Vehicle Headlight Hazard Warning Signal Adaptation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for controlling light emission from vehicle headlights do not effectively address hazards such as unlit vehicles, objects, or animals on the road, particularly at high speeds and in dark conditions, leading to late recognition of dangers and increased risk of accidents.

Innovation Solution

A method that uses a receiving device to read hazard warning signals, determine a tolerance range, and adjust the light emission characteristics of the headlights to better illuminate potential hazards, including those outside the vehicle's direct path, using existing navigation and communication systems to enhance visibility and safety.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the light emission of headlights is adjusted based on detected traffic situations and obstacles, then the recognition of hazards is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehazard recognitionVSAvoidlighting control system
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple existing systems (headlight control, obstacle detection, traffic situation detection) into a unified lighting control system that automatically adjusts headlight behavior based on integrated information from various sensors and detectors, resolving the contradiction by merging functions rather than adding separate complex systems

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The lighting control system is designed to perform multiple functions: normal illumination, hazard highlighting, and obstacle detection based on traffic situations. This multi-functionality allows a single system to address various driving conditions without requiring separate specialized systems for each function

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

2Loss of time

If hazard warning signals are used to control light emission, then early hazard detection is achieved, but the loss of time in processing and responding to hazards occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehazard detection timeVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system receives and processes hazard warning signals in advance before the vehicle actually encounters the hazard. By detecting hazards early through warning signals and pre-adjusting the lighting system accordingly, the system minimizes response time and allows the driver extra time to react to potential dangers

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Illumination intensity

If the beam pattern is adapted to illuminate hazard positions, then the illumination intensity of hazards is improved, but the energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehazard illuminationVSAvoidheadlight energy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of uniformly illuminating the entire road ahead, the system selectively adapts the beam pattern to illuminate specific hazard positions detected by warning signals. This localized illumination approach concentrates energy on critical areas rather than distributing it uniformly, improving hazard visibility while reducing overall energy consumption compared to maximum intensity illumination

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP2562040B1Method for controlling the light emission of a headlamp of a vehicle
Publication Date: 2021.04.07 ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
  • EP2562040B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP2562040B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5C
  • EP2562040B1 patent drawingFigure 6A~8B

AI summary

The method involves reading a hazard warning signal received by a receiver. A check is made whether a hazard position indicated by the hazard warning signal lies within a tolerance range on a current route traveled by a vehicle (100). A radiation characteristic of light emission of a headlight (105) of the vehicle is changed to another radiation characteristic if the hazard position lies within the tolerance range on the current route traveled by the vehicle. The latter radiation characteristic is determined based on the hazard warning signal. The radiation characteristic includes brightness, viewing angle, width and size of a track region ahead of the vehicle. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) a device for controlling light emission of a headlight of a vehicle (2) a computer program product comprising a set of instructions to perform a method for controlling light emission of the headlight of the vehicle.