method and device for ascertaining a safety angle of a headlight beam of at least one headlight of a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016288698-A1
Application number	US-201414912349-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 23, 2014
Priority date	Aug 26, 2013
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

In a method for ascertaining a safety angle of a headlight beam of at least one headlight of a vehicle, which safety angle represents a vertical angle by which the headlight beam is lowered to a safety height, which safety height represents a height of the headlight beam at which no blinding of a driver of another vehicle occurs, a speed value is read in in a first step, which speed value is a function of a speed of the vehicle, and the safety angle is ascertained in a second step, using the speed value.

First claim

1 - 9 . (canceled)

10 . A method for ascertaining a safety angle of a headlight beam of at least one headlight of a host vehicle, the safety angle representing a vertical angle by which the headlight beam is lowered to a safety height, the safety height representing a height of the headlight beam at which no blinding of a driver of another vehicle occurs, the method comprising:
reading in a speed value which is a function of a speed of the host vehicle; and ascertaining the safety angle as a function of the speed value.

11 . The method as recited in claim 10 , further comprising:
determining a reference value as a function of a pitch angle of the vehicle; wherein the safety angle is ascertained additionally as a function of the reference value.

12 . The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the reference value is at least one of (i) multiplied by the speed value, and (ii) weighted with the speed value, in the step of ascertaining in order to ascertain the safety angle.

13 . The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein the reference value is determined additionally as a function of at least one of a pitch rate and a change in pitch angle of the vehicle.

14 . The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein a further speed value is read in in the step of reading in, the further speed value representing a further speed of the vehicle, and wherein the reference value is normalized to the further speed value.

15 . The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein the reference value is determined using multiple base values which are detected during a predetermined time period and which are a function of the pitch angle.

16 . The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein the safety angle is ascertained taking into account at least one of a minimum safety angle, a maximum safety angle, a minimum speed value, and a maximum speed value.

17 . A device for ascertaining a safety angle of a headlight beam of at least one headlight of a host vehicle, the safety angle representing a vertical angle by which the headlight beam is lowered to a safety height, the safety height representing a height of the headlight beam at which no blinding of a driver of another vehicle occurs, the device comprising:
a reading-in unit configured to read in a speed value, which is a function of a speed of the host vehicle; and an ascertainment unit configured to ascertain the safety angle as a function of the speed value.

18 . A non-transitory, computer-readable data storage medium storing a computer program having program codes which, when executed on a computer, perform a method for ascertaining a safety angle of a headlight beam of at least one headlight of a host vehicle, the safety angle representing a vertical angle by which the headlight beam is lowered to a safety height, the safety height representing a height of the headlight beam at which no blinding of a driver of another vehicle occurs, the method comprising:
reading in a speed value which is a function of a speed of the host vehicle; and ascertaining the safety angle as a function of the speed value.

Assignees

• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Foltin Johannes

Classifications

• B60Q1/085

  due to special conditions, e.g. adverse weather, type of road, badly illuminated road signs or potential dangers (B60Q1/10, B60Q1/12, B60Q1/1423 take precedence) · CPC title

• B60Q1/10 Primary

  due to vehicle inclination, e.g. due to load distribution · CPC title

• B60Q2300/112

  Vehicle speed · CPC title

• B60Q2300/132

  Pitch · CPC title

• B60Q2300/32

  Road surface or travel path · CPC title