Multi-pattern headlamp assembly and system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9108566-B2
Application number	US-201313803337-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2013
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Aug 18, 2015
Grant date	Aug 18, 2015

Abstract

A vehicle headlamp system includes a headlamp assembly having a light source and a beam pattern panel. The beam pattern panel includes one or more regions capable of changing between opaque and transparent light-transmission states to selectively allow light from the light source to pass through the panel. The panel may be an LCD panel with a plurality of liquid crystal elements arranged in an array with the ability to provide a plurality of different beam patterns. The beam pattern may be determined and changed in real time based on information received at a system processor about one or more vehicle and/or road conditions. The headlamp system can direct a projected light beam into a curve in the road ahead and/or automatically change the direction of the projected beam to avoid shining light directly at oncoming drivers.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle headlamp system comprising first and second headlamp assemblies, each headlamp assembly comprising:
a housing;
a light source that provides light inside the housing; and
an LCD panel at a fixed location relative to the housing, the panel having a light-receiving side positioned to receive light from the light source, wherein the panel includes a liquid crystal element that can be changed between opaque and transparent light-transmission s…

Assignees

• Federal Mogul Corp

Inventors

• Simchak Jeffrey
• Chen Xiaolu
• Dominick John

Classifications

• B60Q2300/114

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60Q2300/42

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60Q1/12 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60Q2300/112

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60Q2300/32

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic