the driving route in a range closer to the vehicle than the driving headlight, and a sidelight for informing surrounding vehicles of the vehicle's width, or may be configured to have some or all of the functions of the driving headlight, the passing headlight, and the sidelight. In the first embodiment, the "light illumination range" and the "light illumination direction" are also simply referred to as the "illumination range" and the "illumination direction." In the first embodiment, the term "position" includes a rotational position about a specific axis.

[0021] The headlights 40 include a right headlight 41 disposed on the front right side of the vehicle and a left headlight 42 disposed on the front left side of the vehicle. For example, the right headlight 41 is configured to be able to independently change the front, rear, right, and left edges of the range of illumination of the road surface when the right headlight 41 is turned on. In other words, the right headlight 41 is configured to independently change the irradiation directions of a first light that forms the front edge of the range of illumination of the road surface by the right headlight 41, a second light that forms the rear edge of the range of illumination of the road surface by the right headlight 41, a third light that forms the right edge of the range of illumination of the road surface by the right headlight 41, and a fourth light that forms the left edge of the range of illumination of the road surface by the right headlight 41.

[0022] Specifically, the right headlight 41 has a first reflector, a second reflector, a third reflector, and a fourth reflector that can each be directed independently and that reflect light from a light source, and is configured so that the first light reflected by the first reflector forms the front end of the range of illumination of the road surface by the right headlight 41, the second light reflected by the second reflector forms the rear end of the range of illumination of the road surface by the right headlight 41, the third light reflected by the third reflector forms the right end of the range of illumination of the road surface by the right headlight 41, and the fourth light reflected by the fourth reflector forms the left end of the range of illumination of the road surface by the right headlight 41.

[0023] With this configuration, the right headlight 41 can independently change the front, rear, left, and right ends of the road surface illumination range. The right headlight 41 may be configured to change the front, rear, left, and right ends of the road surface illumination range by changing the position of the light source or the lens, or may be configured to independently change any one of the front, rear, left, and right ends, or two or three of these ends, or may be configured to change the front and rear ends in a manner linked to each other, or may be configured to change the left and right ends in a manner linked to each other. The configuration of the left headlight 42 is similar to that of the right headlight 41, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0024] The headlight 40 also outputs information regarding the state of either or both of the illumination range and illumination direction to the headlight control device 10. For example, the headlight 40 has a sensor (not shown) for detecting the illumination direction and outputs information indicating the illumination direction at a specific time to the headlight control device 10 based on the detection result of the sensor. Specifically, when a signal to change the illumination direction is input from the headlight control device 10 to the headlight 40 and the illumination direction of the headlight 40 is changed, the headlight 40 outputs information indicating the illumination direction at that time to the headlight control device 10. For example, when a signal to change the illumination direction of the right headlight 41 is input from the headlight control device 10 to the headlight 40 and the illumination direction of the right headlight 41 is changed, the headlight 40 outputs information indicating the illumination directions of the light that forms the right end, left end, front end, and rear end of the illumination range at that time to the headlight control device 10.

[0025] 1 , the headlight control device 10 includes an input unit 11, an output unit 12, a road surface information acquisition unit 13, a direction information acquisition unit 14, a selection unit 15, a headlight control unit 16, and a storage unit 17. The input unit 11 accepts various pieces of information input to the headlight control device 10 from an external information acquisition device 20, an input device 30, and a headlight 40. The output unit 12 outputs information from the headlight control device 10 to the external information acquisition device 20, the input device 30, and the headlight 40.

[0026] Based on information from the external information acquisition device 20, the road surface information acquisition unit 13 acquires road surface information including information regarding the relative position between a predetermined specific reference point of the vehicle and an illumination target on the road surface that is the target for illumination with the light of the headlights 40. For example, the road surface information acquisition unit 13 acquires information indicating the relative position between the reference point of the vehicle and a road marking line that is the illumination target, based on image information from the external information acquisition device 20 obtained by capturing an image of the area around the vehicle. Furthermore, for example, the road surface information acquisition unit 13 acquires information indicating the relative position between the reference point of the vehicle and a road marking line, based on vehicle position information and map information from the external information acquisition device 20. Specifically, the road surface information acquisition unit 13 acquires information indicating the lateral distance between the center of the vehicle in the lateral direction and the road marking line. Note that in the first embodiment, the headlight illumination target is also simply referred to as a "target."

[0027] The road surface information acquired by the road surface information acquisition unit 13 includes information on the relative positions between the reference point of the vehicle and each of the multiple illumination targets. For example, the road surface information acquired by the road surface information acquisition unit 13 includes first information on the relative position between the reference point of the vehicle and a first target on the road surface, and second information on the relative position between the reference point of the vehicle and a second target on the road surface. Note that the road surface information may also include information on the relative positions between the reference point of the vehicle and each of three or more illumination targets.

[0028] The storage unit 17 stores information used when the headlight control device 10 performs various processes. For example, the storage unit 17 acquires and stores a table including a plurality of records in which information regarding the relative positions of a reference point of the vehicle and each of a plurality of illumination targets is associated with information regarding the illumination direction of the headlight 40 when the headlight 40 is illuminating each of the plurality of illumination targets. For example, the storage unit 17 stores a table including a first record in which first information is associated with information indicating the illumination direction of the headlight 40 when the headlight 40 is illuminating the first target, and a second record in which second information is associated with information indicating a second illumination direction of the headlight 40 when the headlight 40 is illuminating the second target. In the first embodiment, the storage unit 17 constitutes a table acquisition unit that acquires tables. Details of the tables stored in the storage unit 17 will be described later.

[0029] The selection unit 15 selects one of the multiple records included in the table based on the road surface information acquired by the road surface information acquisition unit 13 and the table stored in the storage unit 17. For example, the selection unit 15 selects one of the first record and the second record based on the road surface information acquired by the road surface information acquisition unit 13 and the table including the first record and the second record stored in the storage unit 17. Details of the record selected by the selection unit 15 will be described later.

[0030] The direction information acquisition unit 14 acquires, based on the record selected by the selection unit 15, direction information related to the irradiation direction of the headlight 40 in a state in which the headlight 40 is irradiating light onto an irradiation target corresponding to the record. For example, the direction information acquisition unit 14 acquires, based on the record selected by the selection unit 15, direction information indicating the irradiation direction of each of the right headlight 41 and the left headlight 42. Furthermore, for example, the direction information acquisition unit 14 acquires, based on the record selected by the selection unit 15, direction information indicating the irradiation direction of each of the first light, second light, third light, and fourth light of the right headlight 41 and the left headlight 42.

[0031] The headlight control unit 16, which serves as a direction control unit, generates a signal for controlling the illumination mode of the headlight 40 based on the record selected by the selection unit 15, and outputs the generated signal to the headlight 40 via the output unit 12. For example, the headlight control unit 16 generates a signal for controlling the illumination mode of the headlight 40 based on the record selected by the selection unit 15, an input signal from the input device 30, and an input signal from the headlight 40, and outputs the generated signal to the headlight 40 via the output unit 12. In the first embodiment, the headlight control unit 16 constitutes a range control unit that controls the expansion and contraction of the illumination range of the headlight 40. Details of the signal generated by the headlight control unit 16 will be described later.

[0032] Next, the hardware configuration of the headlight control device 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the headlight control device 10 according to the first embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of the headlight control device 10 according to the first embodiment, which is different from that shown in FIG. 2. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the headlight control device 10 includes a processor 10a, a memory 10b, and an I / O port 10c. The processor 10a reads and executes a program stored in the memory 10b. The memory 10b is configured, for example, by a non-volatile or volatile semiconductor memory such as a RAM, a ROM, a flash memory, an EPROM, or an EEPROM, or a combination thereof. The memory 10b may also be a magnetic disk, a flexible disk, an optical disk, a compact disk, a minidisk, a DVD, or the like. The memory 10b may also be an HDD or an SSD.

[0033] 3, the headlight control device 10 includes a processing circuit 10d and an I / O port 10c, which are dedicated hardware. The processing circuit 10d is configured, for example, by a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel programmed processor, a system LSI (Large-Scale Integration), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or a combination thereof. Each function of the headlight control device 10 is realized by the processor 10a or the processing circuit 10d, which is dedicated hardware, executing a program that is software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware. Note that the headlight control device 10 may include hardware other than those described above.

[0034] Next, the processing performed by the headlight control device 10 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 4 to 9. Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the direction adjustment processing performed by the headlight control device 10 according to the first embodiment. The direction adjustment processing performed by the headlight control device 10 is processing for generating a table used when the headlights 40 illuminate an illumination target on the road surface.

[0035] In general, the illumination range of a vehicle's headlights varies from vehicle to vehicle due to errors such as part assembly errors and part dimensional errors including lens distortion. For example, when the headlights are turned on after production of a vehicle is completed, the illumination range for the vehicle will not be the same for multiple vehicles. In such a situation, even if the relative positions of the reference point on the vehicle and the illumination target on the road surface are clear, there may be a discrepancy between the illumination range of the headlights and the illumination target.

[0036] For this reason, the headlight control device 10 according to the first embodiment generates a table for each vehicle in which the relative positions of a reference point on the vehicle and an illumination target on the road surface correspond to the illumination direction of the headlights, thereby making it possible to adjust the illumination range for each vehicle. In other words, the headlight control device 10 according to the first embodiment generates a table for each vehicle in which the relative positions of a reference point on the vehicle and an illumination target on the road surface correspond to the illumination direction of the headlights, thereby making it possible to correct individual differences in the illumination range for each vehicle. For example, the direction adjustment process by the headlight control device 10 is performed after the assembly of the vehicle is completed and before the vehicle is shipped.

[0037] 4, when the headlight control device 10 starts the direction adjustment process, it first turns on the headlights 40 (step ST1). For example, in this process, the headlight control unit 16 outputs a signal to the headlights 40 to turn on the headlights 40 based on a signal input from the input device 30 indicating that an input operation to turn on the headlights 40 has been performed.

[0038] Fig. 5A is a side view showing a state in which the headlight control device 10 according to Embodiment 1 has started the direction adjustment process and turned on the headlights 40, and Fig. 5B is a plan view showing a state in which the headlight control device 10 according to Embodiment 1 has started the direction adjustment process and turned on the headlights 40. In other words, Fig. 5A is a side view showing a state before the headlight control device 10 according to Embodiment 1 adjusts the irradiation direction, and Fig. 5B is a plan view showing a state before the headlight control device 10 according to Embodiment 1 adjusts the irradiation direction.

[0039] The direction adjustment process performed by the headlight control device 10 will be described below using an example in which the headlights 40 illuminate two targets: an illumination target set on a right lane marking K1 located on the road surface R1 to the right of a reference point O1, which is located at the front end and center of the vehicle V1, and a lateral distance W1 from the reference point O1; and an illumination target set on a left lane marking K2 located on the road surface R1 to the left of the reference point O1 and a lateral distance W2 from the reference point O1, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B . For example, the illumination targets on the right lane marking K1 and the left lane marking K2 are set forward of the reference point O1 and within a longitudinal distance range of L1 to L2 from the reference point O1. Note that the illumination targets of the headlights 40 are not limited to targets set on lane marks, and may be targets set on the road surface or on the road surface. For example, the illumination targets may be road markings other than lane markings set on the road surface, road signs set on the road surface or above the road surface, or lane markings set on the road surface.

[0040] As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, in the processing of step ST1, when the headlights 40 are turned on, i.e., before the illumination direction of the headlights 40 is adjusted, if the positions of the illumination range of the headlights 40 and the illumination target are misaligned in the front-to-rear and left-to-right directions, it is desirable to adjust the illumination range of the headlights 40.

[0041] After performing the process of step ST1, the headlight control device 10 acquires position information of the illumination target, which is information regarding the relative position between the reference point of the vehicle and the illumination target on the road surface, using the road surface information acquisition unit 13 (step ST2). For example, the headlight control device 10 acquires information indicating the relative positions of the reference point of the vehicle located at a predetermined location and each of multiple illumination targets located in advance around the location. Specifically, if a vehicle position indicator (not shown) indicating the location where the vehicle will be located and points P1 indicating the rear end of the illumination target of the right headlight 41, P3 indicating the front end of the illumination target of the right headlight 41, P2 indicating the rear end of the illumination target of the left headlight 42, and P4 indicating the front end of the illumination target of the left headlight 42 are previously drawn on the floor of the location where the direction adjustment process is performed by the headlight control device 10, the headlight control device 10 acquires information indicating the relative positions of the reference point O1 of the vehicle located at a position corresponding to the vehicle position indicator and each of the front, rear, right, and left ends of the multiple illumination targets. In this case, the illumination target of the headlight 40 is set by the values ​​of W1, W2, L1, and L2. The headlight control device 10 may be configured to acquire position information of the illumination target from the external information acquisition device 20, from the input device 30, or from another device (not shown).

[0042] After performing the process of step ST2, the headlight control device 10 determines whether irradiation direction change information for changing the irradiation direction of the headlight 40 has been acquired (step ST3). For example, in this process, the headlight control device 10 determines whether irradiation direction change information for changing the irradiation direction of the headlight 40 has been acquired from the input device 30 through an input operation by an operator to the input device 30. For example, if the operator determines that the irradiation range S1 of the right headlight 41 is misaligned with the right dividing line K1 between points P1 and P3 while the headlights 40 are turned on, the operator performs an input operation on the input device 30 to change the irradiation direction of the right headlight 41 so that the irradiation range S1 approaches the irradiation target, and the headlight control device 10 acquires irradiation direction change information for changing the irradiation direction of the right headlight 41 from the input device 30.

[0043] For example, the headlight control device 10 acquires, as the irradiation direction change information for the right headlight 41, information indicating the direction and angle by which each of the first to fourth lights of the right headlight 41 is changed. Note that the headlight control device 10 may be configured to acquire, as the irradiation direction change information for the right headlight 41, information indicating the direction and angle by which the optical axis of the right headlight 41 is changed, or information indicating switching on and off of any of the multiple light sources, or information indicating the direction and angle by which the orientation of the reflector is changed, or information indicating the direction and amount of change by which the position of the lens is changed, or may be configured to acquire multiple pieces of information. Furthermore, the worker may determine whether the irradiation range of the headlight 40 is misaligned with the irradiation target by visually checking the irradiation range and the irradiation target, or by placing an illuminance meter at a position where the irradiation target is set in advance and having the worker read the illuminance of the light from the headlight 40 irradiated onto the illuminance meter.

[0044] Similarly, for example, if the worker visually recognizes that the illumination range S2 of the left headlight 42 is misaligned with the left dividing line K2 between points P2 and P4 while the headlights 40 are turned on, the worker performs an input operation on the input device 30 to change the illumination direction of the left headlight 42 so as to bring the illumination range S2 closer to the illumination target, and the headlight control device 10 acquires illumination direction change information for changing the illumination direction of the left headlight 42 from the input device 30. A specific example of the illumination direction change information for changing the illumination direction of the left headlight 42 is similar to the specific example of the illumination direction change information for changing the illumination direction of the right headlight 41, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0045] The headlight control device 10 is not limited to determining whether illumination direction change information for changing the illumination direction of the headlights 40 has been acquired from the input device 30 in response to an input operation by an operator to the input device 30. For example, if the headlight control device 10 is configured to acquire, in the processing of step ST2, position information of the illumination target, which is information regarding the relative position between a reference point of the vehicle and the illumination target on the road surface, based on the difference between the illumination target shown in image information from the imaging device and the illumination range of the headlights 40, the headlight control unit 16 may acquire the illumination direction change information by generating a signal for changing the illumination direction of the headlights 40 based on the acquired position information, and may determine whether the illumination direction change information has been acquired based on whether the headlight control unit 16 has generated the signal. This configuration enables the headlight control device 10 to automatically adjust the illumination direction so that the illumination range of the headlights 40 overlaps with the illumination target through feedback control based on the image information.

[0046] If the headlight control device 10 acquires the irradiation direction change information in the process of step ST3, the headlight control device 10 changes the irradiation direction of the headlight 40 based on the acquired irradiation direction change information (step ST4). For example, in this process, the headlight control device 10 changes the irradiation directions of the first to fourth lights of the right headlight 41 and the left headlight 42 based on the acquired irradiation direction change information.

[0047] Fig. 6A is a side view showing a state after adjustment of the irradiation direction by the headlight control device 10 according to embodiment 1, and Fig. 6B is a plan view showing a state after adjustment of the irradiation direction by the headlight control device 10 according to embodiment 1. For example, as shown in Figs. 6A and 6B, in the state after adjustment of the irradiation direction, with the headlights 40 turned on, the irradiation range S1 of the right headlight 41 overlaps with the right dividing line K1 between the irradiation target indicators P1 and P2, which are the irradiation targets, and the irradiation range S2 of the left headlight 42 overlaps with the left dividing line K2 between the irradiation target indicators P3 and P4, which are the irradiation targets. Specifically, after adjusting the illumination direction, when the headlights 40 are turned on, the front end of the illumination range S1 approximately coincides with point P3, the rear end of the illumination range S1 approximately coincides with point P1, the center of the illumination range S1 approximately coincides with the right dividing line K1, the front end of the illumination range S2 approximately coincides with point P4, the rear end of the illumination range S2 approximately coincides with point P2, and the center of the illumination range S2 approximately coincides with the left dividing line K2.

[0048] After performing the process of step ST4, the headlight control device 10 stores in the storage unit 17 a table that associates information about the illumination direction of the headlight 40 after the adjustment of the illumination direction of the headlight 40 with position information about the illumination target related to the relative position of the reference point O1 and the illumination target (step ST5). For example, when the headlight control device 10 performs the process of step ST4 and acquires from the input device 30 a signal indicating that the operator has finished adjusting the illumination direction of the headlight 40, the headlight control device 10 performs the process of step ST5, and generates a table using the road surface information acquisition unit 13 and the direction information acquisition unit 14 based on information indicating the illumination direction of the headlight 40 at that time and position information about the illumination target illuminated by the headlight 40, and then acquires and stores the generated table in the storage unit 17. Note that the storage unit 17 may be configured to acquire the table information directly from the input device 30 or another device (not shown) that is electrically connected to the headlight control device 10.

[0049] In the processing of step ST5, the headlight control device 10 may be configured to acquire information indicating the irradiation direction of the headlights 40 at that time and position information of the irradiation target illuminated by the headlights 40 based on a signal input from the input device 30 when an operator performs an input operation on the input device 30, or may be configured to acquire information indicating the irradiation direction of the headlights 40 based on information from the headlights 40, or may be configured to acquire position information of the irradiation target illuminated by the headlights 40 based on image information from the external information acquisition device 20 obtained by capturing an image of the surroundings of the vehicle. In addition, in the first embodiment, the road surface information acquisition unit 13 and the direction information acquisition unit 14 constitute a table generation unit that generates a table.

[0050] 7 is a diagram showing an example of a table stored in the storage unit 17 of the headlight control device 10 according to the first embodiment. The table includes a plurality of records in which information regarding the relative positions of a reference point of the vehicle and each of a plurality of illumination targets is associated with information regarding the illumination direction of the headlight 40 when the headlight 40 is illuminating each of the plurality of illumination targets. As shown in FIG. 7 , for example, each record includes, as information regarding the relative positions of the reference point O1 and the illumination target, a depth from the reference point O1, i.e., a distance forward from the reference point O1, and a distance in the left-right direction to the lane marking. Additionally, as information regarding the illumination direction of the headlight 40, information indicating an illumination angle based on the illumination direction of the right headlight 41 and the left headlight 42 before adjustment.

[0051] For example, each record includes, as information indicating the illumination angle based on the illumination direction of the right headlight 41 before adjustment, information indicating the vertical illumination angle based on the illumination direction of the right headlight 41 before adjustment and the horizontal illumination angle based on the illumination direction of the right headlight 41 before adjustment. Also, for example, each record includes, as information indicating the illumination angle based on the illumination direction of the left headlight 42 before adjustment, information indicating the vertical illumination angle based on the illumination direction of the left headlight 42 before adjustment and the horizontal illumination angle based on the illumination direction of the left headlight 42 before adjustment.

[0052] For example, in Fig. 7, the "depth" value indicates the distance L1 or L2 in Fig. 6A and Fig. 6B, and the "distance to lane marking" value indicates the distance W1 or W2 in Fig. 6A and Fig. 6B. Also in Fig. 7, the "right headlight illumination angle" value indicates the adjustment angle of the illumination direction of the right headlight 41 relative to the illumination direction of the right headlight 41 before adjustment, and the "left headlight illumination angle" value indicates the adjustment angle of the illumination direction of the left headlight 42 relative to the illumination direction of the left headlight 42 before adjustment. Also in Fig. 7, the "vertical direction" value indicates the value of the downward adjustment angle of the illumination direction, and the "horizontal direction" value indicates the value of the rightward adjustment angle of the illumination direction.

[0053] For example, in FIG. 7 , record “No. 1” indicates that when the distance L1 in FIGS. 6A and 6B is 30 m and the distances W1 and W2 are 1.75 m, the illumination ranges S1 and S2 can be overlapped with the illumination target by adjusting the illumination direction of the right headlight 41 upward by 1.47 degrees and to the right by 2.2 degrees relative to the illumination direction of the right headlight 41 before adjustment, and by adjusting the illumination direction of the left headlight 42 upward by 1.2 degrees and to the left by 2.65 degrees relative to the illumination direction of the left headlight 42 before adjustment.

[0054] 7, for example, the record "No. 2" indicates that when the distance L2 in FIGS. 6A and 6B is 50 m and the distance between W1 and W2 is 1.75 m, the illumination ranges S1 and S2 can be overlapped with the illumination target by adjusting the illumination direction of the right headlight 41 by 0.5 degrees upward and 1.59 degrees to the right relative to the illumination direction of the right headlight 41 before adjustment, and by adjusting the illumination direction of the left headlight 42 by 0.6 degrees upward and 1.1 degrees to the left relative to the illumination direction of the left headlight 42 before adjustment.

[0055] 7, for example, the record "No. 3" indicates that when the distance L1 in FIGS. 6A and 6B is 30 m and the distance between W1 and W2 is 2 m, the illumination ranges S1 and S2 can be overlapped with the illumination target by adjusting the illumination direction of the right headlight 41 upward by 1.2 degrees and to the right by 2.9 degrees relative to the illumination direction of the right headlight 41 before adjustment, and by adjusting the illumination direction of the left headlight 42 upward by 1.47 degrees and to the left by 3.13 degrees relative to the illumination direction of the left headlight 42 before adjustment.

[0056] 7, for example, the record "No. 4" indicates that when the distance L2 in FIGS. 6A and 6B is 50 m and the distance between W1 and W2 is 2 m, the illumination ranges S1 and S2 can be overlapped with the illumination target by adjusting the illumination direction of the right headlight 41 by 0.2 degrees upward and 1.88 degrees to the right relative to the illumination direction of the right headlight 41 before adjustment, and by adjusting the illumination direction of the left headlight 42 by 0.88 degrees upward and 1.3 degrees to the left relative to the illumination direction of the left headlight 42 before adjustment.

[0057] The table configuration is not limited to this, and each record may include different values ​​for the distance from the reference point O1 to the illumination target of the right headlight 41 and the distance from the reference point O1 to the illumination target of the left headlight 42, may include a value other than 30 m and 50 m for the depth, may include independent values ​​for the adjustment angles of the illumination directions of the first to fourth lights of the right headlight 41 and the left headlight 42, or may include only one of the illumination angles in the vertical and horizontal directions. Furthermore, the table configuration may be such that a common value is set for the illumination angle of the right headlight 41 and the illumination angle of the left headlight 42, or information from one record among multiple records may be applied to the right headlight 41 and information from another record may be applied to the left headlight 42.

[0058] After performing the process of step ST5, the headlight control device 10 returns the process to step ST3 and determines whether or not further illumination direction change information for changing the illumination direction of the headlights 40 has been acquired (step ST3). If further illumination direction change information has been acquired, in the process of step ST5, a record is updated or a record is added to the table stored in the storage unit 17.

[0059] If no irradiation direction change information is acquired in the process of step ST3, the headlight control device 10 determines that the generation of the table is completed, and ends the direction adjustment process.

[0060] Next, the headlight control process performed by the headlight control device 10 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 7 to 9. Figure 8 is a flowchart showing the headlight control process performed by the headlight control device 10 according to the first embodiment. The headlight control process performed by the headlight control device 10 is a process for controlling the illumination direction of the headlights 40 using a table generated by the direction adjustment process. For example, the headlight control device 10 performs the headlight control process when the vehicle is traveling on a road at night.

[0061] 8 , when the headlight control device 10 starts the headlight control process, it first turns on the headlights 40 (step ST11). For example, in this process, the headlight control unit 16 outputs a signal to turn on the headlights 40 based on receiving a signal from the input device 30 indicating that an input operation to turn on the headlights 40 has been performed by a vehicle occupant. Also, for example, in this process, the headlight control unit 16 outputs a signal to turn on the headlights 40 based on receiving a signal from a brightness sensor (not shown) indicating that the surroundings of the vehicle are dark.

[0062] After performing the process of step ST11, the headlight control device 10 acquires position information of the illumination target of the headlight 40 (step ST12). In this process, the headlight control device 10 acquires information on the relative position between the reference point of the vehicle and the illumination target at the current time, as the position information of the illumination target, based on information from the external information acquisition device 20. Note that the headlight control device 10 is not limited to being configured to acquire information on the relative position between the reference point of the vehicle and the illumination target at the current time, as the position information of the illumination target, based only on information from the external information acquisition device 20. For example, the headlight control device 10 may be configured to acquire information on the relative position between the reference point of the vehicle and the illumination target at the current time, as the position information of the illumination target, based on information from the external information acquisition device 20 and information from the input device 30. Specifically, the headlight control device 10 may be configured to acquire information indicating the longitudinal positions of the reference point of the vehicle and the illumination target through an input operation by a vehicle occupant on the input device 30.

[0063] After the processing of step ST12, the headlight control device 10 refers to the table stored in the storage unit 17 (step ST13), and based on the acquired position information of the illumination target, selects one or more records from the plurality of records included in the table and extracts information from the selected records (step ST14). For example, in this processing, if the illumination target of the headlight 40 is a right lane marking and a left lane marking that are 1.75 m from the reference point of the vehicle in the left-right direction and are at a distance of 30 m to 50 m in the front-rear direction, the headlight control device 10 selects records "No. 1" and "No. 2" from the table shown in Fig. 7 by the selection unit 15, and extracts information from these records that indicates the illumination angles of the right headlight 41 and the left headlight 42.

[0064] Also, for example, in this process, if the illumination target of the headlight 40 is the right and left dividing lines that are 2 m laterally from the reference point of the vehicle and whose longitudinal distance is in the range of 30 m to 50 m, the headlight control device 10 selects records "No. 3" and "No. 4" in the table shown in Figure 7 using the selection unit 15, and extracts information indicating the illumination angles of the right headlight 41 and the left headlight 42 contained in these records.

[0065] If the table does not contain a record including information matching the value indicated by the position information of the irradiation target acquired in the processing of step ST11 (for example, if the position information of the irradiation target acquired in the processing of step ST11 indicates that the distance between the reference point of the vehicle and the lane line is 1.8 m and there is no record in the table with a value of 1.8 m for "distance to lane line"), the selection unit 15 selects a record including information closest to the position information of the irradiation target acquired in the processing of step ST11. Also, for example, if the table does not contain a record including information matching the value indicated by the position information of the irradiation target acquired in the processing of step ST11, the selection unit 15 may be configured to refer to records including values ​​before and after the value indicated by the position information of the irradiation target acquired in the processing of step ST11, and interpolate the adjustment angle of the irradiation direction using the value of the referred record, thereby acquiring a value of the adjustment angle corresponding to the position information.

[0066] In addition, in embodiment 1, the range of 30 m to 50 m of the right and left dividing lines, which are 1.75 m from the left-right distance from the vehicle's reference point, constitutes the first illumination target, and the range of 30 m to 50 m of the right and left dividing lines, which are 2 m from the left-right distance from the vehicle's reference point, constitutes the second illumination target.

[0067] After the processing of step ST14, the headlight control device 10 changes the irradiation direction of the headlights 40 based on the information about the irradiation direction of the headlights 40 extracted from the table (step ST15). In other words, in this processing, the headlight control device 10 controls the irradiation direction of the headlights 40 based on the information about the irradiation direction of the headlights 40 extracted from the table. Note that in this processing, if the headlight irradiation direction indicated by the information about the irradiation direction of the headlights 40 extracted from the table is the same as the current irradiation direction of the headlights 40, the headlight control device 10 maintains the current irradiation direction of the headlights 40.

[0068] The headlight control device 10 is only required to be able to control at least one of the front, rear, right, and left ends of the illumination range, and may be configured to be able to control only the front and rear ends of the illumination range, or only the left and right ends of the illumination range. The headlight control device 10 is not limited to being able to control the illumination range of the right headlight 41 and the illumination range of the left headlight 42 independently of each other, but may be configured to control the illumination range of the right headlight 41 and the illumination range of the left headlight 42 by the same adjustment amount.

[0069] After performing the processing of step ST15, the headlight control device 10 determines whether the illumination range of the headlight 40 is appropriate (step ST16). Even if the illumination direction of the headlight 40 is appropriate, in other words, even if the center of the illumination range of the headlight 40 overlaps the center of the illumination target, the illumination range may be too small or too large for the illumination target. For example, if the illumination range of the headlight 40 is too small for the illumination target, the visibility of the target may not be sufficiently improved, similar to when the illumination range of the headlight 40 is misaligned with the target on the road surface. Furthermore, for example, if the illumination range of the headlight 40 is too large for the illumination target, it may be difficult to reduce power consumption by the headlight 40 and may cause glare to pedestrians or occupants of other vehicles.

[0070] For this reason, the headlight control device 10 according to the first embodiment is configured to be able to further reduce or expand the illumination range of the headlight 40 while adjusting the illumination direction of the headlight 40 using the table.

[0071] For example, after the processing of step ST15 has been performed, the headlight control device 10 determines whether the illumination range is appropriate based on whether a signal has been input from the input device 30 indicating that an occupant of the vehicle has performed an input operation indicating that the illumination range of the headlights 40 is inappropriate. Furthermore, after the processing of step ST15 has been performed, the headlight control device 10 determines whether the illumination range is appropriate based on whether a signal has been input from the input device 30 indicating that an occupant of the vehicle has performed an input operation to change the illumination range of the headlights 40. The headlight control device 10 may be configured to determine whether the illumination range is appropriate based on image information from an imaging device, for example, based on the difference between the illumination target and the illumination range indicated in the image information from the imaging device, regardless of an input operation by the occupant or the like.

[0072] If the illumination range of the headlight 40 is not appropriate in the processing of step ST16 (NO in step ST16), the headlight control device 10 changes the illumination range of the headlight 40 (step ST17). For example, in this processing, the headlight control device 10 expands or reduces the illumination range of the headlight 40 by switching on and off any of the multiple light sources of the headlight 40. Also, for example, in this processing, the headlight control device 10 expands or reduces the illumination range of the headlight 40 by changing the illumination directions of the first light to fourth light of the right headlight 41 and the left headlight 42.

[0073] Specifically, in this process, the headlight control device 10 increases the difference in the irradiation direction between the first light and the second light and increases the difference in the irradiation direction between the third light and the fourth light of the right headlight 41 to increase the irradiation range of the right headlight 41, and decreases the difference in the irradiation direction between the first light and the second light and decreases the difference in the irradiation direction between the third light and the fourth light to reduce the irradiation range of the right headlight 41. The expansion and reduction of the irradiation direction of the left headlight 42 is similar to the expansion and reduction of the irradiation direction of the right headlight 41, so a description thereof will be omitted.

[0074] Fig. 9A is a side view showing a state after the illumination range has been changed by the headlight control device 10 according to embodiment 1, and Fig. 9B is a plan view showing a state after the illumination range has been changed by the headlight control device according to embodiment 1. As shown in Fig. 9B, the headlight control device 10 reduces the illumination range in the left-right direction compared to the state shown in Fig. 6B, thereby making it possible to reduce power consumption by the headlight 40 and reduce glare on pedestrians or occupants of other vehicles.

[0075] In the process of step ST16, if the illumination range of the headlight 40 is appropriate (YES in step ST16), the headlight control device 10 ends the headlight control process. Note that the headlight control device 10 may be configured to repeat the processes of steps ST13 to ST17 when position information of a new illumination target is acquired.

[0076] As described above, the headlight control device 10 according to the first embodiment includes a road surface information acquisition unit that acquires road surface information including first information relating to the relative position between a reference point of the vehicle and a first target on the road surface, and second information relating to the relative position between the reference point and a second target on the road surface; a table acquisition unit that acquires a table including a first record in which the first information is associated with information relating to the headlight illumination direction when the headlights of the vehicle are illuminating the first target, and a second record in which the second information is associated with information relating to the headlight second illumination direction when the headlights are illuminating the second target; a selection unit that selects either the first record or the second record based on the road surface information acquired by the road surface information acquisition unit and the table acquired by the table acquisition unit; and a direction control unit that controls the headlight illumination direction based on the record selected by the selection unit so as to illuminate in the illumination direction corresponding to the record.

[0077] With this configuration, the headlight control device 10 controls the illumination direction of the headlights to illuminate the illumination target based on information regarding the relative position between the reference point on the vehicle and the illumination target set on the road surface, thereby reducing the deviation between the illumination range of the vehicle's headlights and the illumination target on the road surface. This improves the visibility of the illumination target for the occupants and improves the accuracy of information acquisition and object detection when capturing images of the surroundings of the vehicle using an imaging device and acquiring information about the surroundings of the vehicle or detecting objects based on the image information obtained by the capture. Furthermore, because the headlight control device 10 references a preset table and controls the illumination direction of the headlights 40 based on the information in the table, when information indicating the relative position between the reference point and the illumination target is acquired while the vehicle is traveling, it is not necessary to calculate the illumination direction of the headlights 40 in accordance with the information, thereby reducing the processing load on the device.

[0078] Furthermore, the first and second targets according to the first embodiment are set on road markings, which allows the headlight control device 10 to illuminate the road markings with the headlights 40, thereby improving the visibility of the road markings.

[0079] The headlight control device 10 according to the first embodiment also includes a headlight control unit 16 that controls the irradiation direction of the headlights 40 based on an input signal for changing the irradiation direction of the headlights 40, and a road surface information acquisition unit 13 and a direction information acquisition unit 14 that generate a table based on the input signal and the irradiation direction of the headlights 40 in a state controlled based on the input signal. This allows the headlight control device 10 to control the irradiation direction of the headlights 40 according to individual differences between vehicles by generating a table including information related to the irradiation direction in advance.

[0080] In addition, in the present disclosure, any of the components of the embodiments may be modified or omitted.

[0081] The headlight control device and headlight control method according to the present disclosure can be used, for example, to reduce the deviation between the illumination range of a vehicle's headlights and a target on the road surface.

[0082] Various aspects of the present disclosure are summarized below as appendices.

[0083] (Supplementary Note 1) A headlight control device comprising: a road surface information acquisition unit that acquires road surface information including first information on a relative position between a reference point of a vehicle and a first target on a road surface, and second information on a relative position between the reference point and a second target on the road surface, a table acquisition unit that acquires a table including a first record in which the first information is associated with information on an illumination direction of the headlights of the vehicle when the headlights are illuminating the first target, and a second record in which the second information is associated with information on a second illumination direction of the headlights when the headlights are illuminating the second target, a selection unit that selects either the first record or the second record based on the road surface information acquired by the road surface information acquisition unit and the table acquired by the table acquisition unit, and a direction control unit that controls the illumination direction of the headlights based on the record selected by the selection unit so as to illuminate in the illumination direction corresponding to the record. (Supplementary Note 2) The headlight control device according to Supplementary Note 1, wherein the target is set on a dividing line of the road surface. (Supplementary Note 3) The headlight control device according to Supplementary Note 1 or 2, characterized in that the direction control unit controls the illumination direction of the headlight based on an input signal for changing the illumination direction of the headlight, and includes a table generation unit that generates the table based on the input signal and the illumination direction of the headlight in a state controlled based on the input signal. (Supplementary Note 4) The headlight control device according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 3, characterized in that the direction control unit controls the illumination direction of at least one of a first light from the headlight that forms a front end of an illumination range of the headlight and a second light from the headlight that forms a rear end of an illumination range of the headlight, based on the record selected by the selection unit.(Supplementary Note 5) The headlight control device according to any one of Supplements 1 to 4, wherein the direction control unit controls the irradiation direction of at least one of a third light from the headlight forming the right end of the headlight irradiation range and a fourth light from the headlight forming the left end of the headlight irradiation range, based on the record selected by the selection unit. (Supplementary Note 6) The headlight control device according to any one of Supplements 1 to 5, wherein the headlight control device is provided with a range control unit that controls expansion and contraction of the headlight irradiation range. (Supplementary Note 7) The headlight control device according to any one of Supplements 1 to 6, wherein the road surface information includes information on the relative positions of the reference point and the target in the left-right direction of the vehicle, and information on the relative positions of the reference point and the target in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. (Supplementary Note 8) The headlight control device according to any one of Supplements 1 to 7, wherein the road surface information acquisition unit acquires the road surface information based on information from an imaging device provided in the vehicle. (Supplementary Note 9) The headlight control device according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 8, wherein the road surface information acquisition unit acquires the road surface information based on position information of the vehicle and map information of the area around the vehicle.(Supplementary Note 10) A headlight control method performed by a device including a road surface information acquisition unit, a table acquisition unit, a selection unit, and a direction control unit, comprising: a step in which the road surface information acquisition unit acquires road surface information including first information on a relative position between a reference point of a vehicle and a first target on a road surface, and second information on a relative position between the reference point and a second target on the road surface; a step in which the table acquisition unit acquires a table including a first record in which the first information is associated with information on an illumination direction of the headlights of the vehicle when the headlights are illuminating the first target, and a second record in which the second information is associated with information on a second illumination direction of the headlights when the headlights are illuminating the second target; and a step in which the selection unit selects either the first record or the second record based on the road surface information acquired by the road surface information acquisition unit and the table acquired by the table acquisition unit. and a step in which the direction control unit controls the illumination direction of the headlights based on the record selected by the selection unit so that the headlights illuminate in an illumination direction corresponding to the record.(Supplementary Note 11) A headlight control method performed by an apparatus including a road surface information acquisition unit, a direction control unit, and a table generation unit, comprising: a step in which the road surface information acquisition unit acquires information including first information regarding a relative position between a reference point of a vehicle and a first target on a road surface, and second information regarding the relative position between the reference point and a second target on the road surface; a step in which the direction control unit controls the illumination direction of the headlights of the vehicle based on an input signal for changing the illumination direction of the headlights; and a step in which the table generation unit generates a table based on the information acquired by the road surface information acquisition unit, the input signal, and the illumination direction of the headlights in a state controlled based on the input signal, the table including a first record in which the first information is associated with information regarding the illumination direction of the headlights in a state in which the headlights are illuminating the first target, and a second record in which the second information is associated with information regarding a second illumination direction of the headlights in a state in which the headlights are illuminating the second target.

[0084] 10 Headlight control device, 11 Input unit, 12 Output unit, 13 Road surface information acquisition unit, 14 Direction information acquisition unit, 15 Selection unit, 16 Headlight control unit, 17 Memory unit, 20 External information acquisition device, 30 Input device, 40 Headlight, 41 Right headlight, 42 Left headlight, 100 Headlight control system, K1 Right lane marking, K2 Left lane marking, O1 Reference point, P1 Illumination target display, P2 Illumination target display, P3 Illumination target display, P4 Illumination target display, R1 Road surface, S1 Illumination range, S2 Illumination range, V1 Vehicle.

Claims

1. A headlight control device comprising: a road surface information acquisition unit that acquires road surface information including first information regarding a relative position between a reference point of a vehicle and a first target on a road surface, and second information regarding a relative position between the reference point and a second target on the road surface; a table acquisition unit that acquires a table including a first record in which the first information is associated with information regarding the illumination direction of the headlights of the vehicle when the headlights are illuminating the first target, and a second record in which the second information is associated with information regarding a second illumination direction of the headlights when the headlights are illuminating the second target; a selection unit that selects either the first record or the second record based on the road surface information acquired by the road surface information acquisition unit and the table acquired by the table acquisition unit; and a direction control unit that controls the illumination direction of the headlights so as to illuminate the illumination direction corresponding to the record selected by the selection unit.

2. The headlight control device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first target and the second target are set on a dividing line of the road surface.

3. A headlight control device as described in claim 1, characterized in that the direction control unit controls the headlight irradiation direction based on an input signal for changing the headlight irradiation direction, and further comprises a table generation unit that generates the table based on the input signal and the headlight irradiation direction in a state controlled based on the input signal.

4. The headlight control device according to claim 1, characterized in that the direction control unit controls the irradiation direction of at least one of a first light from the headlight that forms the front end of the headlight's irradiation range and a second light from the headlight that forms the rear end of the headlight's irradiation range based on the record selected by the selection unit.

5. A headlight control device as described in claim 1, characterized in that the direction control unit controls the irradiation direction of at least one of a third light from the headlight that forms the right end of the headlight's irradiation range and a fourth light from the headlight that forms the left end of the headlight's irradiation range based on the record selected by the selection unit.

6. The headlight control device according to claim 1, further comprising a range control unit for controlling the expansion and contraction of the illumination range of the headlight.

7. A headlight control device as described in claim 1, characterized in that the road surface information includes information regarding the relative positions of the reference point, the first target, and the second target in the left-right direction of the vehicle, and information regarding the relative positions of the reference point, the first target, and the second target in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

8. A headlight control device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the road surface information acquisition unit acquires the road surface information based on information from an imaging device carried by the vehicle.

9. A headlight control device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the road surface information acquisition unit acquires the road surface information based on position information of the vehicle and map information of the surroundings of the vehicle.

10. A headlight control method performed by an apparatus including a road surface information acquisition unit, a table acquisition unit, a selection unit, and a direction control unit, comprising: a step in which the road surface information acquisition unit acquires road surface information including first information on a relative position between a reference point of the vehicle and a first target on the road surface, and second information on a relative position between the reference point and a second target on the road surface; a step in which the table acquisition unit acquires a table including a first record in which the first information is associated with information on the illumination direction of the headlights of the vehicle when the headlights are illuminating the first target, and a second record in which the second information is associated with information on the second illumination direction of the headlights when the headlights are illuminating the second target; and a step in which the selection unit selects either the first record or the second record based on the road surface information acquired by the road surface information acquisition unit and the table acquired by the table acquisition unit. and a step of the direction control unit controlling the illumination direction of the headlights based on the record selected by the selection unit so as to illuminate in an illumination direction corresponding to the record.

11. A headlight control method performed by an apparatus having a road surface information acquisition unit, a direction control unit, and a table generation unit, comprising: a step in which the road surface information acquisition unit acquires information including first information regarding a relative position between a reference point of the vehicle and a first target on the road surface, and second information regarding the relative position between the reference point and a second target on the road surface; a step in which the direction control unit controls the illumination direction of the headlights of the vehicle based on an input signal for changing the illumination direction of the headlights of the vehicle; and a step in which the table generation unit generates a table based on the information acquired by the road surface information acquisition unit, the input signal, and the illumination direction of the headlights in a state controlled based on the input signal, the table including a first record in which the first information is associated with information regarding the illumination direction of the headlights in a state in which the headlights are illuminating the first target, and a second record in which the second information is associated with information regarding the second illumination direction of the headlights in a state in which the headlights are illuminating the second target.

Images