Ford Motor Company Limited

Lectron Products, Inc.

Kenneth G Slotkowski

Paul A Michaels

Harold R Macks

Henry J Ewald

An automatic headlamp dimmer system for switching a vehicle's headlamps from high beam to low beam when lights from another vehicle are detected in front of the vehicle. To prevent spurious responses to reflected light from signs and other sources, the dimmer system includes a light detector which is responsive only to infrared light. Also, unwanted responses to flashing lights are avoided by detecting the presence of a periodically varying light signal, and inhibiting switching between high and low beams in response thereto. The system is also capable of sensing the activation of windshield wipers and preventing headlamp switching caused by interruption of light to the system's light sensor by action of the wiper blades.

Automatic headlamp dimmer having improved signal discrimination and

Automatic headlamp dimmer

A circuit for sensing a plurality of inputs, each of which have a plurality of condition states, and providing a visibly coded output signal to a single indicator lamp, or the like, whereby one may readily determine the various condition states. The circuit is exemplified in an automotive voltage and current sensing system which senses the conditions of normal voltage, overvoltage, undervoltage and battery discharge. The circuit commands a single lamp to be off, to flash rapidly, to light continuously, or to flash slowly in correspondence to the particular sensed condition.

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Westland, MI, United States of America

Kenneth G Slotkowski