Predictive Adaptive Front Lighting for Branching Road Geometry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional Adaptive Front Lighting (AFS) systems fail to optimally illuminate the road ahead, particularly in scenarios like branching roads, intersections, and changing road geometries, as they rely solely on instantaneous steering angle and vehicle speed, which do not accurately predict the future vehicle path, leading to suboptimal lighting and glare issues.
Innovation Solution
An improved adaptive front lighting system that predicts the upcoming vehicle path using GPS data and map information to calculate and adjust the swivel angles of headlamps, ensuring optimal illumination of the most likely path while minimizing glare to oncoming traffic, by incorporating a controller and swivel mechanisms to manipulate the headlamp beams based on predicted road geometry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional AFS systems use instantaneous steering angle and vehicle speed to estimate headlamp swivel angle, then the system structure remains simple, but the lighting accuracy and ability to illuminate upcoming road path deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by predicting the future vehicle path using GPS data and map information before the vehicle actually reaches those locations. The controller calculates the most likely path and secondary paths in advance, allowing the headlamps to be positioned optimally before the vehicle encounters branches, intersections, or curve changes, thereby improving lighting accuracy without requiring complex real-time reactions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces GPS data and map information as intermediary elements between the vehicle's current state and the desired headlamp positioning. These intermediaries provide predictive path information that mediates the control decision, enabling the system to look ahead and illuminate upcoming road geometry rather than merely reacting to instantaneous steering input
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional AFS systems react only to instantaneous vehicle path, then the control logic remains simple, but the ability to illuminate branching roads and intersections deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system calculates the most likely path and identifies secondary paths (such as branches and alternative routes) in advance using map data and GPS information. This preliminary path analysis enables the headlamps to adapt to branching road geometries and intersections before the vehicle reaches them, improving versatility without requiring complex real-time control logic
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic adaptability by continuously updating the predicted vehicle path based on GPS data, vehicle speed, and map information. The system dynamically adjusts headlamp swivel angles to follow the most likely path while being able to switch to secondary paths when detected, allowing the lighting system to adapt flexibly to changing road geometries including curves, branches, and intersections
3Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional AFS systems illuminate based on current vehicle path, then the lighting coverage remains focused, but glare to oncoming traffic increases in curve scenarios
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by illuminating different regions of the road with different headlamp beams based on the predicted path. The controller calculates specific swivel angles for each headlamp to illuminate the most likely path and secondary paths while avoiding areas where oncoming traffic may be present, particularly in curve scenarios. This selective illumination provides targeted lighting coverage while reducing glare to oncoming traffic
Data Source
AI summary
A system for predictive front lighting of a vehicle. The system includes at least two headlamps, at least two swivel mechanisms and a controller. The first and second headlamps project a beam pattern for illumination of the vehicle path. The controller receives vehicle position data, as well as, data regarding a most likely path and a secondary path of the vehicle. The controller then calculates the desired swivel angle of the headlamps based on the most likely path of the vehicle and the secondary path of the vehicle, and the swivel mechanisms respectively manipulate each of the headlamps to accordingly change alignment of the headlamps based on the swivel angle for each of the of the headlamps.