Branch-Road Lighting Control for Driver Assistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies face challenges in controlling headlamp swiveling to illuminate branching roads effectively, leading to inadequate illumination of both the branching road and the road ahead, and the driver's inability to recognize the branching road's presence and shape.
Innovation Solution
A driving assistance apparatus that acquires vehicle position, travel lane, and road information to control a lighting apparatus to illuminate branching roads directly connected to the travel lane in a specific illumination manner, balancing illumination between the travel lane and the branching road.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the swiveling angle is reduced to illuminate the branching road at a point away from the branching point, then the illumination of the branching road is improved, but the driver cannot recognize the presence of the branching road and its shape
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the illumination task into two distinct functions: the headlamps illuminate the road ahead of the vehicle, while the lighting apparatus (such as auxiliary lamps or projectors) specifically illuminates the branching road. This segmentation allows each lighting component to perform its dedicated function without compromising the other, enabling the driver to see both the main road and the branching road clearly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a lighting apparatus as an intermediary device between the headlamps and the branching road. This intermediary apparatus specifically targets the branching road for illumination, allowing the headlamps to maintain their primary function of illuminating the road ahead while the intermediary provides additional illumination for the branching road, ensuring the driver can recognize its presence and shape.
2Area of stationary object
If the swiveling angle is increased to illuminate a wide range of the branching road at a point close to the branching point, then the illumination coverage of the branching road is improved, but the headlamps cannot illuminate the road ahead of the vehicle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the lighting system into separate functional components: headlamps for illuminating the road ahead and a dedicated lighting apparatus for illuminating the branching road. This segmentation eliminates the need to compromise between illumination coverage and road-ahead visibility, as each component performs its specific function independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting apparatus is designed with multi-functionality, capable of adapting its illumination pattern based on the vehicle's position relative to the branching road. When the vehicle is approaching the branching road, the lighting apparatus provides wide-angle illumination to reveal the branching road's shape and presence. When the vehicle is farther away, it adjusts to provide targeted illumination without interfering with the headlamps' road-ahead illumination.
3Loss of information
If the headlamps swivel to illuminate the branching road, then the branching road visibility is improved, but the illumination of the road ahead is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the lighting functions by separating the headlamps from the lighting apparatus. The headlamps remain dedicated to illuminating the road ahead, while the lighting apparatus handles the branching road illumination. This functional segmentation prevents any compromise in road-ahead illumination while improving branching road visibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting apparatus serves as an intermediary that specifically addresses the branching road visibility issue without requiring the headlamps to swivel or change their illumination pattern. This intermediary device provides the necessary illumination for the branching road while leaving the headlamps' primary function intact.
Data Source
AI summary
It is an object to provide technology allowing for appropriate control of a lighting apparatus to illuminate a road from a vehicle. An acquisition unit acquires position information of the vehicle, travel lane information indicating a travel lane in which the vehicle is traveling, and road information. A controller performs control to cause the lighting apparatus to illuminate a branching road directly connected to the travel lane in a first illumination manner when it is determined, based on the position information, the travel lane information, and the road information, that there is the branching road and the vehicle is traveling a first illumination section satisfying a predetermined positional relationship with a branching point of the branching road from the travel lane.