Vehicle Headlamp Light Distribution Pattern Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle headlamp systems cause discomfort for drivers when dimming control moves a subregion from an irradiation state to a non-irradiation state or vice versa, as the transition appears discontinuous, leading to perceived small motions or glare issues.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle headlamp system with multiple light sources and control means that gradually turn on/off light sources with time differences to smoothly transition between irradiation and non-irradiation states in the light distribution pattern, ensuring a continuous and smooth movement of the irradiation region.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If light sources are turned on/off to move the non-irradiation region or irradiation region in the light distribution pattern, then the region can be moved to correspond to moving vehicles or pedestrians, but the transition appears discontinuous causing driver discomfort

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to track moving objectsVSAvoiddriver comfort
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit turns on light sources in advance before they are needed to form the non-irradiation region, and turns them off after they are no longer needed. This preliminary and delayed action creates an overlap period where multiple light sources are simultaneously active, ensuring continuous illumination coverage while the non-irradiation region transitions smoothly across subregions without visible discontinuities

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

By maintaining overlapping activation of light sources during transitions, the system ensures continuous useful action in illuminating the road. The irradiation region moves continuously from one subregion to another without interruption, preventing the driver from perceiving discontinuous jumps or gaps in the light distribution pattern

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

2Object-affected harmful factors

If light sources are turned on/off to adjust irradiation regions, then glare can be suppressed for vehicles and pedestrians, but the discrete switching creates perceived small motions or discontinuous movement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveglare suppressionVSAvoidsmoothness of region transition
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

Light sources are activated in advance before the non-irradiation region reaches their corresponding subregions, and remain active after the region has moved past them. This timing strategy ensures that as one light source turns off, another has already turned on, creating a smooth transitional overlap that eliminates perceived discontinuities while maintaining effective glare suppression

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the activation timing of light sources based on the movement and position of vehicles or pedestrians. By making the light source activation dynamic and adaptive rather than static and simultaneous, the system achieves smooth visual transitions while maintaining the ability to suppress glare in real-time as objects move through the illumination pattern

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2567867B1Vehicle headlamp and system for controlling the same
Publication Date: 2020.05.06 KOITO MFG CO LTD
  • EP2567867B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2567867B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2567867B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

A light distribution pattern (PA) formed by irradiation of light from a plurality of light sources (52R1 to 52R5, 52L1 to 52L5) for a headlamp (22L, 22R) provided in a vehicle (10) includes a plurality of regions (PA1 to PA5) each of which are irradiated by two or more corresponding light sources of the plurality of light sources (52R1 to 52R5, 52L1 to 52L5). An irradiation region (PA) is controlled so that at least one of the plurality of regions (PA1 to PA5) corresponds to an object moving the light distribution pattern (PA). The two or more light sources corresponding to the irradiation region are turned on with a time difference.