Automatically Adjusted Headlamp Beam Patents (Class 362/465)
  • Patent number: 11897468
    Abstract: While operating a host vehicle in an area, a target vehicle is identified in a sub-area based on detecting a visual cue from the target vehicle. A future location of the target vehicle is predicted to intersect a path of the host vehicle. A stop position of the host vehicle is determined based on the future location of the target vehicle. At least one of the target vehicle is determined to have moved or the path of the host vehicle is updated. Then, the host vehicle is operated to the stop position or along the updated path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Luke Niewiadomski, Li Xu, Kyle Simmons
  • Patent number: 11892136
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp forms a predetermined beam pattern using a plurality of lamp modules arranged in at least one direction. Each of the plurality of lamp modules includes a light source unit that generates light; an optical unit that is disposed in front of the light source unit and transmits the light from the light source unit so that at least a portion of the light incident to an incident surface of the optical unit is output through an exit surface thereof to form the predetermined beam pattern; and an optical path adjustment unit that guides the light generated from the light source unit to the optical unit by adjusting paths of the light. The exit surface of the optical unit of one of the plurality of lamp modules is disposed more forward than the exit surface of the optical unit of another one of the plurality of lamp modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: SL Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Woo Woo, Jin Ho Jo, Dong Hyun Go, Nak Jung Choi
  • Patent number: 11867371
    Abstract: A vehicular light guiding body and a vehicular lam unit are configured to perform fine light distribution control. The vehicular light guiding body includes an incidence surface on which light from a light source is incident, a first reflection surface that internally reflects the light incident from the incidence surface, a second reflection surface that has a shape based on a paraboloid of revolution which reflects substantially parallel light from the first reflection surface toward a focus point, a light blocking part that blocks a portion of the light reflected by the second reflection surface, and an emission surface that emits the light internally reflected by the second reflection surface to pass through the light blocking part and that projects a headlight pattern toward a front of a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Ichikoh Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kei Onoma
  • Patent number: 11850990
    Abstract: The present technique relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, a photographing apparatus, a lighting apparatus, and a mobile body which enable accuracy of image recognition processing to be improved. The information processing apparatus includes: a recognizing portion configured to perform image recognition processing with respect to an image photographed by a photographing portion and calculate, for each recognized area being an area based on a recognition result of an object, a reliability of the recognition result; and an irradiation control portion configured to control an irradiation pattern of visible light in a photographing direction of the photographing portion so that the reliability with respect to at least a part of the recognized areas increases. For example, the present technique can be applied to a vehicle control apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Keitaro Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11841122
    Abstract: A light module of a motor vehicle lighting device. The light module includes a light source intended to perform at least one photometric function, and an electrochromic device including at least one portion arranged downstream of the light source and capable of optionally having a diffusing appearance or a transparent appearance. A controller is arranged to receive an emission instruction from the photometric function and to control, in accordance with the instruction, the emission of light by the light source and the appearance of the electrochromic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: VALEO VISION
    Inventors: Matthieu Syre, Stephane Winterstein, Blaise Jars, Gavin Warner, Sylvain Giraud
  • Patent number: 11827139
    Abstract: A vehicle headlamp includes: a first light source unit that forms at least a high-beam light distribution pattern; a second light source unit that forms an additional light distribution pattern and irradiates light with a luminous intensity higher than that of the first light source unit; a posture switching mechanism that switches between a first posture in which an optical axis of the second light source unit is parallel to an optical axis of the first light source unit and a second posture in which the optical axis of the second light source unit is deviated in the horizontal direction by a predetermined angle from the optical axis of the first light source unit; and a controller that controls an ON/OFF state of the second light source unit and an operation state of the posture switching mechanism according to a vehicle speed acquired from a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 11798405
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods are disclosed in which one or more light sources, a detector, a processor and a controller are configured such that light from the one or more light sources improves the ability of a human or automated motor vehicle driver to identify and avoid pedestrians. The one or more light sources may provide spot illumination to moving objects or pedestrians on a road surface, with the spot illumination following the moving object or pedestrians along the portion of the road surface. The one or more light sources may project images on the ground or on other surfaces. The light source may be carried by a pedestrian or on personal transport used by a pedestrian. The light sources may be stationary and provide lighting for a pedestrian street crossing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: LUMILEDS LLC
    Inventors: Michael Camras, Jyoti Kiron Bhardwaj
  • Patent number: 11767961
    Abstract: A headlamp device includes a headlamp, an object detector, and a controller. The headlamp is mounted on a vehicle and includes a light emitting unit composed of multiple light emitting cells. The object detector detects an object around the vehicle and generates an object detection signal including object coordinates corresponding to a location of the detected object. The controller controls light of the headlamp based on information on the object coordinates. The controller may control the light emitting unit such that at least some light emitting cells are turned off according to an object detection signal. Each of multiple light emitting units includes a circuit board, the multiple light emitting cells separated from each other on the circuit board, a molding member formed between the light emitting structures, and a protective member formed on the molding member to surround sides of the multiple wavelength conversion members while filling a gap between the multiple wavelength conversion members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: SEOUL SEMICONDUCTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chung Hoon Lee
  • Patent number: 11757994
    Abstract: Various techniques for collective perception messaging are disclosed herein. In an example, a machine receives, from a source device, a signal value for provision to a sink device, the signal value corresponding to a measurement of an environmental value. The machine accesses, from a storage device, an error term for the signal value. The machine accesses, from the storage device, a source reliability term for the source device. The machine accesses, from the storage device, a source-sink relation term based on the source device and the sink device. The machine determines a distribution for the environmental value based on the error term, the source reliability term, and the source-sink relation term. The machine determines, based on the distribution for the environmental value, whether the signal value is reliable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Leonardo Gomes Baltar, Dario Sabella, Ingolf Karls, Honglei Miao, Kilian Roth, Markus Dominik Mueck
  • Patent number: 11754246
    Abstract: A lamp for a vehicle. The lamp includes a light source part that irradiates light, and a lens structure that forms a specific beam pattern by projecting the light radiated by the light source part to a front side, the lens structure includes a body part that forms a body of the lens structure, the body part includes an input area formed in the body part, and that inputs the light irradiated by the light source part to the body part, an output area formed on a surface of the body part, from which the light is output, and that outputs the light input to the body part to the front side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hyun Soo Lee
  • Patent number: 11745642
    Abstract: A present invention provide a vehicle light system which prevents low-beam headlights from being forgotten to turn on while a vehicle is traveling and is able to turn off the low-beam headlights when it is not necessary, a rotation position of a light switch includes an AUTO position, a SMALL position, and an OFF position, the light switch includes a momentary mechanism which returns a position to the AUTO position when the position is changed to the OFF position or the SMALL position, lights include the low-beam headlights and position lights, the AUTO position allows the low-beam headlights and the position lights to turn on or off depending on a brightness outside the vehicle, and a light control unit turns off the low-beam headlights and turns on the position lights when the rotation position is set to the AUTO position, the brightness outside the vehicle is lower than a predetermined value, a speed is lower than a first predetermined speed, and the rotation position is then changed to the SMALL position
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Manabu Shimada, Shigeto Iwamoto, Keisuke Maeda, Takashi Mai
  • Patent number: 11704910
    Abstract: A vehicle detecting device includes a region setting unit that sets a plurality of regions of interest having different ranges on image data acquired from an image capturing device that captures an image of a space in front of a host vehicle; and a vehicle determining unit that determines, for each of the regions of interest, presence of a front vehicle based on a luminous point present in the region and that executes a determination at different frequencies in the respective regions of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Osamu Endo, Mitsuharu Mano, Takanori Namba, Masayasu Ito
  • Patent number: 11672066
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a portable lighting device capable of adaptive brightness control includes: a light irradiation unit that irradiates light; a brightness sensing unit that measures the brightness of a region in front of a current position at a predetermined distance; and a control unit that controls the amount of light to be irradiated by the light irradiation unit depending on the brightness measured by the brightness sensing unit. Herein, the control unit controls the amount of light by changing the width of an ON pulse period in which the light irradiation unit is operated within a discrete signal controlling the light irradiation unit or by changing the intensity of light in response to a continuous signal controlling the light irradiation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: BRIGHTLAB, INC.
    Inventor: Tae Won Kwon
  • Patent number: 11655953
    Abstract: Disclosed are PBS-based ADB function adjustment method and an intelligent vehicle light module therefor. A light source system and a light control element constitute an intelligent illumination light control system. One part of light rays emitted by the intelligent illumination light control system penetrate through a PBS to form an illumination light shape, and the other part of the light rays emitted by the intelligent illumination light control system are reflected by the PBS in a direction opposite to a photosensitive chip integrated circuit. Ambient light enters an imaging lens group in a direction opposite to an illumination light path, and one part of the ambient light is reflected by the PBS to the photosensitive chip integrated circuit to form an information source for dynamic control of the light control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: HASCO VISION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jie Zhang, Shikun Dong, Fan Meng, Feiquan Li, Jiayuan Chen
  • Patent number: 11619360
    Abstract: A headlamp assembly includes a low beam assembly configured to generate a low beam distribution that includes a first low beam module having a first laser solid state light source that is optically configured to emit a first luminous intensity distribution and a second laser solid state light source that is optically configured to emit a second luminous intensity distribution, and a second low beam module having a solid state light source that is optically configured to emit a third luminous intensity distribution, which at least partially overlaps at least one of the first and second luminous intensity distributions; the headlamp assembly also having a high beam assembly configured to generate a high beam distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Valeo North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Brant Potter, John Orisich
  • Patent number: 11560082
    Abstract: The device includes at least one acceleration sensor provided to detect acceleration of a vehicle in at least one direction, a wheel speed sensor provided to detect a speed of a wheel, a lamp provided to emit light, a driving unit connected to the lamp to adjust a direction of light, and a controller configured to, when the vehicle is traveling, calculate a dynamic angle value of the vehicle with respect to a road surface while the vehicle is in acceleration or deceleration and calculate a first static angle value based on the dynamic angle value of the vehicle, and, when the vehicle is stopped, to calculate a second static angle value and a road slope value of a road on which the vehicle is positioned, and then control a direction of the light emitted forward of the lamp based on the first or the second static angle value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ji Sung Kang
  • Patent number: 11521298
    Abstract: An LED controller system includes an LED controller including an image frame buffer able to receive image data. A sensor processing module is used to receive and process sensor data and a decision module is used to determine actions taken in response to processed sensor data. An image creation module is used to create images to be sent to the image frame buffer of the LED controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Lumileds LLC
    Inventors: Ronald Bonne, Jyoti Kiron Bhardwaj
  • Patent number: 11505112
    Abstract: The invention is related to a method for controlling a light pattern provided by an automotive lighting device of an automotive vehicle, wherein a dynamic portion of the light pattern is provided at least by a matrix arrangement of light sources. This method includes the steps of sensing a turn in a steering system of the automotive vehicle, dividing the dynamic portion in a first portion and a second portion, shifting the operation of the light sources associated to the first portion in the same direction as the sensed turn and create a third portion between the shifted first portion and the second portion. The invention also provides an automotive lighting device with control means to perform the steps of the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: VALEO VISION
    Inventors: Ali Kanj, Constantin Prat
  • Patent number: 11505114
    Abstract: A communication support device in a vehicle, which has left and right round lights in a front end part of the vehicle, includes: left and right notification devices having ring-shaped light-emitting parts with changeable light-emitting regions while surrounding the left and right round lights respectively when viewed from a front; and a control device controlling light emission of the ring-shaped light-emitting part so that the light-emitting region of the ring-shaped light-emitting part changes according to an operating state of the vehicle. Accordingly, communication of intention in a notification mode as if there were eye contact with a person outside the vehicle can be easily achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignees: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD., KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masayoshi Takori, Yuji Tsuchiya, Norio Arisaka, Shinji Teraoka, Takeshi Ohno
  • Patent number: 11454539
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp includes: a first light source configured to irradiate visible light; a second light source configured to emit infrared light; a rotating reflector configured to be rotated while reflecting the visible light and the infrared light, and scan the visible light and the infrared light along a horizontal direction on a virtual vertical screen; a light receiving unit configured to receive the infrared light emitted from the second light source and reflected by a target object; and a controller configured to control an irradiation area of the visible light based on the infrared light received by the receiving unit. When determined that there is an abnormality in at least one of the second light source or the light receiving unit, the controller is configured to control the irradiation area based on the surrounding information of the vehicle obtained from outside the vehicle lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Fahin Syed Ahmed, Takao Muramatsu, Hitoshi Gotoh
  • Patent number: 11440460
    Abstract: A directional headlamp assembly for independently directing light from a pair of headlamps includes a pair of headlamp modules and a controller. Each headlamp module replaces a respective headlamp of a pair of existing headlamps of a vehicle. The headlamp module comprises a first housing, which insertable of into an opening created upon removal of the respective headlamp, so that the first housing is engaged to the vehicle. A bulb is pivotally engaged to a front of the first housing. An actuator is engaged to and positioned in the first housing. The actuator is operationally engaged to the bulb. The controller is mountable within a passenger compartment of the vehicle so that it is accessible to a driver of the vehicle. The controller is independently and operationally engaged to each of the actuators and thus is positioned to selectively actuate each actuator to direct light emitted by an associated bulb.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Inventor: Brian Spencer
  • Patent number: 11427122
    Abstract: A headlight control system has a headlight including a plurality of LED light sources, a camera and a radar that detect a predetermined target object present ahead of a vehicle, and a controller configured to control the headlight such that, when the target object is present, of the plurality of LED light sources, the LED light source irradiating a region where the target object is present is turned off, and such that, thereafter, when the target object is no longer present in the region, the turned-off LED light source is turned on again. The controller controls the headlight such that, at the time of turning on the turned-off LED light source again, a change rate of luminance of the LED light source is changed according to a position of an irradiation region of the LED light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira Kaino, Kumiko Takenouchi, Yoshitaka Fujihara
  • Patent number: 11414008
    Abstract: A method of guiding a vehicle user approaching or exiting a vehicle. The method comprises projecting, by means of illumination from one or more light sources associated with the vehicle, a distinct illuminated path on the ground. The distinct illuminated path on the ground extends between the vehicle and a location remote from the vehicle. A light guidance system (10) for a vehicle (12), the system comprising one or more light sources (20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30) associated with the vehicle and configured to project at least part of a distinct illuminated path (64) on the ground between the vehicle and a location remote from the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited
    Inventors: Shammika Wickramasinghe, Nicholas Ridler
  • Patent number: 11358516
    Abstract: Vehicle headlamp (1), which is designed to form a light pattern in front of a vehicle, comprising a first microprocessor (100), a first memory (110), a control-channel control unit (120) and a first light module (211, 212) with in each case a first output unit (221, 222), and a second light module (213, 214) with in each case a second output unit (223, 224), wherein the vehicle headlamp (1) also comprises an object-channel control unit (130), a second microprocessor (101) and a second memory (90), and the object-channel control unit (130) is designed to receive a message concerning an object channel (131) from a second electronic system (61) of the vehicle and the second microprocessor (101) is designed to at least partially retrieve the message from the object-channel control unit (130) and use it to form image data, and the second microprocessor (101) is also designed to activate the output unit (223, 224) of the second light module (213, 214) by way of a video channel (250), wherein the output unit (223, 2
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: ZKW Group GmbH
    Inventor: Martin Lahmer
  • Patent number: 11351914
    Abstract: A vehicle control device is a vehicle control device mounted on a first vehicle, and the vehicle control device includes a light source configured to project light outside of a vehicle; and a light source controller configured to control the light source to project a projection image which is positioned outside the first vehicle viewed from above and is along at least part of a periphery of the first vehicle in a case where the first vehicle is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasushi Shoda, Junpei Noguchi, Yuki Hara, Ryoma Taguchi, Yuta Takada
  • Patent number: 11333315
    Abstract: A projection headlight for a vehicle is provided comprising at least one light source, a projection lens, a condenser lens arranged between the at least one light source and the projection lens, and at least one printed graphic arranged between the condenser lens and the projection lens. The condenser lens has a flat side and a curved side. The at least one printed graphic is printed on the flat side of the condenser lens. Further, a vehicle is provided having at least one such projection headlight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventor: Stefan Gröne
  • Patent number: 11332016
    Abstract: Proposed is technology that enables the linked use of a camera and sensor system in a train image monitoring system. A train image monitoring system is characterized by, in a train monitoring system (100), the following: a control device (271) comprising a means for managing the device configuration of the system, a means for receiving data from each device, a means for determining the control contents of each device, and a means for transmitting a control instruction to each device; a recording device comprising a means for receiving data from each device, a means for recording received data, a means for reading out recorded data, a means for transmitting read-out data, and a means for receiving a control instruction; and a display device comprising a means for receiving data from the recording device, a means for displaying received data on a screen, a means for detecting a user operation, a means for transmitting the contents of a user operation, and a means for receiving a control instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc.
    Inventor: Seiichi Hirai
  • Patent number: 11208030
    Abstract: The invention describes a method of providing an illumination pattern for vehicle lighting, the method comprising the steps of: providing a light pattern comprising a multitude of scanlines of white light by illuminating a light converter by means of a scanning laser arrangement for illuminating an area, wherein the scanlines are characterized by a defined scanline width; adapting a cut-off of the light pattern by changing a position of at least one scanline with respect to a reference illumination pattern or by dimming at least a limited portion of at least one scanline. The invention further describes a vehicle headlight system and a computer program product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Lumileds LLC
    Inventors: Ulrich Hechtfischer, Steffen Zozgornik
  • Patent number: 11209269
    Abstract: Provided are: an inclination angle calculating unit for calculating, when having determined that a vehicle is stationary by referring to vehicle information indicating a traveling state of the vehicle, an inclination angle of the vehicle during a stationary period using inclination angle information indicating an inclination angle of the vehicle and determining a vehicle inclination angle during the stationary period from the calculated inclination angle of the vehicle; and a correction determination processing unit for determining whether an absolute value of a difference between the determined vehicle inclination angle and a reference angle determined previously by the inclination angle calculating unit is less than a first threshold value (threshold value ?) and, if the absolute value of the difference is less than the first threshold value (threshold value ?), performing a correction to rewrite the vehicle inclination angle to the reference angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takao Fukunaga, Wataru Tsujita, Tsutomu Asahina
  • Patent number: 11148582
    Abstract: A headlight assembly for an automobile illuminates a path of the automobile while executing a turn. The assembly includes at least one primary light source, a means of determining an orientation of the automobile, the means being configured to generate a first signal when the orientation is varied, a means of determining an orientation of a steering device of the automobile, the means being configured to generate a second signal when the orientation of the steering device is varied, and a control unit configured to receive and condition the first and the second signal to produce a conditioned signal; and at least two secondary light sources, wherein at least one of the at least two secondary light sources is actuated by the conditioned signal transmitted from the control unit. The invention also describes a method for illuminating a path of the automobile while executing a turn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: VARROC ENGINEERING LIMITED
    Inventors: Lalit Ramesh Ahuja, Ketan Shridhar Talekar, Aniket Vishwas Takle
  • Patent number: 11110853
    Abstract: To prevent a decrease in luminance of the flashed high-beam headlights caused by ambient temperature in a vehicle headlight system using a liquid crystal element. The vehicle headlight system for selectively irradiating light in front of an own vehicle includes: a light source; a liquid crystal element for forming an image using light from the light source where the liquid crystal element is a normally closed liquid crystal element having a relatively low transmittance when no voltage is applied thereto; a driving circuit for driving the liquid crystal element; and a control part that determines whether or not the light source is in a light-off state and controls the driving circuit to set the liquid crystal element to a transmission state when the light source is in the light-off state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: STANLEY ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takashi Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 11084417
    Abstract: A method for the automatic adjustment of an angle of inclination of a vehicle headlight, having the steps: continuous measurement of a rate of rotation of the vehicle headlight; calculation of a change of a gravitational acceleration vector of the vehicle headlight in the coordinate system of the vehicle headlight, using the measured rate of rotation; calculation of an angle of inclination correction using the change of the gravitational acceleration vector; and adjustment of the angle of inclination of the vehicle headlight using the angle of inclination correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Buhmann, Tomislav Pozaic
  • Patent number: 11073727
    Abstract: A display for emitting display light comprising: (a) a light source for emitting a source light; and (b) a filter positioned in the path of said source light, said filter comprising at least short, medium and long filters, wherein said short filter is configured to transmit short-primary light from said source light, said short-primary light comprising a violet portion having wavelengths from 400 to 440 nm and at least a second portion having wavelengths above 440 nm such that said short-primary light is perceptually blue, said short-primary light having a short-primary SPD having a short-primary power between 380-780 nm and a blue power between 440-500 nm, wherein said blue power is less than 5% of said short-primary power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: ECOSENSE LIGHTING, INC.
    Inventor: Aurelien J. F. David
  • Patent number: 11073253
    Abstract: A light emission device includes a light source that emits an excitation light beam, a light deflector, a wavelength converter that receives and converts the excitation light beam deflected by the light deflector to wavelength-converted light, and a light concentration section that focuses the excitation light beam on the wavelength converter. The light concentration section includes a first optical system disposed between the light source and the light deflector, and a second optical system disposed between the light deflector and the wavelength converter. In the second optical system, a focal length of an Ay-axis is shorter than a focal length of an Ax-axis, where the Ax-axis is defined as an axis that has a lowest beam parameter product of the excitation light beam, and the Ay-axis is defined as an axis orthogonal to the Ax-axis in a cross section perpendicular to a propagation direction of the excitation light beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kimihiro Murakami
  • Patent number: 11060681
    Abstract: A lighting device for a motor vehicle has a plurality of laser light sources and an optical channel via which light from the plurality of laser light sources is conducted during the operation of the lighting device, in order to generate light spread from the conducted light in the area around the motor vehicle. The lighting device is characterized in that an optical element, which can be switched by a control device into different switching states, is provided between the plurality of laser light sources and the optical channel, a different switching state being associated with each laser light source. In each respective switching state, only light from the laser light source associated with the respective switching state is fed into the optical channel by way of the optical element. The control device is designed such that, when the light of one of the plurality of laser light sources is fed into the optical channel, the device keeps the other at least one laser light source switched off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Helmut Erdl, Abdelmalek Hanafi
  • Patent number: 11047540
    Abstract: A light assembly and method for steering a vehicle headlight illumination pattern. In one aspect, a method includes providing a processor programmed to perform the steps of: illuminating a subset of consecutive LEDs in the line including LEDs associated with the first and second edge illumination fields; as the direction of the vehicle wheels changes: (i) fading the LED associated with one of the first and second illumination fields off while simultaneously fading the LED associated with the other of the first and second illumination fields on thereby changing the illumination pattern; and (ii) repeating step (i) so that the illumination pattern tracks the direction of the vehicle wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: J.W. SPEAKER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bradley William Kay, Kevin Jay McWithey
  • Patent number: 10988075
    Abstract: A vehicle lighting device includes at least one headlight, a position and/or acceleration sensor, and a control unit for adjusting a light/dark boundary of the headlight. Pitch movements of the vehicle can be detected by the position and/or acceleration sensor, and a change in the light/dark boundary due to the respective pitch movement can be compensated for by the control unit. The position and/or acceleration sensor and the control unit are arranged in the headlight or directly on the headlight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: DAIMLER AG
    Inventors: Axel Mueller, Marc Necker, Stephan Finn, Katharina Wagner, Stefan Töpfer, Joerg Moisel, Björn Böke, Marcus Fiege, Ismail Kilic, Carsten Lorenz
  • Patent number: 10933802
    Abstract: A vehicle illumination system provided to a vehicle capable of traveling in an autonomous driving mode includes: an illumination unit configured to emit light toward an outside of the vehicle; and an illumination controller configured to change an illumination mode of the illumination unit, depending on a waiting time of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naoki Takii, Atsushi Sugimoto, Misako Kamiya
  • Patent number: 10935203
    Abstract: A method and apparatus provide a light module that includes a plurality of optical functions supported by a single housing. The method and apparatus further adjusts aiming of all optical functions of the light module in multiple directions when needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Albert Ekladyous, Udayakumar Ramasami, Lisa Hohmann, Alex Jacobson, Arun Kumar, Kelley Adams-Campos, Sarbjit Singh
  • Patent number: 10919437
    Abstract: A headlight system for a banking vehicle is provided. The headlight system includes a plurality of optical assemblies being arranged about an optical horizon and an optical vertical axis. Each of the plurality of optical assemblies includes an illumination source and an optical element. Each of the illumination sources is configured to direct light toward a corresponding one of the optical elements to produce an illumination region. The illumination regions combine to form an illumination pattern that includes at least one illumination region that is radial and is positioned relative an optical origin. The intersection between the optical horizon and the optical vertical axis defines the optical origin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: J.W. SPEAKER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bradley William Kay, Dragan Popovic
  • Patent number: 10823360
    Abstract: A headlight device and a bending headlight module thereof are provided. The headlight device includes a main headlight module and a bending headlight module. The main headlight module is capable of generating a first lighting area which is a light pattern that complies with the regulations of low beam headlamps. The main headlight module includes a main optical axis, and the main headlight module defines a horizontal plane and a vertical plane perpendicular to the horizontal plane, and the main optical axis is parallel to the horizontal plane and the vertical plane. The bending headlight module is disposed close to the main headlight module, and the bending headlight module includes a first reflecting unit, a first lighting unit, a first cut-off plate unit, and a first lens unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: CHIAN YIH OPTOTECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Cheng Wang, Ming-Feng Kuo, Jyun-Lin Lai, Yu-Kai Chen
  • Patent number: 10821878
    Abstract: An illumination device capable of correcting a deviation of a drawing position when drawing is performed at a position deviated from a designed target position on a road surface is provided. The illumination device can include: a first irradiation unit configured to irradiate light having a first light distribution pattern; and a second irradiation unit configured to irradiate light having a second light distribution pattern different from the first light distribution pattern, wherein at least one of the first light distribution pattern and the second light distribution pattern includes a main pattern and an auxiliary pattern configured to have an assisting function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: STANLEY ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wataru Nakashima, Yasushi Kita, Takako Kimura, Takeshi Waragaya
  • Patent number: 10801688
    Abstract: A headlight device is provided. The headlight device includes a main headlight module and a high-speed headlight module. The main headlight module is capable of generating a first lighting area having a light pattern that complies with the regulations of low beam headlamps. In addition, the main headlight module includes a main optical axis, and the main headlight module defines a horizontal plane and a vertical plane perpendicular to the horizontal plane, and the main optical axis is parallel to the horizontal plane and the vertical plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: CHIAN YIH OPTOTECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Cheng Wang, Ming-Feng Kuo, Jyun-Lin Lai, Yu-Kai Chen
  • Patent number: 10711968
    Abstract: A vehicle lighting apparatus that illuminates a frontward direction of a vehicle includes: first and second light source units each having a light source main body and a light-focusing optical system that focuses light emitted from the light source main body; a reflection-type digital light deflection device that is configured by arranging a plurality of mirror elements each of which can be slanted around a rotation movement axis and each of which can be individually switched between an ON slanted state and an OFF slanted state and that reflects the light, focused by the first and second light source units, by the mirror element of the ON slanted state to form a reflection pattern; and a projection optical system that illuminates a frontward direction with light reflected by the reflection-type digital light deflection device, wherein light incident on the reflection-type digital light deflection device by the first and second light source units is overlapped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: STANLEY ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shinya Hoshino
  • Patent number: 10652477
    Abstract: A night vision imaging apparatus includes a light projecting section, a light amount controller, an imaging section, and a recording section. The light projecting section casts a near infrared ray as illumination light on an illumination area. The light amount controller controls an amount of the illumination light on each one of sub-areas forming the illumination area. The imaging section images the illumination area, and generates image data. The recording section records the image data generated by the imaging section. The light amount controller divides an image shown in the image data into a plurality of divided portions, and determines a light intensity of each one of the plurality of divided portion, and then controls an amount of the illumination light to be casted on a sub-area corresponding to each one of the plurality of divided portions among the sub-areas of the illumination area based on the determined light intensity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Norikazu Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 10634304
    Abstract: In described examples, a DMD includes micromirrors. A first light source generates a first beam profile illuminating a first set of micromirrors of the DMD. A second light source generates a second beam profile illuminating a second set of micromirrors of the DMD. The first and second beam profiles partially overlap on at least some micromirrors of the DMD. The first light source is source-modulated independently of the second light source for adjusting power and brightness in response to a sensed driving condition. The micromirrors of the DMD are modulated in response to the sensed driving condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Vikrant R. Bhakta
  • Patent number: 10619821
    Abstract: An electronic unit includes a circuit board, a light emitter mounted on one side of the circuit board and configured to emit a light, and a resin case accommodating the circuit board on which the light emitter is mounted. The resin case includes a first light-transmission portion configure to transmit the light emitted from the light emitter to outside of the resin case so as to be bright in desired luminance when viewed from the outside. The first light-transmission portion includes an outer-surface-side concave portion which is formed by recessing an outer surface of the resin case so that a thickness of the first light-transmission portion is thinner than a thickness of the resin case except for the first light-transmission portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kikuo Ogawa, Hitoshi Tsugane
  • Patent number: 10604061
    Abstract: A headlight system includes a headlight module having at least one headlight device arranged on a vehicle and having a predefined illuminating range; a driving module having at least one driving unit configured to adjust the illuminating direction of the headlight device within the predefined illuminating range; a gaze detecting device detecting a driver's gaze direction; an input device receiving a direction adjusting command issued by the driver; and a control unit electrically connected to the driving module, the gaze detecting device and the input device, wherein when the input device receives the direction adjusting command from the driver, and the control unit determines whether the drivers' gaze direction falls within the predefined illuminating range; if so, the control unit controls the driving unit to adjust the illuminating direction of the headlight device toward the driver's gaze direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignees: Shanghai XPT Technology Limited, INTELLIGENCE & PARTNER LIMITED, Mindtronic AI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mu-Jen Huang, Ya-Li Tai, Yu-Sian Jiang
  • Patent number: 10589662
    Abstract: An adjusting system for a lighting apparatus for vehicles is configured to emit light for forming a light distribution described by a parameter set. The adjusting system includes a light control unit and is configured to modify the light distribution. The parameter set describing the light distribution is stored in the light control unit, which and configured to control the lighting apparatus such that the lighting apparatus emits light for forming the light distribution in accordance with the parameter set into an area in front of the lighting apparatus. An operator control unit separate from both the lighting apparatus and the light control unit is configured to accept user inputs and to transmit the user inputs to the light control unit, which is configured to modify the parameter set in accordance with the user inputs to produce a further parameter set describing a further user-defined, preferably dynamic, light distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: ZKW GROUP GMBH
    Inventor: Markus Reinprecht
  • Patent number: 10583773
    Abstract: A vehicle-mounted system and a vehicle are disclosed. The vehicle-mounted system includes a vehicle lamp system, the vehicle lamp system includes a direction changing unit or/and a light intensity adjusting unit and a vehicle lamp; the vehicle lamp is arranged on a front side of a vehicle body and configured to emit light; the direction changing unit is arranged on a light emergent side of the vehicle lamp, and configured to change a transmission direction of light that is incident on the direction changing unit and emitted by the vehicle lamp; and the light intensity adjusting unit is configured to adjust intensity of the light emitted by the vehicle lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yanshun Chen, Xiaodong Liu, Guanshan Tong, Wenbo Li