G01M11/064

Vehicle headlamp with laser for alignment of projected beam pattern, and method

A vehicle headlamp includes a housing, at least one lamp located in the housing, at least one beam alignment light source positioned in the housing and configured to project an image to aid in alignment of the at least one lamp, and at least one beam alignment mechanism operably coupled to the housing and configured to adjust the direction of light from the at least one lamp based on an image projected by the beam alignment light source.

METHOD FOR DETECTING THE DIRECTION OF ORIENTATION OF A VEHICLE AND USE OF THE METHOD

The present invention relates to a method for detecting the direction of the orientation of a vehicle, wherein the direction of the orientation of the vehicle is the direction of the axis of symmetry of the vehicle. In this case, the currently imaged vehicle represents its own reference in that, from the photographic image of the front side of the vehicle, a correlation is determined between the parts of the photographic image of the front side of the vehicle that are located in different parts of the photographic image of the front side of the vehicle with respect to an optical axis of symmetry of the front side of the vehicle, wherein the direction of the orientation of the vehicle relative to the imaging direction of the photographic image is derived from the correlation. The detected direction of the orientation of the vehicle can be used in test procedures of vehicle units, which, in terms of the radiation and/or reception direction of beams are to be aligned with the direction of the orientation of the vehicle or its geometrical axis of travel. The evaluation can be effected both with a photographic image of the front side of the vehicle, as well as also with a photographic image of the rear side of the vehicle.

LIGHTING SYSTEM AND SENSOR SYSTEM

A light source (14) is configured to emit light for lighting a predetermined area. A LiDAR sensor (15) is configured to sense information of an outside of a vehicle. A first screw mechanism (16) is configured to adjust posture of the light source (14). A second screw mechanism (17) is configured to adjust posture of the LiDAR sensor (15). Adjustment by one of the first screw mechanism (16) and the second screw mechanism (17) is performed on the basis of adjustment that has been performed by the other one of the first screw mechanism (16) and the second screw mechanism (17).

Vehicles with automatic headlight alignment

A vehicle may have lights such as headlights. The lights may be moved using a positioner. Control circuitry in the vehicle may use sensor circuitry to monitor the environment surrounding the vehicle. The sensor circuitry may include one or more sensors such as a lidar sensor, radar sensor, image sensor, and/or other sensors to measure the shape of a surface in front of the vehicle and the location of the surface relative to the vehicle. These sensors and/or other sensors in the sensor circuitry also measure headlight illumination on the surface. Based on the known shape of the surface in front of the vehicle and the distance of the surface from the vehicle, the control circuitry can predict where a headlight should be aimed on the surface. By comparing predictions of headlight illumination on the surface to measurements of headlight illumination on the surface, the vehicle can determine how to move the headlight with the positioner to align the headlight.

AIMING ADJUSTMENT METHOD FOR VEHICLE HEADLAMP, AIMING ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM FOR VEHICLE HEADLAMP AND VEHICLE HEADLAMP
20190143885 · 2019-05-16 · ·

There is provided an aiming adjustment method for a vehicle headlamp which performs aiming adjustment based on a reference point on a light-dark boundary of a light distribution pattern, the method includes setting, as the reference point, an intersection between a vertical light-dark boundary of a part of multi-divided light distribution patterns which are to be synthesized to form a high-beam light distribution pattern and a horizontal light-dark boundary of a low-beam light distribution pattern.

Method and gonioradiometer for the direction-dependent measurement of at least one lighting or radiometric characteristic variable of an optical radiation source

The invention relates to a gonioradiometer for the direction-dependent measurement of at least one lighting or radiometric characteristic variable of an optical radiation source (2), having: an apparatus for moving a radiation source (2) during a measurement operation about a first axis (31) and about a second axis (32) that is perpendicular to the first axis (31); a measuring wall (5) exhibiting homogeneous reflection, on which the light from the radiation source (2) is reflected; and a locationally fixed and immovably arranged camera (7) having an optical unit (8) and a two-dimensional sensor chip (100). The camera (7) is arranged such that it captures light reflected on the measuring wall (5), wherein the reflected light is imaged by the optical unit (8) of the camera (8) onto the sensor chip (100) of the camera (7), and wherein the sensor chip (100) records measurement values as the radiation source (2) is rotated during a measurement operation, which measurement values indicate the lighting or radiometric characteristic variable substantially on a spherical surface about the radiation centroid of the radiation source (2). The invention furthermore relates to a method and a gonioradiometer for the direction-dependent measurement of at least one lighting or radiometric characteristic variable of an optical radiation source (2), in which provision is made for at least two fixedly installed sensors (1, 100) to be used which provide measurement values simultaneously during a measurement.

Vehicle exterior light outage

A computer includes a processor that is programmed to activate a vehicle exterior light, and measure a luminance in a predetermined region outside the vehicle based on vehicle camera data. The processor is programmed to determine whether the vehicle exterior light is operational based the measured luminance.

VEHICLE EXTERIOR LIGHT OUTAGE

A computer includes a processor that is programmed to activate a vehicle exterior light, and measure a luminance in a predetermined region outside the vehicle based on vehicle camera data. The processor is programmed to determine whether the vehicle exterior light is operational based the measured luminance.

Vehicle headlamp device

A vehicle headlamp device includes headlamps, which are structured so as to be able to project or irradiate given patterns and given shapes without distortion on a given virtual surface in front of a vehicle from a left headlight and a right headlight, respectively, a camera that captures an image of the area in front of the vehicle, and a state detecting portion configured to detect distortion of the given patterns, which are projected or irradiated on an irradiated surface in front of the vehicle, relative to the given patterns projected or irradiated on the given virtual surface in front of the vehicle, based on the captured image, and also detect a state of the irradiated surface based on the distortion, and a correcting portion configured to correct a relative optical axis deviation between the left headlight and the right headlight.

LASER ALIGNMENT OF HEADLAMP BEAM PATTERN

A vehicle headlamp includes a housing. One or more lamps are located in the housing. A beam alignment light source is positioned in the housing and is configured to aid in alignment of the one or more lamps. A beam alignment mechanism is operably coupled to the housing and configured to adjust the direction of light from at least one of the one or more lamps. A method of aligning the vehicle headlamp includes the steps of: illuminating an alignment light source within the vehicle headlamp; projecting the illuminated alignment light source onto a surface; aligning the alignment light source to a pre-determined position on the surface; and adjusting one or more lamps to correspond with the pre-determined position of the alignment light source.