# US 12,594,876 B2 · Headlamp control device, headlamp control method, and storage medium

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- Number: US 12,594,876 B2
- Document ID: US12594876B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/804,200
- Filed: 2024-08-14
- Published: 2025-06-05
- Granted: 2026-04-07
- Earliest claimed: 2023-12-05
- Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Hisayoshi Tachikawa
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12594876B2

## CPC

- B60Q 1/143: {combined with another condition, e.g. using vehicle recognition from camera images or activation of wipers}
- B60Q 1/0023: {the element being a sensor, e.g. distance sensor, camera}
- H05B 47/125: by using cameras
- B60Q 2300/112: Vehicle speed
- B60Q 2300/12: Steering parameters
- B60Q 2300/41: preceding vehicle
- B60Q 2300/42: oncoming vehicle
- B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL

## Abstract

The headlamp control device acquires a result of learning of the recognition sensitivity of the forward vehicle during lighting of the lamp included in the forward camera image of the probe vehicle suitable for each traveling position of the probe vehicle performed using the traveling position of the probe vehicle and the forward camera image of the probe vehicle when the driver of the probe vehicle performs an operation to turn OFF the function of switching the light distribution of the headlamp of the probe vehicle from the lighting state of the high beam to the lighting state of the light shielding high beam, and adjusts the recognition sensitivity of the forward vehicle during lighting of the lamp included in the forward camera image of the own vehicle at each traveling position of the own vehicle based on the obtained result of the learning.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A headlamp control device, comprising:
a vehicle recognition unit that recognizes a forward vehicle with a lamp lit included in a forward camera image of an own vehicle;
a control unit for executing light distribution switching control of a headlamp of the own vehicle when the forward vehicle with the lamp lit included in the forward camera image of the own vehicle is recognized by the vehicle recognition unit, the light distribution switching control being light distribution switching control of the headlamp of the own vehicle from a high-beam lit state to a shielded high-beam lit state, or light distribution switching control of the headlamp of the own vehicle from the high-beam lit state to a low-beam lit state, the shielded high-beam being a high-beam in which the forward vehicle with the lamp lit that is included in the forward camera image of the own vehicle, and surroundings of the forward vehicle, are shielded from light;
an acquisition unit for acquiring a result of learning of recognition sensitivity of the forward vehicle with the lamp lit included in a forward camera image of a probe vehicle that is suitable for each traveling position of the probe vehicle, performed using a traveling position of the probe vehicle and the forward camera image of the probe vehicle, the traveling position of the probe vehicle and the forward camera image of the probe vehicle being a traveling position and a forward camera image when a driver of the probe vehicle performs an operation of turning off a function of light distribution switching control of a headlamp of the probe vehicle from a high-beam lit state to a shielded high-beam lit state, or an operation of turning off a function of light distribution switching control of the headlamp of the probe vehicle from the high-beam lit state to a low-beam lit state; and
a vehicle recognition sensitivity adjustment unit that executes adjustment of recognition sensitivity of the forward vehicle with a lamp lit included in a forward camera image of the own vehicle at each traveling position of the own vehicle, based on the result of the learning acquired by the acquisition unit.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The headlamp control device according to claim 1, wherein
the acquisition unit acquires a detection result of a steering angle sensor of the own vehicle, and
when a steering angle detected by the steering angle sensor is equal to or greater than a steering angle threshold value, the vehicle recognition sensitivity adjustment unit sets the recognition sensitivity of the forward vehicle with a lamp lit included in the forward camera image of the own vehicle to a default value.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The headlamp control device according to claim 1, wherein
the acquisition unit acquires a detection result of a vehicle speed sensor of the own vehicle, and
when vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor is equal to or higher than a vehicle speed threshold value, the vehicle recognition sensitivity adjustment unit sets the recognition sensitivity of the forward vehicle with a lamp lit included in the forward camera image of the own vehicle to a default value.

### Claim 4

A headlamp control method, comprising:
recognizing, by a headlamp control device, a forward vehicle with a lamp lit included in a forward camera image of an own vehicle;
executing light distribution switching control of a headlamp of the own vehicle when the forward vehicle with the lamp lit included in the forward camera image of the own vehicle is recognized in the recognizing, the light distribution switching control being the headlamp control device performing light distribution switching control of the headlamp of the own vehicle from a high-beam lit state to a shielded high-beam lit state, or light distribution switching control of the headlamp of the own vehicle from the high-beam lit state to a low-beam lit state, the shielded high-beam being a high-beam in which the forward vehicle with the lamp lit included in the forward camera image of the own vehicle, and surroundings of the forward vehicle, are shielded from light;
acquiring a result of learning of recognition sensitivity of the forward vehicle with the lamp lit included in a forward camera image of a probe vehicle that is suitable for each traveling position of the probe vehicle, performed using a traveling position of the probe vehicle and the forward camera image of the probe vehicle, the traveling position of the probe vehicle and the forward camera image of the probe vehicle being a traveling position and a forward camera image for the headlamp control device when a driver of the probe vehicle performs an operation of turning off a function of light distribution switching control of a headlamp of the probe vehicle from a high-beam lit state to a shielded high-beam lit state, or an operation of turning off a function of light distribution switching control of the headlamp of the probe vehicle from the high-beam lit state to a low-beam lit state; and
executing, by the headlamp control device, adjustment of recognition sensitivity of the forward vehicle with a lamp lit included in a forward camera image of the own vehicle at each traveling position of the own vehicle, based on the result of the learning acquired in the acquiring.

### Claim 5

A non-transitory storage medium storing a program causing a processor to execute
recognizing a forward vehicle with a lamp lit included in a forward camera image of an own vehicle;
executing light distribution switching control of a headlamp of the own vehicle when the forward vehicle with the lamp lit included in the forward camera image of the own vehicle is recognized in the recognizing, the light distribution switching control being light distribution switching control of the headlamp of the own vehicle from a high-beam lit state to a shielded high-beam lit state, or light distribution switching control of the headlamp of the own vehicle from the high-beam lit state to a low-beam lit state, the shielded high-beam being a high-beam in which the forward vehicle with the lamp lit included in the forward camera image of the own vehicle, and surroundings of the forward vehicle, are shielded from light;
acquiring a result of learning of recognition sensitivity of the forward vehicle with the lamp lit that is included in a forward camera image of a probe vehicle that is suitable for each traveling position of the probe vehicle, performed using a traveling position of the probe vehicle and a forward camera image of the probe vehicle, the traveling position of the probe vehicle and the forward camera image of the probe vehicle being a traveling position and a forward camera image when a driver of the probe vehicle performs an operation of turning off a function of light distribution switching control of a headlamp of the probe vehicle from a high-beam lit state to a shielded high-beam lit state, or an operation of turning off a function of light distribution switching control of a headlamp of the probe vehicle from the high-beam lit state to a low-beam lit state; and
executing adjustment of recognition sensitivity of the forward vehicle with a lamp lit that is included in the forward camera image of the own vehicle at each traveling position of the own vehicle, based on the result of the learning acquired in the acquiring.