Vehicle Headlamp Dynamic Light Distribution Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional vehicle headlight systems face challenges in providing adequate illumination without blinding other road users, as high beam functions blind oncoming vehicles while low beam functions offer insufficient illumination due to high traffic densities.

Innovation Solution

A method for controlling a headlight arrangement that dynamically adjusts the light distribution based on detected road users, regulating the headlight range to ensure it is less than the distance to the user in the direction of travel while maintaining a greater range in side areas, utilizing a masked permanent high beam concept that pivots the light emission direction and adjusts aperture positions to optimize illumination without dazzling other drivers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If high beam function is used to provide comprehensive illumination, then illumination intensity is improved, but other road users are blinded

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveillumination of surroundingsVSAvoidblinding of other road users
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The headlight arrangement is divided into multiple independently controllable light sources (headlights) that can be individually regulated. Each headlight can have its light distribution adjusted separately, allowing the system to illuminate different areas with different intensities simultaneously, thus providing comprehensive illumination without blinding other road users.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The position of the diaphragm arrangements is dynamically changeable to adjust the light distribution. By changing the diaphragm position, the system can adapt the illumination pattern in real-time based on the presence and position of other road users, transitioning between different lighting modes to avoid blinding while maintaining adequate illumination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Object-affected harmful factors

If low beam function is used to avoid blinding other road users, then harmful factors are reduced, but illumination intensity becomes insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveblinding of other road usersVSAvoidillumination of surroundings
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges the advantages of both high beam and low beam functions by combining multiple controllable light sources with adjustable diaphragms. This allows the headlight arrangement to provide illumination comparable to high beam while incorporating the non-blinding characteristic of low beam through selective directional control of each light source.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

Different areas of the light distribution are given different qualities - the central area has reduced intensity to avoid blinding road users, while side areas maintain higher intensity for adequate illumination. This local differentiation allows the system to simultaneously achieve both goals of avoiding harm and providing sufficient light.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Length of stationary object

If the headlight range is extended to illuminate farther areas, then illumination coverage is improved, but the risk of blinding distant road users increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheadlight rangeVSAvoidblinding of distant road users
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of stationary objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the parameters of light distribution by adjusting diaphragm positions to create different light patterns. When a road user is detected, the diaphragm position is changed to reduce intensity in the direction of the road user while maintaining extended range in other directions, thus extending headlight range without increasing blinding risk.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2501584B1Method for controlling a headlamp arrangement for vehicle and headlamp arrangement
Publication Date: 2019.05.22 VOLKSWAGEN AG
  • EP2501584B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2501584B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2501584B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The present invention relates to a method for controlling a headlight arrangement for a vehicle (10), in which traffic participants (11, 12) are detected in front of the vehicle (10) in the direction of travel and the light distribution produced by the headlight arrangement is regulated in such a manner that it has a light width in the direction of at least one detected traffic participant (12), which is smaller than the distance to the detected traffic participant (12), and has in another direction a light width which is greater than the distance to the detected traffic participant (12). The method according to the invention is characterized in that the light width in the other direction is regulated as a function of the horizontal angle (F) between the direction of travel of the vehicle (10) and the connecting line from the vehicle (10) to the detected traffic participant (12) or an additional detected traffic participant (11).