LIGHTING DEVICE FOR A VEHICLE AND A METHOD FOR ADJUSTING THE BEAM RANGE OF A HEADLAMP OF A VEHICLE

Abstract

A lighting device for a vehicle including a high-resolution headlamp, which has a light influencer for the targeted influencing of individual pixels or groups of pixels of the light emanating from at least one light source and/or a plurality of light sources arranged in a matrix for the targeted generation of individual pixels or groups of pixels of the light emanating from the headlamp during operation, as well as an adjuster for adjusting the beam range of the headlamp which can control the light influencer and/or the light sources for purposes of changing the beam range, wherein the adjuster for adjusting the beam range additionally includes a mechanical adjuster.

Claims

1. A lighting device for a vehicle, the lighting device comprising: a high-resolution headlamp that has a light influencer to selectively influence individual pixels or groups of pixels of light emanating from at least one light source and/or a plurality of light sources arranged in a matrix for the targeted generation of individual pixels or groups of pixels of the light emanating from the headlamp during operation; and an adjuster to adjust a beam range of the headlamp, which controls the light influencer and/or the light sources for the modification of the beam range; wherein the adjuster comprise a mechanical adjuster.

2. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the light influencer is a DMD, an LCD, an LCoS, or a laser scanner.

3. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the light sources are light emitting diodes or laser diodes, wherein the light emitting diodes or laser diodes are arranged in a matrix, or wherein the light emitting diodes are integrated in a solid-state LED array.

4. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical adjuster allows for a pivoting or shifting of the headlamp or light-generating components of the headlamps in a vertical and/or a horizontal direction.

5. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical adjuster comprises at least one motor formed as a DC motor or a stepping motor.

6. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the adjuster for adjusting the beam range includes a sensor or at least one inclination sensor and/or at least a camera, which detects an inclination of the vehicle and/or a change in the position of the headlamp or a change in the position of the light influencer or the plurality of light sources.

7. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the adjuster for adjusting the beam range includes a controller, which controls the light influencer and/or the light sources and/or the mechanical adjuster to change the beam range.

8. The lighting device according to claim 7, wherein the controller adjusts the beam range as a function of the detected inclination of the vehicle and/or the change in position of the headlamp.

9. A method for adjusting a beam range of a headlamp of a vehicle with a lighting device according to claim 1, the method comprising: detecting an operating state and/or a change in an inclination of the vehicle; adjusting the beam range as a function of the detected operating situation and/or the detected change in the inclination of the vehicle by controlling a mechanical adjuster and/or by controlling a light influencer and/or light sources.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein, at an inclination angle or pivoting angle of the inclination change, which is greater than a specified inclination angle or pivoting angle, and/or that at a frequency of the inclination change, which is smaller than a specified frequency, the mechanical adjuster is controlled.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0019] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawing which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein: the sole FIGURE is a schematic sketch of an exemplary embodiment of a lighting device according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The embodiment schematically indicated in FIG. 1 of an inventive lighting device comprises a high-resolution headlamp 1 which may have at least one light source, for example embodied as at least one light emitting diode or laser diode, and a light influencer for the purposeful influencing of individual pixels or groups of pixels of the light emanating from the at least one light source. The light influencer may be designed as a DMD or as an LCD or as an LCoS or as a laser scanner.

[0021] Alternatively, or additionally, the headlamp may have a plurality of light sources arranged in a matrix for the targeted generation of individual pixels or groups of pixels of the light emanating from the headlamp during operation. In this case, the light sources can be designed as light emitting diodes or as laser diodes, wherein, for example, the light emitting diodes or laser diodes are arranged in a matrix or wherein, for example, the light emitting diodes are integrated in a solid-state LED array.

[0022] The illustrated embodiment further comprises a controller 2 which can control the light influencer and/or the light sources of the headlamp 1 to adjust the beam range. The controller 2 may be designed, for example, as an ECU (Electronic Control Unit). In particular, the controller 2 can selectively switch individual pixels of the light to be generated by the headlamp on or off, or change their brightness in a targeted manner, for example by switching individual LEDs on or off or by dimming them. In this way, the beam range of the headlamp can be adjusted.

[0023] The illustrated embodiment further comprises a mechanical adjuster 3, which can also be used to adjust the beam range of the headlamp 1. The mechanical adjuster 3 can facilitate a pivoting or shifting of the headlamp 1 or of light-generating parts of the headlamp 1, in particular in the vertical and/or horizontal direction.

[0024] It can be provided that the mechanical adjuster engages with a light module and pivot this as a whole, relative to the headlamp housing or a support frame arranged therein. But there is also the possibility that the mechanical adjuster engages with a smaller unit. For example, in a system with a laser scanner, the mechanical adjuster can change the position of a converter such as a phosphor converter and the position of an optional subsequent projection optics, wherein a scanning mirror deflects the laser light accordingly.

[0025] The mechanical adjuster can comprise at least one motor, which is designed, for example, as a DC motor. The motor can be selectively controlled by the controller 2 to pivot or shift the headlamp 1 or the light-generating parts of the headlamp 1.

[0026] The controller 2 may communicate with various sensors. In FIG. 1, an exemplary sensor 4 is formed as an axle sensor, the sensor 5 can be designed as a camera and a sensor 6 for state detection are shown.

[0027] The sensor 4 designed as an axle sensor can be used, for example, as an inclination sensor to detect the inclination of the vehicle. The sensor 6 for state detection can, for example, be designed as an acceleration sensor and/or as a position sensor. There is also the option of using other sensors of the vehicle to determine speed, steering angle or curve radius. There is also the possibility to provide a light sensor which detects the light emanating from the light-generating parts of the headlamp.

[0028] The sensor 5 designed as a camera can detect the light distribution generated by the headlamp 1 on the roadway. From this, the controller 2 can determine the current state of the vehicle, in particular the inclination angle of the vehicle.

[0029] As a function of the determined state of the vehicle, the controller 2 can control either the mechanical adjuster 3 or the light influencer or the light sources of the headlamp 1 in order to adjust the beam range of the headlamp 1 to the determined state of the vehicle. Alternatively, the controller 2 can control both the mechanical adjuster 3 and the light influencer or the light sources of the headlamp 1.

[0030] The two adjustment options, on the one hand via the control of the mechanical adjuster 3, or the light influencer or the light sources of the headlamp 1 on the other, differ in their properties, such as dynamics, achievable adjustment, achievable adjustment angle and accuracy. For example, the light image can be adjusted very quickly via a correspondingly adjusted control of the light influencer or of the light sources of the headlamp 1.

[0031] However, it may be very elaborate to realize large adjustments or large adjustment angles solely by controlling the light influencer or the light sources of the headlamp 1. Large adjustments or adjustment angles are easier to obtain by using the mechanical adjuster 3.

[0032] It is therefore possible to let the controller 2 determine, based on suitable parameters, which of the two adjustment options is more appropriate for the current, detected vehicle state. Possible parameters for determining as to whether compensation occurs using the control of the mechanical adjuster 3 on the one hand, or the light influencer or the light sources of the headlamps 1 on the other, may be the absolute value of the inclination or pivoting angle, the operating situation, or the frequency of the detected change in inclination.

[0033] For example, loading a vehicle usually leads to a large change in inclination, which, however, is quasi-static. Thus, this can be easily intercepted by the mechanical adjuster 3. By contrast, during driving, highly dynamic yet slight changes in inclination are more likely to occur due to acceleration and/or braking events. These can be easily balanced by controlling the light influencer or the light sources of the headlamp 1.

[0034] Accordingly, for example, a limit amplitude can be specified, wherein the mechanical adjuster 3 are only controlled when this limit is exceeded. Furthermore, for example, a cutoff frequency can also be specified, wherein the mechanical adjuster 3 is controlled only when this limit is exceeded. Inclination compensation may be in this case be carried out solely by the mechanical adjuster 3. But it can also be provided that in addition, a fine adjustment of the image is made by the appropriate control of the light influencer or the light sources of the headlamp 1.

[0035] The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims