Headlight aiming apparatus and display

An apparatus for aiming a vehicle headlight, comprising:

• centering means for aligning the headlight with the apparatus,
• sensor means for sensing the intensity of a light beam from the headlight in each cell in a matrix of cells overlaying the reflected light beam, said sensor means including means to generate an electrical signal for each cell from said sensor means indicative of the intensity of the light beam in the cell,
• means to compare at least some of the electrical signals to each other to determine whether the light beam is aimed properly within a prescribed degree of accuracy,
• means for selectively displaying at least some of the electrical signals as a simulated light beam to visually describe the light intensity pattern of the vehicle headlight on a simulated road surface, and
• means for selectively displaying a simulated light beam for a properly aimed headlight on the simulated road surface to indicate the relative distance between the vehicle headlight intensity pattern and the properly aimed headlight intensity pattern.

A method of aiming a vehicle headlight, comprising:

• projecting a light beam from a vehicle headlight onto a reflective surface,
• sensing the intensity of the projected light beam in each cell in a matrix of cells overlying the reflected light beam and generating for each cell an electrical signal indicative of the intensity of the light beam in the cell,
• comparing at least some of the electrical signals to each other to determine whether the light beam is aimed within a prescribed degree of accuracy,
• displaying at least some of the electrical signals as a simulated light beam to visually describe the light intensity pattern of the vehicle headlight,
• concurrently displaying an indicating device to digitally indicate the relative deviation of the vehicle headlight light beam and the properly aimed headlight light beam,
• adjusting the aim of the headlight in accordance with the indicated relative deviation, and
• concurrently displaying a simulated light beam to visually describe the adjusted vehicle headlight intensity pattern.

A method of aiming a vehicle headlight, comprising:

• projecting a light beam from a vehicle headlight onto a reflective surface,
• sensing the intensity of the projected light beam in each cell in a matrix of cells overlying the reflected light beam and generating for each cell an electrical signal indicative of the intensity of the light beam in the cell,
• comparing at least some of the electrical signals to each other to determine whether the light beam is aimed within a prescribed degree of accuracy,
• displaying at least some of the electrical signals as a visual description of the light intensity pattern of the vehicle headlight,
• concurrently displaying an indicating device to digitally indicate the relative deviation of the vehicle headlight light beam and the properly aimed headlight light beam, said indicating device including cursors moveable with respect to the vertical and horizontal axes to indicate the relative deviation of the vehicle headlight beam and the properly aimed headlight beam,
• adjusting the aim of the headlight in accordance with the indicated relative deviation, and
• concurrently displaying the adjusted vehicle headlight intensity pattern.

A method of aiming a vehicle headlight, comprising:

• projecting a light beam from a vehicle headlight onto a reflective surface,
• sensing the intensity of the projected light beam in each cell in a matrix of cells overlying the reflected light beam and generating for each cell an electrical signal indicative of the intensity of the light beam in the cell,
• comparing at least some of the electrical signals to each other to determine whether the light beam is aimed within a prescribed degree of accuracy,
• displaying at least some of the electrical signals as a visual description of the light intensity pattern of the vehicle headlight,
• concurrently displaying an indicating device to digitally indicate the relative deviation of the vehicle headlight light beam and the properly aimed headlight light beam, said indicating device including an aiming circle to graphically and digitally indicate the relative deviation of the vehicle headlight beam and the properly aimed headlight beam,
• adjusting the aim of the headlight in accordance with the indicated relative deviation, and
• concurrently displaying the adjusted vehicle headlight intensity pattern.

A method of aiming a vehicle headlight, comprising:

• projecting a light beam from a vehicle headlight onto a reflective surface,
• sensing the intensity of the projected light beam in each cell in a matrix of cells overlying the reflected light beam and generating for each cell an electrical signal indicative of the intensity of the light beam in the cell,
• comparing at least some of the electrical signals to each other to determine whether the light beam is aimed within a prescribed degree of accuracy,
• displaying at least some of the electrical signals as a visual description of the light intensity pattern of the vehicle headlight, wherein at least some of the electrical signals are displayed as a simulated light beam on a simulated road surface to visually describe the light intensity pattern of the vehicle headlight,
• concurrently displaying an indicating device to digitally indicate the relative deviation of the vehicle headlight light beam and the properly aimed headlight light beam,
• adjusting the aim of the headlight in accordance with the indicated relative deviation, and
• concurrently displaying the adjusted vehicle headlight intensity pattern.