Vehicle headlight and method for assisting a parking maneuver

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11299091-B2
Application number	US-201816604632-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 11, 2018
Priority date	Apr 11, 2017
Publication date	Apr 12, 2022
Grant date	Apr 12, 2022

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle headlamp (1) comprising; a high-resolution lighting apparatus (2) for projecting various light distributions onto a roadway area (4) positioned in front of a vehicle (3); an environmental detection device (5) for detecting at least one parking space (6) located in the environment surrounding the vehicle (3); and a control device (7) for dynamically controlling the lighting apparatus (2); wherein the environmental detection device (5) is designed to issue information corresponding to a detected parking space (6) to the control device (7), wherein the control device (7) is designed, in case the environmental detection device (5) detects a parking space (6), to control the lighting apparatus (2), under consideration of at least the information issued by the environmental detection device (5) related to the parking space (6), in such a manner that the lighting apparatus (2) at least projects a definable ground projection (8), which at least represents the vehicle length, onto the roadway area (4) in front of the vehicle (3).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle headlamp ( 1 ), comprising:
a high-resolution lighting apparatus ( 2 ) for projecting various light distributions onto a roadway area ( 4 ) positioned in front of a vehicle ( 3 ), wherein the high-resolution lighting apparatus ( 2 ) is suitable to project various light distributions onto a roadway at a resolution of 1° or less;
an environmental detection device ( 5 ) for detecting at least one parking space ( 6 ) located in the environment surrounding the vehicle ( 3 ); and
a control device ( 7 ) for dynamically controlling the lighting apparatus ( 2 );
wherein the environmental detection device ( 5 ) is set up to issue information corresponding to a detected parking space ( 6 ) to the control device ( 7 ), wherein the control device ( 7 ) is designed, in case the environmental detection device ( 5 ) detects a parking space ( 6 ), to control the lighting apparatus ( 2 ), under consideration of at least the information issued by the environmental detection device ( 5 ) related to the parking space ( 6 ), in such a manner that the lighting apparatus ( 2 ) at least projects a definable ground projection ( 8 ), which at least represents the vehicle length, onto the roadway area ( 4 ) in front of the vehicle ( 3 ), wherein the control device ( 7 ) is set up to calculate or determine at least one target parking maneuver, under consideration of
the position and orientation of the vehicle ( 3 ) in relation to the parking space,
as well as of a detected position and dimension of the parking space ( 6 ), and to control the lighting apparatus ( 2 ) in such a manner that symbols representing steering instructions are projected onto the roadway, in dependence on a comparison
between the position and orientation of the vehicle ( 3 ) in relation to the parking space ( 6 ) as detected by the environmental detection device ( 5 )
and the at least one target parking maneuver,
wherein the lighting apparatus ( 2 ) comprises at least one laser light source having a light conversion element for converting the laser light into visible light, which is downstream of the laser light source, for projecting various light distributions, wherein the light emitted by the laser light source is directed toward at least one light-deflecting unit, wherein the light-deflecting unit is set up to deflect the light emitted by the laser light source in such a manner onto the light conversion element in various definable directions that various distinct light distributions can be generated, wherein the light-deflecting unit comprises at least one micro mirror for this purpose, which at least one micro mirror can be swivelled about one or two axes.

2. The vehicle headlamp ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the ground projection ( 8 ) representing at least a vehicle length has at least a brightened beginning section (A 1 ) and a brightened end section (A 2 ), wherein the distance from an outer end of the beginning section (A 1 ) to the outer end of the end section (A 2 ) represents the vehicle length.

3. The vehicle headlamp ( 1 ) according to claim 2 , wherein the area between the beginning section (A 1 ) and the end section (A 2 ) is brightened in such a manner that the ground projection ( 8 ) representing at least the vehicle length has an essentially rectangular shape, wherein the length of the rectangle is equal to between 100% and 150% of that of the vehicle ( 3 ).

4. The vehicle headlamp ( 1 ) according to claim 3 , wherein the width of the rectangle is equivalent to the width of the vehicle ( 3 ).

5. The vehicle headlamp ( 1 ) according to claim 2 , wherein the control device ( 7 ) has an interface, by means of which the distance from an outer end of the beginning section (A 1 ) to an outer end of the end section (A 2 ) is selectable by the vehicle operator within a range of 100% to 150% of the vehicle length.

6. The vehicle headlamp ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the control device ( 7 ) is set up to control the lighting apparatus ( 2 ) in such a manner that the ground projection ( 8 ) is projected onto the immediate vicinity of the parking space ( 6 ).

7. The vehicle headlamp ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the lighting apparatus ( 2 ) is set up to generate at least one low-beam light distribution in addition to the ground projection ( 8 ).

8. The vehicle headlamp ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the symbols comprise arrow symbols.

9. The vehicle headlamp ( 1 ) according to claim 7 , wherein the symbols additionally comprise at least two ground projections in the form of straight or curved lines, wherein a first line (G ist ) represents the actual orientation of the vehicle ( 3 ) and a second line (G Soll ) represents a target orientation of the vehicle ( 3 ) in relation to the parking space ( 6 ) as derived from the at least one target parking maneuver.

10. The vehicle headlamp ( 1 ) according to claim 7 , wherein the control device ( 7 ) has an interface via which information regarding the current steering movements of the vehicle ( 3 ) can be supplied, wherein the symbols additionally comprise at least two ground projections in the form of straight or curved lines, wherein the control device ( 7 ) is set up to project the lines in such a manner that a first line represents the actual steering movement of the vehicle ( 3 ) and a second line represents a target steering movement of the vehicle ( 3 ) in relation to the parking space ( 6 ), as derived from the at least one target parking maneuver.

11. The vehicle headlamp ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the environmental detection device ( 5 ) is set up to determine the dimensions of the parking space ( 6 ) and compare them with the vehicle dimensions to review the feasibility of parking in said space, wherein the environmental detection device ( 5 ) is connected with the control device ( 7 ) to supply the result of the comparison, wherein the control device ( 7 ) is set up to consider the result of the comparison and to only control the lighting apparatus ( 2 ) to project a ground projection ( 8 ) representing at least the vehicle length in the case of a positive result of the review.

12. The vehicle headlamp ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the control device ( 7 ) has an interface for supplying additional environmental data, which were not captured by the environmental detection device ( 5 ), wherein the control device ( 7 ) is set up to continuously consider these additional environmental data when determining the ground projection ( 8 ).

13. A motor vehicle comprising a vehicle headlamp ( 1 ) according to claim 1 .

14. A method for supporting a parking procedure of a vehicle ( 3 ) into a parking space ( 6 ) by means of a ground projection ( 8 ) by a vehicle headlamp ( 1 ) which comprises:
a high-resolution lighting apparatus ( 2 ) for projecting various light distributions onto a roadway area ( 4 ) positioned in front of the vehicle ( 3 );
an environmental detection device ( 5 ) for detecting at least one parking space ( 6 ) located in the environment surrounding the vehicle ( 3 ); as well as a control device ( 7 ) for dynamically controlling the lighting apparatus ( 2 );

wherein the method comprises:
a) detecting at least one parking space ( 6 ) located in the environment of the roadway area in front of the vehicle ( 3 ) by means of the environmental detection device ( 5 );
b) issuing the information corresponding to the parking space ( 6 ) detected by the environmental detection device ( 5 ) to the control device ( 7 ); and
c) projecting at least one definable ground projection ( 8 ) representing at least the vehicle length onto the roadway area

Assignees

• Zkw Group Gmbh

Inventors

• Hartmann Peter
• Reinprecht Markus
• Pürstinger Josef
• Reisinger Bettina
• Hauer Clemens
• Mayer Matthias
• Kalousek Christian
• Lahmer Martin

Classifications

• G08G1/168 Primary

  Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space · CPC title

• B60Q1/50

  for indicating other intentions or conditions, e.g. request for waiting or overtaking · CPC title

• B60Q1/484 Primary

  for showing outline of vehicle · CPC title

• B60Q1/247 Primary

  for illuminating the close surroundings of the vehicle, e.g. to facilitate entry or exit (for reverse drive B60Q1/22; by opening a side door B60Q1/323) · CPC title

• B60Q2400/50

  Projected symbol or information, e.g. onto the road or car body · CPC title