Adaptive Headlight Emission Control for Leaning Vehicle Turns

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional headlight devices for leaning vehicles do not effectively maintain the upper emission area brightness when turning, especially when oncoming or preceding vehicles are present, which can dazzle riders and reduce visibility.

Innovation Solution

A headlight device with a control system that adjusts light emission to maintain the upper emission area brightness during turns, regardless of the presence of oncoming or preceding vehicles, ensuring the light direction aligns with the rider's view and expanding their field of vision.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If the upper left emission area is formed when turning left to improve rider visibility, then the field of view is expanded, but oncoming vehicles may be dazzled by the light

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveupper emission area brightnessVSAvoiddazzling to oncoming vehicles
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the headlight emission pattern adaptive and changeable based on real-time detection of oncoming or preceding vehicles. The control unit dynamically adjusts which emission areas are formed - maintaining upper emission areas when no vehicles are present (improving visibility) and suppressing them when vehicles are detected (preventing dazzling). This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between visibility enhancement and glare prevention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback through detection units that continuously monitor the presence of oncoming or preceding vehicles in specific angular ranges. The detection results are fed back to the control unit, which then adjusts the headlight emission pattern accordingly. This closed-loop feedback system enables the headlight to automatically adapt to traffic conditions, resolving the contradiction by maintaining brightness when safe and reducing it when vehicles are present.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the headlight emission area is adjusted based on vehicle presence to prevent dazzling, then safety is improved, but rider visibility during turns is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedazzling to oncoming vehiclesVSAvoidrider visibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The headlight system dynamically switches between different emission patterns based on real-time vehicle detection. When no vehicles are detected, the system provides full illumination including upper emission areas for maximum visibility. When vehicles are detected, the system dynamically adjusts to suppress only the relevant upper emission areas while maintaining other areas, thus balancing safety and visibility needs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by selectively adjusting specific emission areas rather than uniformly reducing all light output. When an oncoming vehicle is detected in the left angular range, only the upper left emission area is suppressed. When a preceding vehicle is detected, the upper central area is suppressed. This localized adjustment prevents dazzling to affected vehicles while maintaining illumination in other areas for rider visibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of operation

If the upper emission area is maintained during turns to expand field of view, then convenience is improved, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverider convenienceVSAvoidheadlight energy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by selectively activating only the necessary emission areas based on detection results. Instead of uniformly illuminating all areas or uniformly reducing all areas, the system activates only the specific upper emission areas that are needed for rider visibility while suppressing others that would cause dazzle. This partial activation reduces overall energy consumption compared to full illumination while still providing the convenience benefits where needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3981674B1Headlight device and leaning vehicle including headlight device
Publication Date: 2023.10.25 YAMAHA MOTOR CO LTD
  • EP3981674B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3981674B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3981674B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is an increase in convenience of a headlight device that switches an emission area without any operation made by a rider of a leaning vehicle. A control device controls light emission from a headlight such that when an oncoming vehicle and/or a preceding vehicle is/are present in an upper left emission area while the leaning vehicle is turning in a left direction, the upper left emission area is maintained at least in its brightness as compared to when neither the oncoming vehicle nor the preceding vehicle is present in the upper left emission area while the leaning vehicle is turning in the left direction. The control device controls light emission from the headlight such that when the oncoming vehicle and/or the preceding vehicle is/are present in an upper right emission area while the leaning vehicle is turning in a right direction, the upper right emission area is maintained at least in its brightness as compared to when neither the oncoming vehicle nor the preceding vehicle is present in the upper right emission area while the leaning vehicle is turning in the right direction.