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EP-4735301-A1 - CONTROLLER, SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR GENERATING A DAZZLE-FREE HIGHBEAM OF A VEHICLE

EP4735301A1EP 4735301 A1EP4735301 A1EP 4735301A1EP-4735301-A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a controller (3) for generating a dazzle-free highbeam by means of a headlight system (4) of a vehicle (50). The controller (3) comprises a processor (10), a storage unit (20) for storing data and machine-readable instructions for the processor (10), and an interface (30). The interface (30) is designed to receive sensor data from a sensor unit (2) in order to detect another vehicle (60) which is at risk of dazzling by means of the headlight system (4) and to output control signals in order to actuate the headlight system (4). The storage unit (20) contains instructions for the processor (10) to analyze the sensor data received from the sensor unit (2) in order to ascertain the current position of the detected vehicle (60) and to ascertain the base width of a shadow region, which is required to prevent a direct dazzling of the detected vehicle (60), in a headlight light field on the basis of the current position of the detected vehicle and to ascertain at least one offset in order to expand the shadow region in order to prevent a lateral dazzling of the detected vehicle (60) and to actuate the headlight system (4) such that a shadow region is produced in the headlight highbeam field in order to prevent a dazzling of the detected vehicle (60), the width of the shadow region corresponding substantially to the base width increased by the at least one offset.

Inventors

  • NEITZKE, CARSTEN

Assignees

  • Stellantis Auto SAS

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20240514

Claims (10)

  1. 1. Control device (3) for generating a glare-free high beam by means of a headlight system (4) of a vehicle (50), comprising: a processor (10), a memory unit (20) for storing data and machine-readable instructions for the processor (10), and an interface (30), wherein the interface (30) is designed to receive sensor data from a sensor system (2) for detecting another vehicle (60) exposed to a risk of glare by the headlight system (4) and to output control signals for controlling the headlight system (4), wherein the memory unit (20) contains instructions for the processor (10) to evaluate the sensor data received from the sensor system (2) to determine a current positioning of the detected vehicle (60) and, based on the current positioning of the detected vehicle (60), to determine a base width of a shadow area in a headlight light field required to avoid direct glare of the detected vehicle and at least one offset for expanding the shadow area to avoid lateral glare of the detected vehicle. (60) and to control the headlight system in such a way that a shadow area is created in the headlight high beam field in order to glare the detected vehicle (60), the width of which shadow area essentially corresponds to the base width increased by the at least one offset.
  2. 2. Control device according to claim 1, wherein the memory unit (20) contains instructions for the processor (10) to detect the current positioning of the detected vehicle (60) based on a current distance and a current azimuth angle.
  3. 3. Control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a look-up table is stored in the memory unit (20), which establishes a connection between the positioning of the detected vehicle (60) and the offset.
  4. 4. Control device according to claim 3, wherein the offset values are stored in the look-up table with the proviso that in the case of an inclination of the sensor detected vehicle (60), window areas of the detected vehicle (60) are substantially completely covered by the at least one offset.
  5. 5. Control device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein bilateral offsets are stored in the look-up table for a small angle range to avoid side mirror glare.
  6. 6. Control device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the memory unit (20) contains instructions for the processor (10) to determine the positioning of the detected vehicle (60), the base width and the offset separately for a left headlight and for a right headlight of the headlight system (4), and to control the left headlight and the right headlight accordingly.
  7. 7. System (1) with a headlight system (4) of a vehicle (50) for generating a glare-free high beam, comprising a control device (3) according to one of the preceding claims and a sensor system (2) for detecting another vehicle (60) exposed to a risk of glare by the headlight system, wherein the sensor system (2) and the headlight system (4) are functionally connected to the control device (3) via the interface (30), and wherein the memory unit (20) contains instructions for the processor (10) to evaluate the sensor data received from the sensor system (2) to determine a current positioning of a detected vehicle (60) and, based on the current positioning of the detected vehicle (60), to determine a base width of a shadow area in a headlight high beam field required to avoid direct glare of the detected vehicle (60) and at least one offset for expanding the shadow area to avoid lateral glare of the detected vehicle (60), and to control the headlight system (4) in such a way that a A shadow area is created whose width essentially corresponds to the base width increased by at least one offset.
  8. 8. System according to claim 7, wherein the headlight system (4) comprises a left and a right headlight and the memory unit (20) contains instructions for the processor (10) to determine the positioning of the detected vehicle (60), the base width and the offset separately for each of the headlights, and to control the left headlight and the right headlight accordingly.
  9. 9. Method for generating a glare-free high beam by means of a headlight system (4) of a vehicle (50), comprising: Providing (400) sensor data for detecting another vehicle (60) exposed to a risk of glare by the headlight system (4) of the vehicle (50), - evaluating (500) the sensor data to determine a current positioning of a detected vehicle (60), Determining (600) a base width of a shadow area required to avoid direct glare of the detected vehicle (60), determining (700) at least one offset for extending the shadow area to avoid lateral glare of the detected vehicle (60), and - controlling (800) the headlight system (4) such that a shadow region is created in the headlight light field for glare-reducing the detected vehicle (60), the width of which region substantially corresponds to the base width increased by the at least one offset.
  10. 10. Vehicle (50), wherein a system (1) with a headlight system (4) for generating a glare-free high beam according to claim 7 or 8 is implemented in the vehicle (50).

Description

Description CONTROL DEVICE, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING A GLARE-FREE HIGH BEAM OF A VEHICLE The present disclosure generally relates to methods for controlling headlights. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a control device, a system and a method for generating a glare-free high beam using a headlight system of a vehicle. Vehicle headlights, in particular with a segmented high beam, for generating a glare-free high beam are known. For example, if road users are detected in the high beam area of the headlight light field using the vehicle sensors, certain segments of the headlight can be deactivated to generate one or more shadow areas in order to reduce the glare of the detected road users. Due to system tolerances and/or system latencies or detection methods, a road user may not be completely glared by the shadow areas in the headlight high beam. To ensure reliable glare control, in particular despite system tolerances and system latencies, the shadow areas are dimensioned extra large or with a reserve, which can impair the overall performance of the headlights. An object of the embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide a control device, a system and a method for generating a glare-free high beam, which enable both reliable glare control and high headlight performance. To solve this problem, according to a first aspect, a control device for generating a glare-free high beam by means of a headlight system of a vehicle is provided. The headlight system can be designed in particular as a matrix headlight for generating a segmented high beam. The control device comprises a processor, a memory unit for storing data and machine-readable instructions for the processor, and an interface. The interface is designed to receive sensor data from a sensor system to capture a other vehicle or object or road user exposed to the risk of glare from the headlight system, in particular a vehicle driving ahead and/or coming towards you. The sensor system can in particular comprise one or more cameras and be designed to detect other vehicles, in particular using the headlights or tail lights. The interface is also designed to output control signals or control commands for controlling the headlight system. The memory unit contains the instructions for the processor to evaluate the data received from the sensors to determine the current positioning of a detected vehicle. In this context, positioning means both a position or location as well as an orientation of the detected vehicle. The position and orientation can be determined in particular in a coordinate system or sensor coordinate system tied to the detecting vehicle, i.e. the vehicle having the control device and the sensors, or the ego vehicle. The memory unit further contains instructions for the processor to determine, based on the current positioning of the detected vehicle, a base width of a shadow area in a headlight high beam field that is required to avoid direct glare of the detected vehicle. The width of a shadow area in the headlight high beam can be specified or defined in particular in angular coordinates, in particular by a horizontal opening angle of the corresponding high beam shadow in the headlight high beam field. The memory unit further contains instructions for the processor to determine at least one offset or a horizontal offset angle for expanding the shadow area to avoid lateral glare, in particular lateral mirror glare and/or lateral window glare, of the detected vehicle, and to control the headlight system such that a shadow area is created in the headlight high beam field to avoid glare of the detected vehicle, the width of which shadow area essentially corresponds to the base width increased by the at least one offset. The width of the resulting shadow area is thus composed of the base width and the offset. Depending on the positioning of the detected vehicle, in particular in the coordinate system of the sensor, the proportion of the offset in the total width can of the resulting shadow area. For example, if a vehicle detected by the sensor system is driving exactly in front of the ego vehicle, the risk of side glare is reduced and at least one offset can be reduced to a minimum. Shadow areas of a glare-free high beam can thus be better adapted to the correct size depending on the situation, so that other road users are not disturbed by mirror glare, for example, without having to make the shadow areas generally larger. By determining the offset and extending the base width by the determined offset, the width of the resulting shadow area can be automatically adjusted to the required minimum size, thus avoiding unnecessarily large shadow areas. The storage unit can contain instructions for the processor to record the current positioning of the detected vehicle based on a current distance or object distance and a current azimuth angle or object angle. The distance can be specified in particular as the distance be