GB2384306A - Device for the automatic switching of vehicle lights - Google Patents
Device for the automatic switching of vehicle lights Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2384306A GB2384306A GB0220631A GB0220631A GB2384306A GB 2384306 A GB2384306 A GB 2384306A GB 0220631 A GB0220631 A GB 0220631A GB 0220631 A GB0220631 A GB 0220631A GB 2384306 A GB2384306 A GB 2384306A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- visibility
- vehicle
- image sensor
- ambient brightness
- lighting devices
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60Q—ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60Q1/00—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor
- B60Q1/02—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to illuminate the way ahead or to illuminate other areas of way or environments
- B60Q1/04—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to illuminate the way ahead or to illuminate other areas of way or environments the devices being headlights
- B60Q1/06—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to illuminate the way ahead or to illuminate other areas of way or environments the devices being headlights adjustable, e.g. remotely-controlled from inside vehicle
- B60Q1/08—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to illuminate the way ahead or to illuminate other areas of way or environments the devices being headlights adjustable, e.g. remotely-controlled from inside vehicle automatically
- B60Q1/085—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to illuminate the way ahead or to illuminate other areas of way or environments the devices being headlights adjustable, e.g. remotely-controlled from inside vehicle automatically due to special conditions, e.g. adverse weather, type of road, badly illuminated road signs or potential dangers
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60Q—ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60Q1/00—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor
- B60Q1/02—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to illuminate the way ahead or to illuminate other areas of way or environments
- B60Q1/04—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to illuminate the way ahead or to illuminate other areas of way or environments the devices being headlights
- B60Q1/14—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to illuminate the way ahead or to illuminate other areas of way or environments the devices being headlights having dimming means
- B60Q1/1415—Dimming circuits
- B60Q1/1423—Automatic dimming circuits, i.e. switching between high beam and low beam due to change of ambient light or light level in road traffic
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60Q—ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60Q2300/00—Indexing codes for automatically adjustable headlamps or automatically dimmable headlamps
- B60Q2300/30—Indexing codes relating to the vehicle environment
- B60Q2300/31—Atmospheric conditions
- B60Q2300/312—Adverse weather
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60Q—ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60Q2300/00—Indexing codes for automatically adjustable headlamps or automatically dimmable headlamps
- B60Q2300/30—Indexing codes relating to the vehicle environment
- B60Q2300/31—Atmospheric conditions
- B60Q2300/314—Ambient light
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60Q—ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60Q2300/00—Indexing codes for automatically adjustable headlamps or automatically dimmable headlamps
- B60Q2300/40—Indexing codes relating to other road users or special conditions
- B60Q2300/45—Special conditions, e.g. pedestrians, road signs or potential dangers
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Lighting Device Outwards From Vehicle And Optical Signal (AREA)
Abstract
The device comprises a sensor (20) to determine the ambient brightness at the vehicle, a control device (25) which switches on lights (10, 14) in dependence upon the brightness, wherein the sensing means (20) also serves to determine visibility in the surrounding area of the vehicle, and wherein the control device (25) also switches on fog lights (12, 16) in dependence upon the determined visibility. In order to determine visibility, the sensor (20) measures contrast of at least one object (26), which may be in front of or behind the vehicle, from at least two positions at different distances from the object. The sensor may be an image sensor such as a CCD or CMOS sensing device.
Description
1 -1 DESCRIPTION
DEVICE FOR THE AUTOMATIC SWITCHING OF LIGHTING DEVICES OF
A VEHICLE
The invention relates to a device for the automatic switching of lighting devices of a vehicle.
Devices for the automatic switching of lighting devices in vehicles are known which have a sensor device which serves to determine the ambient brightness of the vehicle and have a control device which serves to switch the lighting devices in dependence upon the determined ambient brightness.
A device of this type is disclosed in DE 195 23 262 Al. This device comprises a sensor device which serves to determine the ambient brightness of the vehicle.
The sensor device is connected to a control device by means of which the lighting devices are switched in dependence upon of the determined ambient brightness.
The lighting devices which are switched are the low-beam headlights and rear lights of the vehicle. If the ambient brightness is low, then the lighting devices are switched on and if the ambient brightness is high the lighting devices are switched off. By means of this device it is possible in a reliable manner to switch on the lighting devices at dusk or when travelling through a tunnel. However, there are also situations, e.g. low visibility owing to fog, in which although the ambient
brightness is relatively high, the lighting devices should still be switched on, which is not possible using the known device.
In accordance with the present invention, the sensor device serves in addition to determine the visibility in the surrounding area of the vehicle and by means of a control device the lighting devices are switched in dependence upon the determined visibility.
In contrast to the known device, a device in accordance with the invention has the advantage that by virtue of the additional determination of visibility it is possible to ensure that the lighting device is switched on even when visibility is low.
In the dependent claims advantageous embodiments and developments of the device in accordance with the invention are described. The embodiment according to claim 2 enables a convenient structure of the device. The embodiment according to claim 10 renders it possible in a convenient manner to determine visibility.
An exemplified embodiment of the invention is explained in detail in the description hereinunder and is illustrated in the drawing, in which
Figure 1 shows a schematic illustration of a vehicle and a traffic situation in
front of this vehicle, Figure 2 shows the apparent contrast of an object in dependence upon the distance between the object and a sensor device, and Figure 3 shows schematically the structure of a sensor device for determining visibility.
Figure 1 illustrates a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle which comprises lighting devices. As lighting devices, the front region of the vehicle comprises e.g. low-beam headlights 10 and fog lamps 12 where appropriate. At the rear the vehicle comprises rear lights 14 and where appropriate one or several rear fog lamps 16. Moreover, the vehicle comprises a device for the automatic switching of the lighting devices which will be explained in detail hereinunder.
The device for the automatic switching of the lighting devices comprises a sensor device 20 which is used for the purpose of determining the brightness in the surrounding area of the vehicle. The sensor device 20 is preferably arranged in such a manner that it detects the brightness in the surrounding area located in the direction of travel in front of the vehicle. The sensor device 20 can be disposed, for example, in the interior of the vehicle behind the windscreen. Alternatively, the sensor device 20 can also be disposed in the front region of the vehicle or in
one of the lighting devices. The sensor device 20 comprises an image sensor 22 and an image processing device 24. The image sensor 22 is preferably a CCD-
image sensor or a CMOS-image sensor having a multiplicity of pixels arranged to Loran a matrix of lines and columns, i.e. individual lightsensitive elements. The image sensor 22 preferably comprises a non-linear, logarithmic variable characteristic curve, so that its sensitivity decreases as brightness increases. This provides the advantage that the image sensor 22 serves to detect a large range of varying brightness, without requiring a diaphragm device, by means of which a portion of the light impinging upon the image sensor 22 must be screened when the level of brightness is high. The image processing device 24 is connected to a control device 25 which serves to switch the lighting devices.
By means of the control device 25 the ambient brightness which is detected by the image sensor 22 and determined by the image processing device 24 is processed further by comparing it with threshold values. If the lighting devices are switched off, then the lighting devices are switched on if ambient brightness is less than a first threshold value S 1. If the lighting devices are switched on then the lighting devices are only switched off if the ambient brightness is greater than a second threshold value S2, wherein the threshold value S2 is greater than the threshold value S 1. As a result it is possible to prevent the lighting devices from being switched on and off repeatedly for short periods of titne when the fluctuation in the ambient brightness is only slight. Where the value is less than the first
s ! threshold value S1, the low-beam headlights 10 and the rear lights 14 ofthe vehicle are switched on.
Moreover, the device for the automatic switching of the lighting devices comprises a sensor device for the purpose of determining the visibility in the surrounding area of the vehicle. The sensor device serves to determine preferably the visibility in the direction of travel in front of the vehicle. Preferably the same sensor device 20 is used for determining the visibility as is used for determining the ambient brightness. The image processing device 24 serves to determine the contrast of an object 26 in front of the vehicle which is detected by the image sensor 22. For example, the object 26 can be a lane marking which has a pronounced light-dark contrast with respect to the rest of the lane. The object 26 is detected and measured in the image of the image sensor 22 at a first point in time tl, at which the vehicle and therefore the image sensor 22 are still some distance from the object 26. This is then tracked over a certain period of time in the image and the contrast is re- measured at a later point in time t2, at which the vehicle and thus the image sensor 22 are located closer to the object 26, since during the period of time between t2 and it the vehicle has moved towards the object 26.
During optimum visibility conditions, i.e. high visibility, the results of the contrast measurements at times It and t2 are at least approximately the same. Where
vision is poor, i.e. low visibility ea. in fog, rain, smoke or the like, the contrast at time t2 is greater than at time tl. Even in the case of low ambient brightness, it is to be assumed that the contrast at time t2 is greater than at time tl. Figure 2 shows the dependence of the apparent contrast c, which can be measured from the vehicle, of the object 26 as a function of the distance x. At a distance x = O. the measured contrast is equal to the actual or objective contrast cO, i.e. the contrast directly on the surface of the object 26. As the distance increases, the apparent contrast c, i.e. the contrast which can be measured from a distance and is influenced by the dullness of the atmosphere decreases exponentially according to the formula -x/d C(x)=cO e where o can be defined as visibility. As can be derived readily from the formula above, the visibility o can be determined as follows by two contrast measurements at random distances x1 and x2 from the object 26: X -Xi Xt - X 6= = be (aim) (a ACE))- t" (Cal) The obtained measured value of visibility o is thus wholly independent of the actual contrast cO. As a consequence, in order to evaluate the measured contrast
values correctly, no information relating to the type of object 26 which has been selected for the measurement is required.
Figure 3 shows a highly schematic illustration of a block diagram of the sensor device 20 for the purpose of determining visibility. The sensor device 20 comprises the image sensor 22 and the image processing device 24. An imaging lens 28 is disposed in the beam path of the light impinging upon the image sensor 22. lye optical axis of the image sensor 22 and the imaging lens 28 is aligned substantially in parallel with the direction of travel of the vehicle. The region detected by the image sensor 22 by the imaging lens 28 is illustrated in Figure 3 as a shaded conical volume. The embodiment of the image sensor 22 having a logarithmic variable characteristic curve simplifies contrast measurement, since the contrast between two points of different brightness on an object 26, i.e. the ratio of the light intensities irradiated from these points, corresponds to the difference in the signals which are supplied by the corresponding pixels of the image sensor 22. In the image processing device 24 which is connected to the image sensor 22, the measurement of contrast merely requires a subtraction, but no complicated division.
In a first step an object 26 in an image supplied by the image sensor 22 is selected in the image processing device 24 and a measurement of the contrast c(xl) of the object 26 is performed, wherein the distance xl between the image sensor 22 and
the object 26 is not known. In a subsequent step, the object 26 is tracked in images supplied by the image sensor 22 in a rapid sequence, while the vehicle continues to move. A subsequent process step includes the re-measurement of a contrast value c(x2) of the object 26. The path (xl x2) covered by the vehicle during tracking of the object 26 is determined by the image processing device 24 by the integration of a velocity signal, which is supplied e.g. by the vehicle tachometer, over time with the aid of an external time pulse signal. The distance travelled can also be determined by tracking the change in a rotational angle signal, which is sensed on a wheel of the vehicle, between two measurements.
The visibility o is then calculated.according to the formula given above.
The above-described sequence for determining the visibility can be modified, in order to be able to determine the visibility o with an even higher degree of accuracy. For example, it is possible for not only two contrast values to be measured for the selected object 26, but rather a plurality of contrast values, so that the curve illustrated in Figure 2 can be adapted using a plurality of measurement values according to the process of smallest squares and visibility can thus be determined with a high degree of accuracy. Furthermore, it is possible to select not only one object 26 but rather to perform contrast measurements on a plurality of objects in each image supplied by the image sensor 22, in order to have a plurality of measurement values of visibility o which are recorded on different objects in each case.
In order to find suitable objects for a measurement, the image processing device 24 must discover those regions of an image supplied by the image sensor 22 which achieve a specified minimum contrast. If the vehicle is actually travelling in fog, then under certain circumstances it is possible that objects only achieve this minimum contrast at a short distance from the vehicle. The first contrast measurement can only be performed when the object is at a short distance from the vehicle and the time for performing a second measurement can be barely sufficient. This problem can be solved in that the image sensor 22 does not have its field of vision towards the front in the direction of travel but rather towards the
rear in the direction opposite to the direction of travel. It is also possible to provide two image sensors 22, of which one has its field of vision towards the
front in the direction of travel and the other has its field of vision towards the rear
in the direction opposite to the direction of travel. By means of the image processing device 24, it is then possible to select images ofthe rearwardly directed image sensor 22, if difficulties arise in the case of the images of the forwards-
directed image sensor 22. In the case of the rear vardly directed image sensor 22, it is possible from all of the objects located in the field of vision to select for the
contrast measurement the respective one having the greatest contrast, because this is the object which is visible for the longest period of time as the distance between the vehicle and the object increases and this object will remain suitable for carrying out a measurement.
The image processing device 24 can be allocated an image memory 30 which serves to buffer images, which are supplied by the image sensor 24, for a limited period of time. In the case of this development, an image supplied by the image sensor 22 can initially be buffered in the image memory 30 without any further processing. After the vehicle has covered a specified distance and the image sensor 22 has supplied a new image, a suitable object for the contrast measurement is selected in this more recent image and the contrast of said object is measured. This object can be the region of the more recent image having the greatest contrast, i.e. the measurement of the contrast can also precede the selection of the object. In particular when using an image sensor 22 with a logarithmic variable characteristic curve, it is possible to determine the object having the greatest contrast with little computational effort. The contrast c(x2) of the object in the more recent image is buffered and the selected object is identified in the older image. This identification process can be performed by back-tracking the object with the aid of a plurality of images which are likewise recorded in the image memory 30 and produced in the interim. Alternatively, it is also possible in this respect to use cross-correlation techniques. After determination of the object in the older image, its contrast is determined and the visibility is determined according to the formula given above. This process can be readily applied even in the case of low levels of visibility, because the object selected in the more recent image can then also be readily identifiable in the older image, if the contrast thereof is still only very low.
The visibility o determined as described above by means of the image processing device 24 is supplied to the control device 25 and processed further by same by comparing the visibility o with threshold values. If the lighting devices are switched off, then they are switched on if the visibility o is less than a threshold value S3. If the lighting devices are switched on, then they are only switched off if the visibility o exceeds a different threshold value S4, wherein the threshold value S4 is greater than the threshold value S3. This prevents the lighting devices from being switched on and off repeatedly for short periods of time during fluctuations in visibility. Where visibility o is less than the threshold value S3, it is also possible for the device to switch on not only the low-beam headlights 10 and the rear lights 14 but also the fog lamps 12 and/or the at least one rear fog lamp 16. It is also possible for several threshold values to be defined, wherein in the event of the visibility o being less than a first threshold value S3 only the low-
beam headlights 10 and the rear lights 14 are initially switched on and where the visibility o is less than a further threshold value S3', which is less than the threshold value S3, the fog lamps 12 and/or the at least one rear fog lamp 16 are switched on in addition. Alternatively or in addition, it is also possible at low visibility o to change the light distribution generated by the lighting devices, in particular the lowbeam headlights 10 andlor the fog lamps 12. For exurnple, the light distribution at low visibility can be changed in such a manner that the illumination is broadened and the light range is reduced.
If the lighting devices are switched off, then they are switched on by the device if either the ambient brightness is less than the threshold value S1 or if the visibility o is less than the threshold value S3. If the lighting devices are switched on, then they are only switched off if both the ambient brightness exceeds the threshold value S2 and also the visibility o exceeds the threshold value S4.
In addition, it can also be provided that the maximum possible velocity of the vehicle is limited in dependence upon the determined visibility o. If the vehicle is equipped with a velocity control system, then it is also possible for this system to adapt the vehicle velocity automatically in dependence upon the visibility, i.e. for it to be reduced as visibility decreases.
Claims (13)
1. A device for the automatic switching of lighting devices of a vehicle having a sensor device which serves to determine the ambient brightness at the vehicle, and having a control device which serves to switch the lighting devices in dependence upon the determined ambient brightness, and having a sensor device which serves to determine in addition the visibility in the surrounding area of the vehicle and wherein by means of the control device the lighting devices are switched in dependence upon the determined visibility.
2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ambient brightness and the visibility are determined by means of the same sensor device.
3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the sensor device comprises an image sensor and an image processing device.
4. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the image sensor comprises a non-
linear, variable characteristic curve.
5. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the image sensor comprises a non linear logarithmic characteristic curve.
6. A device as claimed in claim 3, 4 or 5, wherein the image sensor is a CCD image sensor or a CMOS-image sensor.
7. A device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, wherein a first threshold value is specified in each case for the ambient brightness and the visibility, the lighting devices are switched on by means of the control device if the value for the ambient brightness or for the visibility is less than a first threshold value, a second threshold value is specified in each case for the ambient brightness and for the visibility and the lighting devices are switched off by means of the control device if the second threshold value both for the ambient brightness and for the visibility is exceeded.
8. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the second threshold values for the ambient brightness and for the visibility are greater than the first threshold values.
9. A device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein in dependence upon the visibility, the control device serves to switch at least one additional lighting device of the vehicle, in particular at least one fog lamp and/or at least one rear fog lamp.
10. A device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein in dependence upon the visibility, the control device serves to change the light distribution
generated by at least one lighting device.
11. A device as claimed in any of the preceding clanns, wherein in order to determine the visibility, the sensor device serves to measure the contrast of at least one object from at least two positions at different distances from the object and the visibility is determined from this.
12. A device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the visibility is determined by the ratio of the measured contrast values and the difference in the distances of the positions from the object.
13. A device for the automatic switching of lighting devices of a vehicle, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| DE2001146786 DE10146786B4 (en) | 2001-09-22 | 2001-09-22 | Device for the automatic switching of lighting devices of a vehicle |
Publications (3)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB0220631D0 GB0220631D0 (en) | 2002-10-16 |
| GB2384306A true GB2384306A (en) | 2003-07-23 |
| GB2384306B GB2384306B (en) | 2003-12-03 |
Family
ID=7699940
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB0220631A Expired - Fee Related GB2384306B (en) | 2001-09-22 | 2002-09-05 | Device for the automatic switching of lighting devices of a vehicle |
Country Status (4)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JP4157351B2 (en) |
| DE (1) | DE10146786B4 (en) |
| FR (1) | FR2829978B1 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB2384306B (en) |
Families Citing this family (15)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE102004041429A1 (en) * | 2004-08-27 | 2006-03-02 | Daimlerchrysler Ag | Method and device for controlling a rear fog lamp |
| DE102005037344A1 (en) * | 2005-08-04 | 2007-02-08 | Sinisa Bodrozic | Passive safety system for road vehicles |
| DE102005041991A1 (en) * | 2005-09-05 | 2007-03-15 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Method and device for controlling a headlamp |
| DE102007051272B4 (en) * | 2007-10-26 | 2024-07-25 | HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA | Device for controlling and/or regulating the activation or deactivation of the automatic adjustment of the cut-off line of a motor vehicle headlight or the switching on or off of the main beam in motor vehicle headlights |
| DE102010048100B4 (en) * | 2010-10-09 | 2023-08-10 | Mercedes-Benz Group AG | Method and device for controlling the headlights of a vehicle |
| JP2012084157A (en) * | 2011-10-15 | 2012-04-26 | Masayuki Kawada | Light guidance on-vehicle device |
| DE102013011975B4 (en) | 2013-07-12 | 2015-03-05 | Iav Gmbh Ingenieurgesellschaft Auto Und Verkehr | Method for evaluating headlamps |
| JP2015058747A (en) * | 2013-09-17 | 2015-03-30 | 本田技研工業株式会社 | Vehicle lamp body control device |
| DE102014006760A1 (en) * | 2014-05-08 | 2015-11-12 | Audi Ag | System for detecting fog directly in front of a motor vehicle |
| CN104648226A (en) * | 2014-12-24 | 2015-05-27 | 山东新大洋电动车有限公司 | Intelligent brightness regulation system for automotive headlamp |
| EP3138731B1 (en) * | 2015-09-03 | 2021-12-15 | Continental Automotive GmbH | Autonomous vehicle, and a method for checking a proper headlamp state of an autonomous vehicle |
| CN108237970A (en) * | 2016-12-26 | 2018-07-03 | 比亚迪股份有限公司 | A kind of tail lamp control device and light for vehicle |
| CN111746382A (en) * | 2019-03-29 | 2020-10-09 | 上海擎感智能科技有限公司 | Vehicle lamp control method and device |
| CN111751085B (en) * | 2019-03-29 | 2024-03-29 | 上海擎感智能科技有限公司 | Car lamp replacement reminding method and device |
| DE102023203280A1 (en) | 2023-04-11 | 2024-10-17 | Robert Bosch Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung | Method and device for controlling a light assistant of a motor vehicle |
Citations (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE2656265A1 (en) * | 1976-12-11 | 1978-06-15 | Faller Ohg | Brightness operated switch for vehicle lights - connects lights automatically using light sensors on entering dark tunnel |
| EP0529346A2 (en) * | 1991-08-29 | 1993-03-03 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Device for switching an alarm device according to the visual range |
| EP0687594A1 (en) * | 1994-06-16 | 1995-12-20 | Valeo Vision | Method and apparatus for detecting fog or smoke, suitable for a vehicle |
| DE29622335U1 (en) * | 1996-12-23 | 1997-02-13 | Petermann, Marcus, 24966 Sörup | Vehicle headlight control |
| DE19743580A1 (en) * | 1997-10-02 | 1999-04-29 | Bosch Gmbh Robert | Light monitoring system for front of vehicle |
Family Cites Families (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE4040175C2 (en) * | 1990-12-15 | 2000-04-20 | Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag | Lighting process |
| US5537003A (en) * | 1994-04-08 | 1996-07-16 | Gentex Corporation | Control system for automotive vehicle headlamps and other vehicle equipment |
| DE19523262A1 (en) | 1995-06-27 | 1997-01-02 | Bosch Gmbh Robert | Automatic switching device for automobile lights |
| DE59700293D1 (en) * | 1996-02-13 | 1999-09-02 | Marquardt Gmbh | OPTICAL SENSOR |
| JP3452794B2 (en) * | 1998-05-12 | 2003-09-29 | 三菱電機株式会社 | Visibility measurement device |
| DE10000913A1 (en) * | 2000-01-12 | 2001-07-19 | Bosch Gmbh Robert | Arrangement for automatic switching of vehicle illumination devices, corrects intensity sensor signals/threshold values with temperature-dependent sensor signals for no incident light |
-
2001
- 2001-09-22 DE DE2001146786 patent/DE10146786B4/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
2002
- 2002-09-05 GB GB0220631A patent/GB2384306B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2002-09-20 JP JP2002275965A patent/JP4157351B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2002-09-20 FR FR0211637A patent/FR2829978B1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Patent Citations (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE2656265A1 (en) * | 1976-12-11 | 1978-06-15 | Faller Ohg | Brightness operated switch for vehicle lights - connects lights automatically using light sensors on entering dark tunnel |
| EP0529346A2 (en) * | 1991-08-29 | 1993-03-03 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Device for switching an alarm device according to the visual range |
| EP0687594A1 (en) * | 1994-06-16 | 1995-12-20 | Valeo Vision | Method and apparatus for detecting fog or smoke, suitable for a vehicle |
| DE29622335U1 (en) * | 1996-12-23 | 1997-02-13 | Petermann, Marcus, 24966 Sörup | Vehicle headlight control |
| DE19743580A1 (en) * | 1997-10-02 | 1999-04-29 | Bosch Gmbh Robert | Light monitoring system for front of vehicle |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| DE10146786B4 (en) | 2011-02-10 |
| JP2003118475A (en) | 2003-04-23 |
| FR2829978A1 (en) | 2003-03-28 |
| GB0220631D0 (en) | 2002-10-16 |
| DE10146786A1 (en) | 2003-04-24 |
| GB2384306B (en) | 2003-12-03 |
| JP4157351B2 (en) | 2008-10-01 |
| FR2829978B1 (en) | 2009-04-17 |
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Effective date: 20200905 |