阅读说明：本技术 用于调节机动车前大灯的方法和系统 (Method and system for adjusting a motor vehicle headlight ) 是由 M.瑞因普雷施 P.哈特曼 于 2019-07-17 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明涉及用于调节机动车前大灯的方法和系统,具体而言涉及用于在其运行期间调节用于机动车的机动车前大灯系统的方法,其中机动车前大灯系统包括控制设备、至少一个关联于控制设备的机动车前大灯和关联于控制设备的检测器件,且设立用于生成至少一个预设类型的光分布,该光分布通过借助于控制设备调整至少一个机动车前大灯可动态修改,其中检测器件设立用于检测外部电磁信号,该外部电磁信号包含对于调节机动车前大灯系统相关的数据,其中数据包含关于至少一个机动车前大灯的引起眩光的错误调整的信息；控制设备设立用于鉴于数据评估检测的信号和用于从数据中提取信息。(The invention relates to a method and a system for adjusting a motor vehicle headlight, in particular to a method for adjusting a motor vehicle headlight system for a motor vehicle during operation thereof, wherein the motor vehicle headlight system comprises a control device, at least one motor vehicle headlight associated with the control device and a detection device associated with the control device and is set up for generating at least one light distribution of a predetermined type which can be dynamically modified by adjusting the at least one motor vehicle headlight by means of the control device, wherein the detection device is set up for detecting an external electromagnetic signal which contains data relevant for adjusting the motor vehicle headlight system, wherein the data contains information about a glare-causing incorrect adjustment of the at least one motor vehicle headlight; the control device is set up for evaluating the detected signals in view of the data and for extracting information from the data.)

1. Method for adjusting a motor vehicle headlight system (1) for a motor vehicle (2) during operation thereof, wherein

The motor vehicle headlamp system (1) comprises a control device (2), at least one motor vehicle headlamp (3) associated with the control device (2) and a detection device (20) associated with the control device (2), and is set up to generate at least one light distribution (4) of a predetermined type, which light distribution (4) can be dynamically modified by adjusting the at least one motor vehicle headlamp (3) by means of the control device (2), wherein

-the detection means (20) are set up for detecting an external electromagnetic signal (5), which external electromagnetic signal (5) contains data (50) relevant for adjusting the motor vehicle headlamp system (1), wherein the data (50) contains information about a glare-causing incorrect adjustment of the at least one motor vehicle headlamp (3);

-the control device (2) is set up for evaluating the detected signal (5) in view of the data (50) and for extracting the information from the data (50),

the method comprises the following steps:

step J1: -detecting said external electromagnetic signal (5) by means of said detection means (20);

step J2: evaluating an external electromagnetic signal (5) in view of data (50) contained therein relating to the adjustment and extracting information about a glare-causing incorrect adjustment of the at least one motor vehicle headlight (3) from the data (50) by means of the control device (2);

step J3: adjusting the motor vehicle headlamp system (1) for modifying the light distribution (4) on the basis of the extracted information by means of the control device (2) in order to generate a modified light distribution (6).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information about the misadjustment that causes the glare comprises:

at least one emission direction (α, β) in which the at least one motor vehicle headlamp (3) is glare,

-an actual value of the light intensity given by the motor vehicle headlight (3) in the emission direction (α, β) which is associated with the at least one emission direction (α, β), and

a setpoint value of the light intensity, which is associated with the at least one emission direction (α, β), wherein the adjustment of the motor vehicle headlight system (1) is effected so long that the actual value no longer exceeds the setpoint value.

3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the information about the misadjustment causing glare comprises at least a spatial direction in which the at least one motor vehicle headlight (3) is glare and the amount of light emitted in the spatial direction in step J3 is reduced by a preset value in order to obtain the modified light distribution (6).

4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a horizontal and/or vertical extent of the light distribution (4) is reduced on the basis of an adjustment of the motor vehicle headlight system (1) by means of the control device (2).

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the light distribution (4) is moved horizontally and/or vertically on the basis of the adjustment of the motor vehicle headlamp system (1) by means of the control device (2).

6. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the adjustment is effected in step J3 by means of a reduction in the light intensity given in at least one direction, wherein the reduction is effected by means of a change in at least one, preferably horizontal, emission angle of at least one motor vehicle headlight.

7. Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that a base adjustment is stored on the control device (2), according to which the light distribution (4) is generated in the case of commissioning of the motor vehicle headlamp system, wherein the control device (2) generates a modified adjustment based on the base adjustment and the information extracted in step J2 about the incorrect adjustment causing the glare and the motor vehicle headlamp system (1) is adjusted in step J3 according to the modified adjustment, thereby generating the modified light distribution (6).

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that the control device (2) stores the modified adjustment and that software for machine learning is installed on the control device (2) which is programmed for deciding, based on a base adjustment and the modified adjustment, that at least a part of the base adjustment is replaced by a corresponding part of the adjustment or that the base adjustment is not changed.

9. A motor vehicle headlight system for a motor vehicle, comprising a control device (2), at least one motor vehicle headlight (3) associated with the control device (2), and a detection device (20) associated with the control device (2), wherein

The motor vehicle headlamp system (1) is designed to generate at least one light distribution (4) of a predetermined type, which light distribution (4) can be dynamically modified by adjusting the at least one motor vehicle headlamp (3) by means of the control device (2),

-the detection means (20) are set up for detecting an external electromagnetic signal (5) which contains data (50) relevant for adjusting the motor vehicle headlamp system (1), wherein the data (50) contains information about a glare-causing incorrect adjustment of the at least one motor vehicle headlamp, and

-the control device (2) is set up for evaluating the detected signal (5) in view of the data (50) and for extracting the information from the data (50).

10. A computer program comprising instructions which, in the case of implementation of the computer program by means of a motor vehicle headlamp system according to claim 9, cause implementation of the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

11. A method for providing an electromagnetic signal (5), the signal (5) comprising data (50) relating to the regulation of at least one external, operating motor vehicle headlamp (3), wherein the data (50) comprise information about a glare-causing incorrect adjustment of the at least one motor vehicle headlamp (3), the method being carried out according to the following steps when the at least one motor vehicle headlamp (3) generates a light distribution (4):

step B1: detecting at least one portion of a light distribution (4) generated by the at least one motor vehicle headlight (3);

step B2: identifying a region in the detected portion of the light distribution (4) in which glare is present;

step B3: associating the identified region with information about a glare-causing incorrect adjustment of the at least one motor vehicle headlight (3);

step B4: information in the form of data (50) relating to the regulation of the at least one external, operating motor vehicle headlight (3);

step B5: the electromagnetic signal (5) is generated as a function of the data (50) and the electromagnetic signal (5) is transmitted in the direction of the at least one external motor vehicle headlight (3).

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of determining the target position is performed by a computer

-the identified regions are associated in step B3 with spatial directions, which correspond to those spatial directions, along which the at least one motor vehicle headlight (3) emits a glare-causing quantity of light, or

-acquiring in step B2 and comparing the illumination intensity value in the detected part of the light distribution with a preset threshold value for this corresponding illumination intensity, and associating in step B3 that illumination intensity value exceeding the threshold value for this corresponding light intensity value with a pair consisting of a light intensity value and a spatial direction corresponding to the light intensity value, wherein this pair forms information about the erroneous adjustment causing glare.

13. A feedback system (7) for providing an electromagnetic signal (5), which signal (5) contains data relating to the regulation of at least one external, operating motor vehicle headlamp (3), wherein the data (50) contains information about a glare-causing incorrect adjustment of the at least one motor vehicle headlamp (3), wherein the feedback system (7) comprises:

-a detection device (8,80) which is set up for detecting at least a portion of the light distribution (4,6) generated by the at least one motor vehicle headlight (3);

a computing unit (9) configured to

Identifying regions in the detected portion of the light distribution (4) in which glare is present;

-associating the identified region with information about a glare-causing misadjustment of the at least one motor vehicle headlamp (3);

information in the form of data (50) relating to the regulation of at least one external, operating motor vehicle headlight (3), and

-a transfer device (10) set up for generating the electromagnetic signal (5) from the data (50) and for transmitting the electromagnetic signal (5) in a preset direction, wherein the detection device (8,80), the calculation unit (9) and the transfer device (10) are connected to each other.

14. A method for adjusting a motor vehicle headlight system (1) for a motor vehicle by means of feedback in the form of an electromagnetic signal (5) during operation thereof, wherein

The motor vehicle headlight system (1) comprises a control device (2), at least one motor vehicle headlight (3) associated with the control device (2) and a detection device (20) associated with the control device (2), and is designed to generate at least one light distribution (4) of a predetermined type, which light distribution (4) can be dynamically modified by adjusting the at least one motor vehicle headlight (3) to an adjusted light distribution (6) by means of the control device (2), wherein

The detection device (20) is set up to detect the electromagnetic signal (5), the electromagnetic signal (5) containing data (50) relevant for adjusting the motor vehicle headlamp system (1), wherein the data (50) contains information about glare-causing incorrect adjustment of the at least one motor vehicle headlamp (3), and the control device (2) is set up to evaluate the electromagnetic signal (5) in view of the data (50) and to extract the information from the data (50), wherein additionally the information is set up to

Detection device (8,80), computing unit (9) and transmission device (10) are provided externally in view of the motor vehicle headlight system (1) and are set up for generating feedback for the light distribution (4), wherein

-the detection device (8,80) is set up for detecting at least a part of at least one preset type of dynamically modifiable light distribution (4);

-the computing unit (9) is set up for identifying regions in the detected portion of the light distribution (4) in which glare is present, for associating the identified regions with information about glare-causing incorrect adjustment of the at least one motor vehicle headlight (3) and for representing information in the form of data (50) relevant for adjusting the at least one motor vehicle headlight (3), and

-the transfer device (10) is set up for generating the electromagnetic signal (5) according to the data (50) and for transmitting the electromagnetic signal (5) in a preset direction,

the method comprises the following steps:

step K1: detecting at least a portion of the light distribution (4) by means of the detection device (8, 80);

step K2: identifying a region in the detected portion of the light distribution (4) in which glare is present;

step K3: associating the identified region with information about a glare-causing incorrect adjustment of the at least one motor vehicle headlight (3);

step K4: information in the form of data (50) relevant for adjusting the at least one motor vehicle headlight (3);

step K5: generating the electromagnetic signal (5) as a function of the data (50) and transmitting the electromagnetic signal (5) in the direction of the at least one motor vehicle headlight system (1) by means of the transmission device (10);

step K6: -detecting said electromagnetic signal (5) by means of said detection means (20);

step K7: evaluating the electromagnetic signal (5) in view of the regulation-relevant data (50) contained therein and extracting information from the data (50) by means of the control device (2) about a glare-causing incorrect adjustment of the at least one motor vehicle headlight (3);

step K8: adjusting the motor vehicle headlamp system (1) for modifying the light distribution (4) on the basis of the extracted information by means of the control device (2) in order to generate the modified light distribution (6), wherein the adjustment of the motor vehicle headlamp system (1) is carried out by adjusting the at least one motor vehicle headlamp (3) by means of the control device (2) as a function of the evaluated data (50) and the information extracted from the data.

15. A motor vehicle with at least one feedback system according to claim 13, characterized in that the detection device (8,80) is arranged:

-at least one longitudinal side of the motor vehicle (100,200), for example at a peripheral contour of an exterior of the motor vehicle (100,200) which is in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle (100,200), and/or

In at least one motor vehicle headlight (3) of the motor vehicle (100,200), and/or

-in at least one exterior mirror of the motor vehicle (100,200), and/or

-in a rear view mirror of the motor vehicle (100,200),

wherein the detection device is configured, for example, as a plurality of preferably four light sensors (80), such as photodiodes.

Technical Field

The invention relates to a method for adjusting a motor vehicle headlamp system during operation thereof, wherein the motor vehicle headlamp system comprises a control device, at least one motor vehicle headlamp associated with the control device, and a detection device associated with the control device and is designed to generate at least one predetermined type of light distribution which can be dynamically modified by adjusting the at least one motor vehicle headlamp by means of the control device, wherein the detection device is designed to detect an external electromagnetic signal which contains (relevant, sometimes referred to as important) data which are relevant for adjusting the motor vehicle headlamp system, wherein the data contain information about glare-causing incorrect adjustment of the at least one motor vehicle headlamp; the control device is set up for evaluating the detected signals in view of the data and for extracting information from the data.

Background

A default setting of the headlight of the motor vehicle is a setting in which the motor vehicle illuminates areas in its front zone which should not be illuminated. Such an incorrect adjustment can lead, under certain conditions, to glare for the traffic participant, which is located in the front region of the incorrectly adjusted motor vehicle headlight. In particular, in the case of the so-called ADB (adaptive Drive beam) system, which represents an adaptive high beam, such an incorrect adjustment should be avoided, since it leads to glare for the driver of the vehicle in the case of an incorrectly adjusted fade-out scene, that is to say an inaccurate fade-out of the window (in which the oncoming and/or preceding vehicle is located) in the light distribution.

In addition, the terms "adjustment", "misadjustment" and "basic adjustment" are used with respect to motor vehicle headlights. Typically, for this purpose, a control device of the motor vehicle headlight system uses the determined control parameters in order to adjust the motor vehicle headlight, so that a light distribution corresponding to the parameterization is emitted. The parameters may include the following parameters: height, width, brightness, size of the segments and the degree of their overlap (when the light distribution is segmented) in a certain area or point of the light distribution. This parameter list is naturally not complete. Other parameters may also be included in the adjustment of the motor vehicle headlight. This parameter can be stored, for example, in the control device.

Information about the glare causing misadjustment is often referred to in the context of the present invention simply as information or glare information or misadjustment information.

The invention further relates to a motor vehicle headlight system with which the above-mentioned method can be carried out.

The present invention also relates to a computer program comprising instructions which, when the computer program is executed by a motor vehicle headlamp system of the type mentioned above, cause the steps of the method according to the present invention to be carried out.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a computer-readable storage medium with such a computer program.

The invention further relates to a method for providing an electromagnetic signal containing data for controlling at least one external, operating motor vehicle headlight, wherein the data contains information about a glare-causing incorrect adjustment of the at least one motor vehicle headlight.

The invention further relates to a feedback system for providing an electromagnetic signal, which contains data for controlling at least one external, operating motor vehicle headlight, wherein the data contains information about a glare-causing incorrect adjustment of the at least one motor vehicle headlight.

The invention further relates to a method for adjusting a motor vehicle headlight system for a motor vehicle during operation thereof by means of feedback in the form of an electromagnetic signal, wherein the motor vehicle headlight system comprises a control device, at least one motor vehicle headlight associated with the control device and a detection device associated with the control device and is set up to generate at least one predetermined type of light distribution which can be dynamically modified by adjusting the at least one motor vehicle headlight to a modified light distribution by means of the control device and, for example, to realize feedback on the generated light distribution (or, for the modified light distribution, when repeating the steps of the method, because the modified light distribution still causes glare at all times), wherein the detection device is set up to detect an electromagnetic signal which contains data relevant for adjusting the motor vehicle headlight system, wherein the data contain information about a glare-causing incorrect adjustment of at least one motor vehicle headlamp, and the control device is designed to evaluate the electromagnetic signal in view of the data and to extract the information from the data, wherein additionally the detection device, the calculation unit and the transmission device (in view of the motor vehicle headlamp system) are provided externally and are designed to generate a feedback for the light distribution. For example, the motor vehicle headlight system can be arranged in a first motor vehicle and the externally provided detection device, the computing unit and the transmission device can be incorporated in a second motor vehicle. The detection device is designed to detect at least one part of the at least one preset type of dynamically modifiable light distribution, wherein the computing unit is designed to identify regions in the detected part of the light distribution in which glare is present, to associate the identified regions with information about glare-causing incorrect adjustment of the at least one motor vehicle headlight and to represent the information in the form of data for adjusting the at least one motor vehicle headlight, wherein the transmission device is designed to generate an electromagnetic signal from the data and to transmit the electromagnetic signal in a preset direction. The electromagnetic signal may use the wavelength range of light, in particular visible light (400nm to 800nm) or radio. For example, the electromagnetic signal may be a pulse of light of a predetermined duration.

The invention further relates to a motor vehicle having at least one of the above-mentioned headlight systems of the motor vehicle and/or having at least one of the above-mentioned feedback systems.

The aforementioned glare-causing incorrect adjustment of at least one motor vehicle headlight relates in the context of the invention to glare of other traffic participants, preferably drivers of oncoming motor vehicles.

Methods for adjusting a motor vehicle headlight system or a motor vehicle headlight thereof are known from the prior art.

In modern motor vehicle headlight systems, however, the problem arises that the emitted light distribution is partially strongly adjusted by the distributed external influences (temperature, aging, etc.) so that it can no longer be adapted to the regulatory requirements or user expectations. Such incorrect adjustment of the motor vehicle headlight is often not recognizable to the motor vehicle driver, so that readjustment of the motor vehicle headlight is usually carried out very rarely, for example once a year, and is associated with considerable effort. The problem of incorrect adjustment in the case of the ADB system mentioned above still occurs more strongly, since here "horizontal incorrect adjustment" occurs as a new error source in addition to the incorrect height adjustment. In the case of ADB systems/motor vehicle headlights, this problem is addressed in that the currently large distance to the right is preset in the event of fade-out of other road users in order to reliably exclude error situations and the resulting glare, as a result of which a significant performance loss results compared to the optical basic design.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art. This object is achieved according to the invention by a method of the type mentioned above, in that the method comprises the following steps:

step J1: detecting an external electromagnetic signal by means of a detection device;

step J2: evaluating the external electromagnetic signal in view of the data contained therein for the regulation-relevant data and extracting information about a glare-causing incorrect adjustment of at least one motor vehicle headlight from the data by means of the control device;

step J3: the vehicle headlamp system is adjusted for modifying the light distribution by means of the control device on the basis of the extracted information about the incorrect adjustment causing glare, in order to generate a modified light distribution.

In a preferred embodiment, it can be provided that the glare information comprises at least a spatial direction in which at least one motor vehicle headlight is glare and that the quantity of light emitted in the spatial direction in step J3 is reduced by a predetermined value in order to obtain a modified light distribution. For example, the glare information may comprise only the aforementioned spatial directions or comprise pairs, wherein the first element of each pair may be a message in digital form about the presence of glare, such as for example "glare/no", and the second element of each pair may be a spatial direction depending therefrom. In this case, it can also be provided that the method according to the invention is repeated a plurality of times and the amount of light emitted is reduced in this way in a plurality of iterations. The motor vehicle headlight system also receives an electromagnetic signal if the aforementioned predetermined value is not sufficiently large to avoid glare. It is noted at this point that the modified light distribution has an additional dark (due to the reduction in the amount of light) area or can be shifted in view of the unmodified light distribution.

It may be desirable that the error adjustment information includes:

at least one emission direction along which at least one motor vehicle headlight glare is located,

an actual value of the light intensity emitted by the motor vehicle headlight in the emission direction, which value is associated with the at least one emission direction, and

a setpoint value of the light intensity, which is associated with the at least one emission direction, is set, wherein the adjustment of the motor vehicle headlight system is carried out so long that the actual value no longer exceeds the setpoint value.

Furthermore, it may be advantageous for the horizontal and/or vertical extent of the light distribution to be reduced by the adjustment of the control device by the motor vehicle headlight system.

Furthermore, it can be advantageously provided that the light emitted by the motor vehicle headlight system is displaced horizontally and/or vertically by the control device.

In an ADB motor vehicle headlight system, it may be advantageous to change the horizontal and/or vertical extent of the fade-out region within the dynamically modifiable light distribution during the adjustment of the motor vehicle headlight system.

An ADB motor vehicle headlamp system is generally understood to be a motor vehicle headlamp system which can dynamically generate (during operation of the system) a modifiable, for example segmented, light distribution. Such ADB motor vehicle headlamp systems are well known to those skilled in the art.

It can advantageously be provided that the adjustment in step J3 can be effected by reducing the light intensity in at least one direction (spatial direction/emission direction), wherein the reduction is effected by changing at least one, preferably horizontal, emission angle of at least one motor vehicle headlight.

The orientation of the light distribution (main emission direction) preferably changes horizontally with respect to the base direction. The base direction is understood here as the original orientation of the light distribution with the incorrect adjustment causing the above-mentioned glare, which is suitable for the calibration. The emission angle can be made smaller or as such larger, as the case may be.

It may be expedient if a base adjustment is stored on the control device, on the basis of which a light distribution is generated in the commissioning of the motor vehicle headlamp system, wherein the control device generates a modified adjustment on the basis of the base adjustment and the information extracted in step J2 about the incorrect adjustment causing glare and adjusts the motor vehicle headlamp system in step J3 in accordance with the modified adjustment, as a result of which a modified, preferably non-glare, light distribution is generated.

It is noted that such a basic control motor vehicle headlamp system generates a light distribution with the above-mentioned basic direction.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the control device stores a modified adjustment (internal or external (e.g. on-board computer, etc.)) and that software for machine learning is installed on the control device, which is programmed to replace at least part of the basic adjustment by a corresponding part of the adjustment or to leave the basic adjustment unchanged, based on the basic adjustment and the modified adjustment decision.

This object is also achieved according to the invention by a motor vehicle headlamp system of the type mentioned above, in that the motor vehicle headlamp system comprises a control device, at least one motor vehicle headlamp associated with the control device, and a detection device associated with the control device, wherein the motor vehicle headlamp system is designed to generate at least one light distribution of a predetermined type, which light distribution can be dynamically modified by adjusting the at least one motor vehicle headlamp by means of the control device, the detection device is designed to detect an external electromagnetic signal, which contains data relevant for adjusting the motor vehicle headlamp system, wherein the data contains information about a glare-causing incorrect adjustment of the at least one motor vehicle headlamp, and the control device is designed to evaluate the detected signal in view of the data and to extract the information from the data.

It can advantageously be provided that the motor vehicle headlight system comprises a computer program or a computer-readable, preferably portable, storage medium, wherein the computer program is preferably stored on the control device or the control device comprises a computer-readable storage medium and the method is carried out by the control device.

The object is furthermore achieved by a method for providing an electromagnetic signal, having the following steps:

step B1: detecting at least a portion of a light distribution generated by at least one motor vehicle headlamp;

step B2: identifying a region in the detected portion of the light distribution in which glare is present;

step B3: associating the identified region with information about a glare-causing incorrect adjustment of at least one motor vehicle headlight;

step B4: information in the form of data relating to the regulation of at least one external operating motor vehicle headlight;

step B5: an electromagnetic signal is generated from the data and transmitted in the direction of at least one external motor vehicle headlight.

In a practical embodiment, it may be provided that the identified regions are associated in step B3 with spatial directions, which correspond to those spatial directions in which at least one of the motor vehicle headlights 3 emits glare-causing light.

Furthermore, it can be provided that in step B2 the illumination intensity values in the detected portion of the light distribution are acquired and compared with a preset threshold value for the illumination intensity corresponding thereto and that in step B3 each illumination intensity value (which preferably exceeds the threshold value corresponding thereto with a statistical correlation) is associated with a pair of a light intensity value and a spatial direction corresponding to the light intensity value, wherein the pair forms information about an incorrect adjustment which causes glare. By considering only the illumination intensity values, which exceed the corresponding threshold values with a statistical correlation, a reaction to a single accidental glare can be avoided.

It may be desirable for the preset threshold to be at about 1 Lux. In motor vehicle lighting, the value of the illumination intensity generally relates to the value measured on a measuring screen arranged at a distance of approximately 25m perpendicularly to the main emission direction of the motor vehicle headlight. The value measured on the measuring screen for 1 lux corresponds to a value of the light intensity (of the quantity of light emitted by the motor vehicle headlights) of about 625 candelas (cd).

Furthermore, it may be advantageous to calculate a transmission direction calibration from the spatial directions, which transmission direction calibration may form part of the information about the misadjustment causing glare. The transmit direction calibration may be in the range of about 0.1 ° to about 2.5 °.

This can be useful, for example, if an incorrect adjustment is present in a motor vehicle headlight system of the ADB type mentioned above, in particular if the incorrect adjustment relates to the size and/or position of the fade-out region. In this case, the emission direction calibration enables a fine adjustment of the headlight system of the ADB motor vehicle. For example, the fade-out region may be approximately displaced from its prescribed position (at about 0.1 ° to about 2.5 °) and/or approximately wider and/or higher (about 0.1 ° to about 1 °) than it should be.

When e.g. a section of glare of width β is detected, the emission direction calibration may be calculated based on the detected portion of the light distribution. This width β is transmitted with signal 5 to the motor vehicle headlight, which is then adjusted in such a way that the original opening angle α is₀The (basic adjustment) is reduced to the opening angle α and the width of the section of glare is reduced to 0. Note at this site that when the light distribution is a segmented high beam distribution or ADB light distribution, a simple photodiode for detecting a segment of glare of width β may be sufficient.

The object of the invention is further achieved according to the invention by a feedback system of the type mentioned above, in that the feedback system comprises:

a detection device which is set up to detect at least a part of the light distribution generated by at least one motor vehicle headlight;

computing unit (associated with detection device), which

For identifying areas in the detected portion of the light distribution, in which glare is present,

for associating the identified region with information about a glare-causing incorrect adjustment of at least one motor vehicle headlight,

information in the form of data relating to the regulation of at least one external operating motor vehicle headlight, and

a transmission device which is set up for generating an electromagnetic signal from the data and for transmitting the electromagnetic signal in a predetermined direction, wherein the detection device, the computation unit and the transmission device are connected to one another.

For example, the calculation unit can be set up to obtain the illumination intensity values in the detected portion of the light distribution and to compare the illumination intensity values with a preset threshold value corresponding thereto. This may be particularly advantageous when the detection device comprises means and/or software adapted to receive the luminance profile.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the calculation unit is used to associate each illumination intensity value which exceeds the threshold value corresponding thereto, preferably with a statistical correlation, with a pair of a light intensity value and a spatial direction corresponding to the light intensity value, wherein the pair forms information about the misadjustment which causes glare. For assigning a spatial direction, it may be expedient for the detection device to comprise, for example, a photodiode for position resolution or a camera for position resolution. However, it is also possible to use normal (not position-resolved) photodiodes, the position of which is known to the computing unit when the photodiode is arranged at a location of the motor vehicle (see, for example, fig. 2 or 7).

In order to carry out the method according to the invention for providing an electromagnetic signal, a computer program with instructions may be provided, which, when carrying out the computer program, cause the implementation of the steps of the method for providing an electromagnetic signal by means of a feedback system.

Such a computer program may be stored on a computer readable storage medium, preferably a portable computer readable storage medium.

Furthermore, the feedback system may comprise such a computer program or such a computer-readable storage medium, wherein preferably the computer program is stored on the computing unit or the computing unit comprises a computer-readable storage medium.

This object is also achieved according to the invention by a method of the type mentioned above, having the following steps:

step K1: detecting at least a part of the light distribution by means of a detection device;

step K2: identifying a region in the detected portion of the light distribution in which glare is present;

step K30: associating the identified region with information about a glare-causing incorrect adjustment of at least one motor vehicle headlight;

step K4: information in the form of data relevant for setting at least one motor vehicle headlight;

step K5: generating an electromagnetic signal from the data and transmitting the electromagnetic signal in the direction of at least one motor vehicle headlight system by means of a transmission device;

step K6: detecting the electromagnetic signal by means of a detection device;

step K7: evaluating the electromagnetic signal in view of the data contained therein for the control-relevant data and extracting information about a glare-causing incorrect adjustment of at least one motor vehicle headlight from the data by means of the control device;

step K8: the vehicle headlamp system is adjusted for modifying the light distribution on the basis of the extracted information by means of the control device in order to generate a modified light distribution, wherein the adjustment of the vehicle headlamp system is carried out by adjusting at least one vehicle headlamp by means of the control device on the basis of the evaluated data and the information extracted from the data.

The spatial direction from which the glare is to be directed may for example be used as information, which in step K30 may be associated/assigned to the respective region.

The identification in step K2 may additionally comprise the following partial steps:

k20: obtaining an illumination intensity value in the detected portion of the light distribution, an

K21: the illumination intensity value is compared with a preset threshold value corresponding thereto.

In this case, it is conceivable to associate in step K30 each illumination intensity value which exceeds the threshold value corresponding thereto, for example with a statistical correlation, with a pair of a light intensity value and a spatial direction (emission direction) corresponding to the light intensity value, wherein the pair forms information about the incorrect adjustment which caused the glare.

In this case, it can be provided that the motor vehicle headlight system is arranged in the motor vehicle and the feedback system is designed as an infrastructure device.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, it can be provided that the motor vehicle headlight system is arranged in the first motor vehicle and the feedback system is arranged in the second motor vehicle.

In a motor vehicle according to the invention with at least one feedback system according to the invention, it can be expedient if the detection device is arranged on at least one longitudinal side of the motor vehicle, preferably in at least one motor vehicle headlight and/or in at least one exterior mirror and/or rear view mirror.

In this case, it can be expedient for the detection device to be designed as a plurality of preferably four light sensors, in particular photodiodes.

It can be provided advantageously that the detection device is arranged at a peripheral contour of the exterior of the motor vehicle (for example laterally and above), which lies in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle.

Drawings

The invention together with further advantages are explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments, which are illustrated in the drawings. Therein is provided with

Fig. 1 shows a feedback system and a motor vehicle headlight system in a light technology laboratory;

fig. 2 shows two vehicles traveling past each other with one vehicle headlight system and one feedback system each;

fig. 3 shows a method for adjusting a headlight system of a motor vehicle;

FIG. 4 illustrates a method for providing an electromagnetic signal;

FIG. 5 shows a method for adjusting one of the headlight systems of the motor vehicle of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 6a and 6b show the original and modified high beam distributions, and

fig. 7 shows a motor vehicle with photodiodes arranged at the exterior and rear view mirrors.

In the following figures, the same reference signs indicate the same features unless otherwise stated.

Detailed Description

First, fig. 1 is referred to. This schematically shows a possible situation in which the motor vehicle headlight system 1 is set during its operation. The motor vehicle headlight system 1 can correspond to the motor vehicle headlight system according to the invention. The motor vehicle headlamp system 1 comprises a control device 2, a motor vehicle headlamp 3 associated with the control device 2, and a detection device 20 associated with the control device 2.

The motor vehicle headlamp system 1 can be installed, for example, in a light engineering laboratory, in a production plant or assembly line or in a workshop (for example in the installed state in a motor vehicle (not shown in fig. 1)) and generates at least one light distribution 4,6 of a predetermined type during operation. In light engineering laboratories, the light distribution 4,6 is projected onto a measurement screen 8, which is typically arranged at a distance of approximately 25 meters transversely to the optical axis of the motor vehicle headlight 3. The measuring screen 8 is an example of a detection device according to the invention.

The light distribution 4 is dynamically adjusted, i.e. modifiable during operation, to the modified light distribution 6 by means of the control device 2 of the motor vehicle headlight 3. It is clear that the modified light distribution 6 can be projected in a light technology laboratory just like the original unmodified light distribution 4 onto the measurement screen 8.

The detection device 20 is designed to detect (in view of the motor vehicle headlight system 1) an external electromagnetic signal 5. The external electromagnetic signal 5 is provided/generated by a feedback system 7 and contains data 50 for adjusting the motor vehicle headlight system 1 or the motor vehicle headlights 3 of the motor vehicle headlight system 1. The data 50 itself contains information about the glare-causing incorrect adjustment of the motor vehicle headlight 3.

The above-mentioned measuring screen 8 is an example of a detection device, which forms part of the feedback system 7 and detects at least part of the (original or modified) light distribution 4,6 generated by means of the motor vehicle headlight 3. In this particular example, the entire dynamically modifiable light distribution 4,6 is detected. It is clear that the detection device (here the measurement screen 8) is generally capable of detecting not only the original light distribution 4 and the modified light distribution 6, but rather (continuously) monitoring the entire course of the change of the original light distribution 4. Later on, an example of a detection device is shown (see fig. 2) with a plurality of light sensors 80, for example photodiodes and/or cameras, in particular photodiodes and/or cameras for position resolution. The photodiodes (which serve for position detection) can measure the light distribution 4,6 only in a punctiform manner. Continuous monitoring of the change/modification of the original light distribution 4 is also possible in this case.

In addition, the feedback system 7 comprises a calculation unit 9. The calculation unit 9 acquires the illumination intensity value for the detected portion of the light distribution 4,6 or for the entire light distribution 4,6 and compares it with a preset threshold value corresponding thereto. This threshold value can be cited, for example, and is different for different transmission directions depending on legal regulations. Such relationships may be known to those skilled in the art. An example of this is set forth in ECE-R123 "Passing Beam photometry Requirements". In areas where, for example, the face of a driver of an oncoming vehicle should be illuminated with no more than 1 lux, -1 lux (lx) is thus one example of such a threshold. As already mentioned, the value of 1 lux measured on the measurement screen 8 corresponds approximately to a value of the light intensity (of the quantity of light emitted by the motor vehicle headlight 3) of approximately 625 candelas (cd). It is obvious that the invention is not limited to the value of the illumination intensity. It is clear that other photometric parameters can be used, which are suitable for the acquisition of glare.

The generation of the external electromagnetic signal 5 is also discussed later. In this study, it is assumed that an external electromagnetic signal 5 is present, which is detected by means of the detection device 20 and contains data 50 relevant for adjusting the motor vehicle headlamp system 1, wherein the data 50 contain information about a glare-causing incorrect adjustment of at least one motor vehicle headlamp 3.

The control device 2 is set up to evaluate the detected signal 5 in view of the data 50 and to extract information from the data 50.

In order to adjust the motor vehicle headlamp system 1 or the motor vehicle headlamp 3, the following steps are carried out, which are represented in fig. 3 as a flowchart.

In a first step (step J1), the external electromagnetic signal 5 is detected by means of the detection device 20. In a second step (step J2), external electromagnetic signal 5 is evaluated in view of data 50 contained therein which are relevant for the adjustment and information about the glare-causing incorrect adjustment of motor vehicle headlight 3 is extracted from data 50 by means of control device 2. In a third step (step J3), the motor vehicle headlight system 1 is adjusted by means of the control device 2 as a function of the extracted information in order to modify the light distribution 4 into the modified light distribution 6.

The aforementioned information may, for example, comprise a spatial direction in which at least one motor vehicle headlight 3 is dazzled and the amount of light emitted in this spatial direction is reduced by a predetermined value in step J3 in order to obtain a modified light distribution 6. The spatial direction may be determined, for example, based on the aforementioned position of the light sensor 80 (see fig. 7). For example, the information may comprise only the aforementioned spatial directions or pairs, wherein the first element of each pair may be a message in digital form about the presence of glare, such as for example "glare/no", and the second element of each pair may be a spatial direction depending therefrom, which may for example be determined by the position of the glare photodiode 80 (e.g. the left exterior mirror in fig. 7). In this case, it can also be provided that the method according to the invention is repeated a plurality of times and the amount of light emitted is reduced in steps (in a plurality of iterations). The motor vehicle headlight system furthermore receives an electromagnetic signal when the aforementioned preset/preprogrammed value, by which the amount of light can be reduced, is not sufficiently large to avoid glare, since, for example, one of the photodiodes is still glare at all times. The glare of a photodiode is understood by a person skilled in the art to be the case when the photodiode threshold is exceeded, which corresponds to the photodiode threshold glare. It should be noted at this point that the modified light distribution has an additional dark region (due to the reduction in the amount of light) or can be shifted in view of the unmodified light distribution.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the glare-causing incorrect adjustment of the motor vehicle headlight 3 is effectedThe information comprises at least one emission direction, which can be represented, for example, as a spatial angle α, β, along which at least one emission direction α, β of at least one motor vehicle headlight 3 is dazzled, an actual value of the luminous intensity, which is output by the motor vehicle headlight 3 along the emission direction α, β, which is associated with the at least one emission direction α, β, and a setpoint value of the luminous intensity, which is associated with the at least one emission direction α, β. In this case, the motor vehicle headlight system 1 or the motor vehicle headlights 3 of the motor vehicle headlight system 1 are adjusted so long that the actual value no longer exceeds the setpoint value of the light intensity in the respective emission direction α, β. The process can likewise be carried out in steps, so that the method steps are repeated a plurality of times. Fig. 1 shows, for example, that the motor vehicle headlight 3 initially emits light with an opening angle α₀The light cone of (1). The projection of the light cone onto the measuring screen is the (unmodified) light distribution 4. The feedback system 7 now recognizes that the opening angle α is present₀Too large, as a result of which the light distribution 4 is, for example, too wide, or too much light is emitted by the motor vehicle headlight 3 in a direction which is encompassed by the spatial angle β. Too much means that the preset threshold is preferably exceeded with statistical relevance. When the threshold value is permanently exceeded, for example over a period of about 125ms, the exceeding is, for example, statistically relevant. The feedback system 7 informs this excess, preferably the statistically relevant excess, by means of the above-mentioned electromagnetic signal 5 to the motor vehicle headlight system 1 (see below), which receives, evaluates the signal 5 and extracts information, i.e. how the light distribution 4 should be modified. The control device 2 then controls the motor vehicle headlight 3 on the basis of this information. In this example according to fig. 1, control device 2 may, for example, control motor vehicle headlight 3 in such a way that it no longer emits light (the light cone is constricted) or gives off light at all in the emission direction encompassed by spatial angle β, so that the threshold value corresponding to this emission direction is no longer exceeded.

It is therefore conceivable in any case that the horizontal and/or vertical extent of the light distribution 4 can be reduced or moved horizontally and/or vertically as a result of the adjustment of the motor vehicle headlight system 1 by the control device 2.

In general, an adjustment of the reduction in the light intensity in step J3 by means of a reduction in the intensity of light emitted in at least one direction can be achieved, wherein the reduction is achieved by means of a change in at least one preferably horizontal emission angle/spatial angle α, β of at least one motor vehicle headlight 3.

Here, the orientation of the light distribution (main emission direction) is preferably changed horizontally with respect to its original orientation. To simplify the intelligibility, it is assumed that the original light distribution causes glare (incorrectly adjusted). The emission/spatial angle can be made smaller or as large as the case may be.

It can furthermore be provided that a basic adjustment is stored on the control device 2, the (unmodified) light distribution 4 being generated in the commissioning of the motor vehicle headlamp system as a function of which the control device 2 generates information about the modified adjustment that causes glare on the basis of the basic adjustment and the information extracted in step J2 and adjusts the motor vehicle headlamp system 1 in step J3 as a function of the modified adjustment, so that a modified, preferably non-glare light distribution is generated. An example of such a basic adjustment is the opening angle α of the emission/light cone₀Which is emitted during the commissioning of the motor vehicle headlight 3.

In this case, it can be expedient for the control device 2 to store the modified adjustment (either internally or externally (for example on a vehicle-mounted computer or the like)) and to have software for machine learning installed on the control device 2, which is programmed to replace at least part of the basic adjustment by a corresponding part of the adjustment or to leave the basic adjustment unchanged, based on the basic adjustment and the modified adjustment decision.

When a motor vehicle headlight system 1 already installed in a motor vehicle is frequently informed (for example within a journey or within a predetermined time period five to ten times, preferably within a day or a week or within a predetermined number of kilometers travelled): such software may be useful, for example, if the motor vehicle headlight 3 emits too much light at one and the same spatial angle, for example β. After the basic adjustment has been changed, the motor vehicle headlight 3 is operated such that it emits light from the beginning, for example, with a reduced opening angle α (α = α)₀- β).

For the purpose of implementing the method, the control device 2 may comprise a computer-readable storage medium, on which a computer program is stored and which can implement the computer program. The computer program comprises instructions which implement the described method in the implementation of the computer program.

At this time, an example of a method for providing the aforementioned electromagnetic signal 5 is described. The method is carried out according to the following steps by means of the aforementioned feedback system 7 (see fig. 4). In a first step (step B1), at least a part of the light distribution 4,6 emitted by the motor vehicle headlight 3 is detected by means of a detection device, for example the measurement screen 8 (fig. 1) or at least one light sensor 80, for example at least one camera and/or at least one photodiode (fig. 1 and 2). A part of the light distribution can here mean not only a continuous region, for example a section of the light distribution, but also a separate point of the light distribution. It is clear that the detection device 8,80 is not limited to a specific form of light distribution. The detection device 8,80 is set up to detect not only the unmodified light distribution 4 but also the modified light distribution 6. As already mentioned, the detection device can also detect all "intermediate light distributions" which are emitted by the motor vehicle headlight 3 during the modification of the unmodified light distribution 4 into the modified light distribution 6.

In a second step (step B2), a region in the detected portion of the light distribution 4 is identified in which glare is present.

In addition, the computing unit 9 associated with the detection devices 8,80 is set up to perform a third step (step B3) and a fourth step (step B4). In step B3, the identified region is associated with information about a glare-causing incorrect adjustment of at least one motor vehicle headlight 3. For example, the information may comprise only the aforementioned spatial directions or pairs, wherein the first element of each pair can be a message in digital form about the presence of glare, such as for example "glare/no", and the second element of each pair can be a spatial direction depending therefrom. It is expedient here for the position of the aforementioned region of the light distribution to be known to the computation unit 9.

The detection device 8,80 may furthermore be designed to measure a brightness distribution corresponding to the light distribution generated by means of the motor vehicle headlight system 1. In this case, it may be expedient to obtain the illumination intensity values in the detected portion of the light distribution 4 in step B2 and to compare them with a preset threshold value corresponding thereto (for example 1 lux), and to associate in step B3 each illumination intensity value (which preferably exceeds the corresponding threshold value with a statistical correlation) with a pair of a light intensity value and a spatial direction corresponding to the light intensity value, wherein this pair forms information about the incorrect adjustment causing glare.

In step B4, the information is represented in the form of data 50 relating to the regulation of at least one external operating motor vehicle headlight 3.

In a fifth step (step B5), electromagnetic signal 5 is generated from data 50 and transmitted in the direction of motor vehicle headlight 3. In order to carry out step B5, the feedback system 7 has a transmission device 10 set up for this purpose. The detection devices 8,80, the calculation unit 9 and the transfer device 10 are connected to each other for mutual information exchange purposes.

For the example described above, in which the unmodified light distribution 4 is a light cone/emission cone which is too widely open, the feedback to the motor vehicle headlight system 1 can be a reduction of the opening angle α of the light cone₀. It is conceivable for this to calculate an emission direction calibration/cone calibration α, β from the spatial direction corresponding to the acquired light intensity value, which emission direction calibration β forms part of the information about the misadjustment causing glare. As described above, emission direction calibration β is transmitted to motor vehicle headlight system 1, after which unmodified light distribution 4 is modified to modified light distribution 6, which is designed with an opening angle α = α₀-a cone of light of β.

Fig. 6a and 6b show that the emission direction calibration β can also be implemented as a movement of the light cone. Fig. 6a shows the high beam distribution 4, which is formed as an overlap of the low beam distribution a and the partial high beam distribution F. The modified light distribution 6 is likewise a high beam distribution, which is formed as an overlap of the low beam distribution a and the modified partial light distribution F', which in this case is shifted by the angle β. From fig. 6a and 6b, the general teaching is known that the emission direction calibration is not just a calibration of the opening angle of the light cone.

When for example a width d at the edge of the light distribution 4 is detected_βIs dizzyThe emission direction calibration may be calculated based on the detected portion of the light distribution when the portion of light is (see fig. 1). The width d_βFor example, it can be first converted into the opening angle β and then transmitted together with signal 5 to motor vehicle headlight system 1 or likewise signaled directly (without conversion) to motor vehicle headlight system 1. The control device 2 then initiates a change of the adjustment of the motor vehicle headlight 3, so that the original opening angle α is changed₀The (basic adjustment) is reduced to the opening angle alpha and the width of the section of glare is reduced to 0. In the case of a segmented light distribution, the respective segment can simply be dimmed or faded out. It is clear to the person skilled in the art that the conceptual width can be measured in degrees with respect to a section of the light distribution, as this is generally the case in the field of light technology. Furthermore, it is clear that the emission direction calibration may also relate to parts of the light distribution 4 which are not at the edges of the light distribution 4. Fig. 7 shows an example in which the inner section of the light distribution 4 should fade out or be calibrated when it has faded out.

Fig. 1 and 2 show an example of the above-described feedback system 7 for providing an electromagnetic signal 5 containing data 50 for adjusting at least (with respect to the feedback system 7) the external, operating motor vehicle headlight 3. Fig. 2 shows two such feedback systems 3 in general, each of which is installed in a motor vehicle. As already mentioned, the data 50 contain information about the glare-causing incorrect adjustment of the at least one motor vehicle headlight 3. The feedback system 7 comprises a detection device 8,80, which is designed to detect at least a part of the light distribution 4,6 generated by the at least one motor vehicle headlight 3; a calculation unit 9 for identifying regions in the detected portion of the light distribution 4 in which glare is present, for correlating the identified regions with information about a glare-causing incorrect adjustment of the at least one motor vehicle headlight 3, and for representing the information in the form of data 50 relating to the adjustment of the at least one external, operating motor vehicle headlight 3. Furthermore, the feedback system 7 comprises a transmission device 10, which is set up to generate the electromagnetic signal 5 from the data 50 and to transmit the electromagnetic signal 5 in a predetermined direction, wherein the detection devices 8,80, the computation unit 9 and the transmission device 10 are connected to one another. Generating the electromagnetic signal 5 from the data 50 can be understood as such generation of the electromagnetic signal 5, the data 50 being comprised in the electromagnetic signal 5. For example, the data 50 may be written by encoding into the electromagnetic signal 5. The motor vehicle headlight system 1 can read these data 50 from the electromagnetic signal 5.

As already mentioned, the calculation unit 9 can furthermore be set up for acquiring the illumination intensity values in the detected portion of the light distribution 4 and for comparing the illumination intensity values with a preset threshold value corresponding thereto and for associating each illumination intensity value exceeding the threshold value corresponding thereto with a pair of a light intensity value and a spatial direction corresponding to the light intensity value, wherein the pair forms information about an incorrect adjustment causing glare.

Furthermore, the feedback system 7 may comprise a computer program with instructions which, in the case of implementation of the computer program by the feedback system 7, cause it to carry out the steps of the above-described method for providing the electromagnetic signal 5. The computer program may be stored, for example, on a preferably portable computer-readable storage medium, which may be coupled to the computing unit 9 or stored directly on the computing unit 9.

With reference to fig. 2 and 5, a method is described here for feeding back (electromagnetic signals) of an undesired deviation (glare) in the light distribution to the motor vehicle headlight system 1 and for adjusting the motor vehicle headlight 3 as a function of this feedback, in view of the method described above. The method represented as a block diagram in fig. 5 can be used in the case illustrated schematically in fig. 2 and is used, for example, for adjusting a motor vehicle headlight system 1 arranged in a first motor vehicle 100 during operation thereof by means of a feedback in the form of an electromagnetic signal 5, which is generated by means of a feedback system 7 arranged in a second motor vehicle 200. The feedback is usually generated in response to a (glare) light distribution generated by means of the (two) motor vehicle headlights 3. The person skilled in the art understands that the feedback system 7 or another, for example identical, feedback system 7 can be arranged in the first motor vehicle 100 and that the motor vehicle headlight system 1 to be adjusted can be arranged in the second motor vehicle 200. Preferably, both motor vehicles 100,200 are equipped with a matching motor vehicle headlight system 1 and a corresponding feedback system 7.

As described above, the motor vehicle headlight system 1 comprises the control device 2. Two motor vehicle headlights 3 are also associated with control device 2. In addition, the motor vehicle headlamp system 1 comprises a detection means 20 which is associated with the control device 2 and is set up for generating a light distribution 4, for example a high beam distribution or a dynamically modifiable ADB light distribution, which can be dynamically modified by adjusting the motor vehicle headlamp 3 by means of the control device 2 and which enables a feedback of the generated light distribution 4 (which causes glare of the light distribution 4). It is clear that when repeating the steps of the method, a feedback to the modified light distribution 6 is achieved, since the modified light distribution 6 always also causes glare. The detection means 20 are designed to detect a feedback in the form of an electromagnetic signal 5, wherein the electromagnetic signal 5 contains data 50 relating to the adjustment of the motor vehicle headlight system 1 or the motor vehicle headlight 3 of the motor vehicle headlight system 1, and the data 50 itself carries information about a glare-causing incorrect adjustment of the motor vehicle headlight 3. The control device 2 is set up for evaluating the feedback (of the electromagnetic signal 5) in view of this data 50 and for extracting information from the data 50. As already mentioned, the feedback system 7 comprises a detection device in the form of a plurality of light sensors 80, a calculation unit 9 and a transmission device 10, for example with a plurality of transmitter/transmitter antennas.

The detection device 8,80 is set up for detecting at least a part of at least one preset type of dynamically modifiable light distribution 4, for example an ADB high beam distribution. The computation unit 9 connected to the detection device 8,80 for information exchange in this case obtains at least part of the data detected by the detection device 8,80, such as for example the light distribution 4 in the form of a distribution of illumination intensity values or a light intensity distribution or with separate illumination intensity values depending on the spatial direction. The computing unit 9 is designed to compare at least one part of the light distribution 4 with a part of the desired light distribution corresponding to the at least one part, in order to detect a deviation between the at least one part of the light distribution 4 and the corresponding part of the desired light distribution, and to represent this deviation in the form of data 50 relating to the adjustment of the at least one motor vehicle headlight 3, which contains information about the misadjustment that causes glare. The deviation may for example be a deviation of the above mentioned threshold value of the illumination intensity.

The transmission device 10 is designed to generate an electromagnetic signal 5 from the data 50, for example, as a function of the captured deviations, and to transmit the electromagnetic signal 5 in the direction of the motor vehicle headlight system 1 of the first motor vehicle 100.

In a first step of the method (in step K1), at least a part of the light distribution 4 is detected by means of a detection device.

In a second step (step K2), the calculation unit 9 identifies an area in the detected portion of the light distribution 4 in which glare is present. In step K30, the calculation unit 9 associates the identified region with information about the glare-causing incorrect adjustment of the at least one motor vehicle headlight 3.

Fig. 5 shows an example in which step K2 has partial steps K20 and K21 and the association of the identified regions with information about the incorrect adjustment causing glare is carried out in step K3 in accordance with step K30. In step K20, the calculation unit 9 obtains an illumination intensity value from the at least one detected portion of the light distribution 4. Subsequently, in a step K21, the acquired illumination intensity values are compared with a preset threshold value corresponding thereto. The threshold value of the illumination intensity may be different according to circumstances. When, for example, the light distribution 4 does not comprise an area provided for illumination (fade-out area), the threshold value may be about 1 lux. It is also conceivable to match the threshold value to a glare value known to the person skilled in the art from the prior art. Glare values are understood here to be those values of the illumination intensity, the light intensity, etc., from which glare, for example physiological or psychological glare, occurs. When the illumination intensity values exceed the threshold value, preferably with a statistical correlation, a transition is made to a fourth step (step K30). In other cases, the next illumination intensity value is selected and analyzed as described above.

In step K30, the calculation unit 9 associates each illumination intensity value exceeding the threshold value corresponding thereto with a pair of values calculated from the acquired/measured illumination intensity values, which contains the light intensity value and the spatial direction (emission direction) corresponding to the light intensity value. Depending on this value, control device 2 of motor vehicle headlight system 1 can control motor vehicle headlights 3 in such a way that the corresponding illumination intensity value decreases and no longer exceeds the threshold value associated therewith. The pair preferably forms information about the glare-causing incorrect adjustment of the motor vehicle headlight 3. It is also conceivable to add the desired/preset light intensity value to the information about the glare-causing incorrect adjustment of the motor vehicle headlight 3 in addition to the pair. In this case, the motor vehicle headlight system 1 not only determines the actually emitted light intensity values (actual values) calculated from the measured illumination intensity values, but also reports those light intensity values, which the motor vehicle headlight 3 has to emit (setpoint values).

In a fifth step (step K4), the information is represented in the form of data 50 relevant for adjusting at least one motor vehicle headlight 3, such as, for example, a setpoint value for the light intensity and the position of the respective emission direction or segment (for example in the case of a segmented high beam profile or ADB light profile), which is suitable for dimming and/or fading out.

In a sixth step (step K5), an electromagnetic signal 5 is generated from the data 50 by means of the transfer device 10. That is to say the electromagnetic signal 5 serves as an information carrier for the transfer of data 50. Subsequently, the electromagnetic signal 5 is emitted in the direction of the motor vehicle headlight system 1 of the first motor vehicle 100. For this, the transfer device 10 may, for example, have a directional antenna or the like.

After the feedback system 7 of the second motor vehicle 200 has transmitted the electromagnetic signal 5 in the direction of the first motor vehicle 100, it is detected in a seventh step (step K6) by means of the detection device 20 of the motor vehicle headlight system 1 of the first motor vehicle 100.

In an eighth step (step K7), the electromagnetic signal 5 is evaluated in view of the data 50 contained therein relating to the adjustment, wherein information about the glare-causing incorrect adjustment of the at least one motor vehicle headlight 3 is then extracted from the data 50. This is achieved by means of the control device 2 in the first motor vehicle 100. Thereby, for example, the above-described pairs are obtained. From the pair, the control device 2 derives the emission direction and the value of the light intensity actually emitted in the emission direction. From this information, the control device 2 can determine the light intensity, which should be emitted in this emission direction (light intensity theoretical value). As already mentioned, the theoretical value of the light intensity can also be calculated by the calculation unit 9 of the feedback system 7 and transmitted in conjunction with the electromagnetic signal 5. When the motor vehicle headlight 3 has, for example, a semiconductor-based light source, preferably an LED light source, the emitted light intensity can be reduced by reducing the current through the light source (dimming).

In an eighth step (step K8), the vehicle headlamp system 1 or the vehicle headlights 3 of the vehicle headlamp system 1 are adjusted by means of the control device 2.

Based on the extracted information, control device 2 modifies original light distribution 4 in order to generate a modified light distribution 6, and motor vehicle headlight 3 is adjusted in such a way here, as a function of evaluated data 50 and the information extracted from data 50, that modified light distribution 6 does not have a lighting intensity value that exceeds a threshold value. As described above, this may be achieved, for example, by reducing the emitted light intensity in the spatial direction extracted from the data 50 until a light intensity threshold is preferably reached.

It is clear that the method described above can be carried out on both sides between two motor vehicles. As already mentioned, two vehicle headlight systems 1 or all four vehicle headlights 3 are adjusted if two vehicles coming into each other, such as, for example, the first vehicle 100 and the second vehicle 200, can have both a vehicle headlight system 1 and a feedback system 7. This can be seen clearly in fig. 2. In this case, the corresponding incorrect adjustment of the motor vehicle headlight 3 is signaled both by the first motor vehicle 100 to the second motor vehicle 200 and by the second motor vehicle 200 to the first motor vehicle 100 (see electromagnetic signal 5, which propagates in the opposite direction).

The above-described exchange of the information contained in the signal 5 in the course of the method takes place between the two motor vehicles 100 and 200. This information exchange may take place, for example, in the context of Car-2-Car communications. Car-2-X (vehicle-to-all) scenarios are also conceivable, in which the motor vehicle headlight system 1 is arranged in the motor vehicle 100,200 together with the motor vehicle headlights 3 to be adjusted and the feedback system 7 is designed as part of infrastructure equipment, for example as a signal light or as a traffic-influencing facility.

As can be seen from fig. 2 and 7, the detection device can be arranged on at least one longitudinal side of the respective motor vehicle 100,200, preferably in at least one motor vehicle headlight 3 and/or in at least one exterior mirror 101,102 and/or (interior) rear view mirror 103. The detection device may be configured as a plurality of, preferably four, light sensors 80 (see fig. 7). The light sensor can be embodied, for example, as a photodiode, in particular a photodiode for position detection, or as a camera. It is particularly advantageous if the camera is spatially resolved and/or is adapted to receive a brightness distribution.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the detection device is arranged at an outer circumferential contour of the motor vehicle 100,200, which outer circumferential contour lies in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle 100, 200.

It may also be expedient for the detection device, preferably the light sensor, in particular the photodiode 80, to be arranged such that it defines an outer circumferential contour, wherein the region bounded by the outer circumferential contour should remain free of glare, in particular unlit (see fig. 7). When the generated light distribution is, for example, a segmented high beam distribution or an ADB light distribution, the limiting region accommodates the segment that should fade out. When the light sensor 80 is arranged at a determined preset position of the motor vehicle, this position can be used in order to determine the above-described emission direction, from which the glare emanates.

As already mentioned, the method according to the invention can be repeated iteratively (implemented in the form of a loop). The motor vehicle headlight system 1, for example an ADB system, then obtains an electromagnetic signal 5 over a time interval (which preferably corresponds to the time during which the motor vehicles 100 and 200 travel past each other), for example over several seconds, which may contain information about the incorrect adjustment (plus the emission direction from which the glare comes) in digital form ("glare yes/no"). In response to the aforementioned signal 5, the "basic" motor vehicle headlight system 1, which is adjusted, for example, via a camera, can "seek" an optimal fade-out geometry without a large computational effort, the optimal light intensity value being reached iteratively. Ideally, the regulation is carried out so quickly that the very brief glare flash occurring here is perceived by the driver of vehicle a without disturbing action.

Furthermore, the motor vehicle headlight system 1 can check its calibration/basic setting (correlation between the light-emitting pixels with emission characteristics and the light distribution measured, for example, by a camera) and optimize it by evaluating the signals and extracting information from the data 50.

The present invention also makes it possible to implement a scenario in which the motor vehicle according to the invention leaves the vehicle without its headlights being adjusted, i.e., without any pre-adjustment. Instead of a complicated and often inaccurate adjustment, the motor vehicle according to the invention can travel through a stretch of road in the course of quality assurance when leaving the assembly line, which is equipped with the above-described feedback system 7 according to the invention (as in fig. 7). In this way, the motor vehicle can find its own suitable basic setting when leaving the factory and in this way automatically eliminate each installation inaccuracy in its headlights and/or between its headlights and the body/camera. For example, it can be recognized from fig. 7 that the feedback system 7 makes it possible to obtain, from the originally arbitrarily adjusted light-dark limit HD0, a correctly positioned and/or shaped light-dark limit HD1, HD2 of the low beam distribution. Furthermore, the feedback system 7 enables adjustment of the fade-out region. It can be recognized from fig. 7 that the fade-out region corresponding to the expected position of the head 81 of the driver of the oncoming vehicle is adjusted. The position of the head 81 can be acquired, for example, from an additional reference sensor 82, which is provided in the detection device. Alternatively, the detection device may be provided with an additional light sensor, e.g. a photodiode (not shown), arranged for limiting the aforementioned fade-out region.

Reference signs in the claims and the description are only used for the better understanding of the present document and shall not be considered as limiting the subject matter of the invention in any way.

The foregoing discussion of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. The foregoing should not be construed as limiting the invention to one or more of the forms disclosed herein. In the foregoing detailed description, for example, various features of the invention are summarized in one or more embodiments for purposes of brevity of disclosure. This form of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims depict, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing described embodiment. Thus the following claims are hereby incorporated into the detailed description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate preferred embodiment of the invention.

Furthermore, not only does the present specification contain a description of one or more embodiments and certain variations and modifications, but other variations and modifications are within the scope of the invention, e.g., as may be within the ability and knowledge of those skilled in the art, after understanding the present disclosure.