JPH04271935A - Electric discharge lamp lighting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To permit the real-time control corresponding to the change of the environment on the periphery and obtain the optimum light quantity starting-up by measuring the light quantity of an electric discharge lamp such as the headlight, etc., of an automobile and controlling the energy quantity applied to the electric discharge lamp on the basis of the measurement value. CONSTITUTION:In case of the application to the headlight of an automobile, the lighting switch of an HID lamp (electric discharge lamp) 4 is operated, and then a high voltage is applied to the HID lamp 4 through a high voltage generating circuit (not shown on the figure). When the HID lamp 4 starts electric discharge, the output (high frequency electric power) of a lighting circuit 2 passing through a boosting circuit 5 and a resonance circuit 6 is supplied into the HID lamp 4, which continues lighting. In this case, the light quantity of the HID lamp 4 is monitored by a light quantity measuring part 7 into which the output signal of a light sensor 8 is inputted, and the energy quantity applied to the HID lamp 4 is controlled by a control part 10 on the basis of the measurement value, and the optimum light quantity starting-up can be obtained.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a discharge lamp lighting device particularly suitable for starting discharge lamps used as vehicle headlights.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art When a discharge lamp such as an HID lamp is turned on, it is known that the lighting transient characteristics of the discharge lamp vary depending on the length of the turn-off time. For this reason, conventionally, JP-A-2-
As shown in Publication No. 68889, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-136342, etc., when starting a discharge lamp, the turn-off time is monitored in order to obtain the optimum light intensity rise characteristic, and the amount of energy applied to the discharge lamp is changed based on this turn-off time. I'm letting you do it. Parameters for the amount of energy added to the discharge lamp include lamp voltage, lamp current, and lamp power of the discharge lamp. In addition, parameters that change the lighting transient characteristics of the discharge lamp mentioned above include the above-mentioned turn-off time, which depends on the performance of the lamp itself (internal factors), but when used for vehicles, changes in the surrounding environment (external factors) ) must also be considered. For example, it is known that changes in ambient temperature from -40° C. to +100° C., fluctuations in power supply voltage from +8 V to +16 V, etc. have some influence on the lighting transient characteristics and steady-state characteristics of a discharge lamp. Under such a very harsh environment with large changes, it is essentially impossible to use the lights-off time as the only parameter for optimal lighting control, and real-time processing according to the surrounding environment cannot be performed.

[0003] Furthermore, the amount of light provided by discharge lamps varies greatly among individual lamps even if the amount of energy applied to the discharge lamps is the same. Therefore, when used as left and right headlights for a vehicle, it is necessary to select and install discharge lamps with similar light amounts during the manufacturing process so that the human eye can perceive the left and right as having the same brightness.

0004

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The conventional discharge lamp lighting device is configured as described above, and the amount of energy applied to the discharge lamp is changed depending on the extinguishing time. There was a problem in that it was not possible to control the device, and it was not possible to perform appropriate control based on the user's needs. In addition, when used in vehicles, etc., the characteristics of discharge lamps vary, resulting in a sense of discomfort due to the difference in brightness between the left and right discharge lamps.Therefore, there was a problem in that they had to be selected and installed during the manufacturing process. .

[0005] This invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and enables real-time control in response to changes in the surrounding environment, user-oriented control, and The purpose of this invention is to eliminate the discomfort caused by differences in the brightness of electric lights and to obtain a discharge lamp lighting device that eliminates the need for selection in the manufacturing process.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems] A discharge lamp lighting device according to the present invention is constructed as follows. (1) A light amount measurement section that measures the light amount of the discharge lamp, and a control section that controls the amount of energy applied to the discharge lamp based on the measurement value of the AC measurement section. (2) A light amount measurement section that measures the light amount of each discharge lamp, and a control section that controls the amount of energy to be applied to the discharge lamp based on the difference between the measured values of these light amount measurement sections.

[0007]

[Operation] In the discharge lamp lighting device of the present invention, the light amount measurement section measures the light amount of the discharge lamp, and the control section controls the amount of energy applied to the discharge lamp based on the measured light amount value. Further, the light amount measurement section measures the light amount of each discharge lamp, and the control section controls the amount of energy applied to the discharge lamp based on the difference between the measured values.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a discharge lamp lighting device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and shows a case where the device is used in a vehicle such as an automobile. In the figure, 1 is a battery that is the DC power source of the vehicle, 2 is a lighting circuit for an HID lamp (discharge lamp) 4 in a lamp unit that has a headlight reflector 3, and is composed of a DC-DC converter, an inverter, etc. . Reference numeral 5 denotes a step-up circuit consisting of a step-up pulse transformer T, 6 a resonant circuit consisting of an inductor L and a capacitor C, and 7 a light amount measurement section for measuring the light amount of the HID lamp 4, which connects the light sensor 8 and the light placed inside the lamp unit. Connected by fiber 9. Note that the optical sensor 8 is used to measure the amount of light 7.
The light from the HID lamp 4 may be received by the optical sensor 8 in the light amount measuring section 7 through the optical fiber 9. 10 is an HID based on the measured value of the light amount measuring section 7.
A control unit that controls the amount of energy applied to the lamp 4 changes the lamp voltage, lamp current, lamp power, etc. of the HID lamp 4 via the lighting circuit 2.

In the lighting device configured as described above, when the lighting switch of the HID lamp 4 is operated, a high voltage generating circuit (not shown) is operated and a high voltage is applied to the HID lamp 4. Then, when the HID lamp 4 starts discharging, the output (high frequency power) of the lighting circuit 2 boosted by the booster circuit 5 is supplied to the HID lamp 4, and the HID lamp 4 continues to light. At this time, the light amount measurement section 7 monitors the light amount of the HID lamp 4, and based on the measured value, the control section 10 controls the amount of energy to be applied to the HID lamp 4 so that the optimum light amount rise is obtained. There is. Therefore, real-time control can be performed in response to changes in the surrounding environment such as changes in ambient temperature and power supply voltage fluctuations, and appropriate user-oriented control is possible. At this time, HI
It is also possible to consider the above-mentioned extinguishing time as a parameter for controlling the energy amount of the D lamp 4, and more appropriate control can be performed.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention, and the same reference numerals as in FIG. 1 indicate the same components. This embodiment is applied to the left and right headlights of a vehicle (automobile), and each of the left and right HID lamps 4 has a lighting circuit 2, 2, a booster circuit 5, 5, a resonance circuit 6, 6, and a light amount measuring unit. 7,7 are provided. Further, in the figure, reference numeral 11 denotes a light amount difference detection unit that detects the difference between the measured values of the respective light amount measurement units 7, 7;
Reference numeral 2 denotes a correction section that corrects the control amount of each HID lamp 4, 4 based on the difference between the measured values, and the control section 10 controls the amount of energy to be applied to the HID lamps 4, 4 according to the correction value.

[0011] In the lighting device configured as described above,
When the left and right HID lamps 4, 4 are turned on as described above, the light intensity difference detection unit 11 detects the difference in the measured values of the respective light intensity measurement units 7, 7, and determines the light intensity of the left and right HID lamps 4, 4. Determine the difference. This determination result (detected value) is sent to the correction unit 12, where a correction value for the amount of energy is determined within the rating of the HID lamps 4, 4 so that the difference in light amount between the HID lamps 4, 4 is eliminated. Then, the control unit 10 changes the amount of energy applied to the HID lamps 4, 4 according to the correction value. As a result, the amount of light from both the left and right HID lamps 4, 4 becomes equal, resulting in the same brightness. Therefore, the discomfort felt by drivers due to differences in brightness is eliminated, and there is no need to select and install them during the manufacturing process.
Cost reduction can be achieved.

0012

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the light intensity of the discharge lamp is measured and the amount of energy applied to the discharge lamp is corrected based on the measured value, so that the amount of energy applied to the discharge lamp is corrected according to changes in the surrounding environment. Real-time control is possible, control from the user's perspective is possible, and the optimum light intensity rise can be obtained. In addition, the amount of energy applied to the discharge lamps is controlled based on the difference in the measured light intensity of each discharge lamp, eliminating the discomfort caused by the difference in brightness between the two discharge lamps and eliminating the need for sorting during the manufacturing process. This has the effect of reducing costs.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

[Fig. 1] A configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

[Fig. 2] A configuration diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1. Lighting circuit 4 HID lamp (discharge lamp) 7 Light amount measurement section 8. Optical sensor 9 Optical fiber 10 Control section 11 Light amount difference detection section 12 Correction section Note that the same reference numerals in the figures indicate the same or corresponding parts.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A discharge lamp comprising: a light amount measurement section that measures the light amount of the discharge lamp; and a control section that controls the amount of energy applied to the discharge lamp based on the measured value of the light amount measurement section. lighting device. 2. A light amount measuring section that measures the light amount of each discharge lamp, and a control section that controls the amount of energy applied to the discharge lamp based on the difference between the measured values of these light amount measuring sections. discharge lamp lighting device.