Method for calibrating a lighting apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9732927-B2
Application number	US-201615060962-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 4, 2016
Priority date	Mar 4, 2015
Publication date	Aug 15, 2017
Grant date	Aug 15, 2017

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for calibrating a lighting apparatus, particularly lighting apparatus for a motor vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for calibrating a lighting apparatus, the method comprising:
providing a lighting apparatus having a plurality of illuminants and a control element for individually controlling the settings of each illuminant of the plurality of illuminants,
producing a first superimposed overall light distribution by dint of superimposition of individual light distributions produced by an at least one illuminant of the plurality of illuminants,
producing a second essentially overlap-free light distribution from at least one selected illuminant of the plurality of illuminants,
using a sensor to detect the second light distribution,
independently determining at least one characteristic of each of the individual light distributions of the at least one selected illuminant,
calibrating the lighting apparatus by comparing the at least one characteristic of each of the individual light distributions among one another or with prescribable setpoint data.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising determining a discrepancy in an individual light distribution from a setpoint value, from which a correction value for actuating the selected illuminant is determined, so that the discrepancy is reduced.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the correction value is stored and is used or taken into account during operation of the illuminant.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein each illuminant of the plurality of illuminants individually comprises an element for controlling the direction of radiation of the individual light distribution an element for controlling the focusing of the individual light distribution.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the intensity of each illuminant of the plurality of illuminants is individually adjustable by the control element.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising performing a calibrating or ascertaining of control parameters for a lighting apparatus of a motor vehicle during a standstill or after the production of the motor vehicle.

7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising performing a calibrating or ascertaining of control parameters for a lighting apparatus of a motor vehicle during a driving situation of the motor vehicle.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one characteristic is a center or focus of an individual light distribution.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one characteristic is an expansion or a profile of the individual light distribution.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein comparing the at least one characteristic of each of the individual light distributions is a comparison of centers or of expansion parameters or of profile parameters from light distributions that are ascertained from different illuminants.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein comparing the at least one characteristic of each of the individual light distributions is used to examine at least one regularity.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein comparing the at least one characteristic of each of the individual light distributions is a comparison of centers or of expansion parameters or of profile parameters from light distributions that are compared with setpoint positions, setpoint expansions, or setpoint profiles.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein producing an essentially overlap-free distribution of the individual light distributions is performed over an area in front of the vehicle.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the area is an at least essentially even area that has a horizontal or vertical profile.

15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the area is a selected area or is a subregion of a selected area in which the operation of the headlamp is essentially unimpaired and the driver of the vehicle and other road users are not disturbed or influenced.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the area is not visible to the driver of the vehicle.

17. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method for calibration is performed cyclically in multiple calibration cycles.

18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the method for calibration is performed such that only a portion of the illuminants of the lighting apparatus are calibrated in a calibration cycle, different calibration cycles involving a respective different portion of the illuminants being calibrated.

19. The method according to claim 17 , wherein after a complete pass through the calibration cycles, essentially all illuminants are calibrated.

20. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the selected illuminants for calibration are selected such that they are currently not used to produce a light distribution that is needed on account of the situation, or such illuminants are used but they are at least intermittently replaced by other illuminants.

21. The method according to claim 1 , wherein only one individual light distribution for an illuminant at a time is calibrated in a calibration cycle.

22. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the production of the overlap-free distribution of the individual light distributions is performed in at least one of various settings for the illuminants.

23. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the setting that is set is a central position, a swivel position, a focusing or an, expansion.

24. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a dynamic setting for the individual light distribution or for the light distributions is made.

25. The method according to claim 1 , wherein swiveling or circling or expansion and contraction is set.

26. A method for actuating a lighting apparatus, the method comprising:
providing a lighting apparatus having a plurality of illuminants and a control element for individually controlling the settings of each illuminant of the plurality of illuminants,
producing a first superimposed overall light distribution by dint of superimposition of individual light distributions produced by an at least one illuminant of the plurality of illuminants,
producing a second essentially overlap-free light distribution from at least one selected illuminant of the plurality of illuminants at a selected time,
using a sensor to detect the second light distribution or the individual light distributions from the at least one selected illuminant,
independently determining and storing at least one characteristic of each of the individual light distributions,
actuating the lighting apparatus during operation based on the at least one characteristic.

27. The method according to claim 26 , wherein the lighting apparatus is actuated by determining the difference between the at least one characteristic and a setpoint value for the at least one characteristic.

28. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the calibration is performed by setting the direction of radiation of the individual light distribution, the focusing of the individual light distribution, or the intensity of the individual light distribution.

29. The method according to claim 28 , wherein every illuminant of the plurality of illuminants produces an individual light distribution.

Assignees

• Hella Kgaa Hueck & Co

Inventors

• Hoffmann Ingo

Classifications

• F21S41/153

  arranged in a matrix · CPC title

• H05B45/00

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

• B60Q2300/42

  oncoming vehicle · CPC title

• F21S41/663

  by switching light sources (by switching incandescent light sources F21S41/162) · CPC title

• B60Q2200/38

  Automatic calibration of motor-driven means for adjusting headlamps, i.e. when switching on the headlamps, not during mounting at factories · CPC title