Vehicle Headlamp Illuminating Range Control for Glare and Visibility

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing illuminating devices for vehicles struggle to balance driver visibility and glare prevention, particularly when encountering regular versus large-sized vehicles, as they proportionally control the boundary between the illuminating range and the light-blocking region, which can limit visibility of vehicle indicators.

Innovation Solution

An illuminating device that detects the vehicle height of a forward vehicle and adjusts the illuminating range and light-blocking regions accordingly, setting specific light-blocking areas based on vehicle height and distance to ensure both visibility and glare prevention, with regions inversely proportional to the distance and vehicle type.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If the boundary between illuminating range and light-blocking region is controlled to move proportionally based on distance, then glare prevention is improved, but driver visibility particularly with respect to indicators deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveglare preventionVSAvoiddriver visibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating the light-blocking strategy based on vehicle type. For regular vehicles, the light-blocking region is set to prevent glare while preserving indicator visibility. For large-sized vehicles, a different light-blocking configuration is applied. This localized adaptation resolves the contradiction by tailoring the glare prevention measure to the specific vehicle type rather than applying a uniform proportional boundary movement that would harm indicator visibility for all vehicles.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of light-blocking region configuration based on detected vehicle height. When a regular vehicle is detected, the system adjusts the light-blocking parameters to allow indicator visibility while still preventing glare. When a large-sized vehicle is detected, different parameters are applied. This parameter adaptation resolves the technical contradiction by dynamically adjusting the glare prevention intensity based on vehicle characteristics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-affected harmful factors

If upward illuminating is blocked in the illuminating range to prevent glare to precedent vehicle, then glare prevention is improved, but visibility of driver particularly with respect to indicators cannot be increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveglare preventionVSAvoidindicator visibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the light-blocking region into different zones based on vehicle type. For regular vehicles, the segmentation allows the indicator region to remain illuminated while blocking only the glare-causing upper portions. For large-sized vehicles, a different segmentation pattern is applied. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by selectively blocking light in specific regions rather than uniformly blocking all upward illumination, thereby preserving indicator visibility while preventing glare.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Illumination intensity

If the illuminating range is set to include area above forward vehicle, then driver visibility is improved, but glare is given to occupant in forward vehicle

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedriver visibilityVSAvoidglare to forward vehicle
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a dynamic light-blocking mechanism that automatically adjusts the illuminating range based on the detected vehicle type and distance. When a regular vehicle is detected, the system dynamically configures the light-blocking region to preserve indicator visibility while preventing glare. When a large-sized vehicle is detected, the system adapts the dynamic configuration accordingly. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by making the illuminating range flexible rather than fixed, allowing simultaneous optimization of driver visibility and glare prevention based on real-time conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2996900B1Illuminating device, illuminating method, program, and medium
Publication Date: 2021.01.13 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
  • EP2996900B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2996900B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~3
  • EP2996900B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5B

AI summary

An illuminating device (1) includes: a detecting section (2a) configured to detect a vehicle height of a forward vehicle running in front of a vehicle; and a control section (2c) configured to control an illuminating range of a head lamp of the vehicle according to the vehicle height.