Method and apparatus for aiming a vehicle lamp

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10408706-B2
Application number	US-201715638721-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2017
Priority date	Jun 30, 2017
Publication date	Sep 10, 2019
Grant date	Sep 10, 2019

Abstract

A device for detecting a light beam projecting from a lamp of a vehicle is described, and includes a plurality of photo-sensors and a plurality of indicator bulbs. The photo-sensors are arranged in a linear array along a first axis, and the indicator bulbs are arranged in a linear array along a second axis that is in parallel to the first axis. A controller is in communication with the photo-sensors and the indicator bulbs. The controller includes an instruction set that is executable to monitor signal inputs from the plurality of photo-sensors to detect presence of a light beam projecting from the lamp of a vehicle, determine a cut-off gradient line for the light beam based thereon, and illuminate one of the indicator bulbs to indicate a location of the cut-off gradient line for the light beam.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for detecting a light beam projecting from a lamp of a vehicle, comprising:
a board;
a plurality of photo-sensors disposed as a linear array on the board along a first axis;
a plurality of indicator bulbs disposed as a linear array on the board along a second axis in parallel to the first axis;
a controller, in communication with the plurality of photo-sensors and in communication with the plurality of indicator bulbs, the controller including an instruction set, the instruction set executable to:
monitor signal inputs from the plurality of photo-sensors,
detect presence of a light beam projecting from the lamp of a vehicle onto the board based upon the signal inputs from the plurality of photo-sensors,
determine a cut-off gradient line for the light beam based upon the signal inputs from the plurality of photo-sensors, and
illuminate one of the plurality of indicator bulbs to indicate a location of the cut-off gradient line for the light beam on the board.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the instruction set is further executable to:
determine a plurality of light gradients based upon the monitored inputs from adjacent pairs of the plurality of photo-sensors; and
determine the cut-off gradient line for the light beam based upon the plurality of light gradients, wherein the cut-off gradient line indicates a maximum one of the plurality of light gradients.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the instruction set is further executable to illuminate one of the plurality of indicator bulbs that corresponds to the adjacent pairs of the plurality of photo-sensors that are associated with the maximum one of the plurality of light gradients to indicate the location of the cut-off gradient line for the light beam on the board.

4. The device of claim 2 , wherein the instruction set is further executable to illuminate one of the plurality of indicator bulbs that corresponds to the one of the plurality of photo-sensors that is associated with the maximum one of the plurality of light gradients to indicate the location of the cut-off gradient line for the light beam on the board.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of indicator bulbs comprises a plurality of LEDs.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first axis for the plurality of photo-sensors and the second axis for the plurality of indicator bulbs are vertically disposed.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the board includes a horizontally-oriented calibration line.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first axis for the plurality of photo-sensors and the second axis for the plurality of indicator bulbs are horizontally disposed.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the instruction set is executable to determine a vertical cut-off gradient line for the light beam based upon the signal inputs from the plurality of photo-sensors.

10. The device of claim 8 , wherein adjacent ones of the photo-sensors are equally spaced.

11. The device of claim 8 , wherein adjacent ones of the photo-sensors at outer portions of the board are set at a first spacing that is wider than a second spacing between adjacent ones of the photo-sensors near a horizontal center of the board.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the lamp comprises an adaptive driving beam.

13. The device of claim 1 , wherein the lamp comprises one of a headlamp, a visual optical aim headlamp, or a fog lamp.

14. A device for detecting light beams projecting from lamps of a vehicle, comprising:
a plurality of photo-sensors disposed in a linear array along a first axis;
a plurality of indicator bulbs disposed in a linear array along a second axis in parallel to the first axis and corresponding to the plurality of photo-sensors;
a controller, in communication with the plurality of photo-sensors and in communication with the plurality of indicator bulbs, the controller including an instruction set, the instruction set executable to:
monitor signal inputs from the plurality of photo-sensors,
detect presence of a light beam projecting from the lamp of a vehicle based upon the signal inputs from the plurality of photo-sensors,
determine a cut-off gradient line for the light beam based upon the signal inputs from the plurality of photo-sensors, and
illuminate one of the plurality of indicator bulbs to indicate a location of the cut-off gradient line for the light beam.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the instruction set is executable to:
determine a plurality of light gradients based upon the monitored inputs from adjacent pairs of the plurality of photo-sensors; and
determine the cut-off gradient line for the light beam based upon the plurality of light gradients, wherein the cut-off gradient line indicates a maximum one of the plurality of light gradients.

16. The device of claim 15 , wherein the instruction set is further executable to illuminate the one of the plurality of indicator bulbs that corresponds to the adjacent pairs of the plurality of photo-sensors that are associated with the maximum one of the plurality of light gradients to indicate the location of the cut-off gradient line for the light beam.

17. The device of claim 15 , wherein the instruction set is further executable to illuminate the one of the plurality of indicator bulbs that corresponds to the one of the plurality of photo-sensors that is associated with the maximum one of the plurality of light gradients to indicate the location of the cut-off gradient line for the light beam.

18. The device of claim 14 , wherein the first axis for the plurality of photo-sensors and the second axis for the plurality of indicator bulbs are vertically disposed.

19. The device of claim 14 , wherein the first axis for the plurality of photo-sensors and the second axis for the plurality of indicator bulbs are horizontally disposed.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Larsen Michael K
• Castillo Gregory M

Classifications

• G01M11/061 Primary

  Details of the mechanical construction of the light measuring system (G01M11/064 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60Q1/0023

  the element being a sensor, e.g. distance sensor, camera · CPC title

• G01M11/06 Primary

  Testing the alignment of vehicle headlight devices · CPC title

• G01M11/065 Primary

  details about the image analysis · CPC title