Systems and methods for illumination control and distribution during a vehicle bank
AssigneeJ.W. Speaker Corporation
InventorsKevin Jay McWithey, Bradley William Kay, Dragolsav Popovic
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A bank angle of a vehicle can be accurately calculated using yaw axis data and roll axis data, and based on the calculated bank angle, vehicle illumination optics can be controlled to maintain a pattern of distributed light from the illumination optics to be generally horizontal. The calculated bank angle may be zeroed when the yaw axis data equals zero. The improved pattern of distributed light from the illumination optics illuminates a more natural field of view for the vehicle driver during a bank.
Claims20
A headlight system for a vehicle comprising:
- a motion sensor configured to sample motion data;
- an illumination source including an array of illumination elements;
- a processor configured to control an illumination pattern provided by the illumination source in response to a bank angle value output by a bank angle calculation, during the bank angle calculation, the processor being configured to:
- sample the motion data from the motion sensor;
- compare the motion data to a predefined minimum motion value and a predefined maximum motion value;
- when the motion data is between the predefined minimum motion value and the predefined maximum motion value, soft average the bank angle value toward zero;
- and
- when the motion data is not between the predefined minimum motion value and the predefined maximum motion value, calculate the bank angle value.
An apparatus for calculating a bank angle value of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
- an inertial measurement unit, the inertial measurement unit including a processor and at least one motion sensor operatively coupled to the processor;
- the processor programmed to:
- sample motion data at a predetermined rate, the motion data provided by the at least one motion sensor;
- compare the motion data to a predefined minimum motion rate and a predefined maximum motion rate;
- when the motion data is between the predefined minimum motion rate and the predefined maximum motion rate, control illumination of a headlight of the vehicle to project a generally level illumination pattern;
- and
- when the motion data is not between the predefined minimum motion rate and the predefined maximum motion rate, calculate the vehicle bank angle value.
A control system for a headlight for a vehicle comprising:
- a vehicle headlight including a plurality of illumination elements, the vehicle headlight being configured to control an illumination pattern generated by one or more of the plurality of illumination elements in response to a bank angle value;
- and
- a processor configured to calculate the bank angle value based on a bank angle calculation, the processor being adapted to:
- receive motion data from a motion sensor;
- compare the motion data to a predefined minimum motion value and a predefined maximum motion value;
- when the motion data is between the predefined minimum motion value and the predefined maximum motion value, reduce illumination of at least one or more of the plurality of illumination elements;
- and
- when the motion data is not between the predefined minimum motion value and the predefined maximum motion value, calculate the bank angle value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.