Method for correcting a light pattern, automotive lighting device and automotive lighting assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11761850-B2
Application number	US-202017428442-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 24, 2020
Priority date	Mar 1, 2019
Publication date	Sep 19, 2023
Grant date	Sep 19, 2023

Abstract

A method for correcting a first light pattern provided by a lighting device with a matrix of light sources. The method includes steps of providing some resolution data of the light sources, simulating a test map of the light pattern using the resolution data, and simulating distortion maps of the test map. Each distortion map is associated to a distortion factor. Also included is obtaining a real distorted light pattern, comparing the real distorted light pattern with the distortion maps, finding a distortion map which is the most similar to the real distorted map and applying a correction factor to correct the real distorted light pattern, thus obtaining a corrected light pattern. The correction factor is related to the distortion factor of the distortion map which is the most similar to the real distorted map.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Method for correcting a light pattern provided by an automotive lighting device with a matrix arrangement of light sources, the method comprising the steps of
a) providing some resolution data of the light sources;
b) simulating a test map of the light pattern using the resolution data;
c) simulating distortion maps of the test map, each distortion map being associated to a distortion factor;
d) projecting the test map by the lighting device, thus obtaining a real distorted light pattern;
e) comparing the real distorted light pattern with the distortion maps, finding a target distortion map, which is the distortion map which is most similar to the real distorted light pattern;
f) storing the distortion factor associated to the target distortion map in a control unit; and
g) applying a correction factor to correct the real distorted light pattern, thus obtaining a corrected light pattern, the correction factor being an inverse of the stored distortion factor of the target distortion map.

2. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the step e) is carried out by a goniometer.

3. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the resolution data contains a number of light sources, a number of rows and columns in the matrix arrangement and/or power values of each light source.

4. Method according to claim 1 , wherein each light source of the matrix arrangement is fed by a power value and, in the step g), the correction factor is a correction in each one of the power values feeding each one of the light sources of the matrix arrangement.

5. Method according to claim 4 , wherein the power values are pulse width modulation values.

6. Method according to claim 1 , wherein after the step g), the following steps are further performed
obtaining the corrected light pattern;
comparing the corrected light pattern with the distortion maps, finding a target distortion map which is the most similar to the corrected light pattern;
update the stored distortion factor with the distortion factor associated to the target distortion map; and
apply a further correction factor to correct the corrected light pattern, thus obtaining a re-corrected light pattern, the correction factor being an inverse of the distortion factor of the target distortion map.

7. Automotive lighting device comprising
a matrix arrangement of solid-state light sources, intended to provide a light pattern;
a calibrator for performing the steps of the method according to claim 1 .

8. Automotive lighting device according to claim 7 , wherein the matrix arrangement comprises at least 2000 solid-state light sources.

9. Automotive lighting assembly comprising
an automotive lighting device;
an external calibrator for performing the steps of the method according to claim 1 ;
an external corrector to apply the correction factor to the light pattern.

10. Method according to claim 2 , wherein the resolution data contains a number of light sources, a number of rows and columns in the matrix arrangement and/or power values of each light source.

11. Method according to claim 2 , wherein each light source of the matrix arrangement is fed by a power value and, in the step g), the correction factor is a correction in each one of the power values feeding each one of the light sources of the matrix arrangement.

12. Method according to claim 2 , wherein after the step g), the following steps are further performed
obtaining the corrected light pattern;
comparing the corrected light pattern with the distortion maps, finding a target distortion map which is the most similar to the corrected light pattern;
update the stored distortion factor with the distortion factor associated to the target distortion map; and
apply a further correction factor to correct the corrected light pattern, thus obtaining a re-corrected light pattern, the correction factor being an inverse of the distortion factor of the target distortion map.

13. Automotive lighting device comprising
a matrix arrangement of solid-state light sources, intended to provide a light pattern;
a calibrator for performing the steps of the method according to claim 2 .

14. Automotive lighting assembly comprising
an automotive lighting device;
an external calibrator for performing the steps of the method according to claim 2 ;
an external corrector to apply the correction factor to the light pattern.

15. Method according to claim 3 , wherein each light source of the matrix arrangement is fed by a power value and, in the step g), the correction factor is a correction in each one of the power values feeding each one of the light sources of the matrix arrangement.

16. Method according to claim 3 , wherein after the step g), the following steps are further performed
obtaining the corrected light pattern;
comparing the corrected light pattern with the distortion maps, finding a target distortion map which is the most similar to the corrected light pattern;
update the stored distortion factor with the distortion factor associated to the target distortion map; and
apply a further correction factor to correct the corrected light pattern, thus obtaining a re-corrected light pattern, the correction factor being an inverse of the distortion factor of the target distortion map.

17. Automotive lighting device comprising
a matrix arrangement of solid-state light sources, intended to provide a light pattern;
a calibrator for performing the steps of the method according to claim 3 .

18. Automotive lighting assembly comprising
an automotive lighting device;
an external calibrator for performing the steps of the method according to claim 3 ;
an external corrector to apply the correction factor to the light pattern.

19. Method according to claim 4 , wherein after the step g), the following steps are further performed
obtaining the corrected light pattern;
comparing the corrected light pattern with the distortion maps, finding a target distortion map which is the most similar to the corrected light pattern;
update the stored distortion factor with the distortion factor associated to the target distortion map; and
apply a further correction factor to correct the corrected light pattern, thus obtaining a re-corrected light pattern, the correction factor being an inverse of the distortion factor of the target distortion map.

20. Automotive lighting device comprising
a matrix arrangement of solid-state light sources, intended to provide a light pattern;
a calibrator for performing the steps of the method according to claim 4 .

Assignees

• Valeo Vision

Inventors

• Kanj Ali
• Almehio Yasser

Classifications

• G01M11/0264 Primary

  by using targets or reference patterns · CPC title

• G01M11/06 Primary

  Testing the alignment of vehicle headlight devices · CPC title

• G01M17/00

  Testing of vehicles (testing fluid tightness G01M3/00; testing elastic properties of bodies or chassis, e.g. torsion-testing, G01M5/00; testing alignment of vehicle headlight devices G01M11/06; testing of engines G01M15/00) · CPC title

• H05B45/00

  Circuit arrangements for operating light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• B60Q1/0017

  Devices integrating an element dedicated to another function · CPC title