Vehicle Headlamp Control System for Electronic Swivel Illuminance Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Vehicle headlamps with light emitting element arrays face challenges in maintaining illuminance distribution and reducing control load during electronic swivel control, leading to potential reductions in illuminance and increased complexity, which can impact driving safety.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle headlamp control system that adjusts illuminance distribution by controlling individual light emitting elements to shift the illuminated area within the illumination range, maintaining or altering illuminance patterns based on driving conditions, and omitting mechanical swivel mechanisms to reduce size and weight.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of stationary object

If individual light emitting elements are controlled to shift the illuminated area electronically, then mechanical swivel mechanisms can be omitted reducing size and weight, but the illuminance distribution deteriorates when the illuminated area moves out of the illumination range

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheadlamp unit weightVSAvoidilluminance of illuminated area
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of stationary objectVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent dynamically adjusts the illuminance distribution pattern based on the position of the illuminated area within the illumination range. When the illuminated area is near the center, a first illuminance distribution is applied, and when it moves toward the ends, a second illuminance distribution with reduced illuminance is applied. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by maintaining appropriate illuminance levels throughout the electronic swivel range while avoiding mechanical mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the illuminance distribution parameters (brightness levels of different light emitting elements) based on the position of the illuminated area. By adjusting the illuminance distribution pattern according to position, the system maintains effective illumination even as the illuminated area moves across the illumination range, resolving the trade-off between electronic swivel capability and illuminance maintenance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If the illuminated area is shifted to the end portions of the illumination range, then the light distributing direction changes maximally, but part of the illuminated area protrudes out of the illumination range causing illuminance reduction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelight distributing direction controlVSAvoidilluminance of illuminated area
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically switches between different illuminance distribution patterns based on the illuminated area's position. When the illuminated area is positioned at end portions of the illumination range, the system applies a second illuminance distribution pattern that accounts for the protruding area, thereby maintaining effective illumination while achieving maximal light distributing direction control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2574502B1Vehicle headlamp control system
Publication Date: 2019.10.30 KOITO MFG CO LTD
  • EP2574502B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2574502B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2574502B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A predetermined illuminated area is formed within an illumination range (PA) including a plurality of partial areas (L1,L13-U1,U13) by shining illumination light by a plurality of light sources disposed in a vehicle. In executing a control to swivel shift the predetermined illuminated area within the illumination range (PA), a difference in illuminance between partial areas that lie adjacent to each other and which are contained in the illuminated area is changed before and after the swivel shift.