JP2010260379A - Lighting fixture for vehicle with built-in imaging element - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lighting fixture for a vehicle with built-in imaging device capable of achieving a proper light distribution control, while dispensing with a work for disposing the imaging device in the vehicle and the adjustment. <P>SOLUTION: This lighting fixture includes a condensing lens 22 to irradiate light emitted from a LED 24 internally mounted in a lamp body 21 by required light distribution. The lighting fixture includes an imaging element 27 internally mounted in the lamp body 21 to image an object image-formed by the condensing lens 22. If an imaging optical axis Sx of the imaging element 27 is made to coincide with a lens optical axis Ox of the condensing lens 22, the imaging optical axis Sx of the imaging element 27 can be made to automatically coincide with a lamp optical axis if the lamp optical axis is set when assembling a lamp to the vehicle. The work for assembling the imaging device to an automobile and the work for adjusting imaging optical axis are not required. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicular lamp that can control the light distribution of illumination based on an image around a vehicle imaged by an imaging device.

  As a vehicle lamp in recent years, a technique has been proposed in which obstacles and other vehicles existing in front of the vehicle are detected, and based on this detection, the light distribution of the headlamp is controlled to enhance safe driving. For example, in Patent Document 1, an oncoming vehicle is detected from a captured image of a camera that captures the front of an automobile, and light to a region corresponding to the detected oncoming vehicle among light distribution regions of light emitted from a headlamp There has been proposed a technique for changing the light distribution by controlling the headlamp so that the light is not irradiated. In such a light distribution control using the image captured by the camera, the light distribution of the headlamp is adjusted so as to obtain an appropriate lighting range by photographing the front area of the automobile and recognizing the lighting range of the headlamp. Control technology is also considered.

  Further, in Patent Document 2, a semiconductor light receiving element is integrally incorporated in a lamp having an LED (light emitting diode) as a light source, and an obstacle is detected by receiving light emitted from the LED and reflected from the obstacle by the semiconductor light receiving element. Detection techniques have been proposed. In this technique, it is also proposed that the light distribution of the headlamp can be controlled according to the detected distance by detecting the distance to the detected obstacle.

JP 2008-207738 A JP 2008-201329 A

  In Patent Document 1, it is not specified in which part of the car the camera is disposed, but usually at a position where a wide area in front of the car can be photographed, such as the upper part of the windshield of the car. It is arranged. As described above, conventionally, the camera is prepared separately from the headlamp, and this is disposed in a part of the automobile, which causes high cost. In addition, it is necessary to secure an installation space for the camera in the automobile and to secure an arrangement space for wiring etc. connected to the camera, which is an obstacle to realizing space saving in the automobile. Become. In addition, in the technology that controls light distribution using images captured by the camera, it is required to align the camera's shooting optical axis with the optical axis of the headlamp in order to recognize the position of obstacles and other vehicles that have been image-recognized. However, when mounting the camera on a car, it is necessary to make the camera photographing optical axis coincide with the optical axis of the headlamp, which causes a problem that this work becomes complicated and troublesome. .

  Although it is conceivable to apply the technique of Patent Document 2 to the technique of Patent Document 1, the technique of Patent Document 2 is a semiconductor light receiving element built into the lamp, and what is detected by this semiconductor light receiving element is an obstacle. It is impossible to distinguish and detect obstacles such as other vehicles, pedestrians, or fixed obstacles. Therefore, the obstacle detection accuracy is limited, and the light distribution control of the headlamp is also limited, and it is difficult to realize the light distribution control as in Patent Document 1 using a camera. .

  An object of the present invention is to properly recognize an object such as an obstacle existing in front of the vehicle and the like while making an operation of adjusting an imaging device such as a camera in a vehicle and adjustment thereof unnecessary. The present invention provides a vehicular lamp that incorporates an image sensor capable of realizing light distribution control.

  The present invention is a vehicular lamp including a lamp body, a light source provided in the lamp body, and a lens for irradiating light emitted from the light source with a required light distribution, and is provided in the lamp body. An image pickup device for picking up an image of an object formed by the lens is provided.

  The light emitted from the light source is reflected by a reflector provided in the lamp body, or the light emitted from the light source is directly emitted to the front of the lamp through the lens. In the present invention, the configurations of the lamp body and the light source are not limited.

  In the present invention, the light source is preferably composed of a semiconductor light emitting element. The amount of heat generated from the light source is small, and the influence of heat on the image sensor can be suppressed. Moreover, it is preferable that an image pick-up element is comprised with a semiconductor image pick-up element. Even if the imaging element is built in the lamp, the increase in size of the lamp can be suppressed.

  The lamp body includes light shielding means for preventing light emitted from the light source from entering the imaging device. This light shielding means may be constituted by a light shielding wall, or may be provided with a step portion in the direction of the optical axis between the light source of the lamp body and the imaging element instead of the light shielding wall. In either case, it is possible to prevent light emitted from the light source from entering the image pickup device, obtain a good captured image, and realize appropriate light distribution control.

  According to the present invention, for example, if the imaging element is built in the lamp so that the optical axis of the lamp and the imaging optical axis of the imaging element coincide with each other, the lamp is set in the vehicle and the lamp optical axis is set to a predetermined value. When oriented in the direction, the imaging optical axis of the imaging device is automatically oriented in the same direction. Thereby, it becomes possible to image a target object with an image sensor, and to perform appropriately the light distribution control of the lamp according to the kind of target object. In addition, an independent operation for setting or adjusting the imaging region of the imaging element with respect to the light distribution region of the lamp is not necessary.

FIG. 3 is a schematic front view of the left headlamp according to the first embodiment. The vertical sectional view of a low beam lamp. The front view and B1-B1 line horizontal sectional view of a high beam lamp. The schematic perspective view of the reflector block of a high beam lamp. Light distribution diagram of left and right headlamps. The electrical system diagram of a headlamp. The light distribution diagram which shows the switching state of the light distribution of a headlamp. The front view and B2-B2 line vertical sectional view of the high beam lamp of Embodiment 2. FIG. FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view of a high beam lamp according to a third embodiment. FIG. 6 is a light distribution diagram of the headlamp according to the third embodiment.

(Embodiment 1)
Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to headlamps disposed on the left and right of a front part of a vehicle body of an automobile, and is a schematic front view of a left headlamp LHL. Although not shown in the drawing, a headlamp housing 1 is composed of a housing in the shape of a container and a transparent front cover, and a low beam lamp LoL on the right side and a high beam on the left side as viewed from the front inside the headlamp housing 1. Lamps HiL are arranged side by side. As will be described later, each of these lamps is configured by using a light emitting element as a light source, here an LED (light emitting diode). Further, as will be described later, the high beam lamp HiL incorporates an image sensor.

  As shown in a vertical sectional view in FIG. 2, the low beam lamp LoL includes a reflector 11 having a spheroid, an LED 13 as a light source supported by a stem 12 at a first focal position of the reflector 11, and the reflector 11. A condenser lens 14 is provided which is attached to the front opening and whose rear focal point is positioned at the second focal point of the reflector. The front region 11a of the reflector 11 is configured as a sub-reflector that also serves as a shade. When the LED 13 emits light, the light emitted from the LED 13 is reflected by the reflector 11 and collected at the second focal point, and further transmitted through the condenser lens 14 and irradiated toward the front of the automobile. At this time, a part of the reflected light of the reflector 11 is shielded by the sub reflector 11a. Further, a part of the light emitted from the LED 13 and directly emitted forward is transmitted through the condenser lens 14 while being partially shielded by the sub-reflector 11a and irradiated toward the front of the automobile. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5 (a), the upper limit of the light distribution is on the opposite lane side on the right side of the vertical light distribution line V passing through the lamp optical axis Lx of the headlamps LHL and RHL and the light distribution horizontal line. Realizes a low beam light distribution PLo that illuminates a region that is lower than H by a small angle and that illuminates a region where the upper light distribution limit is substantially along the light distribution horizontal line H on the left lane side of the light distribution vertical line V Is done.

  A high beam lamp (hereinafter, referred to as a left high beam lamp to be distinguished from a high beam lamp of the right head lamp) disposed in the left head lamp LHL shown in FIG. 1 is a front view of FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b). As shown in the figure and a horizontal sectional view taken along line B1-B1, a lamp body 21 supporting a condenser lens 22 is provided at the front end. As shown in a schematic perspective view of FIG. 4, the lamp body 21 is a region on the right side of the lens optical axis Ox of the condensing lens 22 (hereinafter, the left and right indicate directions when the front is viewed from the rear of the automobile. 3 (b) is formed with a reflector portion 23 composed of a part of a spheroid imaginary in FIG. 3 (b), and an LED 24 as a light source is disposed substantially at the first focal position f1 of the reflector portion 23. Yes. Here, the LED 24 is supported by a stem 25 that protrudes forward from the inner bottom surface of the reflector portion 23. Here, two LEDs 24 are provided and supported on the upper surface and the lower surface of the stem 25, respectively. The elliptical long axis of the reflector unit 23 is parallel to the lens optical axis Ox in the vertical direction but is inclined in the horizontal direction in the horizontal direction, and the second focal point f2 of the reflector unit 23 is the lens optical axis Ox. The condenser lens 22 is arranged at the same position as or near the rear focal point fo.

  Further, a casing portion 26 having a substantially rectangular container shape oriented perpendicularly to the lens optical axis Ox is integrally formed on the left side region of the lamp body 21 with respect to the lens optical axis Ox. The imaging element 27 is supported on the bottom surface with the imaging surface facing forward. The image sensor 27 is composed of a semiconductor image sensor such as a CCD or C-MOS, the image pickup optical axis Sx is directed parallel to the lens optical axis Ox, and the image pickup surface is the rear focal point of the condenser lens 22. It is arranged as close as possible. The imaging device 27 constitutes an imaging device with the condenser lens 22, and an object existing in the front area of the host vehicle is imaged on the imaging surface of the imaging device 27 by the condenser lens 22. ing. Further, a part of the circumferential wall of the reflector portion 23 inside the lamp body 21 that extends along the boundary with the casing portion 26 has a front end facing forward from the inner bottom surface of the casing portion 26. It protrudes to a position close to the rear focal point fo, and this portion is configured as a light shielding wall 28 for isolating the LED 24 and the image sensor 27.

  In the left-side high beam lamp LHiL, when the LED 24 emits light, the light emitted from the LED 24 is reflected by the reflector unit 23 and collected at the position of the second focal point f1, and then collected by the condenser lens 22 and directed forward. Is irradiated. Therefore, in the horizontal section, light is emitted toward the left region in front of the automobile from the lens optical axis Ox. In the vertical section, light is emitted toward the upper and lower regions including the lens optical axis Ox. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5B, the region PLHi including the light distribution horizontal line H above and below is illuminated in the left region of the light distribution vertical line V that is not illuminated by the low beam light distribution PLo.

  In the left high beam lamp LHiL, in the imaging apparatus, an imaging target is imaged on the imaging element 27 by the condenser lens 22, and an imaging signal obtained from the imaging element 27 is signal-processed to obtain a captured image. The image sensor 27 has the imaging optical axis Sx oriented parallel to the lens optical axis Ox of the condensing lens 22 but is biased to the left side. Therefore, the imaging device 27 captures an object in the right region in front of the automobile from the lens optical axis Ox. To do. When this corresponds to the low beam light distribution PLo shown in FIG. 5B, a region SLHi including the upper and lower light distribution horizontal lines H in the right region of the light distribution vertical line V is imaged as shown by a broken line in FIG. It will be.

  On the other hand, FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of an electrical system of a lighting device configured to include left and right headlamps LHL and RHL. As schematically illustrated in FIG. 6, the right side head of the automobile according to the first embodiment. The lamp RHL is symmetrical to the left head lamp LHL. That is, the shape of the lamp housing 1 viewed from the front is symmetrical, and the arrangement of the low beam lamp LoL and the high beam lamp HiL in the lamp housing 1 is also symmetrical. Furthermore, the configuration of the high beam lamp of the right headlamp RHL (hereinafter referred to as the right high beam lamp RHiL) is also symmetrical with the configuration of the left high beam lamp LHiL. Therefore, according to the right high beam lamp RHiL, when the LED emits light, as shown in FIG. 5C, the light distribution horizontal line H is set in the right region of the light distribution vertical line V that is not illuminated by the low beam light distribution PLo. The region PRHi including the upper and lower sides is illuminated. The right high beam lamp RHiL also includes a similar image pickup device, and the right high beam lamp RHiL image pickup device has a light distribution horizontal line in the left region of the light distribution vertical line V as shown by a broken line in FIG. The region SRHi including H above and below is imaged.

  Further, in FIG. 6, the image sensors 27 provided in the high beam lamps LHiL and RHiL of the left and right headlamps LHL and RHL are respectively connected to the signal processing unit 31, and the signal processing unit 31 includes the image sensor 27 of the left high beam lamp LHiL. By combining the imaging signals SLHi and SRHi of the imaging area SLHi imaged in FIG. 5B and the imaging area SRHi of FIG. 5C imaged by the imaging element 27 of the right high beam lamp RHiL. The combined image signal is obtained. In addition, image recognition is performed based on the combined imaging signal, and other vehicles, pedestrians, or obstacles existing in the imaging areas SLHi, SRHi, that is, the front area of the host vehicle are detected. The left and right headlamps LHL, RHL low beam lamps LED 13 and high beam lamps LHiL, RHiL LEDs 24 are respectively connected to the lighting control unit 32, and the lighting control unit 32 controls each of the LEDs 13, 24. Electric power for light emission is supplied selectively or collectively. The lighting control unit 32 turns on the light emission of the LEDs 24 of the left and right high beam lamps LHi and RHi by an algorithm set in advance based on the object recognized by the signal processing unit 31, that is, another vehicle, a pedestrian, or an obstacle. Alternatively, control to turn off or dimm is executed. A lamp switch 33 is connected to the lighting control unit 32 to turn on / off the operation of the lighting control unit 32. As an operation mode of the lighting control unit 32, for example, an auto mode or a manual mode can be set. It is said that.

  Light distribution control in an automobile equipped with the headlamp having the above configuration will be described. When a lamp switch (not shown) is turned on in the automatic mode during night driving, the lighting control unit 32 lights the low beam lamps Lo of the left and right headlamps LHL and RHL. Since the left and right low beam lamps Lo have the same light distribution, the two light distributions are superimposed and illumination with the low beam light distribution PLo is performed as shown in FIG.

  In this automatic mode, simultaneously with the turning on of the lamp switch, the imaging device 27 provided in each of the left and right high beam lamps LHiL and RHiL captures an image of the front area of the vehicle. The imaging signal obtained by imaging is used as an imaging signal for the entire area ahead of the host vehicle in the signal processing unit 31, and image recognition is further performed based on the imaging signal. Detects an obstacle. The lighting control unit 32 controls lighting of both the high beam lamps LHiL and RHiL based on the result of image recognition by the signal processing unit 31. As a result of the image recognition, when no other vehicle or pedestrian is detected, the lighting control unit 32 emits both the left and right high beam lamps LHiL and RHiL to turn them on. As a result, as shown in FIG. 7B, the light distributions PLHi and PRHi of the left and right high beam lamps are superimposed on the low beam light distribution PLo, which constitutes a so-called high beam light distribution and illuminates a wide range in front of the vehicle. And ensure safe driving.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 7C, when the other vehicle is detected in the region on the right side of the light distribution vertical line V in the signal processing unit 31, that is, the imaging region SLHi by the image sensor 27 built in the left high beam lamp LHiL. When the oncoming vehicle OC is detected from the image signal obtained by imaging the lighting, the lighting control unit 32 emits the LED 24 of the left high beam lamp LHiL and maintains the lighting state, but stops the power supply to the LED 24 of the right high beam lamp RHiL and The right-side high beam lamp RHiL is turned off, or the power supply power is reduced to reduce the light. As a result, the low beam distribution PLo and the light distribution PLHi of the left high beam lamp LHiL are superimposed to illuminate the left region wider than the light distribution vertical line V as shown in FIG. The illumination of the area is stopped or dimmed to prevent dazzling the oncoming vehicle OC.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 7D, when another vehicle is detected in the area on the left side of the light distribution vertical line V, that is, an imaging signal obtained by imaging the imaging area SRHi by the imaging element 27 incorporated in the right high beam lamp RHiL. When the preceding vehicle FC is detected from the vehicle or when a pedestrian or the like existing on the left shoulder of the road is detected, the lighting control unit 32 emits the LED 24 of the right high beam lamp RHiL and maintains the lighting state. The power supply to the LED 24 of the LHiL is stopped and the left high beam lamp LHiL is turned off, or the power supply power is reduced and dimmed. As a result, the low beam distribution PLo and the light distribution PRHi of the right side high beam lamp RHiL are superimposed to illuminate the area on the right side of the light distribution vertical line V as shown in FIG. The lighting in the area is stopped or dimmed to prevent dazzling the preceding vehicle FC and pedestrians.

  Furthermore, if the driver operates the lamp switch to the manual mode and turns off the left and right high beam lamps LHiL and RHiL when the automobile is traveling in an urban area or the like, the illumination of only the low beam distribution PLo in FIG. At this time, the lighting control unit 32 controls the lighting of the left and right high beam lamps LHiL and RHiL when the signal processing unit 31 detects an obstacle at the destination of the vehicle by image recognition based on the imaging signal. It is also possible to configure. For example, when an obstacle is detected on the front left side of the vehicle, the LED 24 of the left high beam lamp LHiL emits light to turn on, and the light distribution PLHi of the left high beam lamp is set to the low beam light distribution PLo as shown in FIG. Superimposed, it will illuminate the destination obstacle more brightly and ensure safe driving of the vehicle. Further, when an obstacle is detected on the front right side of the host vehicle, the lighting control unit 32 emits the LED 24 of the right high beam lamp RHiL to turn on, and the right high beam is transmitted to the low beam light distribution PLo as shown in FIG. The light distribution PRHi of the lamp RHiL is superimposed to illuminate the obstacle more brightly, thereby facilitating the confirmation of the obstacle.

As described above, in the headlamp according to the first embodiment, the imaging device 27 is disposed in the lamp body 21 of the high beam lamps LHiL and RHiL, and each condenser lens 22 is configured as an imaging lens to constitute an imaging device. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide an independent imaging device for imaging the front area of the vehicle separately from the headlamp, and the cost of the automobile can be reduced. Further, it is not necessary to secure a space for disposing an independent imaging device or a space for disposing a wiring connected to the imaging device in the automobile. Furthermore, the work for disposing the imaging device is also unnecessary. In particular, here, when the imaging device 27 is disposed in the high beam lamps LHiL and RHiL, the imaging optical axis Sx of the imaging device 27 is made to coincide with the lens optical axis Ox of the condenser lens 22, so that the high beam lamp is used as a headlamp. When incorporating in the lens, the lens optical axis Ox of the high beam lamps LHL, RHL is made to coincide with the lamp optical axis Lx of the head lamps LHL, RHL, and the imaging optical axis Sx of the image sensor 27 is made to coincide with the lamp optical axis Lx of the headlamp. Therefore, an independent operation for aligning the imaging device with the lamp optical axis Lx after the headlamp is assembled to the automobile is not necessary.

  By the way, in the left and right high beam lamps LHiL and RHiL of the first embodiment, the LED 24 and the image sensor 27 are disposed in the same lamp body 21, so that the light emitted from the LED 24 is reflected by the reflector unit 23 or is collected. When reflected by the inner surface of the optical lens 22, a part of the light reaches the imaging surface of the image sensor 27, causing halation at the time of imaging by the image sensor 27, or the LED 24 is reflected in the imaging signal and becomes noise. This may hinder the detection of other vehicles or obstacles from the signal. In the first embodiment, since the light shielding wall 28 is provided between the flat plate portion 26 on which the image pickup device 27 is disposed and the reflector portion 23, it is possible to prevent light from the LED 24 from leaking into the image pickup device 27. It is also possible to prevent problems.

(Embodiment 2)
In the second embodiment, the high beam lamps LHiL and RHiL shown in FIG. 1 are modified. FIGS. 8A and 8B are a front view and a horizontal sectional view taken along line B2-B2 of the left high beam lamp LHiL, and a high beam lamp body (hereinafter abbreviated as a lamp body) 41 having a flat bottom circular container shape, A condensing lens 42 disposed in the front opening of the lamp body 41 is provided. On the inner bottom surface of the lamp body 41, the light shielding wall 45 that protrudes in the optical axis direction until the front end reaches a position close to the rear focal point fo of the condenser lens 42 is directed vertically so that the inner bottom surface is divided into right and left. The extension is formed. In the left area of the inner bottom surface of the light shielding wall 45 (the right area in FIG. 8A), an LED 43 is disposed at a position along the lens optical axis Ox at a position close to the rear focal point fo. Further, in the right area of the light shielding wall 45 on the inner bottom surface (the left area in FIG. 8A), the imaging surface is directed forward to a position along the lens optical axis Ox at a position close to the rear focal point fo. An image sensor 44 is provided.

  That is, the condensing lens 42 is fixed to the lamp body 41 so that the rear focal point fo is located substantially at the center of the inner bottom surface of the lamp body 41, thereby the rear focal point of the condensing lens 42. “fo” is set to a position near the light emitting point of the LED 43 and at the same time close to the imaging surface of the imaging device 44.

  In the left high beam lamp LHiL, the light emitted from the LED 43 is directed forward, refracted when passing through the condenser lens 42 and irradiated forward, and illuminates the area on the right side of the lens optical axis Ox of the condenser lens 42. To do. On the other hand, an imaging target in a region on the left side of the lens optical axis Ox in front of the host vehicle is imaged on the imaging surface of the imaging element 44 by the condenser lens 42 and is imaged by the imaging element 44. At this time, since the light emitted from the LED 43 is shielded by the light shielding wall 45, it is not incident on the image sensor 44, and imaging without halation or noise is possible. Thus, according to the left high beam lamp LHiL, when the LED emits light, as shown in FIG. 5C, the light distribution horizontal line H in the right region of the light distribution vertical line V that is not illuminated by the low beam light distribution PLo. A region PRHi including the upper and lower sides is illuminated. Further, in the imaging device of the left high beam lamp LHiL, an area SRHi including the upper and lower light distribution horizontal lines H in the left area of the light distribution vertical line V is imaged as shown by a broken line in FIG. The right high beam lamp RHiL is symmetric with the left high beam lamp LHiL.

  Similarly to the configuration shown in FIG. 6 of the first embodiment, the electrical connection of the electrical system is also performed for the headlamp of the second embodiment, and the signal processing unit 31 performs image recognition based on the imaging signal from each imaging device 44. Then, other vehicles, pedestrians, and obstacles are detected, and based on this detection, the lighting control unit 32 controls the light distribution of the left and right high beam lamps RHiL, LHiL and the low beam lamp LoL. Thus, the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained.

(Embodiment 3)
In the first and second embodiments, the region illuminated by the LDE and the region imaged by the image sensor are divided into left and right, but may be configured to overlap both. For example, as shown in the cross-sectional structure of the high beam lamp HiL of the third embodiment in FIG. 9, a light shielding cylinder 45 having a cylindrical shape in the optical axis direction is provided on the inner bottom surface of the lamp body 41 including the condenser lens 42. An LED 43 is disposed inside 45. A half mirror 46 inclined by 45 degrees with respect to the optical axis Ox is provided at the front edge of the light shielding cylinder, and an image sensor 44 is disposed at a position facing the surface of the half mirror 46 at an angle of 45 degrees. The LED 43 is positioned near the rear focal point fo of the condenser lens 42, and the image sensor 44 is disposed at a position equivalent to the rear focal point fo.

  According to this configuration, the light emitted from the LED 43 passes through the half mirror 46 and is irradiated forward by the condenser lens 42. Further, an object existing in the front region is imaged by the condenser lens 42, reflected by the half mirror 46, and then imaged by the image sensor 44. At this time, as shown in FIG. 10, the low beam distribution PLo is the same as before, but the high beam distribution PHi is a collective region including the left and right sides of the light distribution vertical line V and the left and right sides of the light distribution horizontal line H. Light distribution. Then, when the low beam lamp LoL and the high beam lamp HiL are turned on, the imaging element 44 images an area substantially equal to the illumination area PHi of the high beam lamp HiL. Next, image recognition is performed based on the captured image signal, and other vehicles, pedestrians, obstacles, and the like existing in the captured illumination area are detected, and lighting of the high beam lamp HiL is controlled based on this detection. In order to avoid interference between the light emitted from the high beam lamp HiL and the light of the object imaged by the image sensor 44, it is actually preferable to perform time-division control of lamp lighting and imaging.

  In the third embodiment, since the high beam distribution by the high beam lamps HiL of the left and right headlamps LHL and RHL is the same on the left and right, the two light distributions are superimposed to form one high beam distribution PHi. When an oncoming vehicle is detected, the left and right headlamps LHL and RHL are turned off or dimmed. Further, both high beam lamps HiL are turned off or dimmed when a preceding vehicle is detected. Here, when the light is turned off, both the high beam lamps HiL are turned off. However, when the light is dimmed, either the high beam lamps HiL of the left and right headlamps may be turned off or may be turned off.

  In the headlamp of the third embodiment, the image pickup device 44 is disposed in the lamp body 41 of the high beam lamp HiL, and the image pickup apparatus is configured together with the condenser lens 42. Therefore, the same effects as those of the first and second embodiments are obtained. It is done. That is, an independent image pickup device for picking up an image of the front area of the vehicle is not required separately from the headlamp, and the cost of the automobile can be reduced. Further, it is not necessary to secure a space for disposing an independent imaging device or a space for disposing a wiring connected to the imaging device in the automobile. At the same time, the work for arranging the imaging device is also unnecessary. In particular, since the imaging optical axis Sx of the imaging device 44 coincides with the lens optical axis Ox of the condenser lens 42 when the imaging device 44 is disposed in the high beam lamp HiL, the lens light of the high beam lamp is assembled when the headlamp is assembled. If the axis Ox is made to coincide with the lamp optical axis Lx of the headlamp, the work of making the imaging optical axis Sx of the imaging device 44 coincide with the lamp optical axis Lx of the headlamp after the headlamp is assembled to the automobile becomes unnecessary.

  In the third embodiment, the left and right high beam lamps have the same configuration, and the image sensors incorporated in the respective high beam lamps image the same region, so that the image sensor is incorporated only in one of the left and right high beam lamps. It may be configured, which is advantageous in reducing the cost of the lamp and reducing the assembling workability.

  In the first, second, and third embodiments, the present invention is applied to a high beam lamp, but an image sensor may be incorporated in a low beam lamp. Although a detailed description is omitted, an image sensor is built in the low beam lamp to image the front area of the host vehicle, and the low beam lamp is detected when another vehicle, a pedestrian, or an obstacle is detected based on the obtained imaging signal. By increasing the brightness by increasing the brightness or decreasing the brightness by reducing the brightness, it is easy to check obstacles and ensure safe driving without dazzling other vehicles and pedestrians. In the present invention, the image sensor may be built in a lamp other than the high beam lamp and the low beam lamp, for example, an auxiliary illumination lamp such as a clearance lamp. However, the heat generated by the light source affects the image sensor, particularly the semiconductor image sensor. In order to reduce the number, it is preferable to apply to a lamp using a semiconductor light emitting element such as an LED as a light source.

  In the first, second, and third embodiments, in order to simplify the description, an example in which each of the LEDs as the light source of each lamp is configured by one or two LEDs is shown. However, a plurality of LEDs are arranged in each case. May be configured as a single light source. In this way, if one light source is constituted by a large number of LEDs, it is easy to control the brightness when each lamp is dimmed or brightened by causing any number of LEDs to emit light or stopping light emission. Become.

  The present invention can be applied to various lamps of a vehicle configured to take an image of a peripheral area of a vehicle with an imaging device and control light distribution and lighting / extinction of the lamp based on the obtained image.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Head lamp lamp body 21 Lamp body 22 Condensing lens 23 Reflector part (spheroid)
24 LED (light source)
27 Image sensor 28 Shading wall 31 Signal processing unit 32 Lighting control unit 41 Lamp body 42 Condensing lens 43 LED (light source)
44 Image sensor 45 Light-shielding tube 46 Half mirror LHL, RHL Headlamp HiL (LHiL, RHiL) High beam lamp LoL Low beam lamp

Claims (4)

  A vehicle lamp comprising a lamp body, a light source provided in the lamp body, and a lens for irradiating light emitted from the light source with a required light distribution, and provided in the lamp body, A vehicular lamp including an image pickup device, comprising an image pickup device for picking up an image of an object formed by the lens.   The light emitted from the light source is reflected by a reflector provided in the lamp body, or the light emitted from the light source is directly emitted to the front of the lamp through the lens. A vehicular lamp incorporating the image sensor described in 1.   The vehicular lamp incorporating the image sensor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the light source is composed of a semiconductor light emitting element, and the image sensor is composed of a semiconductor image sensor. 4. The vehicle incorporating an image pickup device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the lamp body includes a light shielding unit for preventing light emitted from the light source from entering the image pickup device. Lamps.

Images