Headlamp Light Distribution Control via Distance-Aided Lamp State Judgment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicular headlamp control systems struggle to accurately determine if a pair of forward vehicle lamps are both lit or only one is malfunctioning, leading to potential dazzling of the driver due to incorrect irradiation direction adjustments.
Innovation Solution
A headlamp light distribution control device that includes an image acquisition unit, distance acquisition unit, judgment unit, and control unit, which acquires images and distance data to differentiate between both lamps lit and single lamp lit states, adjusting the irradiation direction to prevent driver dazzling by setting appropriate shielded areas based on the judgment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If lamp detection is performed based on camera image resolution, then the system can identify forward vehicles, but the finite resolution causes pairs of lamps to be misjudged as single lamps, leading to incorrect irradiation control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional image analysis to three-dimensional spatial analysis by incorporating distance information from a distance measurement unit. This additional dimension enables the system to calculate actual lamp spacing by combining image coordinates with depth data, resolving the ambiguity of whether detected light spots represent single or paired lamps without requiring higher camera resolution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a distance measurement unit as an intermediary component that provides depth information to the control unit. This intermediary enables the system to bridge the gap between limited visual resolution and accurate lamp pair identification by using spatial distance data to supplement image analysis, allowing correct determination of lamp configuration without upgrading the camera system.
2Reliability
If the irradiation direction is adjusted to avoid detected lamps, then forward vehicle detection is achieved, but when one lamp is malfunctioning, the system incorrectly irradiates the area around the non-lit lamp, dazzling the driver
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary determination of whether lamps are in a lit or unlit state before executing irradiation direction control. By using distance information to accurately identify lamp pairs and their states in advance, the system can pre-calculate appropriate shielded areas that account for malfunctioning lamps, ensuring that irradiation avoidance is performed correctly without dazzling the driver.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses distance measurement feedback to continuously refine lamp state determination and irradiation control decisions. The control unit receives distance information, recalculates lamp positions and states, and adjusts shielded areas accordingly, creating a feedback loop that ensures reliable irradiation control even when lamp malfunction occurs.
Data Source
AI summary
An extraction unit extracts a forward vehicle from an acquired image of the forward area image. A judgment unit extracts a lamp of the forward vehicle from the image of the extracted forward vehicle if a distance to the forward vehicle is less than a predetermined value, and judges whether the extracted lamp is actually two lamps or a single lamp. A control unit controls an irradiation direction of a headlamp such that a first shielded area is set in an irradiation area to prevent an area including the lamp of the forward vehicle from being irradiated if judged that the extracted lamp is actually two lamps, and such that a second shielded area is set in the irradiation area to have a margin in right and left directions larger than the first shielded area if judged that the extracted lamp is really only a single lamp.