Automotive headlamp control apparatus and method

An automotive headlamp control method comprising:

• capturing, by an image capturing unit, an image of an area in front of the traveling direction of a subject vehicle;
• determining, by a position determining unit, a position of a vehicle or positions of vehicles in front of the subject vehicle based on the captured image;
• and
• controlling, by a control unit, an illumination pattern of a headlamp unit to form a shadow zone, wherein the headlamp is configured to be rotated and includes a light source and a light blocking unit for blocking at least a part of a light emitted from the light source, wherein the light blocking unit is movable relative to the light source, by performing:
• (a) one of (i) rotating the headlamp unit and (ii) blocking at least a portion of a light emitted from the light source, if the position of a vehicle in front of the subject vehicle is within a predetermined angular range with respect to the longitudinal centerline of the subject vehicle;
• (b) the other of (i) rotating the headlamp unit and (ii) blocking at least a portion of a light emitted from the light source, if the position of a vehicle in front of the subject vehicle is outside the predetermined angular range with respect to the longitudinal centerline of the subject vehicle;
• and
• (c) both (i) rotating the headlamp unit and (ii) blocking at least a portion of a light emitted from the light source, if there are multiple vehicles in front of the subject vehicle, at least one of the multiple vehicles is within the predetermined angular range, and at least one of the multiple vehicles is outside the predetermined angular range and/or adjusting a light blocking region of the headlamp unit based on the determined position of the front vehicle.

A non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions executed by a processor or controller, the computer readable medium comprising:

• program instructions that receive an image of an area in front of the traveling direction of a subject vehicle captured by an image capturing unit;
• program instructions that determine, based on the captured image, a position of a vehicle or positions of vehicles in front of the subject vehicle;
• and
• program instructions that control an illumination pattern of a headlamp unit to form a shadow zone, wherein the headlamp unit is configured to be rotated and includes a light source and a light blocking unit for blocking at least a part of a light emitted from the light source, wherein the light blocking unit is movable relative to the light source, by performing:
• (a) one of (i) rotating the headlamp unit and (ii) blocking at least a portion of a light emitted from the light source, if the position of a vehicle in front of the subject vehicle is within a predetermined angular range with respect to the longitudinal centerline of the subject vehicle;
• (b) the other of (i) rotating the headlamp unit and (ii) blocking at least a portion of a light emitted from the light source, if the position of a vehicle in front of the subject vehicle is outside the predetermined angular range with respect to the longitudinal centerline of the subject vehicle;
• and
• (c) both (i) rotating the headlamp unit and (ii) blocking at least a portion of a light emitted from the light source, if there are multiple vehicles in front of the subject vehicle, at least one of the multiple vehicles is within the predetermined angular range, and at least one of the multiple vehicles is outside the predetermined angular range and/or adjusting a light blocking region of the headlamp unit based on the determined position of the front vehicle.