GENERATING A HOMOGENEOUS LIGHT DIFFUSION BASED ON THE TOPOGRAPHY AND THE MEASURED LUMINANCE DENSITY

Abstract

An illuminating device, a method and a computer program product to control an illuminating device for a vehicle which illuminates the surroundings of a vehicle are provided. The illuminating device has multiple illuminating elements which can emit an independent dimmable or switchable luminous flux at a respective solid angle, and thus each illuminates a respective area of the surroundings with an illuminance. The illuminance is adjusted depending on the distance of the area from the illuminating element or the illuminating device.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an illuminating device for a vehicle that illuminates the vehicle's surroundings, adjusting an illuminance of the illuminating device based on a distance of an area to multiple illuminating elements or the illuminating device, wherein the multiple illuminating elements emit an independent dimmable or switchable luminous flux at a respective solid angle, and thus each illuminates a respective area of the surroundings with the illuminance.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the adjustment is performed for most or for all of the illuminating elements of the illuminating device.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein a topography of the surroundings and/or a topography of the course of the road is determined.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the topography and/or the distance is determined via a suitable data source or sensors, where the surroundings are read out at various measuring points.

5. The method in accordance with claim 4, wherein an interpolation is made between two of the different measuring points.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the illuminance is also adjusted depending on a luminous density.

7. The method in accordance with claim 6, wherein the luminous density is homogeneously adjusted for at least one part of the surroundings.

8. The method in accordance with claim 6, wherein the illuminance is reduced if the luminous density is too high, and wherein the illuminance is increased if the luminous density is too low.

9. An illuminating device for a vehicle that illuminates the vehicle's surroundings, the illuminating device comprising: multiple illuminating elements that emit an independent dimmable or switchable luminous flux at a respective solid angle, and thus each illuminates a respective area in the surroundings with an illuminance, wherein the illuminance is adjusted depending on the distance of the area from the illuminating element or the illuminating device.

10. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0089] Reference is now made more particularly to the drawings, which illustrate the best presently known mode of carrying out the invention and wherein similar reference characters indicate the same parts throughout the views.

[0090] FIG. 1a is an initial visualization of a course of a road in space.

[0091] FIG. 1b is an initial road projection.

[0092] FIG. 1c is an initial light diffusion on a projection wall.

[0093] FIG. 2a is a second visualization of a course of a road in space.

[0094] FIG. 2b is a second road projection.

[0095] FIG. 2c is a second light diffusion on a projection wall.

[0096] FIG. 3a is a third visualization of a course of a road in space.

[0097] FIG. 3b is a third light diffusion on a projection wall.

[0098] FIG. 4 is a flow chart of the method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0099] FIG. 1a shows an initial visualization of the course of a road in space using object map visualization. In it, the three Cartesian spatial coordinates are visible; the lattice design on the grid at height 0 is a standard area with the vehicle as a reference point.

[0100] The road ahead with the course of the road is shown as a dotted line, pictured here with a curve to the right.

[0101] FIG. 1b shows the course of the road according to FIG. 1a applied to a projection area (street projection). The x- and y-axes in the drawing indicate the solid angle (alpha, beta). The lines of the traffic lane indicate the edges of the traffic lane and the lane markings such as the center line and the shoulder line, based on where they are located.

[0102] FIG. 1c shows the projection area according to FIG. 1b. Here, the illuminance which correlates to the distance is applied. This means that the locations on the projection wall at which the more distant area of the course of the road can be seen are provided with a stronger illuminance. The end effect is that this causes the real surroundings to be illuminated homogeneously, i.e. at an even level of brightness (luminous density).

[0103] FIGS. 2a, b and c, similarly to FIGS. 1a, b and c, show a course of a road, pictured here with a depression ahead and then an incline.

[0104] FIGS. 3a, b and c, similarly to FIGS. 1a, b and c, show a course of a road, pictured here with an incline ahead. FIG. 4 shows a flow chart of the method.

[0105] Starting at a start point 41, the 3D solid angle and the distances are determined 42, followed by calculating distance-based target light values (illuminance) 43 and then determining the actual intensity of the surroundings (luminous density) 44. If a check of whether the actual intensity is greater than the target light value then comes back positive 45, then the light target value will be reduced 49. If the check comes back negative 45 and another check of whether the actual intensity is smaller than the target light value comes back positive 46, then the light target value will be increased 48. Finally, the new target values will be transmitted to the headlight 47. Then, the sequence can start over again from the beginning.

REFERENCE NUMERAL LIST

[0106] 41 Starting point [0107] 42 Determination of the 3D solid angle and distances [0108] 43 Calculation of the distance-dependent target light values [0109] 44 Determination of the actual intensity of the surroundings [0110] 45 Check of whether the actual intensity is greater than the target light value [0111] 46 Check of whether the actual intensity is smaller than the target light value [0112] 47 Transmission of the target values to the headlight [0113] 48 Increase of the light target values [0114] 49 Reduction of the light target values