Vehicle Headlamp Ground Projection for Parking Assessment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle parking systems are prone to errors due to environmental exposure and internal focus, diverting the operator's attention from the road, especially when detecting pedestrians or bicyclists.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle headlamp with a high-resolution lighting apparatus and environmental detection device projects a ground projection representing the vehicle's length onto the roadway, allowing the operator to assess parking space size without diverting attention, combined with control systems for dynamic lighting adjustments and steering instructions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If cameras and distance sensors are arranged on bumpers or radiator grill to detect parking spaces, then parking space detection capability is improved, but system complexity increases and reliability decreases due to direct environmental exposure and mechanical impact risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the environmental detection device with the headlamp assembly, integrating parking space detection functionality into an existing robust component. This merging allows the detection system to benefit from the headlamp's protected housing and mounting position, reducing vulnerability to environmental damage while maintaining detection capability through the headlamp's optical axis alignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The headlamp assembly is given multiple functions: it provides illumination for driving and simultaneously serves as the housing and mounting structure for the environmental detection device. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate vulnerable sensor mounts on bumpers, leveraging the headlamp's inherent robustness for both lighting and detection purposes.
2Ease of operation
If optical signals are displayed in the interior of the vehicle to show steering information, then steering guidance is improved, but operator attention is diverted from the external environment, increasing safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions the display dimension from the interior space (dashboard/screen) to the exterior ground plane. By projecting steering guidance symbols and parking space information directly onto the roadway surface, the information becomes visible in the operator's natural field of view without requiring attention shifts to interior displays.
Solution Approach 2:
The headlamp serves as an intermediary device that receives steering information from the vehicle's control systems and translates it into visual projections on the ground. This intermediary function allows the operator to receive guidance through the existing visual channel of road viewing, eliminating the need for separate interior display interfaces.
3Measurement precision
If a high-resolution lighting apparatus projects ground projections representing vehicle length onto the roadway, then parking space assessment accuracy is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ground projection function is activated periodically or on-demand based on detected parking scenarios rather than continuously. The control device triggers the high-resolution lighting apparatus to project vehicle length representations only when parking spaces are detected and assessment is needed, reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining assessment accuracy when required.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting apparatus uses localized high-resolution projection only in the specific areas where parking spaces are detected, rather than uniformly illuminating the entire roadway. The control device directs light distributions selectively to relevant zones, consuming energy only where parking assessment is needed while maintaining precise measurement capability in those localized areas.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively supports the operator during parking by maintaining attention on the road while providing robust and accurate parking space assessment and steering guidance, reducing the risk of accidents.
Implementation Method 1
a high-resolution lighting apparatus for projecting various light distributions onto a roadway area positioned in front of a vehicle
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a vehicle headlamp (1) comprising; a high-resolution lighting apparatus (2) for projecting various light distributions onto a roadway area (4) positioned in front of a vehicle (3); an environmental detection device (5) for detecting at least one parking space (6) located in the environment surrounding the vehicle (3); and a control device (7) for dynamically controlling the lighting apparatus (2); wherein the environmental detection device (5) is designed to issue information corresponding to a detected parking space (6) to the control device (7), wherein the control device (7) is designed, in case the environmental detection device (5) detects a parking space (6), to control the lighting apparatus (2), under consideration of at least the information issued by the environmental detection device (5) related to the parking space (6), in such a manner that the lighting apparatus (2) at least projects a definable ground projection (8), which at least represents the vehicle length, onto the roadway area (4) in front of the vehicle (3).