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`US007241034C1
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`(12) INTER PARTES REEXAMINATION CERTIFICATE (624th)
`United States Patent
`US 7,241,034 C1
`(10) Number:
`Smith et al.
`Jun. 14, 2013
`(45) Certificate Issued:
`
`(54) AUTOMATIC DIRECTIONAL CONTROL
`SYSTEM FOR VEIIICLE HEADLIGHTS
`
`(58) Field of Classification Search
`None
`
`(75)
`
`Inventors: James E. Smith, Berkey, OH (US);
`Anthony B. McDonald, Perrysburg, OH
`(US)
`
`(73) Assignee: Balther Technologies, LLC, Longview,
`TX (US)
`
`Reexamination Request:
`No. 95/001,621, May 16, 2011
`No. 90/011,011, Jul. 10, 2010
`
`Reexamination Certificate for:
`Patent No.:
`7,241,034
`Issued:
`Jul. 10, 2007
`Appl. No.:
`10/285,312
`Filed:
`Oct. 31, 2002
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`(60) Provisional application No. 60/369,447, filed on Apr.
`2, 2002, provisional application No. 60/356,703, filed
`on Feb.
`13, 2002, provisional application No.
`60/335,409, filed on Oct. 31, 2001.
`
`(51)
`
`Int. Cl.
`B60Q 1/00
`B06R 22/00
`(52) U.S. (:1.
`USPC ........................................... .. 362/465; 701/49
`
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`
`10
`
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`To view the complete listing of prior art documents cited
`during the proceedings for Reexamination Control Numbers
`95/001,621 and 90/011,011, please refer to the USPTO’s
`public Patent Application Information Retrieval
`(PAIR)
`system under the Display References tab.
`
`Primary Examiner — My Trang Nu T011
`
`ABSTRACT
`(57)
`A stmcture and method for operating a directional control
`system for vehicle headlights that is capable of altering the
`directional aiming angles of the headlights to account for
`changes in the operating conditions of the vehicle. One or
`more operating condition sensors may be provided that gen-
`erate signals that are representative of a condition of the
`vehicle, such as road speed, steering angle, pitch, suspension
`height, rate ofchange of road speed, rate ofchange of steering
`angle, rate of change of pitch, and rate of change of suspen-
`sion height of the vehicle. A controller is responsive to the
`sensor signal for generating an output signal. An actuator is
`adapted to be connected to the headlight to effect movement
`thereof in accordance with the output signal. The controller
`can include a table that relates values of sensed operating
`condition to values of the output signal. The controller is
`responsive to the sensor signal for looking up the output
`signal in the table.
`
`\
`ll
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`UPIDOWN
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`18
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`\
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`19
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`POSITION
`FEEDBACK
`SENSOR
`
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`POSITION
`. —_
`FEEDBACK
`SENSOR
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`1.1~:1='r/merit
`ACTUATOR
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`
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` I-HEADLIGHT
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`DIRECTIONAL
`CONTROLLER
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`ACTUATOR CONDITION
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`17 Ma
`INPUT/OUTPUT
`_v DEVICE
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`SENSOR
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`l 5
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`CONDITION
`SENSOR
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`KOITO 1002
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`1
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`KOITO 1002
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`1
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`INTER PARTES
`
`US 7,241,034 C1
`
`2
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`REEXAMINATION CERTIFICATE
`
`ISSUED UNDER 35 U.S.C. 316
`
`THE PATENT IS HEREBY AMENDED AS
`INDICATED BELOW.
`
`Matter enclosed in heavy brackets [ ] appeared in the
`patent, but has been deleted and is no longer a part of the
`patent; matter printed in italics indicates additions made
`to the patent.
`
`10
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`AS A RESULT OF REl3XAMINATI()N, IT HAS BEEN
`Dl7,'I‘ERMINED THAT:
`
`15
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`Claims 1-2 are cancelled.
`
`Claims 3-5 are determined to be patentable as amended.
`New claims 6-39 are added and determined to be
`patentable.
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`30
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`3. [The automatic directional control system defined in
`claim 1] An automatic directional control systemfi)ra vehicle
`headlight, comprising:
`two or more sensors that are each adapted to generate a
`signal that is representative ofat least one ofa plurality
`ofsensed conditions ofa vehicle such that two or more
`sensor signals are generated, said sensed conditions
`including at least a steering angle and a pitch of the
`vehicle;
`a controller that is responsive to said two or nzore sensor
`signals for generating at least one output signal only
`when at least one of said two or more sensor signals
`changes by more than a predetermined minimum thresh-
`old amount to prevent at least one first one of two or
`more actuators from being operated continuously or
`undulyfrequently in response to relatively small varia-
`tions in at least one ofthe sensed conditions; and
`said two or more actuators each being adapted to be con-
`nected to the headlight to mfect movement thereof in
`accordance with said at least one output signal;
`wherein at lea.st one of said [sensor] two or more sensors
`generates [a signal] at least one of said two or more
`sensor signals that is representative of [the] a rate of
`change ofthe steering angle of the vehicle.
`4. The automatic directional control system defined in
`claim [1] 3, wherein at least one ofsaid [sensor] two or more
`sensors generates a signal that is representative of [the] a rate
`ofchange ofthe pitch of the vehicle.
`5. The automatic directional control system defined in
`claim [1] 3, wherein at least one ofsaid [sensor] two or more
`sensors generates a signal that is representative of [the] a
`suspension height of the vehicle.
`6. The automatic directional control system defined in
`claim 3, wherein said two or more sensors include afirst
`sensor and a second sensor.
`7. An automatic directional control system for a vehicle
`headlight, comprising:
`two or more sensors that are each adapted to generate a
`signal that is representative ofat least one ofa plurality
`ofsensed conditions ofa vehicle such that two or more
`sensor signals are generated, said sensed conditions
`including at least a steering angle and a pitch ofthe
`vehicle;
`a controller that is responsive to said two or more sensor
`signals for generating at least one output signal only
`when at least one of said two or more sensor signals
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`changes by more than a predetermined minimum thresh-
`old amount to prevent at least one oftwo or more actua-
`tors from being operated continuously or unduly fre-
`quently in response to relatively small variations in at
`least one ofthe sensed conditions; and
`said two or more actuators each being adapted to be con-
`nected to the vehicle headlight
`to eflect movement
`thereofin accordance with said at least one output sig-
`nal;
`wherein said two or more sensors include afirst sensor and
`a second sensor; and
`wherein said first sensor is adapted to generate a signal
`that is representative ofa condition including the steer-
`ing angle of the vehicle and said second sensor is
`adapted to generate a signal that is representative ofa
`condition including the pitch ofthe vehicle.
`8. The automatic directional control system defined in
`claim 7, wherein saidfirst sensor is physically separatefrom
`said second sensor.
`9. The automatic directional control system defined in
`claim 7, further comprising one or more additional sensors
`for sensing one or more ofa rate ofchange ofroad speed of
`the vehicle, a rate of change of the steering angle of the
`vehicle, a rate ofchange ofthe pitch ofthe vehicle, a suspen-
`sion height ofthe vehicle, or a rate ofchange ofsuspension
`height ofthe vehicle.
`10. The automatic directional control system defined in
`claim 9, wherein at least one ofsaid one or more additional
`sensors generate a signal that is representative ofthe rate of
`change ofthe road speed ofthe vehicle.
`11. The automatic directional control system defined in
`claim 9, wherein at least one ofsaid one or more additional
`sensors generate a signal that is representative ofthe rate of
`change ofthe steering angle ofthe vehicle.
`12. The automatic directional control system defined in
`claim 9, wherein at least one ofsaid one or more additional
`sensors generate a signal that is representative ofthe rate of
`change ofthe pitch ofthe vehicle.
`13. The automatic directional control system defined in
`claim 9, wherein at least one ofsaid one or more additional
`sensors generate a signal that is representative ofthe suspen-
`sion height ofthe vehicle.
`14. The automatic directional control system defined in
`claim 7, wherein the automatic directional control system is
`configured such that said two or more actuators include afirst
`actuator and a second actuator and wherein thefirst actuator
`connected to the headlight to eject movement thereofin afirst
`direction and the second actuator connected to the headlight
`to efect movement thereofin a second direction diferentfrom
`thefirst direction.
`15. The automatic directional control system defined in
`claim 7, wherein the two or more actuators include a first
`actuator that is adapted to be connected to the headlight to
`eflect movement thereofin a vertical direction.
`16. The automatic directional control system defined in
`claim 15, wherein the two or more actuators include a second
`actuator that is adapted to be connected to the headlight to
`effect movement thereofin a horizontal direction.
`17. The automatic directional control system defined in
`claim 7, wherein the two or more actuators include an elec-
`tronically controlled mechanical actuator.
`18. The automatic directional control system defined in
`claim 7, wherein the two or more actuators include a step
`motor.
`
`19. The automatic directional control system defined in
`claim 7, wherein the two or more actuators include a servo
`motor:
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`US 7,241,034 C1
`
`3
`20. Yhe automatic directional control system defined in
`claim 7, wherein the two or more actuators include a
`microstepping motor capable ofbeing operated infiactional
`step increments.
`_
`21. The automatic directional control system defined in
`claim 7, wherein the automatic directional control system is
`configured such that the headlight is adjustably mounted on
`the vehicle such that a directional orientation at which a
`
`bearrr oflight projects therefrom is capable ofbeing adjusted
`both up and down relative to a horizontal reference position
`and left and right relative to a vertical reference position.
`22. The automatic directional control system defined in
`claim 7, wherein the automatic directional control system is
`configured such that, while in a calibration mode, a direc-
`tional orientation at which a beam oflight projects is capable
`ofbeing adjusted relative to the vehicle by manual operation
`ofthe two or more actuators.
`23. The automatic directional control system defined in
`claim 7, wherein the automatic directional control system is
`configured such that the controller includes a microprocessor:
`24. The automatic directional control system defined in
`claim 7, wherein the automatic directional control system is
`configured such that the controller includes a programmable
`electronic controller:
`25. The automatic directional control system defined in
`claim 7, wherein the automatic directional control system
`fiurther includes at least onepositionfeedbacksensor capable
`of providing a position feedback signal associated with at
`least one ofthe two or more actuators.
`26. The automatic directional control system defined in
`claim 25, wherein the at least one positionfeedback sensor
`includes a Hall Efect sensor.
`27. The automatic directional control system defined in
`claim 25, wherein the at least one position feedback sensor
`includes an optical interrupter.
`28. The automatic directional control system defined in
`claim 7, wherein the automatic directional control system
`further includes memory.
`29. The automatic directional control system defined in
`claim 28, wherein the memory includes non-volatile memory.
`30. The automatic directional control system defined in
`claim 28, wherein the memory is configured to store a prede-
`termined reference position associated with the headlight.
`3]. The automatic directional control system defined in
`claim 7, wherein the automatic directional control system is
`
`4
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`configured such that the pitch of the vehicle is capable of
`being determined by sensing a front and a rear suspension
`height ofthe vehicle.
`32. The automatic directional control system defined in
`claim 7, wherein the automatic directional control system is
`configured such that the pitch of the vehicle is capable of
`being determined by a pitch sensor.
`33. The automatic directional control system defined in
`claim 7, wherein the automatic directional control system is
`configured such that the controller is programmed to be
`responsive to changes in a suspension height of the vehicle
`that occur at frequencies lower than a suspension rebound
`frequency ofthe vehicle.
`34. The automatic directional control system defined in
`claim 7, wherein the automatic directional control system is
`configured such that the controller is programmed to be
`responsive to changes in a suspension height of the vehicle
`that occur at frequencies lower than a suspension rebound
`fiequency ofthe vehicle, thereby ignoringfrequency changes
`in the suspension height of the vehicle that are a result of
`bumps in a road.
`35. The automatic directional control system defined in
`claim 7, wherein the automatic directional control system is
`configured such that the predetermined minimum threshold
`amountfunctions as a filter to minimize undesirable opera-
`tion ofat least one ofthe two or more actuators.
`36. The automatic directional control system defined in
`claim 7, wherein said controller is further responsive to at
`least one ofsaid two or more sensor signals to automatically
`activate one or more vehicle lights that are diferent than the
`headlight.
`37. 7712 autonzatic directional control system defined in
`claim 36, wherein said one or more vehicle lights that are
`drferent than the headlight include one or more lights for
`illuminating a road infront ofthe vehicle during a turn.
`38. The automatic directional control system defined in
`claim 7, wherein said controller is further responsive to a
`steering angle in excess ofa predetermined magnitude for
`automatically activating one or more vehicle lights that are
`different than the headlight.
`39. The automatic directional control system defined in
`claim 7, wherein said controller is further responsive to a
`steering angle in excess of a predetermined magnitude for
`automatically activating one or more vehicle lights that are
`diflerent than the headlight to extend an angular range of a
`road surface.
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