WO2004106111A1

WO2004106111A1 - Automatic control apparatus of car light

Info

Publication number: WO2004106111A1
Application number: PCT/KR2004/001238
Authority: WO
Inventors: Chang Kyoo Park
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-05-27
Filing date: 2004-05-25
Publication date: 2004-12-09
Anticipated expiration: 2005-11-27
Also published as: KR20040101814A

Abstract

This invention discloses an automatic control apparatus of car light composed of a microprocessor controlling lighting on-and-off of head and tail lamps, light-brightness sensors for head and tail lamps, a light-brightness control switch being operated according to the light-brightness sensed by the light-brightness sensors, pulse sensors sending pulse signal to the microprocessor and an on-and-off preventer delaying the light-off for a preset time.

Description

AUTOMATIC CONTROL APPARATUS OF CAR LIGHT

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an automatic control device

for a car light. More particularly, the present invention relates to

an automatic control device for a car light wherein on/off drives of

lights (i.e., a headlamp, a tail lamp) mounted in the car are

automatically controlled depending on the speed of the car and

variation in the intensity of illumination without manipulating an

existing combination switch.

Background Art

Currently, the ratio of safety accidents of a car increases in

proportion to geometric progression propagation of the car. In order

to reduce such safety accidents, it is required to properly manipulate

various lamps of the car such as a headlamp and a tail lamp.

In order to prevent a traffic accident, it is important to

properly manipulate the headlamp and the tail lamp of the car because

a driver can secure the front view and make the existence of his car

known to a counterpart car through adequate manipulation of those

lamps, while driving his car. It is, however, not well done due to a

custom of a driver who is not accustomed to lighting of the lamps. In

other words, most drivers are stingy with the lighting of the tail lamp as well as the headlamp at sunset and/or sunrise or rarely

manipulate those lamps. Due to this, there occurs a problem in

careful driving.

The reason why most drivers are reluctant to manipulate the

headlamp and the tail lamp is that they do not manipulate those lamps

on purpose with ostentation of their driving skills and it is

inconvenient for the drivers to manipulate the combination switch

every time their cars enter places where the intensity of illumination

abruptly varies such as a tunnel and an underground parking lot.

This makes the drivers difficult to determine things due to

instant drop in eyesight at a time where the front view cannot be

certainly determined (for example, at sunset or sunrise) and at the

moment when the car enters the tunnel, etc. Accordingly, there is a

problem in that it hinders careful driving.

In order to overcome this problem, there has recently been

proposed a method in which the intensity of ^"illumination around a car

is detected while the car moves and a headlamp and a tail lamp of the

car are driven depending on the sensed intensity of illumination.

In automatically controlling the headlamp and the tail lamp of

the conventional car, there is a limit to a value that can be sensed

by a sensor for sensing the intensity of illumination around the car.

For this reason, there is a problem in that a driver himself cannot

freely adjust a time when the headlamp and the tail lamp are manipulated through selection of the intensity of illumination.

Furthermore, if a headlamp that is currently being turned on is

changed to a turn-off state while the car moves, the headlamp is

turned off as soon as the intensity of illumination varies simply.

Therefore, if the intensity of illumination temporarily changes or the

headlamp is instantly stopped, a process in which the headlamp is

turned on and is turned off is repeatedly performed. This makes a

driver inconvenient and irritated.

Disclosure of Invention

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the

above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to

provide an automatic control device for a car light wherein a driver

can freely select a time when a tail lamp and a headlamp are turned

on/of through manipulation of a sensor, when the tail lamp and the

headlamp sequentially are turned on and off depending on the start and

stop of a car and the intensity of illumination around the car without

manipulating a combination switch.

Furthermore, another object of the present' invention is to

provide an automatic control device for a car light wherein a headlamp

is turned off after a given time elapses from a time point where the

intensity of illumination varies when the headlamp is changed from an

on state to a turn-off state as the intensity of illumination varies. Further another object of the present invention is to allow a

headlamp and a tail lamp to be turned on/off differently depending on

the speed of a car and atmospheric condition.

Still another object of the present invention is to prevent

power of a battery from being discharged in such a way that the supply

of power to a car is forcedly stopped if a key is pulled out from a

key holder.

In order to accomplish the above objects, there is provided an

automatic control device for a car light, wherein the control device

secures a front view and makes the existence of its car known to a

counterpart car while the car is driven, the control device

comprising: a microprocessor for controlling an on-and-off operation

of a headlamp and a tail lamp; an illumination sensor having a

headlamp illumination sensor and a tail lamp illumination sensor,

wherein the headlamp illumination sensor and the tail lamp

illumination sensor are connected to the headlamp and the tail lamp,

respectively, and are sequentially mounted downwardly at the pole of a

handle to sense the intensity of illumination so that lighting time

points of the headlamp and the tail lamp are determined by the

intensity of illumination; an illumination control switch that selects

the intensity of illumination automatically or manually and controls

the lighting time points of the headlamp and the tail lamp according

to the intensity of illumination sensed by the illumination sensor; a pulse sensing unit that senses a pulse generated from a speedometer

depending on the start or stop of the car and applies the pulse signal

to the microprocessor in order to turn on the headlamp or the tail

lamp depending on whether the car is driven simultaneously and whether

the illumination control switch is manipulated; and anti-blinking

compensation unit that controls the headlamp turned on depending on

the intensity of illumination state and the speed of the car to keep

turned on for a predetermined time even when the intensity of

illumination is changed or the car is stopped and then to be turned

off after the time elapses, wherein the control device for the car

light is mounted at a given location within the car and is connected

to wires and power supply lines for the headlamp and the tail lamp

disposed in the car.

Brief Description of Drawings

Further objects and advantages of the invention can be more

fully understood from the following detailed description taken in

conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the construction of an

automatic control device for a car light according to a preferred

embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 shows the amount of illumination in an illumination

sensor for sensing the intensity of illumination in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows that the headlamp is turned on/off by means of

the anti-blinking compensation unit shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 shows a state where the abnormal weather indicator

shown, in Fig. 1 is mounted in a front glass portion of a car

according to the present invention;

Fig. 5 shows the turn-on states of the headlamp and tail lamp

when a car having an automatic control device mounted in passes a

tunnel or an underground traffic lane according to the present

invention; and

Fig. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a process of the automatic

control device for the car light according to the present invention.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

The present invention will now be described in detail in

connection with preferred embodiments with reference to the

accompanying drawings .

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the construction of an

automatic control device for a car light according to a preferred

embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, the automatic control device includes a

microprocessor 100 for controlling an on-and-off operation of car

lights such as a headlamp 130 and a tail lamp 140; an illumination

sensor 110 having a headlamp illumination sensor 110a and a tail lamp illumination sensor 110b, wherein the headlamp illumination sensor

110a and the tail lamp illumination sensor 110b are connected to the

headlamp 130 and the tail lamp 140, respectively, and sequentially

mounted downwardly at the pole of a handle to sense the intensity of

illumination (preferably, the tail lamp illumination sensor is

located lower than the headlamp illumination sensor) so that lighting

time points of the headlamp 130 and the tail lamp 140 are determined

by the intensity of illumination; an illumination control switch 112

that selects the intensity of illumination automatically or manually

and controls the lighting time points of the headlamp 130 and the tail

lamp 140 depending on the intensity of illumination sensed by the

illumination sensor 110; a select switch 122 that controls a lamp

driver 120 to select the headlamp 130 and/or the tail lamp 140; a

pulse sensing unit 150 that senses a pulse generated from a

speedometer (not shown) depending on the start or stop of the car and

applies the pulse signal to the microprocessor 100 in order to turn on

the headlamp 130 or the tail lamp 140 depending on whether the car is

driven simultaneously and whether the illumination control switch 112

is manipulated! and an anti-blinking compensation unit 160 that

controls the headlamp 130 turned on depending on the intensity of

illumination state and the speed of the car to keep turned on for a

predetermined time even when the intensity of illumination is changed

or the car is stopped and then to be turned off after the time elapses. It has been described above that only the headlamp 130 and the

tail lamp 140 are wired and turned on. It is, however, to be noted

that a sensor for lighting a fog lamp or an assistant lamp may be

provided, if needed.

Though not shown in the drawings, a display unit, for example, a

light-emitting device (LED) for displaying a state where power is

supplied, the fact that the headlamp 130 and/or the tail lamp 140 is

selected by the select switch 122, etc. may be provided.

The illumination sensor 110 includes a cadmium sulfide (CDS)

cell for sensing the intensity of illumination around the car. The

illumination control switch 112A can control a maximum value of

illumination that can be sensed by the illumination sensor 110

automatically or in a manual manner.

For instance, a method in which a given cap, etc. is covered on

the plane of the illumination sensor 110 to control the amount of

light applied to the surface of the CDS cell, as shown in Fig. 2, or

a method in which the amount of illumination is sensed using one of

the resistors as a variable resistor by use of properties that

resistance across the illumination sensor 110 varies may be used. In

the above, the illumination sensor 110 displays a maximum level of

illumination, a medium level of illumination, a minimum level of

illumination and a sensor-off state.

Moreover, the illumination control switch 112 serves to classify the amount of illumination provided by the illumination sensor 110

into predetermined levels (for example, off, weak, medium and strong

levels). In the level step, the on/off state controls the headlamp

130 to be turned on unconditionally regardless of the amount of

illumination when the car starts.

In addition, the anti-blinking compensation unit 160 is

connected to a power supply line, an accelerator pedal cable and a

speedometer line.

Meanwhile, the headlamp 130 may be classified into a single lamp,

a dual lamp and two pairs of a single lamp depending on a wiring mode.

Furthermore, a sensor 182 for sensing the intensity of

illumination depending on weather and an abnormal weather indicator

for displaying red, yellow and blue so that the sensor 182 can

indicate a weather state are mounted in the front glass portion of the

car, as shown in Fig. 4.

Reference numeral 170 indicates a start switch on/off sensor.

Also, though not shown in the drawings, a switch for selecting

an automatic control device and a combination switch mounted in the

car may be provided. Therefore, a driver can manipulate the tail lamp

and the headlamp using the combination switch, or the tail lamp and

the headlamp can be controlled automatically according to the present

invention.

The operation of the automatic control device for the car lights constructed above will now be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 6.

In a state where the illumination sensor 110 is turned off by

manipulation of the illumination control switch 112 (steps 200 to 202),

if a driver starts his car and then steps on the accelerator pedal

with the headlamp turned on, the pulse sensing unit 150 senses a pulse

depending on the start of the car and the microprocessor 100 and the

lamp driver 120 turn on the headlamp 130 (steps 204 to 208). At this

time, it is preferred that the illumination control switch 112 is in

an off state or at the lowest sensing level of illumination.

As such, once the car starts, the headlamp 130 keeps turned on.

Although the driver does not step on the accelerator pedal, the

headlamp 130 keeps turned on by the sensed pulse (step 210). Although

the car temporarily stops due to a traffic signal, etc. with the

headlamp 130 turned on, the headlamp 130 is lighted for a

predetermined time (for example, a minimum 30 to 60 seconds) by means

of an anti-blinking compensation unit 160, which will be described

later. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the on-and-off operation

of the headlamp (steps 212 and 214).

At this time, if 30 to 60 seconds elapses in a state where the

headlamp 130 is turned on after the car stops, the headlamp 130 is

automatically turned off (step 218). If the car restarts, the process

returns to step 206 wherein the lighting process of the headlamp 130

is performed. If the car restarts before the time elapses, the headlamp 130 keeps turned on (step 222).

This will be described with reference to Fig. 3 in which the

anti-blinking compensation unit is used to turn on/off the headlamp.

In a state where a compensation switch SW1 is connected to an

accelerator cable or a carburetor (b), if the driver puts his foot on

the accelerator pedal, the headlamp is turned on though the car does

not move. Thus, the driver can easily secure a front view before the

start.

On the contrary, if the driver releases the accelerator pedal

and then steps on a break pedal while driving the car (a), a terminal

CD is turned off, a terminal (2) is turned on and the anti-blinking

compensation unit 160 having a bimetal switch or a timer connected to

a terminal φ is driven. After being turned on for a predetermined

time, the headlamp is put out.

As such, according to the present invention, the headlamp is

turned on from the start step wherein the accelerator pedal is

slightly stepped on. It is thus possible to prevent a safety accident

by securing the front view, compared to a conventional car in which

the headlamp is lighted only in a driving state.

Meanwhile, as described above, in a state where the illumination

control switch 112 is in an off state, the headlamp 130 is turned on

unconditionally as soon as the car starts. However, the headlamp 130

and the tail lamp 140 can be selectively turned on due to variation in the intensity of illumination around the car. This will now be

described.

At this time, it is preferred that the levels of the intensity

of illumination for turning on the tail lamp 140 and the headlamp 130

are different. In other words, when the sun sets or the dusk gathers

(approximately 25 to 30 LUX), the tail lamp 140 must be turned on. If

it gets a little dark (approximately 10 to 20 LUX), the headlamp 130

must be turned on. This can be accomplished by sequentially

installing the headlamp illumination sensor 110a and the tail lamp

illumination sensor 110b in the downward direction of the handle.

The driver manipulates the illumination control switch 112 to

set the lighting start point of the tail lamp 140 and the headlamp 130.

When the sun sets or at dusk, the tail lamp 140 is preferably turned

on according to the illumination level of the illumination sensor 110.

When the tail lamp 140 becomes darker than the illumination level

turned on, the illumination level is controlled so that the headlamp

130 is turned on.

This can be accomplished by a method wherein the top of the

illumination sensor 110 is covered with an additional cap partially

and a method wherein the amount of illumination is controlled by a

variable resistor. It is usually preferred that the amount of

illumination is controlled by manipulating the illumination control

switch 112 using the variable resistor. When the driver starts the car and the car moves in a state

where the lighting start point of the tail lamp 140 and the headlamp

130 are set by the illumination control switch 112, if the amount of

illumination set is lower than the level of illumination around the

car, the headlamp 130 or the tail lamp 140 is not turned on

unconditionally but keeps turned off depending on sensing of the

intensity of illumination.

If the sun sets as described above while the car moves, while

the tail lamp illumination sensor 110b continues to sense the

intensity of illumination around the car, the lamp driver 120 that

receives a control signal from the microprocessor 100 turns on the

tail lamp 140 when the sensed intensity of illumination corresponds to

a predetermined level of illumination.

Thereafter, if the sun sets completely and the intensity of

illumination becomes more dark, the headlamp illumination sensor 110a

turns on the headlamp 130 depending on the level of illumination and

the predetermined level of illumination (step 224).

For example, it will be described in more detail with reference

to Fig. 5 in which it is assumed that the car passes through a tunnel

or an underground traffic lane in the daytime.

Before the car enters the tunnel or the underground traffic lane,

both the tail lamp and the headlamp are turned off. If the car enters

the tunnel or the underground traffic lane (a point "A" ), however, the tail lamp illumination sensor 110b first senses variation in the

level of illumination. If it is determined that the sensed level of

illumination is darker than a predetermined level, the tail lamp

illumination sensor 110b turns on the tail lamp 140. If the intensity

of illumination within the tunnel that is lower than the level of

illumination outside the tunnel and at the boundary of the tunnel is

sensed, the headlamp 130 is turned on.

Therefore, the car that passes through the tunnel or the

underground traffic lane can move while its tail lamp 140 and headlamp

130 are sequentially turned on (step 226).

Meanwhile, if the car gets out of the tunnel or the underground

traffic lane (a point "B" Xstep 228), the tail lamp 140 is turned

off (step 230) as the tail lamp illumination sensor 110b senses

variation in the level of illumination. However, the headlamp 130 is

turned off by the anti-blinking compensation unit 160 after the car

moves at a given distance (1) with the headlamp turned on for 30 to 60

seconds after the car gets out of the tunnel completely (a point

"C" ) (step 232).

If the headlamp 130 is turned on but the intensity of

illumination is changed to an original intensity of illumination or a

break pedal is stepped on with the headlamp 130 turned on, the

headlamp 130 is not immediately turned off, but the anti-blinking

compensation unit 160 controls the headlamp to keep turned on for a predetermined time through a switching operation of a switch having a

bimetal device or a timer. After the predetermined time elapses, the

headlamp is turned off.

Meanwhile, as described above, the headlamp 130 and the tail

lamp 140 can be driven as the car moves and the intensity of

illumination varies. It is, however, to be noted that the headlamp

130 and the tail lamp 140 may be driven according to the speed of the

car although the intensity of illumination varies depending on change

in weather.

For this purpose, a sensor 182 for sensing the intensity of

illumination depending on variation in weather at the front glass of

the car is mounted at a given location. The sensor 182 and a

speedometer (not shown) are connected to the microprocessor 100.

Furthermore, the speedometer mounted in a common freight car

operates the headlamp 130 or the tail lamp 140 depending on the speed.

Therefore, in the event the car moves 60km/h, if there is no

significant difficulty in securing the front view since weather is

fine, only the tail lamp 140 may be turned on. If there is a

difficulty in securing the front view due to snowy, rainy or foggy

weather, the headlamp 130 is automatically turned on as the intensity

of illumination around the car is sensed even if the car moves 60km/h.

In addition, the tail lamp 140 or the headlamp 130 is turned on

due to variation in the intensity of illumination. If the driver pulls out a key from a key holder inadvertently, the start switch

on/off senor 170 recognizes that the key has been pulled out from the

key holder and then controls the microprocessor 100 to forcedly shut

the power provided to the car.

Meanwhile, it has been described that the tail lamp and/or the

headlamp mounted in the car is automatically turned on/off. If a fog

lamp or other assistant lamps are mounted in the car, however, sensors

may be connected with wires corresponding .to one another so that

corresponding lamps can be automatically controlled. Furthermore, the

present invention can be applied to a motorcycle as well as a car.

Industrial Applicability

According to the present invention as described above, when a

car starts or stops and enters a tunnel, an underground traffic lane,

etc., a headlamp and a tail lamp mounted in the car can be

sequentially turned on/off automatically depending on sensed intensity

of illumination without manipulating a combination switch. Therefore,

the present invention has an effect that it can promote a driver' s

convenience.

Furthermore, a driver can control the intensity of illumination

being the degree of darkness manually or automatically. It is thus

possible to freely select a lighting time point of the headlamp and

the tail lamp while driving a car. In addition, where it is required that a headlamp turned on

based on the speed of a car or variation in the intensity of

illumination be turned off according to the stop of the car or

variation in the intensity of illumination while the car moves, the

headlamp can be turned off after being turned on for a predetermined

time. It is thus possible to reduce the flickering number of the

headlamp and to prevent the headlamp from being turned on/off with fun.

While the present invention has been described with reference to

the particular illustrative embodiments, it is not to be restricted by

the embodiments but only by the appended claims. It is to be

appreciated that those skilled in the art can change or modify the

embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the present

invention.

Claims

What Is Claimed Is:

1. An automatic control device for a car light, wherein the

control device secures a front view and makes the existence of its

car known to a counterpart car while a car moves, the control device

comprising:

a microprocessor for controlling an on-and-off operation of a

headlamp and a tail lamp;

an illumination sensor having a headlamp illumination sensor

and a tail lamp illumination sensor, wherein the headlamp

illumination sensor and the tail lamp illumination sensor are

connected to the headlamp and the tail lamp, respectively, and are

sequentially mounted downwardly at the pole of a handle to sense the

intensity of illumination so that lighting time points of the

headlamp and the tail lamp are determined based on the intensity of

illumination;

an illumination control switch that selects the intensity of

illumination automatically or manually and controls the lighting

time points of the headlamp and the tail lamp according to the

intensity of illumination sensed by the illumination sensor;

a pulse sensing unit that senses a pulse generated from a

speedometer depending on the start or stop of the car and applies

the pulse signal to the microprocessor in order to turn on the headlamp or the tail lamp depending on whether the car is driven

simultaneously and whether the illumination control switch is

manipulated; and

anti-blinking compensation unit that controls the headlamp

turned on depending on the intensity of illumination state and the

speed of the car to keep turned on for a predetermined time even

when the intensity of illumination is changed or the car is stopped

and then to be turned off after the time elapses,

wherein the control device for the car light is mounted at a

given location within the car and is connected to wires and power

supply lines for the headlamp and the tail lamp disposed in the car.

2. The automatic control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the anti-blinking compensation unit comprises a switch having a

bimetal device or a timer for keeping the headlamp turned on for a

predetermined time through a switching operation while power is

supplied.

3. The automatic control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the illumination sensor further includes a corresponding

illumination sensor for automatically controlling a lamp mounted in

the car.