Patent ID: 6304035
Filing Date: 2001-10-16
Classification: B60Q

Abstract:
A method for automatically operating the lights of a motor vehicle on the basis of information about the brightness in the vehicle's surroundings, about the speed at which the vehicle is traveling and about the distance covered by this vehicle, including the steps of,with a view to switching the lights on, comparing the level of instantaneous brightness (NLI) in the vehicle's surroundings with two thresholds--respectively a high threshold N1 and a low threshold N2--so that, if the level of instantaneous brightness becomes and remains lower than the low threshold N2, andif the level of instantaneous brightness crosses the two thresholds in a time (TN1.2) less than or equal to T2, immediately switching on the vehicle lights if the vehicle speed is zero, switching on the vehicle lights after a distance D1 has been covered if the vehicle speed is higher than or equal to a first speed threshold, switching on the vehicle lights after a distance D2 covered if the vehicle speed is below the first speed threshold, after the level of instantaneous brightness has crossed the low threshold N2,if the level of instantaneous brightness crosses the two thresholds in a time of between T2 and T12, switching on the vehicle lights after the period of time T13 after the level of instantaneous brightness has crossed the low threshold N2, andif, before the end of these time-metering or distance-metering operations, the level of instantaneous brightness crosses back above then below the low threshold N2, switching on the vehicle lights after a period of time T17 after the level of instantaneous brightness has crossed the low threshold N2 for this further time.