Automotive Headlamp Upper Beam Segmentation for Glare Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current automotive headlamp systems face challenges in reducing glare for oncoming vehicles while maintaining visibility for the driver, especially when vehicles are present ahead, as traditional upper beam settings can cause discomfort and visibility issues due to high-intensity lighting.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a control unit in the headlamp system that dynamically adjusts the upper beam distribution pattern by making a partial region non-illuminated, determining the vehicle's position and existent area to selectively turn off or adjust the illumination, thereby reducing glare and enhancing visibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If upper beam is used to illuminate wide areas and distant areas with high intensity, then visibility is enhanced, but glare is caused to drivers of vehicles ahead
Solution Approach 1:
The headlamp system is divided into multiple upper beam units (first, second, third, fourth units) that can be independently controlled. Each unit corresponds to a specific upper beam illumination area, allowing selective illumination of different regions to avoid glare while maintaining visibility where needed
Solution Approach 2:
Different illumination characteristics are applied to different spatial regions. The system creates illuminated regions and non-illuminated regions within the upper beam distribution pattern, allowing high-intensity illumination in areas where no vehicle is present while avoiding glare in areas where vehicles are detected
2Object-affected harmful factors
If upper beam units are turned off when illumination-prohibited objects are detected, then glare is reduced, but visibility in other areas may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The upper beam illumination is segmented into multiple independent units, each controllable based on local vehicle detection. When a vehicle is detected in one area, only the corresponding upper beam unit is turned off or its intensity is reduced, while other units continue to provide illumination for areas without vehicles
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of turning off all upper beam units when any vehicle is detected, the system applies partial action by selectively controlling only the specific units that would cause glare to detected vehicles, maintaining excessive illumination in areas where it is safe and beneficial
Data Source
AI summary
An automotive headlamp apparatus includes headlamp units placed in a vehicle and a control unit which controls the illumination of the headlamp units. The headlamp units form a lower beam distribution pattern and an upper beam distribution pattern, and is configured so that a partial region of the upper beam distribution pattern can be non-illuminated. When the entirety of vehicle existent area of a vehicle-in-front travelling in front of a driver's vehicle is contained within the partial region, the control unit controls the headlamp units in such a manner that the partial region is non-illuminated; when at least a part of the vehicle existent area is contained within a region of the upper beam distribution pattern which is other than the partial region, the control unit controls the headlamp units in such a manner that the upper beam distribution pattern is not formed.