Adaptive Vehicle Light Distribution for Intersection Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current lighting systems for motor vehicles often irritate other road users by illuminating areas unnecessarily, which can contribute to decreased traffic safety.
Innovation Solution
A lighting system that uses sensors and navigation data to calculate and project a light distribution onto the roadway, ensuring it does not exceed a predetermined stopping point, thereby avoiding unnecessary illumination of other road users and potential hazards.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the lighting guidance functions illuminate a constant length area in front of the vehicle, then the illumination coverage is consistent and reliable, but other road users may be confused or irritated by unnecessary illumination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the light distribution length adjustable rather than fixed. The control unit dynamically adapts the illuminated area length based on detected stopping points (such as intersections, pedestrian crossings, or obstacles) to match the actual road situation, thereby eliminating unnecessary illumination that causes irritation while maintaining reliable coverage where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of light distribution length from a constant value to a variable parameter. The system modifies this parameter in real-time based on environmental conditions and detected stopping points, allowing the illumination to extend only as far as necessary without causing harm to other road users.
2Area of stationary object
If the light distribution extends beyond the stopping point, then the illumination coverage is maximized, but other road users and potential hazards are unnecessarily illuminated causing confusion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the excessive portion of light distribution that extends beyond the stopping point. By identifying the stopping point (intersection, pedestrian crossing, obstacle) and limiting the light distribution to end exactly at that point, the system removes the harmful over-illumination while preserving the necessary illumination coverage for safe driving.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the information system (sensors, cameras, navigation data) that detects stopping points and feeds this information back to the control unit. The control unit then adjusts the light distribution length accordingly, creating a closed-loop system that prevents over-illumination by continuously monitoring and adapting to road conditions.
3Ease of operation
If a fixed light distribution pattern is used, then the lighting system is simple to control, but it cannot adapt to varying traffic conditions and stopping points
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the information system detect and identify stopping points (intersections, pedestrian crossings, obstacles) in advance before the vehicle reaches them. This advance detection allows the control unit to pre-adjust the light distribution length to match the upcoming road condition, enabling smooth adaptation without complex real-time calculations during critical moments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary information system that mediates between the fixed lighting system and the variable road conditions. This intermediary layer (comprising sensors, cameras, and navigation data) translates complex environmental information into simple control signals for the lighting system, maintaining ease of operation while achieving high adaptability.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an illumination system (18) for a motor vehicle (10) for illuminating a carriageway section. The aim of the invention is to illuminate the carriageway section in such a way that irritations for other road users are avoided as far as possible. The illumination system (18) comprises an information system for providing or detecting a stopping point (14), an illumination device (13) for projecting a calculated light distribution onto the carriageway section, and a control unit (12) for calculating a light distribution (LV), wherein the calculated light distribution (LV) is a one-piece area. The one-piece area begins from a predetermined starting section which constitutes a proximal lighting section relative to the motor vehicle (10) and does not extend beyond the stopping point (14). This leads to a shortening of a lane light of the motor vehicle (10), such that said light does not illuminate the lane beyond the stopping point (14). This is advantageous in particular at crossroads.