Illumination – Supported by vehicle structure – Condition responsive
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-18
2001-07-03
O'Shea, Sandra (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Supported by vehicle structure
Condition responsive
C362S464000, C362S465000, C362S466000, C362S467000, C362S276000, C340S459000, C340S462000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06254259
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This application claims the benefit of Japanese Application No. Hei-10-134986 filed May 14, 1998, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle lamp, and more particularly, to a vehicle lamp system. Although the present invention is suitable for a wide scope of applications, it is particularly suitable for providing a better control in illumination of a vehicle lamp system in response to various weather and/or road surface conditions.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Illumination lamps mounted on a vehicle are usually operated under various weather conditions depending upon environment in which the vehicle travels. Thus, there is a demand for assurance of a safe driving by way of varying a luminous intensity with road surface conditions.
However, a conventional lamp has encountered a difficulty in ensuring a sufficient luminous light or marker light even in the event of degradation of weather conditions and changes in road surface conditions. For example, a vehicle lamp system adopting headlamps has a potential problem in reduction of an efficiency of the luminous light. In addition, the sight of drivers of oncoming vehicles on the opposite lane or pedestrians may be hindered by the light especially when the condition of the road surface is deteriorated. Further, an intensity of the marker lamps or signal lamps themselves may be reduced due to fog or rain.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a vehicle lamp system that substantially obviates one or more of problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a better control in illumination of vehicle lamps in response to weather and road surface conditions.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, a vehicle lamp system includes vehicle lamps, environment detection means for detecting weather and road surface conditions, and illumination control means for controlling an illumination of the vehicle lamps based on the weather and road surface conditions received from the environment detection means.
In another aspect of the present invention, a vehicle lamp system includes vehicle lamps, a lamp driving device for controlling a range and a direction of an illumination of the lamps, a lamp dimmer for controlling an intensity of the lamps, environment detection means for detecting weather and road surface conditions, illumination control means for controlling the lamp driving device and the lamp dimmer based on the weather and road surface conditions received from the environment detection means, and driving means for changing a range and a direction of the illumination of the vehicle lamps.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.
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patent: 5374852 (1994-12-01), Parkes
patent: 5418429 (1995-05-01), Laman
patent: 5614788 (1997-03-01), Mullins et al.
patent: 5896085 (1999-04-01), Mori et al.
patent: 5998929 (1999-12-01), Beechtel et al.
patent: 6097023 (2000-08-01), Schofield et al.
patent: 197 56 574 A1 (1998-10-01), None
patent: 0 869 031 A2 (1998-10-01), None
patent: 63-176736 (1988-07-01), None
patent: 10-44860 (1998-02-01), None
Koito Manufactuting Co. Ltd.
Morgan & Lewis & Bockius, LLP
O'Shea Sandra
Ton Anabel
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