Patent ID: 6144159
Filing Date: 2000-11-07
Classification: B60Q,G01M

Abstract:
An apparatus for regulating the illumination field of a running light of a vehicle, the running light for illuminating a region forward of the vehicle relative to the vehicle's direction of travel and the vehicle having an adjusting element for adjusting the orientation of the running light to thereby vary the position of the illumination field relative to the vehicle, comprising: a member for irradiating an area on the road surface with a radiation beam in a manner in which the radiation beam is reflected; a sensor for sensing a characteristic of radiation reflected from the irradiated area on the road surface; and a member for comparing a sensed reflected radiation characteristic with a radiation characteristic representative of a predetermined position of the illumination field of the running light, the comparing member being operatively connected with the adjusting element for providing a signal thereto in response to which the adjusting element can adjust the orientation of the running light on the vehicle and thereby reorient the running light into a position in which light projected therefrom illuminates a proper illumination field and the comparing member having means for creating a data point which is representative of the sensed reflected radiation characteristic and means for evaluating a characteristic of the data point with respect to a reference data point to determine the signal provided to the adjusting element and the reference data point is representative of the position of the sensor.