Motor Vehicle Headlight Glare Shielding via Dynamic Shaded Regions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for controlling motor vehicle headlights during full beam activation often require drivers to manually deactivate the full beam function when other road users are present, which can be distracting and may not provide immediate visual feedback on glare shielding, potentially leading to safety concerns.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that use an object sensor and evaluation unit to detect road users and dynamically adjust the light output by creating virtual sidelines that move outward and inward to reduce glare, allowing the driver to visually recognize when other road users are shielded from glare without needing to monitor a dashboard display.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the full beam function is activated to improve illumination, then the illumination intensity is improved, but other road users may be dazzled by the light
Solution Approach 1:
The headlight system applies different light distribution characteristics to different spatial regions. The full beam function provides high illumination intensity in regions without road users, while automatically creating shaded regions with reduced light output in directions where road users are detected. This local differentiation of light quality resolves the contradiction by maintaining high illumination where needed while preventing dazzling in protected regions.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the driver manually deactivates the full beam function to avoid dazzling, then the dazzling of road users is avoided, but the driver's attention is distracted from driving
Solution Approach 1:
The headlight control system performs automatic detection and adjustment without requiring driver intervention. The system independently monitors road user positions using object sensors, evaluates potential dazzling risks, and autonomously adjusts the light distribution by activating shaded regions. This self-service capability eliminates the need for manual driver actions, thereby preventing distraction while still avoiding dazzling of road users.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the environment using object sensors and provides real-time feedback about road user positions. Based on this feedback, the headlight control dynamically adjusts the light distribution pattern, creating or modifying shaded regions as needed. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures that the illumination adapts automatically to changing traffic conditions without requiring driver attention.
3Loss of information
If an on-board display screen is used to show full beam shielding status, then the driver receives information about glare shielding, but the driver is distracted from driving
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts the visual feedback function from the traditional on-board display screen and relocates it directly to the external environment. Instead of showing shielding status information inside the vehicle cabin, the system creates visible shaded regions in the external light distribution that the driver can observe through the windshield. This extraction eliminates the need for internal displays while providing continuous visual feedback about glare shielding status.
Solution Approach 2:
The feedback mechanism transitions from a two-dimensional display screen inside the cabin to a three-dimensional spatial light distribution in the external environment. The shaded regions are projected onto the road and surrounding area, allowing the driver to perceive shielding status through the natural viewing direction while driving. This dimensional transformation integrates information display with the driving task rather than separating them.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a method for controlling a headlight of a motor vehicle when a full beam function is activated, in which method an object is sensed by means of an object sensor, an evaluation unit determines whether the object is a road user, a light output in an object region of the object is reduced only if the object is a road user, a width of the object region is determined, two parallel side lines are determined centrally with respect to the width, the sidelines are moved outwards up to a predefinable maximum distance of the sidelines from one another, in opposite directions to one another and transversely with respect to their extent, wherein the maximum spacing is greater than the width of the object region, the sidelines are moved back as far as the transverse extent, and the headlight reduces the light output in a region which is bounded laterally by the sidelines.