Illuminating device, illuminating method, program, and medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9821706-B2
Application number	US-201414889102-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 13, 2014
Priority date	May 16, 2013
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 2017

Abstract

An illuminating device includes a detecting section configured to detect a vehicle height of a forward vehicle running in front of a vehicle; and a control section configured to control an illuminating range of a head lamp of the vehicle according to the vehicle height.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An illuminating device for a vehicle having a headlamp configured to illuminate a maximum illuminating range in front of the vehicle, the illuminating device comprising:
a detecting section configured to detect a vehicle height of a forward vehicle running in front of the vehicle; and
a control section configured to control an illuminating range of the head lamp of the vehicle according to the vehicle height, the illuminating range defined by blocking a light-blocking region from the maximum illuminating range of the head lamp of the vehicle, the light blocking region corresponding to the forward vehicle, wherein:
as a result of the detecting section determining that the vehicle height is less than a predetermined value, the control section is configured to set the illuminating range so as to include an area located above the forward vehicle,
as a result of the detecting section determining that the vehicle height is not less than the predetermined value, the control section is configured to set the illuminating range so as not to include the area located above the forward vehicle.

2. The illuminating device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the control section sets the illuminating range so that illuminating is blocked in part of the area located above the forward vehicle from a height corresponding to an upper portion of the forward vehicle.

3. The illuminating device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a distance detecting section configured to detect a distance between the vehicle and the forward vehicle, wherein:
as a result of the distance detecting section determining that the distance is not more than a first distance, the control section is configured to set a near light-blocking region in which illuminating is blocked from an upper edge of the maximum illuminating range of the illuminating range to an upper portion of the forward vehicle.

4. The illuminating device according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a light detecting section configured to detect a light position of lights of the forward vehicle, wherein:
as a result of the distance detecting section determining that the distance is not less than a second distance, which is longer than the first distance, the control section is configured to set a distant light-blocking region in which illuminating is blocked corresponding to the forward vehicle of which the vehicle height is not less than the predetermined value, on the basis of the light position within the maximum illuminating range of the illuminating range.

5. The illuminating device according to claim 4 , wherein:
as a result of the distance detecting section determining that the distance is between the first distance and the second distance, and as a result of the detecting section determining that the vehicle height is not more than the predetermined value, the control section is configured to set a first light-blocking region in which illuminating is blocked corresponding to the forward vehicle of which the vehicle height is less than the predetermined value, on the basis of the light position within the maximum illuminating range of the illuminating range.

6. The illuminating device according to claim 5 , wherein:
as a result of the distance detecting section determining that the distance is between the first distance and the second distance, and as a result of the detecting section determining that the vehicle height is larger than the predetermined value, the control section is configured to set a second light-blocking region in which illuminating is blocked corresponding to the forward vehicle of which the vehicle height is not less than the predetermined value, on the basis of the light position within the maximum illuminating range of the illuminating range.

7. The illuminating device according to claim 6 , wherein:
the control section is configured to perform a control so that a size of at least any one of the distant light blocking region, the first light-blocking region, and the second light-blocking region is inversely proportional to the distance.

8. A control method for a vehicle having a head lamp configured to illuminate a maximum illuminating range in front of the vehicle, the method comprising:
using a vehicle height detector to detect a vehicle height of a forward vehicle running in front of the vehicle; and
controlling an illuminating range of the head lamp of the vehicle based on the vehicle height, the illuminating range defined by blocking a light-blocking region from the maximum illuminating range of the head lamp of the vehicle, the light blocking region corresponding to the forward vehicle, wherein:
as a result of the vehicle height detector detecting that the vehicle height is less than a predetermined value, the illuminating range is controlled so as to include an area located above the forward vehicle,
as a result of the vehicle height detector detecting that the vehicle height is not less than the predetermined value, the illuminating range is controlled so as not to include the area located above the forward vehicle.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hagisato Yasuo

Classifications

• B60Q1/143 Primary

  combined with another condition, e.g. using vehicle recognition from camera images or activation of wipers · CPC title

• B60Q1/1438 Primary

  Actuating means for dimming masks or screens · CPC title

• B60Q2300/41

  preceding vehicle · CPC title

• B60Q2300/056

  Special anti-blinding beams, e.g. a standard beam is chopped or moved in order not to blind · CPC title

• B60Q2300/42

  oncoming vehicle · CPC title