Patent ID: 9037343
Filing Date: 2015-05-19
Classification: B60Q

Abstract:
1. A light distribution control apparatus comprising: an animal position extractor for extracting a present position of an animal which is present outside of a driver's own vehicle with a vehicle-mounted sensor; a traveling direction detector for detecting a traveling direction of the driver's own vehicle; a contact possibility determiner for judging whether or not there is a possibility that the driver's own vehicle and the animal will contact each other after the elapse of a predetermined period of time if a head of the animal is located within an illuminating range of the headlight and it is assumed that the animal remains at the present position thereof; and a light distribution controller for changing the illuminating range or illuminating direction of headlight; wherein if the contact possibility determiner judges that there is a possibility that the driver's own vehicle and the animal will contact each other, then the light distribution controller will change the illuminating range or illuminating direction of the headlight so that the head of the animal is made to be out of the illuminating range of the headlight; and if the contact possibility determiner judges that there is no possibility that the driver's own vehicle and the animal will contact each other, then the light distribution controller will change the illuminating range or illuminating direction of the headlight so that the head of the animal is made to be within the illuminating range of the headlight.