DE102014221883A1 - Method and control device for setting a characteristic of a light emission of at least one headlight of a vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for adjusting a light emission of at least one headlight of a vehicle (130). The method includes a step of determining whether a foreign vehicle (140) viewed from the vehicle (130) is obscured or uncovered by at least one obscuring object (120). Also, the method includes a step of changing the light emission from an output characteristic to a target characteristic when the foreign vehicle (140) is uncovered for more than a definable waiting period.

Description

State of the art

The present invention relates to a method for setting a characteristic of a light emission of at least one headlight of a vehicle, to a corresponding control device and to a corresponding computer program.

High-beam assistance systems can adapt a light distribution to an ambient situation. A usual high-beam assistant, z. B. HMA (High Beam Assist) can automatically switch between low beam and high beam, with adaptive systems can dynamically adjust the light distribution to a traffic situation. Adaptive systems include, for example, assistants such as AHC (adaptive high beam control) or aCOL (adaptive cut-off line) or aHDG (adaptive light-dark boundary), which raise a headlamp light-dark boundary similar to headlamp leveling can not dazzle other road users. The Assistant CHC (Continuous High Beam Control) or vCOL (vertical cut-often-line) can produce a light distribution that is similar to the high beam, with a shared shadow corridor can be generated around road users (groups) to hide them targeted , The so-called matrix beam or the so-called pixel light can generate separate shadow corridors for several road users. Furthermore, it is possible on the basis of environmental information special static light distributions such. B. city lights, motorway lights or highway lights turn.

Disclosure of the invention

Against this background, the method presented here introduces a method for setting a characteristic of a light emission of at least one headlight of a vehicle, furthermore a control unit which uses this method, and finally a corresponding computer program according to the main claims. Advantageous embodiments emerge from the respective subclaims and the following description.

According to embodiments of the present invention, leaving an output characteristic of a light emission of vehicle headlights may be delayed when there are obscuration objects, for example, plants at the roadside or the like, which are arranged in an optical path to a foreign vehicle. In other words, an adjustment of the light emission can take place in such a way that, depending on the environment, in particular in the case of light vegetation, it is not immediately dimmed when a foreign vehicle is detected. Thus, an output light distribution of the light emission, for example a high beam distribution, partial beam distribution or intermediate light distribution, can be maintained longer if a visible foreign vehicle is covered by an area with obscuring objects, for example light vegetation, or drives in an area with vegetation. In other words, a slower dimming response to emerging foreign vehicles can be realized in the presence of obscuration objects such as fouling.

Advantageously, according to embodiments of the present invention, for example, a visibility can be improved by vehicle headlights in an environment with especially at the roadside concealment objects. In particular, an information or a signal regarding the presence of occlusion objects or a lateral occultation or a growth for shifting or modifying a design of a high-beam assistant from a comfort optimization to a visibility optimization can be used. Thus, an advantageous balance between an optimization on a small number of changes in the light distributions and a quiet system behavior and an optimization of the visibility can be realized, for example in forest areas or areas with lateral vegetation, where an occurrence of game or objects, eg. B. a fallen branch, may be more common on the road than, for example, on a highway, and the driver a wide view, z. B. by high beam, are provided to respond to obstacles in time. Thus, it can be prevented that is dimmed immediately as soon as a foreign vehicle due to obscuring objects or through vegetation is also only partially visible for a short time, and therefore the driver has due to a Entprellzeit only a low main beam and a deteriorated vision. In particular, with little effort, an extension of a setting strategy or of an operating mode for the light emission with regard to an environmental class with obscuring objects or vegetation as well as with regard to vehicle filtering, for example, depending on concealment information, can be realized. If the setting of the light emission thus takes place in a visibility-optimized mode, then it can be achieved that an actual dimming process is only performed when a foreign vehicle is visible for longer than the waiting time duration and, for example, additionally or alternatively, falls below a distance to the vehicle.

There will be a method of adjusting a characteristic of a light emission at least a headlamp of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
Determining whether a foreign vehicle viewed from the vehicle is obscured or uncovered by at least one obscuring object; and

Changing a characteristic of the light emission from an output characteristic to a target characteristic when the other vehicle is uncovered for more than a definable waiting period.

The vehicle may be a road-bound vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle such as a passenger car, truck, a motorcycle, a commercial vehicle or the like. The vehicle and the foreign vehicle may be located on a common portion of a road or on adjacent portions of a road or two adjacent roads. The characteristic of the light emission, hereinafter also referred to as light emission, may represent a light distribution, light intensity distribution or the like. In the step of changing the output characteristic can be left or turned off and the target characteristic can be set, wherein the output characteristic and the target characteristic can be assigned different light distributions. In particular, the light emission in the step of changing can be reduced. The at least one obscuring object can be a vegetation object, in particular a bush, a tree or the like. For example, a plurality of obscuring objects may represent a forest. The at least one masking object can in this case be arranged along a road on which the vehicle and additionally or alternatively the foreign vehicle is located. The definable waiting period can be defined or redefined in a step of defining depending on at least one environment information regarding an environment of the vehicle.

The output characteristic may represent a high beam characteristic, a partial high beam characteristic or an intermediate characteristic. Thus, the output characteristic can be a high beam. Alternatively, the output characteristic in the form of the split-beam characteristic or the intermediate characteristic may represent a light emission which is less than a light emission associated with the high beam. This is advantageous, for example, if a vehicle is already passing on the left and thus this area has already been masked out. If another vehicle appears on the right behind bushes, then strictly speaking it is not necessary to turn off the high beam characteristic, but instead an intermediate light distribution. Under the Teilfernlichtcharakteristik or the intermediate characteristic can be understood such an intermediate light distribution. Correspondingly, the target characteristic may be a low-beam light characteristic, the split-beam characteristic, the intermediate characteristic or another intermediate characteristic. Thus, the target characteristic may represent a low beam or a light emission beyond the low beam.

Thus, in adaptive systems, for example in adaptive high-beam assistants such as AHC or CHC, the described approach can be carried out as an alternative to the high-beam distribution from a partial high-beam distribution, depending on the embodiment and traffic situation. This may be the case, for example, if the adaptive high-beam assistant has set a partial high-beam distribution because of a passing vehicle and a partially covered vehicle appears in the still glare-prone area.

According to one embodiment, the step of changing may be performed if additionally or alternatively a threshold distance between the vehicle and the other vehicle has fallen below. The limit distance may be a safety margin or threshold, the undershoot of which represents an inadmissibility of the output characteristic. Such an embodiment offers the advantage that in the case of visibility optimization, dazzling avoidance of other road users can be improved.

Also, the method may include a step of maintaining the output characteristic or changing the characteristic from the target characteristic to the output characteristic when the other vehicle is hidden or shorter than the waiting period is uncovered. Such an embodiment offers the advantage that a visibility for a driver of the vehicle can be improved by avoiding unnecessary and / or premature dimming operations.

In this case, the step of maintaining or changing can be carried out if additionally or alternatively a limit distance between the vehicle and the foreign vehicle is exceeded. Such an embodiment offers the advantage that, in particular, the visibility can be optimized despite the dazzling of other road users.

According to an embodiment, in the step of changing, the characteristic of the light emission may first be changed from the high beam characteristic to the split beam characteristic when the other vehicle is uncovered, and then changed from the Teilfernlichtcharakteristik to the low beam characteristic when the other vehicle is uncovered for longer than the waiting period. Here, the split-beam light characteristic may represent a characteristic of the light emission between the output characteristic and the target characteristic. In particular, the partial high-light characteristic with respect to the output characteristic can have dimmed regions of a light distribution. If the vehicle has a device for dimming the at least one headlight, then while the other vehicle is visible, the at least one headlight can be at least partially dimmed. This can take place abruptly or in a gradual change, in which an emitted luminous flux of the at least one headlamp is reduced over the waiting period. In adaptive lighting systems, it may be possible to dim only those segments where the foreign vehicle is visible. Such an embodiment has the advantage that as little as possible disturbing changes in the light distribution are caused by adjusting the partial high-beam characteristic or by dimming so that a comfort can be increased, wherein a light amount in front of the vehicle can be higher than in the case the dipped beam characteristic so that a view can be improved, wherein when set Teilfernlichtcharakteristik a glare for a driver of the other vehicle is lower than when the high beam characteristic is set.

Also, in the step of determining, concealment information read in by a position detection device and additionally or alternatively by an environment detection device of the vehicle may be used. In this case, the concealment information may represent a position, a course and additionally or alternatively a distance of the at least one concealment object relative to a roadway, the vehicle and additionally or alternatively the foreign vehicle. Additionally or alternatively, the concealment information may represent an optical density of the at least one concealment object. The concealing information may represent a vegetation signal or the like, and may be obtained from, for example, image data of a vehicle camera, navigation data, or the like. By means of a vehicle camera designed, for example, as a stereo camera, it is possible, for example, to detect or measure lateral occlusions on a roadway edge. In particular, the concealment information may represent a simple vegetation signal that may be provided, for example, by a position detection device when the vehicle is within a forest, for example. Such a simple fouling signal may merely represent a positional marking of an area around the lane as a region with obscuration objects, without history information or the like. Such an embodiment offers the advantage that computing resources can be saved, in particular if a trajectory of the vehicle remains unconsidered. In the case of such a resource-saving implementation, the waiting time duration and thus a maximum glare duration can be more limited than when matching with a trajectory of the vehicle, for example to a maximum of half a second or another suitable value, in order to limit glare for other drivers. The consideration of concealment information, which for example has only position information, can be implemented with little effort.

Furthermore, in the step of determining a trajectory and additionally or alternatively a route of the vehicle can be taken into account. Such an embodiment has the advantage that an improvement in visibility can be achieved and, in addition, glare for other road users can be further reduced.

Concealment information may include a position, a course, a lateral offset, an optical density, and additionally or alternatively other properties of the at least one masking object. The concealment information can be generated, for example, from navigation information and additionally or alternatively from data from other environmental sensors. For example, concealment information represents lateral occlusion in an area parallel to a trajectory of the vehicle. This information or signal may be used in the method to detect a situation of increased viewing demand, for example in a dark, wild-game forest. If the occlusion information represents a sparse growth or low optical density in this area, then a foreign vehicle can be intermittently recognized by the vegetation or can be visible or hidden. In such a situation, by implementing the method, dimming of vehicle headlights can be delayed because the other vehicle may be intermittently obscured. Thus, a view, visibility or light distribution for the driver can be improved. In this case, the optical density of the at least one masking object can be taken into account in steps of the method from the masking information. If the optical density is above a threshold, then the output characteristic can be maintained at least for the waiting period. Alternatively or additionally, depending on the degree of detail of the concealment information, only a presence of concealment objects may be sufficient to advantageously execute steps of the method.

The approach presented here also creates a control unit which is designed to execute, to control or to implement the steps of a variant of a method presented here in corresponding devices. Also by this embodiment of the invention in the form of a control device, the object underlying the invention can be achieved quickly and efficiently.

In the present case, a control device can be understood as meaning an electrical device which processes sensor signals and outputs control and / or data signals in dependence thereon. The control unit may have an interface, which may be formed in hardware and / or software. In the case of a hardware-based design, the interfaces can be part of a so-called system ASIC, for example, which contains various functions of the control unit. However, it is also possible that the interfaces are their own integrated circuits or at least partially consist of discrete components. In a software training, the interfaces may be software modules that are present, for example, on a microcontroller in addition to other software modules.

Also of advantage is a computer program product or computer program with program code which can be stored on a machine-readable carrier or storage medium such as a semiconductor memory, a hard disk memory or an optical memory and for carrying out, implementing and / or controlling the steps of the method according to one of the embodiments described above is used, especially when the program product or program is executed on a computer or a device.

Thus, an advantageous solution between the interdependent goals of visibility, glare and comfort can be found. Quick changes between light distributions can disturb the driver, which is why a delay of a changeover can be realized. For example, in adaptive systems, this could mean low-pass filtering of an output signal or slow controller design. For an acceptance or evaluation of a high-beam assistant by customers, for example, not only a quiet dynamics play a role, eg. As an avoidance of discomfort by so-called flicker or hectic acting change, but also the visibility, z. As an avoidance of discomfort by less stimulation or too low visibility. Visibility is essential for driving a vehicle and also affects the driver's comfort sensation. The term glare can refer to glare of other road users. A glare of the driver of the vehicle or ego vehicle can have different forms or components: A physiological glare can reduce a contrast of a perceived image and thus an actual visibility distance or visibility by means of a so-called fog luminance. A psychological glare can cause an uncomfortable feeling in the blind person, but has no effect on visual performance, which is covered by the physiological glare. Physiological disability glare may have an effect on visual performance. The physiological glare and the psychological glare (English "discomfort glare"), for example, can occur together.

High beam assistants can provide environmental information of an environment, e.g. B. a continuous street lighting as in a city or a structural separation as on a highway, as well as a present traffic situation, eg. B. front driver, entreater, etc., use to adapt a system behavior. In adaptive systems that can produce quasi-continuous light distributions, a short wait can usually speak of a small controller time constant and thus a fast, dynamic response, with a longer wait, usually a large controller time constant, thus a slow, quiet Reaction can correspond.

Alternatively or in addition to a time measurement or consideration of a waiting time, the light emission can be suitably set if a foreign vehicle falls below a definable distance with respect to the vehicle. Such an implementation may, for example, be permanently active and independent of the environment. In principle, in such an implementation, the at least one headlight may remain illuminated as long as the foreign vehicle is not yet continuously visible for the waiting period and, additionally or alternatively, if the foreign vehicle is further away than a limit distance with respect to the vehicle.

The approach presented here will be explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

1 a schematic representation of a traffic situation;

2 a schematic representation of a vehicle with a device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

3 a schematic representation of a vehicle with a device according to an embodiment of the present invention in a traffic situation;

4 a flowchart of a method according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

5 a flowchart of a process according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In the following description of favorable embodiments of the present invention, the same or similar reference numerals are used for the elements shown in the various figures and similar acting, with a repeated description of these elements is omitted.

In the following, exemplary embodiments are described for the purpose of simplification and readability, in particular in particular with regard to classical high-beam assistants, wherein an insert is also provided for adaptive systems, resulting in a change of a system dynamics. In adaptive systems, a short waiting time corresponds to a fast system behavior, for example, whereby a target light distribution or target characteristic is achieved faster, and corresponds to a long wait slow slower system behavior, whereby a target light distribution or target characteristics later or is achieved more slowly.

1 shows a schematic representation of a traffic situation 100 , Along the edge of a street 110 are a plurality of obscurity objects 120 arranged in the form of vegetation or a vegetation with shrubs or trees. The street 110 is shown here in a curve section. The obscuring objects 120 are along a radially inward edge of the road 110 arranged.

In the street 110 There is an ego vehicle in the following vehicle 130 called, and another vehicle, in the following foreign vehicle 140 called. The vehicle 130 and the foreign vehicle 140 are shown in a state where they are on different lanes of the road 110 to move towards each other.

In other words, the vehicle drives 130 in the street 110 at the edge of which shrubs grow, the obscuring objects 120 represent. An optical density of the bushes is low enough that the foreign vehicle 140 for the vehicle 130 is intermittently visible. For example, the obfuscation objects 120 around plants without leaves or with few leaves, for example due to the season.

2 shows a schematic representation of a vehicle 130 with a control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the vehicle 130 For example, it is the vehicle 1 , According to the in 2 illustrated embodiment of the present invention as well as presentation are of the vehicle 130 by way of example only a headlight 232 for example, two headlights, a vehicle camera 234 or a first environment sensor and a position detection device 236 or a navigation device or a second environment sensor shown. Further, the vehicle points 130 a control unit 250 or an adjustment on.

The vehicle camera 234 is adapted to image data of an environment of the vehicle 130 to provide as a first sensor signal A. For example, the first sensor signal A represents a known foreign vehicle and additionally or alternatively at least one masking object in an environment of the vehicle 130 , The position detection device 236 or the environment sensor is designed to environmental data of an environment of the vehicle 130 to provide as a second sensor signal B. In this case, the second sensor signal B represents, for example, map data from a navigation database which, for example, concealment information regarding at least one obscuring object in the environment of the vehicle 130 exhibit. The headlight 232 is configured to receive a control signal C. In this case, the control signal C is suitable for the light emission of the headlight 232 to influence.

The control unit 250 is designed to emit light from the headlamp 232 or the headlight, in particular of headlights, of the vehicle 130 adjust. It is according to the in 2 illustrated embodiment of the present invention, the control unit 250 formed to the first sensor signal A from an interface to the vehicle camera 234 and the second sensor signal B from an interface to the position detecting device 236 or the surroundings sensor. Further, the controller 250 configured to generate the control signal C using the sensor signals A and B and to an interface to the headlight 232 issue.

The control unit 250 has a determination device 252 and a changer 254 on. Even if it is in 2 otherwise shown, the control unit 250 optionally part of another, for example parent or sibling, control unit of the vehicle 130 be or be connected to such a further control device data transfer capable.

The determining device 252 is according to the in 2 illustrated embodiment of the present invention to receive the sensor signals A and B. Also, the determining device 252 configured to determine whether to make a foreign vehicle from the vehicle 130 is considered concealed or uncovered by at least one occlusion object. The determination device is in this case designed to use the sensor signals A and B. Further, the determining means 252 configured to output a result signal regarding a result of the determination.

The change device 254 is configured to change the light emission from an output characteristic to a target characteristic when the foreign vehicle is uncovered for more than a definable waiting period. In particular, the changing device 254 formed to the light emission depending on the result signal from the determining device 252 to change. This is the change device 254 designed to read in the result signal. Additionally or alternatively, the changing device 254 configured to generate the control signal C.

According to the approach described, it is not necessary for the method to start from a high beam distribution. It is also possible to start the process from a split-beam distribution, for example if, after a pass-by situation (partial high-beam light or also intermediate characteristic), a foreign vehicle emerges between bushes. That both output characteristic, also called start characteristic, as well as target characteristic, also called target emission characteristic, can be intermediate light distributions, wherein the target emission characteristic i.d.R. has less glare and / or provides less visibility than the start light distribution.

Depending on the exemplary embodiment and situation, the output characteristic may thus be a high-beam characteristic, a split-beam characteristic or an intermediate characteristic. Correspondingly, the target characteristic may be a low-beam characteristic, the partial high-beam characteristic, the intermediate characteristic or a further intermediate characteristic. According to an exemplary embodiment, the light emission can thus be changed from the high-beam characteristic to the low-beam light characteristic. According to a further embodiment, the light emission from the high beam characteristic may be changed to a characteristic arranged with respect to the light emission between the high beam characteristic and the low beam characteristic. According to a further embodiment, the light emission may be changed from the characteristic relating to the light emission between the high-beam characteristic and the low-beam light characteristic to the low-beam light characteristic. In general terms, the light emission can be changed from an arbitrarily definable first light characteristic to an arbitrarily definable second light characteristic.

Optionally, the controller indicates 250 also a preserving or adjusting device 256 on. The maintenance or adjustment device 256 is configured to maintain or adjust an output characteristic of the light emission when the other vehicle is hidden or shorter than the waiting time period is uncovered. In particular, the retaining or adjusting device 256 formed to the light emission depending on the result signal from the determining device 252 maintain or discontinue. This is the maintenance or adjustment 256 designed to read in the result signal. Additionally or alternatively, the retaining or adjusting is 256 configured to generate the control signal C.

According to an embodiment, the changing means 254 configured to change the light emission from the output characteristic to the target characteristic, if additionally or alternatively, a limit distance between the vehicle 130 and the other vehicle is below. Optionally here is the maintenance or adjustment 256 designed to maintain or adjust the output characteristics of the light emission, if additionally or alternatively, a limit distance between the vehicle and the other vehicle is exceeded.

Optionally, the changing device 254 formed to change the light emission immediately from the output characteristic to an intermediate characteristic when the foreign vehicle is uncovered and subsequently to change the light emission, for example, to the Abblendcharakteristik when the foreign vehicle is uncovered for longer than the waiting period.

According to one embodiment, the determining device 252 trained to be one of the vehicle camera 254 , the position detecting device 256 and / or optionally an optional surroundings detection device of the vehicle 130 read in masking information. In this case, the first sensor signal A and additionally or alternatively the second sensor signal B, the concealment information. The concealment information represents a position, a course and additionally or alternatively a distance of the at least one concealment object relative to a roadway, the vehicle 130 and additionally or alternatively the foreign vehicle and additionally or alternatively, an optical density of the at least one masking object. Optionally, the determining device 252 designed to include a trajectory or a route of the vehicle 130 to take into account.

3 shows a schematic representation of a vehicle 130 with a control device according to an embodiment of the present invention in a traffic situation 300 , Here is the traffic situation 300 similar to the one in 1 illustrated traffic situation. In 3 is a street 110 shown in a curve section. Along one edge of the street 110 There are a plurality of obscurity objects 120 in the form of vegetation or a vegetation with shrubs or trees. The obscuring objects 120 are located along a radially inward edge of the road 110 ,

The vehicle 130 and another vehicle or other vehicle 140 are on the street 110 shown in a moving state. The vehicle 130 and the foreign vehicle 140 are shown in a state where they are on different lanes of the road 110 to move towards each other. In the vehicle 130 it is the vehicle 2 , Thus, the vehicle points 130 the control unit 250 or the device for adjusting a light emission of at least one headlight of the vehicle 130 on.

Furthermore, in 3 a tangent 301 from the vehicle 130 to a history of obscuring objects 120 in the direction of the foreign vehicle 140 located. At one of the vehicle 130 opposite intersection of the tangent 301 with the road 110 is a point of maximum visibility for purposes of illustration 302 from the vehicle 130 out of. One on a turning radius of the road 110 The radially inwardly directed side of the tangent 301 represents a masking area 303 , The cover area 303 is an area covered by the obscuring objects 120 from the vehicle 130 is hidden from view. A straight line or a visual beam 304 between the vehicle 130 and the foreign vehicle 140 extends at least partially within the occlusion area 303 ,

In other words, the maximum visibility results 302 from a concealment information or a vegetation signal, for example, from the tangent 301 to the course of the obscurity objects 120 , The in 3 right of the tangent 301 Cover area shown 303 is through the obscuring objects 120 or obscured by vegetation, being to the left of the tangent 301 a visible area is arranged. With regard to the sight beam 304 on the foreign vehicle 140 It can be seen that the same is located outside of a maximum visible area or that it is at least partially hidden by the obscuring objects or a growth that is optically thin.

The control unit in the vehicle 130 is designed to be a potential temporary visibility or obscurity of the other vehicle 140 to use for adjusting the light emission when the presence of the obscuring objects 120 is known. If the foreign vehicle 140 from the vehicle 130 Seen from at least partially hidden or intermittently covered are headlights of the vehicle 130 , even with adjusted high beam characteristic, for a driver of the other vehicle 140 usually also partially covered or intermittently covered or only briefly or intermittently visible. If the foreign vehicle 140 is visible, though it is due to the obscuring objects 120 should be hidden, then a waiting period is long waited. If during the waiting period the other vehicle 140 closer than a limit distance or a distance threshold with respect to the vehicle 130 is arranged so is the control unit of the vehicle 130 designed to fade or to change the light emission away from the output characteristic to a glare for a driver of the other vehicle 140 to avoid. If after expiry of the waiting period the other vehicle 140 is still visible and the entire waiting period was visible on, so is also the control unit of the vehicle 130 designed to fade or to change the light emission away from the output characteristic in order to limit glare to an acceptable level. If the other vehicle 140 is hidden again during the waiting period, then the time measurement of the waiting period is reset or stopped. Thus, the foreign vehicle 140 with intermittent occlusion with respect to the light emission of the vehicle 130 ignoring that, with temporary visibility of the other vehicle 140 is waited to leave the output characteristic.

4 shows a flowchart of a method 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the process 400 it is a method for adjusting a light emission of at least one headlight of a vehicle. The procedure 400 is in connection with a vehicle or a control unit from one of 1 to 3 Executable to adjust the light emission of at least one headlight of the vehicle advantageous.

The procedure 400 has a step 410 determining whether a foreign vehicle is obscured or uncovered by at least one obscured object viewed from the vehicle. In a subsequent step 420 changing the light emission from an output characteristic to a target characteristic when the other vehicle is uncovered for more than a definable waiting period.

According to one embodiment, the method 400 also one regarding the step 420 of altering alternatively feasible step 430 of maintaining or setting an output characteristic of the light emission when the other vehicle is hidden or shorter than the waiting time period is uncovered.

5 shows a flowchart of a process 500 for adjusting a light emission of at least one headlight of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. The process 500 is in connection or related to the method 4 as well as with a vehicle or a control unit from one of 1 to 3 executable.

After a start of the process 500 gets at a block 502 receive a concealment information or a vegetation signal. In a block connected in parallel with respect to the sequence 504 a foreign vehicle is detected. In a respect to the blocks 502 and 504 subsequent block 510 It is determined whether the foreign vehicle is obscured or partially concealed by at least one obscuring object or vegetation.

If in the block 510 is determined that the other vehicle is not obscured or partially hidden by at least one masking object or fouling, so is in a block 512 set the light emission such that, for example, a target characteristic is approached immediately. After that, the process ends 500 or the process begins 500 again.

If in the block 510 it is determined that the foreign vehicle is obscured or partially concealed by at least one occluding object or fouling, so is in a block 514 a time measurement of a waiting period started. In one on the block 514 following block 516 the process is waiting 500 , In a subsequent block 518 a check is made to see if the other vehicle is still visible.

If the check in the block 518 shows that the foreign vehicle is still visible, so is in a block 520 leave an output characteristic of the headlights and, for example, dimmed or set a target characteristic or an intermediate characteristic. After that, the process ends 500 or the process begins 500 again.

If the check in the block 518 shows that the other vehicle is not visible or that the other vehicle is hidden or covered again, so is in a block 530 stopped or restarted the time measurement and maintained an output characteristic of the light emission or left the at least one headlamps superimposed. After that, the process ends 500 or the process begins 500 again.

The embodiments described and shown in the figures are chosen only by way of example. Different embodiments may be combined together or in relation to individual features. Also, an embodiment can be supplemented by features of another embodiment. Furthermore, the method steps presented here can be repeated as well as executed in a sequence other than that described.

If an exemplary embodiment comprises a "and / or" link between a first feature and a second feature, then this is to be read so that the embodiment according to one embodiment, both the first feature and the second feature and according to another embodiment either only first feature or only the second feature.

Claims (11)

Procedure ( 400 ) for setting a characteristic of a light emission of at least one headlamp ( 232 ) of a vehicle ( 130 ), the process ( 400 ) comprises the following steps: determining ( 410 ), whether a foreign vehicle ( 140 ) of the vehicle ( 130 ) viewed from at least one occluding object ( 120 ) is hidden or uncovered; and change ( 420 ) a characteristic of the light emission from an output characteristic to a target characteristic when the foreign vehicle ( 140 ) is uncovered for more than a definable waiting period. Procedure ( 400 ) according to claim 1, wherein the output characteristic represents a high beam characteristic, a Teilfernlichtcharakteristik or an intermediate characteristic and the target characteristic represents a low beam characteristic, the Teilfernlichtcharakteristik, the intermediate characteristic or another intermediate characteristic. Procedure ( 400 ) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the step ( 420 ) of the altering is carried out if, additionally or alternatively, a marginal distance between the vehicle ( 130 ) and the foreign vehicle ( 140 ) is below. Procedure ( 400 ) according to one of the preceding claims, with a step ( 430 ) of maintaining the output characteristic or changing the characteristic from the target characteristic to the output characteristic when the foreign vehicle ( 140 ) is concealed or shorter than the waiting time is uncovered. Procedure ( 400 ) according to claim 4, wherein the step ( 430 ) of maintaining or changing, if additionally or alternatively a limit distance between the vehicle ( 130 ) and the foreign vehicle ( 140 ) is exceeded. Procedure ( 400 ) according to claim 2, wherein in step ( 420 ) of changing the characteristic of the light emission is first changed from the high beam characteristic to the split beam characteristic when the foreign vehicle ( 140 ) is uncovered and then changed from the Teilfernlichtcharakteristik to the low beam characteristic when the other vehicle ( 140 ) is uncovered for longer than the waiting period. Procedure ( 400 ) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein in step ( 410 ) of determining one of a position detection device ( 236 ) and / or an environment detection device ( 234 ) of the vehicle ( 130 ) is used, wherein the concealing information is a position, a course and / or a distance of the at least one obscuring object ( 120 ) relative to a roadway ( 110 ) and / or the vehicle ( 130 ) and / or the foreign vehicle ( 140 ) and / or an optical density of the at least one obscuring object ( 120 ). Procedure ( 400 ) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein in step ( 410 ) of determining a trajectory and / or a route of the vehicle ( 130 ) is taken into account. Control unit ( 250 ) for setting a characteristic of a light emission of at least one headlamp ( 232 ) of a vehicle ( 130 ), which is designed to handle all steps of a process ( 400 ) according to one of the preceding claims. Computer program adapted to perform all steps of a procedure ( 400 ) according to one of the preceding claims. A machine-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon according to claim 10.

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