Vehicle Pitch Angle Sensing for Sensorless Headlight Range Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for determining a vehicle's pitch angle for luminous range control are complex, maintenance-intensive, and rely on mechanical sensors that are susceptible to environmental influences, leading to inaccuracies and increased maintenance needs.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus using a gravitation sensor to determine the loading pitch angle at a standstill and an acceleration sensor to determine the dynamic pitch angle during driving, combined with a camera-based system for averaged pitch angle, allowing for precise and rapid determination of the current pitch angle without mechanical ride height sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If mechanical ride height sensors are used to determine pitch angle, then measurement capability is provided, but maintenance needs increase and reliability decreases due to susceptibility to environmental influences
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical ride height sensors with a sensorless method that uses existing electronic control units and mathematical algorithms to determine pitch angle. This substitution eliminates mechanical components that are susceptible to environmental influences, thereby improving reliability while maintaining measurement capability through computational methods.
2Measurement precision
If mechanical sensors are used for pitch angle determination, then pitch angle data is obtained, but system complexity and maintenance intensity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates mechanical sensors by using a sensorless determination method that leverages existing electronic control units already present in the vehicle. This approach reduces device complexity by removing mechanical components while maintaining the necessary measurement functionality through software-based calculations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes existing electronic control units that serve multiple functions within the vehicle's existing sensor network. By making these existing components serve the additional function of pitch angle determination, the system avoids adding dedicated mechanical sensors, thereby reducing overall system complexity.
3Reliability
If existing pitch angle determination methods are used, then luminous range control is achieved, but accuracy and responsiveness are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the electronic control unit continuously receives data from existing sensors, calculates pitch angle in real-time, and adjusts headlight orientation accordingly. This continuous feedback loop improves both the accuracy and responsiveness of luminous range control compared to traditional methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary calculations and data processing within the electronic control unit to prepare pitch angle determination before it is needed for headlight adjustment. This preliminary action enables faster and more accurate responsiveness when luminous range control is required.
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
Enables reliable, rapid, and cost-effective determination of the vehicle's pitch angle, improving the accuracy and responsiveness of luminous range control systems, reducing the need for maintenance-intensive mechanical sensors.
Implementation Method 1
determining, at a standstill of the vehicle, a change of a load pitch angle of the vehicle based on output from a gravitation sensor
Implementation Method 2
determining, as the vehicle is driven, an average value of the pitch angle of the vehicle and an average value of a dynamic pitch angle of the vehicle, the average value of the dynamic pitch angle determined via output from an acceleration sensor
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus to determine a vehicle pitch angle for luminous range control are disclosed. An example method to determine a pitch angle of a vehicle relative to a surface on which the vehicle stands for luminous range control of a headlight of the vehicle includes determining, at a standstill of the vehicle, a change of a load pitch angle of the vehicle based on output from a gravitation sensor, determining, as the vehicle is driven, an average value of the pitch angle of the vehicle and an average value of a dynamic pitch angle of the vehicle, the average value of the dynamic pitch angle determined via output from an acceleration sensor, determining a current value of the dynamic pitch angle via the output from the acceleration sensor, determining a current value of the load pitch angle of the vehicle based on the average value of the pitch angle and the average value of the dynamic pitch angle, determining, based on the current value of the load pitch angle and the current value of the dynamic pitch angle, the pitch angle of the vehicle relative to the surface, and controlling an orientation of the headlight of the vehicle based on the pitch angle of the vehicle relative to the surface.