Asymmetric Headlight Glare Masking for Side Mirror Coverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle headlight control systems may cause glare when the side mirror of a preceding vehicle is far apart from its rear end, as the light blocking area is not adequately extended to cover the side mirror, leading to incomplete illumination adjustments.
Innovation Solution
A control apparatus for vehicle headlights that includes a rear end detection unit and a light blocking area setting unit, which sets the light blocking area with a wider extent on the side where the front end of the preceding vehicle is located relative to the rear end, ensuring the side mirror is included within the light blocking area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the light blocking area is set centered at the rear end of the preceding vehicle with basic compensation for moving direction, then the detection and control process is simple, but the side mirror may fall outside the light blocking area causing glare
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by setting the light blocking area with different spreading extents on opposite sides of the rear end. Specifically, the spreading extent on the side where the front end of the preceding vehicle is present is made wider than on the opposite side. This asymmetric configuration ensures that the side mirror, which is located farther from the rear end on the front end side, is included within the light blocking area, thereby preventing glare while maintaining a relatively simple control process.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the light blocking area is extended wider to cover the side mirror, then glare is suppressed, but the illumination area for the own vehicle driver is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the light blocking area asymmetric rather than uniformly expanding it in all directions. The spreading extent is increased only on the side where the front end of the preceding vehicle is present, while the opposite side maintains a smaller spreading extent. This localized adjustment ensures that the side mirror is covered to suppress glare, while minimizing the reduction of illumination area on the opposite side, thus balancing glare suppression with adequate illumination for the own vehicle driver.
Data Source
AI summary
A control apparatus (1) for vehicle headlight including a rear end detection unit (3, 7) that detects a rear end (117) of a preceding vehicle (111) and a light blocking area setting unit (7) that sets a light blocking area (123) that includes the rear end within a light illumination area of a headlight (101, 103) of an own vehicle (107), wherein the light blocking area setting unit sets the light blocking area such that a spreading extent (125, 127) of the light blocking area outside the rear end is wider on a side in which a front end of the preceding vehicle is present than on the opposite side with reference to the rear end as viewed from the own vehicle.