V2X Headlight Control Using Roadside Units to Prevent Glare
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicles using inappropriate headlight intensity or range can blind other drivers, posing road safety concerns, and existing automatic headlight systems based on vehicle sensors are inadequate in addressing these issues.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a vehicle-to-everything (V2X)/cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) system with roadside units (RSUs) to assist vehicles in adjusting headlight parameters, including switching between high and low beams, brightness, and range, for both V2X-equipped and non-V2X-equipped vehicles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If vehicles use high beam headlights to improve visibility, then the illumination intensity for the driver is improved, but other drivers are blinded causing road safety concerns
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses V2X communication to receive feedback information from other vehicles about their position, speed, and headlight status. Based on this feedback, the control unit automatically adjusts the headlight parameters (intensity, beam pattern, range) to prevent blinding other drivers while maintaining adequate visibility for the driver.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces V2X communication infrastructure (roadside units, other vehicles' sensors) as intermediaries to mediate between headlight users and affected drivers. These intermediaries detect and communicate headlight-related information, enabling coordinated adjustment without direct visual contact between drivers.
2Extent of automation
If sensor-based automatic headlight systems are used to adjust headlight parameters, then some automatic adjustment capability is provided, but the systems are inadequate for comprehensive road safety
Solution Approach 1:
The system combines multiple functions: V2X communication for information exchange, sensor data processing for environmental awareness, and automated control for headlight adjustment. This multi-functional integration creates a more reliable and comprehensive automatic headlight system that addresses limitations of single-function sensor-based systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges V2X communication capabilities with traditional sensor-based automatic headlight control into a unified system. The control unit processes both V2X message data and sensor inputs together, combining the advantages of networked information sharing with local environmental sensing to achieve superior road safety effectiveness.
3Reliability
If V2X/C-V2X communication systems are implemented to enable automatic light distribution, then road safety is enhanced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses existing V2X communication infrastructure and protocols that are becoming standardized in the automotive industry. By leveraging this emerging infrastructure rather than building proprietary communication systems, the patent reduces overall complexity while still achieving enhanced road safety through automatic light distribution.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects presented herein may enable a roadside unit (RSU) or a set of RSUs to assist vehicles to control their headlights, such as switching between high beam(s) and low beam(s) or adjusting the brightness, intensity, and/or range of their headlight beam(s) to improve road safety. In one aspect, an RSU receives at least one of a first message that includes first information associated with a first vehicle or a second message that includes second information associated with a second vehicle. The RSU transmits, based on at least one of the first message or the second message, an indication to modify at least one of a first set of parameters associated with a first lighting system at the first vehicle or a second set of parameters associated with a second lighting system at the second vehicle.