Vehicle Headlight Pitch Angle Control via Image Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for controlling vehicle headlight output fail to accurately account for changes in pitch angle, leading to potential dazzling of other road users due to incorrect adjustments in light output.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that determine the change in pitch angle by analyzing the position deviation of objects in consecutively recorded images, using this information to adjust the headlight output and prevent dazzling by adjusting the horizontal cut-off line or switching to a standard low beam.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the light output is adjusted based on pitch angle changes to improve road illumination, then the illumination intensity is improved, but other road users may be dazzled
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the pitch angle using image processing of the horizon or road surface, and dynamically adjusts the headlight beam angle in real-time based on the detected vehicle attitude, creating a closed-loop feedback system that adapts to changing road conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the beam angle parameter of the headlights as a function of the detected pitch angle, adjusting the light distribution pattern to maintain proper illumination while preventing glare to other road users
2Measurement precision
If front axle sensors and rear axle sensors are used to detect vehicle position, then the relative movement between axles and body can be detected, but the rotation of the vehicle body about the Y-axis (pitch angle) cannot be accurately detected
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces the mechanical sensor-based detection method with an optical image processing approach, using a camera to capture visual information about the horizon or road surface and computationally determining the pitch angle from the image data
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary element (camera capturing horizon or road surface images) between the vehicle and the detection system, using the visual field as a reference to indirectly measure the pitch angle without requiring direct mechanical sensing of the body rotation
Data Source
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AI summary
The method involves successively detecting multiple images with illustrations of an object e.g. vehicle (16), as an image sequence, by a front camera (12). Position of the object is determined in two of the images. Pitch angle change of a vehicle (10) e.g. car, is detected using the determined position, where the change is caused by vehicle movement. Light output of a head light of the vehicle (10) is controlled based on the detected change. Pitch angle change of the vehicle (10) between image acquisition time points of each image is detected based on the position of the object in each image. An independent claim is also included for a device for controlling light output of a head light of a vehicle.