阅读说明：本技术 用于控制前照灯的两个照明模块的方法 (Method for controlling two lighting modules of a headlight ) 是由 C·许斯特 B·库比察 M·普伦佩 U·芬克尔 C·威尔克斯 于 2021-06-09 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明涉及一种用于控制前照灯的两个照明模块的方法,所述两个照明模块中的第一照明模块被构造用于照明第一区域(101),所述两个照明模块中的第二照明模块被构造用于照明第二区域,并且第一区域(101)包括第二区域的部分区域,所述方法包括以下步骤：限定抑制眩光区域(200),所述抑制眩光区域(200)至少在第二区域内；降低由所述两个照明模块朝抑制眩光区域(200)的方向发射的光的亮度；查明是否存在相邻区域(202；301),所述相邻区域与抑制眩光区域(200)水平地直接邻接地布置,并且所述相邻区域是第一区域(101)的水平边缘区域；如果已查明相邻区域(202；301),则减小由第一照明模块朝所述相邻区域(202；301)的方向发射的光的亮度。(The invention relates to a method for controlling two lighting modules of a headlight, a first lighting module of the two lighting modules being designed to illuminate a first region (101), a second lighting module of the two lighting modules being designed to illuminate a second region, and the first region (101) comprising a partial region of the second region, comprising the following steps: defining a glare-suppressing area (200), said glare-suppressing area (200) being at least within a second area; reducing the brightness of light emitted by the two lighting modules in a direction of a glare-suppression area (200); ascertaining whether an adjacent region (202; 301) is present, which is arranged horizontally directly adjacent to the glare-suppression region (200) and which is a horizontal edge region of the first region (101); if an adjacent area (202; 301) is ascertained, the brightness of the light emitted by the first lighting module in the direction of the adjacent area (202; 301) is reduced.)

1. A method for controlling two lighting modules of a headlamp, wherein a first lighting module of the two lighting modules is configured for illuminating a first region (101), wherein a second lighting module of the two lighting modules is configured for illuminating a second region, and the first region (101) comprises a partial region of the second region, the method comprising the steps of:

-defining a glare-suppressing area (200), wherein said glare-suppressing area (200) is at least within a second area;

-reducing the brightness of the light emitted by the two lighting modules in the direction of the glare-suppression area (200);

-ascertaining whether an adjacent region (202; 301) is present, which is arranged horizontally directly adjacent to the glare-inhibiting region (200) and which is a horizontal edge region of the first region (101);

-reducing the brightness of light emitted by the first lighting module in the direction of the neighboring area (202; 301) if the neighboring area (202; 301) has been ascertained.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the brightness of the light emitted by the first lighting module in the direction of the adjacent area (202; 301) is reduced only if the glare-suppressing area (200) is defined as a single glare-suppressing area (200) directly adjoining the adjacent area (202; 301) horizontally.

3. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the brightness of the light emitted by a first lighting module in the direction of the adjacent area (202; 301) is reduced only if the adjacent area (202; 301) does not directly adjoin horizontally to a section illuminated by a second lighting module with an unreduced brightness.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second lighting module comprises a plurality of lighting segments arranged horizontally side by side, each of which is configured for illuminating a segment (100; 201) of the second region, wherein the brightness of the light emitted by the first lighting module in the direction of one of the adjacent regions (202; 301) is reduced only if the adjacent region (202; 301) has a horizontal extension which is smaller than the horizontal extension of one of the segments (100; 201).

5. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the first lighting module comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes as light sources.

6. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that each of said light-emitting diodes can vary in its brightness individually or in groups.

7. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the first lighting module is a high resolution module.

8. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the second lighting module is a matrix module.

9. A system comprising a headlamp and a control unit, wherein the headlamp comprises two lighting modules, wherein a first lighting module of the two lighting modules is configured for illuminating a first region (101), wherein a second lighting module of the two lighting modules is configured for illuminating a second region, and the first region (101) is a partial region of the second region, wherein the control unit is configured for controlling the lighting modules, and the control unit is configured for implementing the method according to any of the preceding claims.

10. A motor vehicle comprising a system according to the preceding claim.

Technical Field

The invention relates to a method for controlling two lighting modules according to claim 1.

Background

Methods for controlling two lighting modules of a headlight are known from the prior art. DE 102016003814 a1 discloses a method for controlling two lighting modules of a headlight, in which method further traffic participants are identified. After said identification, a glare suppressing area is defined. The brightness of light emitted by the headlamp in a direction that suppresses a glare area is reduced, whereby other traffic participants are not glared by the headlamp.

Disclosure of Invention

In contrast, the object of the present invention is to reduce the risk of light artifacts when reducing the brightness of the headlight in the glare region.

The object is achieved by a method according to claim 1, a system according to claim 9 and a motor vehicle according to claim 10. Embodiments of the invention are given in the dependent claims.

According to claim 1, a first one of the lighting modules is configured for illuminating the first area. A second one of the lighting modules is configured to illuminate a second area. The first region here comprises a partial region of the second region. In particular, the entire first region may be a partial region of the second region.

Defining a glare suppressing region located within the second region. Preferably, the glare-inhibiting region is located entirely within the second region. For example, glare-suppressing regions can be defined in order to reduce the risk of glare for other traffic participants. The glare suppressing area may be defined as known from the prior art.

The brightness of light emitted by the two modules in a direction that suppresses a glare area is reduced. It is possible in particular that no light is emitted by the two modules at all in the direction of the glare-inhibiting region. However, it is also possible to merely reduce the brightness, so that the glare-inhibiting region is illuminated with a lower brightness.

It is ascertained whether there is an adjacent region which is arranged horizontally directly adjacent to the glare suppression region and which is a horizontal edge region of the first region. Here, a horizontal edge region is to be understood in particular to mean a region which includes the horizontal boundary of the first region.

If the adjacent area is ascertained, the brightness of the light emitted by the first lighting module in the direction of the adjacent area is reduced. It is to be noted here that also other criteria may be present, which have to be fulfilled in order to reduce the brightness of the light emitted by the first lighting module in the direction of the adjacent area. It is therefore possible that this is a necessary condition rather than a sufficient condition.

The reduction of the brightness of the light emitted by the first lighting module in the direction of the neighboring region is advantageous in order to reduce the risk of light artifacts. Such light artifacts may be generated, for example, in the prior art by the first illumination module in the neighboring region. By reducing the brightness of the light emitted into neighboring regions according to the invention, the risk of this light artifact is then reduced. It is particularly advantageous here for the brightness to be adapted to the brightness of the light emitted by the two lighting modules in the direction of the glare-inhibiting region. When, for example, no light is emitted in the direction of the glare-inhibiting region, it is possible that no light is emitted in the direction of the adjacent region either.

Reducing the risk of light artifacts is advantageous because light artifacts are often perceived as disturbing by the user. Furthermore, there is the danger that, due to light artifacts, the user is prompted for additional glare-inhibiting regions that are not present in reality.

According to one embodiment of the invention, it is possible to reduce the brightness of the light emitted by the first lighting module in the direction of the adjacent region only if the glare suppression region is defined as a single glare suppression region which is directly adjacent to the adjacent region horizontally. If this criterion is met, the probability of undesired light artifacts in neighboring regions without decreasing the brightness increases. It is therefore advantageous to use this criterion for deciding whether the brightness should be reduced or not. Otherwise, although there are no undesired light artifacts without reducing the brightness, the brightness in the neighboring region may be reduced. This may be the case, for example, if the adjacent region is horizontally adjacent to two defined glare-inhibiting regions.

According to one embodiment of the invention, it is possible to reduce the brightness of the light emitted by the first lighting module in the direction of the adjacent region only if the adjacent region does not directly adjoin horizontally to the section illuminated by the second lighting module with an unreduced brightness. Within the scope of the present description, the term "non-reduced brightness" may particularly mean that the brightness in the section is not reduced by the detection of the glare-inhibiting region or the further glare-inhibiting region. If this criterion is met, the probability of undesired light artifacts in neighboring regions without decreasing the brightness increases. It is therefore advantageous to use this criterion for deciding whether the brightness should be reduced or not. Otherwise, although there are no undesired light artifacts without reducing the brightness, the brightness in the neighboring region may be reduced. When adjacent regions adjoin a section illuminated with a non-reduced brightness, the brightness in the adjacent regions does not need to be reduced, since the adjacent regions are not arranged between two less strongly illuminated regions or sections.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the second module may comprise a plurality of horizontally arranged illumination segments, which are each designed for illuminating a segment of the second region. It is particularly possible that the entire second region may be composed of segments illuminated by the illumination segments. It is possible here to reduce the brightness of the light emitted by the first lighting module in the direction of the adjacent region only if the adjacent region has a horizontal extent which is smaller than the horizontal extent of one of the segments. If this criterion is met, the probability of undesired light artifacts in neighboring regions without decreasing the brightness increases. It is therefore advantageous to use this criterion for deciding whether the brightness should be reduced or not. Otherwise, although there are no undesired light artifacts without reducing the brightness, the brightness in the neighboring region may be reduced.

The brightness of the segments is reduced in the glare suppressing region. If the edge region now has a greater extent in the horizontal direction than the segment, the illumination of the edge region with an unreduced brightness is not considered to be a disturbing light artifact. If the edge area extends over a plurality of segments and both segments are illuminated with a reduced brightness by the second lighting module, it is assumed that at least two glare suppressing areas have been defined and that an edge area is arranged between the two glare suppressing areas.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first lighting module may include a plurality of light emitting diodes as a light source.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the light-emitting diodes can be varied individually or in groups with regard to their brightness, wherein the reduction of the brightness of the light emitted by the first lighting module in the direction of the adjacent region is performed by a variation of the brightness of the individual light-emitting diodes or groups of light-emitting diodes. In particular, it is possible for the light-emitting diodes to each illuminate an area which is a multiple smaller than the segment illuminated by the second illumination module.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the first lighting module may be a high resolution module. This may mean, in particular, that a particularly large density of light sources is present per area. The first lighting module can be designed, in particular, as a "solid state lighting" module (SSL module) or as a "digital light processing" module (DLP module).

According to an embodiment of the invention, the second lighting module may be a matrix module. This may mean, in particular, that the second lighting module comprises light-emitting diodes arranged in a matrix as light sources.

The system of claim 9 comprising a headlamp and a control unit. The headlamp comprises two lighting modules. A first of the two lighting modules is configured to illuminate a first area. A second of the two lighting modules is configured to illuminate a second area. Here, the first region is a partial region of the second region. The control unit is configured to control the lighting module. The control unit is designed to carry out the method according to an embodiment of the invention.

The features disclosed in connection with the above method can here also be implemented in a system.

A motor vehicle according to claim 10 comprises a system according to an embodiment of the invention.

Drawings

The invention is explained in more detail below with the aid of the figures. Here, the same reference numerals are used for the same or similar regions and for regions having the same or similar functions. Here, there are shown:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a light distribution produced with a headlamp according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic view of a light distribution with a glare-suppressed region produced with a headlamp according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a light distribution with glare-suppressed regions and light artifacts produced with a headlamp according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of a light distribution with two glare-suppressed regions produced with a headlamp according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic view of a light distribution with a glare-suppressed region produced using a headlamp according to an embodiment of the present invention; and is

Fig. 6 shows a schematic illustration of a light distribution with two glare-suppressed regions produced with a headlamp according to an embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a light distribution with a first region 101, which is a partial region of a second region. Here, the second area includes a plurality of segments 100. The first region 101 is illuminated by a first illumination module of the headlight. The second region is illuminated by a second illumination module of the headlamp.

The first illumination module can be, for example, a high-resolution module which, although having a very high resolution, illuminates only a relatively small first region 101 in comparison with the second region. Therefore, in order to obtain a larger illumination range, a second illumination module is used. Whereas the first lighting module is capable of increasing the brightness at a point of particular relevance. Furthermore, the first lighting module is able to more accurately define the glare-suppressing area that may be needed due to the high resolution. Due to the relatively large segments 100, the brightness typically has to be reduced in the second lighting module in a larger area than would otherwise be required for suppressing glare. For the sake of clarity, the segments 100 illuminated with a non-reduced brightness are provided with reference numerals only in fig. 1. However, in the remaining figures, the segmentation is also present and shown as shown in fig. 1.

In the prior art, these undesired voids are always filled by the first lighting module. A glare suppression area 200 is shown in fig. 2. In the glare-suppressed area 200, not only the luminance of light emitted by the first lighting module but also the luminance of light emitted by the second lighting module decreases. Thus, the brightness of the segment 201 is reduced or even completely dimmed. Due to the higher resolution of the first lighting module, there is an adjacent area 202 illuminated by the first lighting module.

The light distribution as occurs in the prior art when an adjacent area 301, which is illuminated by the first lighting module and which is a horizontal edge area of the first area 101, is arranged horizontally adjacent to the glare-inhibiting area 200 is shown in fig. 3. Since the adjacent area 301 does not belong to the glare suppression area 200, it is illuminated by the first illumination module with an unreduced brightness. However, because the adjacent region is a horizontal edge region, the illuminated adjacent region 301 does not transition into the illuminated segment 100, but into the segment 300 which is not illuminated or is illuminated only with reduced brightness. The impression is created for the user that, in addition to the glare-inhibiting area 200, there is a further glare-inhibiting area in the form of a part of the segment 300. The risk of such impressions should be reduced by means of the method according to an embodiment of the invention. Illumination in which the brightness of the neighboring region 301 is not reduced may also be referred to as light artifacts. Such light artifacts are generally undesirable, since they reduce the attention of the driver of the motor vehicle.

A first criterion for avoiding light artifacts is therefore to reduce the illumination of the adjacent region 301 when it is here the horizontal edge region of the first region 101. However, if this is the single criterion, the risk of light artefacts is reduced though. However, the adjacent region 202 may also be poorly illuminated, wherein this is practically unnecessary because no light artifacts are present. Examples of such adjacent regions 202 are shown in fig. 4-6.

In fig. 4, two glare-inhibiting regions 200 are shown, between which an adjacent region 202 is arranged. The adjacent area 202 between the two glare suppressing areas 200 in fig. 4 is an edge area of the first area 101. Illumination of the adjacent region 202 is however entirely desired, since the further glare-suppressing region 200 directly adjoins the adjacent region 202. Thus, the further glare suppressing area 200 is directly connected in horizontal direction to the first area 101 and the adjacent area 202. Thus, although this is not the case, there may be a glare-suppressing region in which false impressions are not generated for the driver of the motor vehicle. It is therefore advantageous to provide that, as a criterion for reducing the brightness of the light of the first lighting module emitted in the direction of the adjacent region 202, only a single glare-inhibiting region 200 is present.

In fig. 5, a glare suppression area 200 is shown, which directly adjoins the first area 101. The adjacent area 202 is illuminated by the first lighting module with a non-reduced brightness. This is likewise not an undesirable light artifact in this case, since the adjacent region 202 is directly horizontally adjoined to the segment 100 illuminated by the second illumination module. It is therefore also advantageous, as a criterion for reducing the brightness of the light emitted by the first lighting module in the direction of the adjacent region 202, to reduce the brightness only if the adjacent region 202 does not directly adjoin horizontally to the segment 100 illuminated by the second lighting module with an unreduced brightness.

In fig. 6, two glare-inhibiting regions 200 are shown, between which an adjacent region 202 is arranged, which is illuminated by the first lighting module with unreduced brightness. The adjacent region 202 is also not an undesired light artifact, since, like in fig. 4, glare-inhibiting regions 200 are arranged horizontally on both sides alongside the adjacent region. Although one of these glare-suppressing regions 200 is not directly adjacent to the adjacent region 202, the one glare-suppressing region is present so that the vehicle driver is not confused. In order to be able to achieve illumination of the adjacent region 202 between the glare-suppressed regions with an unreduced brightness, it is therefore advantageous to use the criterion that the brightness of the light emitted by the first lighting module in the direction of the adjacent region 202 is reduced only if the adjacent region 202 has a horizontal extent which is smaller than one of the segments 201 or 100.

List of reference numerals

100 segments illuminated with unreduced brightness

101 first region

200 inhibiting glare area

201 segments illuminated with reduced brightness

202 adjacent area

300 illumination of segments with reduced brightness

301 as adjacent regions of the light artifact