The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 12, 2012
Filed:
Jan. 18, 2008
Masahiko Morishita, Toyoake, JP;
Toru Hagiwara, Sapporo, JP;
Masahiko Morishita, Toyoake, JP;
Toru Hagiwara, Sapporo, JP;
Denso Corporation, Kariya, JP;
National University Corporation Hokkaido University, Hokkaido, JP;
Abstract
An apparatus is provided to control a lighting angle of headlights installed in a vehicle. In the apparatus, a curve of the road is calculated and the radius of the curve is obtained, based on the current position and the road information. The curve is located ahead of the vehicle. A distance from the current position to a starting point of the curve is calculated based on the current position and the road information. Determination is made as to whether or not the curve is an S-shaped curve based on the road information, and line-shape information showing a line shape of the S-curve is set in response to the determination results of the curve. A lighting angle of the headlights is calculated based on the radius of the curve, the distance and the line-shape information, and the lighting angle of the headlights is controlled based on the calculated lighting angle.