The invention relates to a method for controlling a lighting device for a motor vehicle comprising at least first and second light modules arranged to emit, respectively, first and second pixelated light beams in first and second predetermined emission zones which are associated with them, the resolution of the first pixelated light beam being greater than the resolution of the second pixelated light beam and the first and second predetermined emission zones being adjacent, the method includes detecting the presence of a target object in a given zone among the first and second predetermined emission zones and forming a dark zone in the pixelated light beam associated with the given zone, by extinction or attenuation of at least one pixel of the pixelated light beam, located at the level of the target object.

A vehicle lamp includes a first lamp unit for forming a first region of a beam pattern, and a second lamp unit for forming a second region of the beam pattern. The first lamp unit and the second lamp unit are arranged in a left-right direction. Each of the first lamp unit and the second lamp unit includes a plurality of lamp modules arranged in the left-right direction, each of the plurality of lamp modules including a light source unit including a light source and a light path adjusting unit. A position of light irradiation region formed by the light emitted from each of the plurality of lamp modules is particularly configured depending on a position of the light source with respect to a rear focal point of the light path adjusting unit.

The present invention relates to an automotive optical system; the optical system includes one or more first optical elements that reflect light rays emitted from a number of first light sources that are configured to perform a first lighting function and a second optical element; the second optical element is configured to project a light beam from the first optical elements configured to perform the first lighting function where a portion of the second optical element is made of a diffusive material. Furthermore, the optical system includes a number of secondary light sources where the second optical element is configured to receive light ray emissions from the secondary light sources and perform a second lighting function by scattering light rays received from secondary light sources.

A vehicle lamp includes a light source including a plurality of light emitting elements or light emitting surfaces, a projection lens that projects light emitted from the light source, and a light distribution adjusting element that adjusts light distribution of the light emitted from the light source, wherein the light distribution adjusting element has a plurality of prisms having different angles of inclined surfaces corresponding to a direction in which the plurality of light emitting elements or light emitting surfaces are arranged, and prism surfaces in which at least one or a plurality of flat surfaces are arranged.

The present invention relates to an automotive optical system; the optical system includes one or more first optical elements that reflect light rays emitted from a number of first light sources that are configured to perform a first lighting function and a second optical element; the second optical element is configured to project a light beam from the first optical elements configured to perform the first lighting function where a portion of the second optical element is made of a diffusive material. Furthermore, the optical system includes a number of secondary light sources where the second optical element is configured to receive light ray emissions from the secondary light sources and perform a second lighting function by scattering light rays received from secondary light sources.

A vehicle lamp is provided, which is capable of changing the clearness of a contrast boundary line correspondingly to a traveling state or a traveling environment of a vehicle. The vehicle lamp is mounted in a vehicle and configured to form a prescribed light distribution pattern including a contrast boundary line, the vehicle lamp including: a sensor provided in the vehicle; and a clearness control unit configured to change clearness of the contrast boundary line correspondingly to a detection result of the sensor.

A process is provided for controlling a headlamp of a motor vehicle. The headlamp includes a first light source module and a second light source module. The light source modules each feature several light sources that emit light. The light emitted by the light sources of the light source module represents a first light distribution, and the light emitted by the light sources of the second light source module represents a second light distribution. The first light distribution and the second light distribution partially overlap. The first light distribution and the second light distribution together form an overall light distribution. A subarea of the overall light distribution is formed only by the first light distribution, and the subarea is a vertical edge area of the overall light distribution.

An illumination system includes: a light irradiation unit that projects light toward a predetermined illumination area; an image acquisition unit that acquires an image of the illumination area; an object detecting unit that detects a shading object based on image information of the illumination area, acquired by the image acquisition unit; an information generating unit that generates the control information for setting each of the plurality of reflecting mirrors to an on state or an off state such that a plurality of irradiation patterns are alternately irradiated, each of the plurality of irradiation patterns having different arrangement of the dark pixels and the light pixels from each other; and an irradiation control unit that controls the light irradiation unit based on the generated control information.

A vehicle lamp includes: a first light source configured to irradiate visible light; a second light source configured to emit infrared light; a rotating reflector configured to be rotated while reflecting the visible light and the infrared light, and scan the visible light and the infrared light along a horizontal direction on a virtual vertical screen; a light receiving unit configured to receive the infrared light emitted from the second light source and reflected by a target object; and a controller configured to control an irradiation area of the visible light based on the infrared light received by the receiving unit. When determined that there is an abnormality in at least one of the second light source or the light receiving unit, the controller is configured to control the irradiation area based on the surrounding information of the vehicle obtained from outside the vehicle lamp.

A vehicle lamp includes a first lamp unit that includes a light source, a driving unit, and a reflective body that is driven by the driving unit to repeat a periodic motion and thus scans an exit beam from the light source; and a controlling unit that controls the first lamp unit. The controlling unit instructs that the driving unit be driven until a first duration T.sub.1 has passed even in a case where the controlling unit has received an illumination instruction instructing the first lamp unit to emit a beam and then received a stop instruction instructing the first lamp unit to stop emitting a beam.