KR100410862B1 - Automatic adjusting device for an angle of irradiation of head lamp - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention detects the presence of the preceding vehicle, the opposite vehicle and the right lane preceding vehicle using an ultrasonic sensor and at the same time automatically adjusts the irradiation angle of the headlamp based on the vehicle speed transmitted from the vehicle speed sensor. The present invention relates to a headlamp irradiation angle automatic control device that provides convenience and driving stability to the driver by appropriately controlling the forward irradiation angle according to the driving speed of the vehicle without disturbing the driver of the relative vehicle. The opposite vehicle, the preceding vehicle and the right lane preceding vehicle detecting unit 22 for detecting the position of the opposite vehicle of the opposite lane, the preceding vehicle of the same lane and the right lane using the ultrasonic sensor 20, and the vehicle speed The vehicle head detecting unit 6 detects a current vehicle speed based on an input signal transmitted from the sensor 5, and the headlamp 14 according to on / off of the headlamp switch 16. A switch 12 for controlling on / off and a relay based on signals transmitted from the opposite vehicle, the preceding vehicle, and the right lane preceding vehicle detecting unit 22 and the vehicle speed detecting unit 6 when the head lamp switch is turned on; It is composed of an ECU 8 which sends a signal to 10 to automatically adjust the irradiation angle of the headlamp 14.

Description

AUTOMATIC ADJUSTING DEVICE FOR AN ANGLE OF IRRADIATION OF HEAD LAMP}

The present invention relates to a headlamp irradiation angle automatic adjustment device, and more particularly, based on the vehicle speed transmitted from the vehicle speed sensor while detecting the presence of the preceding vehicle, the opposite vehicle and the right lane preceding vehicle using an ultrasonic sensor. The present invention relates to a headlamp irradiation angle automatic control device that can automatically turn on / off the headlamp irradiation angle.

Generally, automobiles are equipped with various lamps necessary for driving. This includes a headlamp that projects light forward to secure a forward field of view at night, as well as a rear lamp that indicates the position of the vehicle at nighttime. In addition, the vehicle is further provided with front and rear poggrams for use in driving in fog areas and at night light control, and a back lamp for illuminating the rear area when reversing.

Among them, particularly in the case of headlamps, it is important to check the front of the vehicle and to drive safely at night. The headlamps are equipped with high beams that can illuminate far in front of them and low beams that can illuminate near and far, allowing drivers to alternately illuminate these beams and down lights depending on road conditions and the presence of a relative vehicle. To secure a forward field of view. However, since it is very inconvenient to operate alternating high and low lights during driving, and there is a risk of an accident, a device for automatically controlling the irradiation angle and on / off operation of the headlamp is known according to the presence or absence of a vehicle ahead. have.

Korean Patent Registration No. 158298 issued to the present applicant discloses such a headlamp irradiation angle adjusting device, which is shown in FIG. In the overall configuration of the device disclosed in the above patent, the distance between the distance detecting unit 2 for calculating the distance to the preceding vehicle using the infrared sensor 1 and the light irradiated from the headlamp of the opposite lane vehicle (the opposite vehicle) A brightness detector 4 for detecting the luminous intensity of the vehicle, a vehicle speed detector 6 for detecting a current traveling speed based on a signal transmitted from the vehicle speed sensor 5, these inter-vehicle distance detectors 2, and a brightness detector ( 4) and grasping the current driving state based on the input signal transmitted from the vehicle speed detection unit 6, and then sending a signal to the relay 10 to automatically switch the switch 12, thereby raising the upper lamp in the headlamp 14 and It consists of an ECU 8 that can adjust the irradiation angle of the headlamp 14 by turning on / off the downlight. The on / off control of the headlamp 14 is performed in accordance with the operation of the headlamp switch 16.

In the conventional headlamp irradiation angle control device having such a configuration, since the distance calculation with the preceding vehicle and the detection of the opposite vehicle of the opposite lane are implemented using separate sensors, the overall structure of the system becomes complicated and causes a cost increase. There is.

The present invention for solving such a problem can detect the position of all the front vehicle (leading vehicle, opposing vehicle, right lane preceding vehicle) with only one ultrasonic sensor, the structure of the whole system is simplified and the number of parts is reduced It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic adjustment device for the head lamp irradiation angle, which can reduce the number of parts assembly labor and the assembly time.

1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a conventional headlamp irradiation angle automatic adjustment device,

Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the automatic headlamp irradiation angle adjusting device according to the present invention,

Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the ultrasonic sensor employed in the present invention,

Figure 4 is a flowchart showing a process of adjusting the headlamp irradiation angle in accordance with the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings]

5: Vehicle speed sensor 6: Vehicle speed detector

8: ECU 10: Relay

12: switch 14: headlamp

16: headlamp switch 20: ultrasonic sensor

30: reflector 32: motor

34: Antenna 38: Oscillator

40: Amplifier 42: A / D converter

44: digital signal processor 46: CPU

The headlamp irradiation angle automatic adjustment device of the present invention for achieving the above object is an opposite vehicle for detecting the position of the opposite vehicle of the opposite lane, the preceding vehicle of the same lane and the preceding vehicle using the ultrasonic sensor, prior A vehicle speed detection unit for detecting a current vehicle speed based on an input signal transmitted from a vehicle speed sensor, a switch for controlling the on / off of the headlamps according to the on / off of the headlamp switch; And an ECU that automatically adjusts the irradiation angle of the headlamp by sending a signal to a relay based on signals transmitted from the opposite vehicle, the preceding vehicle, and the right lane preceding vehicle detector and the vehicle speed detector when the headlamp switch is turned on. It is done.

Hereinafter, a headlamp irradiation angle automatic adjustment device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4.

Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the automatic adjustment device for the headlamp irradiation angle according to the present invention, Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the ultrasonic sensor employed in the present invention, Figure 4 is a headlamp irradiation in accordance with the present invention This flowchart shows the process of adjusting the angle.

Unlike the conventional method in which multiple infrared sensors are used to detect the opposite vehicle, the same lane preceding vehicle, and the right lane preceding vehicle, the preferred embodiment of the present invention uses one ultrasonic sensor to face the opposite vehicle, the preceding vehicle, and the right vehicle. To provide a method for detecting a lane preceding vehicle. For this purpose, the ultrasonic sensor 20 is preferably installed at the center of the front of the vehicle.

Figure 2 shows the overall configuration of the automatic adjustment device for the headlamp irradiation angle provided by the present invention. As shown in Figure 2, the ultrasonic sensor 20 mounted on the center of the front of the vehicle, and the ultrasonic sensor 20 The vehicle in the opposite lane (opposing vehicle), the vehicle driving forward in the same lane as the lane in which you are driving (the same lane preceding vehicle), and the right lane in the lane in which you are currently driving A counter vehicle, a preceding vehicle and a right lane preceding vehicle detecting unit 22 for detecting a position of a vehicle (right lane preceding vehicle) driving a vehicle, a vehicle speed sensor 5 for detecting a current traveling speed, and The vehicle speed detection unit 6 for detecting the current vehicle speed based on the signal transmitted from the vehicle speed sensor 5, and when the headlamp switch 16 is turned on, these opposing, preceding and right lane preceding vehicle detecting units ( 22) and vehicle speed The ECU 8 is configured to send a control signal to the relay 10 based on the input signal transmitted from the detector 6 to turn on / off the switch 12.

Therefore, when the control signal is output from the ECU (8), the switch 12 is automatically switched through the relay 10 to vary the front irradiation angle of the headlamp (14).

Next, the configuration of the ultrasonic sensor is shown in FIG. The overall configuration thereof includes an oscillator 38 for generating ultrasonic waves, an amplifier 40 for amplifying ultrasonic waves generated by the oscillator 38, a reflector 30 for reflecting the amplified ultrasonic waves, and a reflector 30. An antenna 34 for receiving the ultrasonic waves emitted through the < RTI ID = 0.0 >), an A / D converter 42 for converting the waveform signal received through the antenna 34 into a digital signal, and the converted signal into a digital value. The digital signal processor 44 for conversion and the CPU 46 which delivers the digital signal processed through this digital signal processor 44 to the ECU 8 via the input bus B2 are comprised. The reflection plate 30 is provided with an angle adjusting motor 32.

The CPU 46 is connected to the ECU 8 by means of a controller area network (CAN) via the input / output buses B2 and B1 so as to exchange information with each other. The opposite vehicle, the preceding vehicle, and the right lane preceding vehicle detecting unit may provide the ECU with information about the existence of the preceding vehicle through the CPU. For example, the ECU 8 transmits the vehicle speed information through the bus B1. The CPU 46 may transmit information to the CPU 46. The CPU 46 analyzes the vehicle speed information provided from the ECU 8 and the reflected ultrasonic waves, and transmits information such as the distance between the vehicle, the relative speed, and the angle through the bus B2. In other words, if there is no preceding vehicle, no information is provided to the ECU. Therefore, the ECU determines that the preceding vehicle does not exist. Information such as speed, angle, etc. As such, the ECU at this time determines that the preceding vehicle exists.

In the ultrasonic sensor of such a configuration, the ultrasonic transmission and reception operation is performed by the switching operation of the switch located behind the antenna. In addition, the control of the ultrasonic sensing direction is made through the angle adjustment of the reflector 30 located in front of the antenna 34, wherein the angle adjustment of the reflector 30 is controlled by the motor 32 controlled by the CPU 46. Is done by.

The ultrasonic waves generated by the oscillator 38 are amplified by the amplifier 40 and then emitted through the antenna 34, reflected by the reflector 30, and transmitted to the vehicle at the measurement angles (front, right and left). The waveform reflected back from the relative vehicle is received through the reflector 30, the antenna and the switching unit 36, and then converted into a digital signal while passing through the A / D converter and the digital signal processor (DSP). The CPU 46 analyzes the vehicle speed information from the ECU 8 and the reflected ultrasonic waves, and provides information such as the distance between the vehicle, the relative speed, and the angle of the relative vehicle, that is, whether the preceding vehicle is present or not. To provide.

5 shows a series of processes for adjusting the irradiation angle of the headlamp. In the state where the ignition switch is turned on, the ECU 8 judges whether the headlamp 14 is turned on (step S1). At this time, if the head lamp is on (Y in step S1), it is judged whether or not the front vehicle exists (step S3), and when it is off (N in step S1), the head lamp is turned off (step S2).

If there is a vehicle ahead (Y in step S3), the downlight is turned on with the headlamp angle at level 1 (step S4), and if there is no vehicle ahead (N in step S) It is determined whether the traveling speed is the first section, the second section, or the third section (steps S5, S7, S9). Here, the first to third sections may be appropriately set depending on the vehicle.

If the traveling speed belongs to the first section (Y in step S5), the headlamp is turned to the angle level 1 and the down light is turned on (step S6), and if the traveling speed belongs to the second section (Y in step S7), If the headlamp is at an angle level 2 (step S8), and the traveling speed is in the third section (Y in step S9), the headlamp is turned on at an angle level n, and the upper lamp is turned on (step S6).

According to the present invention described above, by using the ultrasonic sensor to detect the presence of the preceding vehicle, the opposite vehicle and the right lane preceding vehicle and at the same time based on the vehicle speed transmitted from the vehicle speed sensor automatically turns on / off the headlamp irradiation angle By doing so, the driver of the relative vehicle at night driving has an advantage of providing convenience and driving stability to the driver by appropriately controlling the irradiation angle in front of the vehicle according to the traveling speed of the vehicle without disturbing the glare.

Claims (2)

An opposite vehicle, a preceding vehicle, and a right lane preceding vehicle detecting unit 22 which detects a position of an opposite vehicle, an preceding vehicle in the same lane, and a preceding vehicle in the same lane using the ultrasonic sensor 20; A vehicle speed detector 6 detecting a current vehicle speed based on an input signal transmitted from the vehicle speed sensor 5, A switch 12 for controlling the on / off of the headlamp 14 according to the on / off of the headlamp switch 16, and the counter vehicle, the preceding vehicle, and the right lane preceding vehicle detecting unit when the headlamp switch is turned on. Headlamp irradiation angle, characterized in that consisting of an ECU (8) for automatically adjusting the irradiation angle of the headlamp 14 by sending a signal to the relay 10 based on the signal transmitted from the 22 and the vehicle speed detection unit (6) Automatic regulator. The oscillator 38 according to claim 1, which generates ultrasonic waves, An amplifier 40 for amplifying the ultrasonic waves generated by the oscillator 38; A reflector 30 reflecting the amplified ultrasonic waves, Antenna 34 for receiving the ultrasonic wave emitted through the reflector 30 An A / D converter 42 for converting the waveform signal received through the antenna 34 into a digital signal and then transmitting the digital signal to the digital signal processor 44; And a CPU (46) for transmitting the digital signal processed by the digital signal processor (44) to the ECU (8) via the input bus (B2).