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:
May. 01, 2018
Filed:
Jul. 28, 2010
Yutaka Nakanishi, Shizuoka, JP;
Manabu Sasa, Shizuoka, JP;
Atsushi Yamazaki, Shizuoka, JP;
KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD., Shizuoka, JP;
Abstract
A curvature estimation unit estimates the curvature of the road on which a vehicle is driving. A swivel angle setting unit is configured to perform a first mode in which a swivel angle of a lamp unit is set such that a light distribution pattern follows the travelling direction of the vehicle based on the curvature estimated by the curvature estimation unit, and perform a second mode in which a swivel angle of the lamp unit is set such that a shielded area created in a light distribution pattern follows the position of the vehicle detected by a vehicle position detector. A pattern determination unit determines a light distribution pattern such that the position of the vehicle detected by the vehicle position detector remains in the shielded area. A swivel angle setting unit performs the first mode when it is determined that the road is a curved road based on the curvature estimated by the curvature estimation unit, and performs the second mode when it is determined that the road is a straight road.