Vehicle Headlight Illumination Range Calibration via Road Markings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle headlight systems often require external devices for adjusting illumination range, leading to increased costs and potential glare issues due to incorrect adjustments, which can blind other road users.
Innovation Solution
A method to determine the illumination range of vehicle headlights using road-marking features illuminated by the headlights, allowing for continuous calibration without external measuring devices, utilizing image acquisition and evaluation to detect road-marking features and calculate the distance for accurate illumination range determination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If external measuring devices are used to determine illumination range, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The headlight system uses its own light emission to illuminate road-marking features, and the vehicle's existing image acquisition device detects these illuminated features. The system serves itself by using its own output (light) as the input for measurement, eliminating the need for external measuring devices while maintaining measurement capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Road-marking features serve as intermediaries between the headlight and the image acquisition device. The headlight illuminates these features, which then reflect light back to the camera, enabling indirect measurement of illumination range without requiring direct measurement equipment.
2Manufacturing precision
If manual adjustment of headlights is performed, then manufacturing precision is improved, but time consumption and labor cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously captures images of road-marking features and processes this visual feedback to automatically determine the illumination range. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables real-time detection and automatic adjustment, replacing manual procedures with automated control based on actual illumination conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical adjustment process is replaced by an automated optical-mechanical system. The image acquisition device captures visual information, the processor analyzes the data, and the system automatically adjusts the headlight positioning, substituting human operators with automated sensing and actuation systems.
3Adaptability or versatility
If vehicle-loading sensors are used to compensate illumination range, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the vehicle's existing image acquisition device (camera) to detect road-marking features and determine illumination range changes. Instead of adding specialized loading sensors, the system leverages the camera's inherent capability to capture visual information and process it for illumination range determination, achieving adaptability through self-service.
Solution Approach 2:
The image acquisition device serves multiple functions: it captures images for road-marking feature detection, determines illumination range, and enables automatic headlight adjustment. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for dedicated loading sensors, reducing system complexity while maintaining adaptability to different loading conditions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach simplifies and cost-saves the adjustment process while enhancing traffic safety by preventing glare, allowing for real-time calibration of headlights to ensure proper illumination range without relying on vehicle-loading sensors.
Implementation Method 1
The at least one road-marking feature may have a light-reflecting region and, additionally or alternatively, a color different from the roadway. The detection of the at least one road-marking feature and, therefore, the ascertainment of the distance between the same and the vehicle, as well, may be carried out based on the light-reflecting region and/or the color different from the roadway.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for determining an illumination range of at least one headlight of a vehicle includes a step of detecting at least one road-marking feature, which is illuminated by the at least one headlight, a step of ascertaining a distance between the vehicle and the at least one illuminated road-marking feature, and a step of determining the illumination range of the at least one headlight, using the ascertained distance.