US 2010/0309674 A1 · Vehicular tilt-sensing method and automatic headlight leveling system using the same

Abstract

The present invention discloses a vehicular tilt-sensing method and an automatic headlight leveling system using the same. The method of the present invention comprises steps: using an image capture device to capture an image of the road and obtain at least one instantaneous lane marking line from the image; extending the instantaneous lane marking lines afar to obtain an instantaneous vanishing point; establishing an instantaneous horizontal line passing through the instantaneous vanishing point; calculating from the image the displacement between a datum horizontal line and the instantaneous horizontal line; and calculating the tilt angle with the displacement and the focal length of the image; using the tilt angle to generate a control signal to control level adjusting controllers to adjust headlights, whereby the headlights can provide optimized illumination to enhance night driving safety on a rugged road or in the case that the vehicle is unevenly loaded.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A vehicular tilt-sensing method, applying to detecting tilt of a vehicle, and comprising steps:

capturing an image of a road before said vehicle;
performing image processing on said image of said road to obtain at least one instantaneous lane marking line;
using said at least one instantaneous lane marking line to calculate an instantaneous vanishing point and an instantaneous horizontal line passing said instantaneous vanishing point;
presetting a datum horizontal line;
calculating a displacement from said datum horizontal line to said instantaneous horizontal line;
and
using said displacement to analyze a tilt angle of said vehicle.

4 more elements

An automatic headlight leveling system, installed in a vehicle, used to control at least one headlight of said vehicle, and comprising

an image capture device installed in a front of said vehicle and used to capture an image of a road;
an image processing unit electrically connected with said image capture device, identifying said image of said road, performing image processing to obtain at least one instantaneous lane marking line, calculating an instantaneous vanishing point and an instantaneous horizontal line passing through said instantaneous vanishing point, presetting a datum horizontal line, calculating a displacement of said datum horizontal line and said instantaneous horizontal line, using said displacement to work out a tilt angle of said vehicle, and converting said tilt angle into a control signal;
and
at least one level adjusting controller electrically connected with said image processing unit and said at least one headlight, receiving said control signal, and adjusting an angle of said at least one headlight according to said control signal.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Vehicular tilt-sensing method and automatic headlight leveling system using the same

Life of this patent

Vehicular tilt-sensing method and automatic headlight leveling system using the same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18