Vehicle Headlight Beam Adjustment Using Front and Rear Wheel Angles

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing headlight adjustment systems for vehicles only consider the front wheel steering angle, leading to insufficient or excessive adjustment of the beam direction during cornering, which can result in inadequate illumination and potential dazzling of other road users or poor curve illumination.

Innovation Solution

A method that adjusts the headlight beam direction based on both the front and rear wheel lock angles, using detection units and computing units to determine a precise beam direction, considering the rear wheel steering angle as a correction value and incorporating driving speed to adapt to actual cornering conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the beam direction is adjusted only based on front wheel lock angle, then the adjustment system is simple, but the illumination precision is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebeam direction precisionVSAvoidadjustment system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the steering system into front wheel steering and rear wheel steering components, with each wheel lock angle detected separately by independent detection units. This segmentation allows the beam direction to be precisely calculated by combining both steering inputs, resolving the contradiction between illumination precision and system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary detection of both front and rear wheel lock angles before calculating the beam direction. By预先 detecting all necessary steering parameters and storing them in memory, the system prepares the data needed for precise beam direction calculation, improving illumination accuracy without requiring complex real-time processing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Illumination intensity

If the beam direction is adjusted excessively to compensate for cornering, then the cornering illumination is improved, but other road users may be dazzled

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecornering illuminationVSAvoiddazzling effect
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs feedback control by continuously monitoring both front and rear wheel lock angles and using this information to dynamically adjust the beam direction. The control unit calculates the optimal beam direction based on actual vehicle steering state, ensuring the illumination is precisely directed toward the cornering path without excessive deflection that would cause dazzling to other road users.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the beam direction parameter based on the combined steering angles of front and rear wheels. By adjusting the beam direction as a function of both wheel lock angles rather than using a fixed or single-angle adjustment, the system achieves precise cornering illumination while avoiding excessive beam deflection that would create harmful dazzling effects.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If the headlight beam direction is not adjusted to match actual cornering conditions, then the system operation is simple, but the traffic safety is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetraffic safetyVSAvoidbeam adjustment system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal beam adjustment system that handles multiple steering configurations (front wheel steering only, rear wheel steering only, and combined steering) through a single control algorithm. The control unit universally applies the same calculation method based on available wheel lock angles, improving traffic safety across all driving scenarios while maintaining reasonable system complexity through algorithmic versatility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system achieves self-service by automatically detecting wheel lock angles, calculating the appropriate beam direction, and adjusting the headlights without driver intervention. The detection units and control unit work autonomously to ensure the beam direction always matches actual cornering conditions, improving traffic safety while avoiding the complexity of manual adjustment mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP2681077B1Method and device for adjusting a beam direction of a headlight, and motor vehicle
Publication Date: 2019.10.30 AUDI AG
  • EP2681077B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2681077B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4b

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for adjusting a beam direction (R) of a headlight (6) of a vehicle (1) having at least one front wheel (2) and at least one rear wheel (3), comprising the following steps: a) detecting a front wheel steering angle (a) of the at least one front wheel (2); b) detecting a rear wheel steering angle (b) of the at least one rear wheel (3); c) defining a beam direction (R) of the headlight (6) depending on the front wheel steering angle (a) and the rear wheel steering angle (b); and d) adjusting the beam direction (R) of the headlight (6) to the defined beam beam direction (R).