METHOD FOR ADJUSTING VEHICLE LIGHTING WHEN DRIVING THROUGH A BUILDING SITE, AND VEHICLE

Abstract

A method for adjusting vehicle lighting when driving through a building site involves adjusting a light pattern cast by at least one vehicle headlight into an environment from a top light field, referred to as high beam, and a bottom light field, referred to as low beam, upon recognizing that a building site is being driven through by changing a light intensity with which the light pattern is generated. The light intensity at which the low beam is emitted is increased to a determined value when driving through the building site.

Claims

1-9. (canceled)

10. A method for adjusting vehicle lighting of a vehicle when driving through a building site, the method comprising: determining that the vehicle is driving through the building site, wherein the vehicle lighting projects a light pattern in a top light field, which is a high beam, or in a bottom light field, which is a low beam, wherein the low beam is projected at a first intensity; and adjusting, responsive to the determination that the vehicle is driving through the building site, the projected light pattern to the low beam at a second intensity based on a determined value, wherein the second intensity is increased compared to the first intensity.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the light intensity at which the high beam is emitted is reduced or the high beam is deactivated when driving through the building site.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the determination that the vehicle is driving through the building site comprises: evaluating at least one camera image generated by a vehicle camera of the vehicle; evaluating a sensor signal provided by a radar system of the vehicle; comparing a current vehicle position, which is determined by a global navigation satellite system, with map material; evaluating a current vehicle speed; or evaluating a wireless building site indication signal transmitted via a vehicle-to-X communication interface.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the determined value is changed depending on a road condition, which is a road surface or puddles detected on the road.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the road condition is recognized by combining sensor data of at least one vehicle camera and sensor data of a laser scanner.

15. The method of claim 10, when an exit is recognized, a light pattern focus is shifted to a region of an environment of the vehicle corresponding to the exit or a surface occupied by the light pattern is broadened so that the region of the environment corresponding to the exit is also at least partially lit.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein when at least one further traffic participant located in a vehicle environment is detected, lighting of at least one determined region of the projected light pattern, is omitted in a targeted manner, wherein the at least one determined region is the bottom light field.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the projected light pattern is produced by at least one LED matrix headlight.

18. A vehicle, comprising: at least one headlight; an environment monitoring system; and a computing unit coupled to the at least one headlight and the environment monitoring system, wherein the computing unit is configured to determine that the vehicle is driving through a building site, wherein the vehicle lighting projects a light pattern in a top light field, which is a high beam, or in a bottom light field, which is a low beam, wherein the low beam is projected at a first intensity; and adjust, responsive to the determination that the vehicle is driving through the building site, the projected light pattern to the low beam at a second intensity based on a determined value, wherein the second intensity is increased compared to the first intensity.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SOLE FIGURE

[0027] The sole FIGURE shows a vehicle driving through a building site at night from the perspective of a person driving a vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The FIGURE shows a vehicle 8 driving through a building site 1 at night. The vehicle 8 comprises several vehicle headlights 2, also referred to as headlights 9 in the following, for brightening a vehicle environment. The headlights 9 emit light to generate a light pattern 3. The light pattern 3 consists of a top light field 3.1 and a bottom light field 3.2, the top light field 3.1 corresponding to high beam and the bottom light field 3.2 to low beam. In the FIGURE, the headlights 9 only project light to form the bottom light field 3.2.

[0029] When driving through a building site 1, a visual perception of the building site 1 is often limited as a road surface of a renewed road 4 reflects light badly and a plurality of reflecting environment objects such as road signs 10 and warning beacons 11 are provided in the region of the building site 1, the objects reflecting light emitted by the headlights 9 back in the direction of the person driving the vehicle, whereby the person driving the vehicle is blinded. A visual perception of the building site region 1 is improved according to the invention by the headlights 9 emitting low beam light with an increased light intensity in comparison with typical low beams. A road surface absorbing light can also be brightened using the brighter low beam, and the person driving the vehicle being blinded can additionally be avoided as reflecting environment objects such as the road signs 10 and the warning beacons 11 are not lit. It is thus possible for the person driving the vehicle to better perceive road markings 12, whereby the person driving the vehicle can also remain in a lane they are driving in more easily. A driving comfort of driving through the building site is thus also improved.

[0030] It can here occur that reflecting regions are present on the road 4, for example in the form of puddles 5. Light emitted by the headlights 9 is reflected from the puddles 5 in the direction of further traffic participants 6, whereby the traffic participants are blinded. As the low beam emitted using the method according to the invention is particularly bright, the further traffic participants 6 are also blinded to a significant extent. To avoid this, individual regions 7 of the light pattern 3, preferably the lower light field 3.2, can be excluded. Further traffic participants 6 being blinded can thus be reliably avoided. Camera images of the scene shown in the FIGURE are generated and evaluated to calculate the regions 7 to be excluded, for example. The further traffic participants 6 and the puddles 5 can thus be recognized, and spatial relationships between the traffic participants 6, the puddles 5 and the vehicle 8 or the headlights 9 can be calculated, which enables the regions 7 to be adaptively excluded. Additionally, further sensor data can here be taken into account, for example spacing information generated with a radar or laser scanner system.

[0031] Although the invention has been illustrated and described in detail by way of preferred embodiments, the invention is not limited by the examples disclosed, and other variations can be derived from these by the person skilled in the art without leaving the scope of the invention. It is therefore clear that there is a plurality of possible variations. It is also clear that embodiments stated by way of example are only really examples that are not to be seen as limiting the scope, application possibilities or configuration of the invention in any way. In fact, the preceding description and the description of the figures enable the person skilled in the art to implement the exemplary embodiments in concrete manner, wherein, with the knowledge of the disclosed inventive concept, the person skilled in the art is able to undertake various changes, for example, with regard to the functioning or arrangement of individual elements stated in an exemplary embodiment without leaving the scope of the invention, which is defined by the claims and their legal equivalents, such as further explanations in the description.