Adaptive Vehicle Headlight Beam Shaping for Glare Reduction
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle headlights struggle to effectively reduce glare to oncoming vehicles and retroreflective objects while maintaining visibility and comfort for the driver.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle headlight with a lamp unit capable of changing light distribution patterns, controlled by a unit that adjusts light emission based on detection of objects in front, reducing light in regions overlapping detected objects and increasing light in adjacent regions at a predetermined magnification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the light amount in the first region overlapping the detected object is reduced to prevent glare, then glare to the driver and oncoming vehicles is suppressed, but the visibility in front of the vehicle deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating light distribution into multiple regions (first region overlapping detected objects, second region adjacent to first region, third region remaining areas) and applying different light control strategies to each region. The first region has reduced light intensity to prevent glare, while the second and third regions maintain or increase light intensity to preserve visibility, creating spatially varying light properties that simultaneously address both glare prevention and visibility maintenance.
2Illumination intensity
If the light amount in the second region adjacent to the first region is increased to maintain visibility, then visibility is improved, but driver discomfort increases due to abrupt light changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by gradually increasing the light amount in the second region over time before reaching the target intensity level. This gradual transition prevents sudden light changes that would cause driver discomfort, while still achieving the necessary visibility improvement. The control unit adjusts the light intensity in a controlled manner, preparing the driver's eyes for the change and avoiding abrupt transitions.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the light distribution pattern is dynamically adjusted based on detected objects, then glare prevention is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the light distribution control into distinct functional regions (first region, second region, third region) with different control characteristics. This segmentation allows the complex task of dynamic light adjustment to be broken down into simpler, region-specific control rules that are easier to implement and manage, reducing the overall system complexity while maintaining effective glare prevention.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle headlight (1) includes a lamp unit (10) capable of changing a light distribution pattern of emitted light, and a control unit (CO) that controls the lamp unit (10) based on information input from a detection device (120) that detects a predetermined object located in front of a vehicle (100). The control unit (CO) controls the lamp unit (10) to emit light having a light distribution pattern (PH) of a high beam including an additional light distribution pattern (PAH) in a case where the predetermined object is not detected, and in a case where the predetermined object is detected, controls the lamp unit (10) so that a light amount of a first region (91a, 91b, 91c) overlapping at least a part of the predetermined object in the additional light distribution pattern (PAH) decreases and a light amount of a second region (92) different from the first region (91a, 91b, 91c) increases at a predetermined magnification or by a predetermined amount, as compared with the case where the predetermined object is not detected.