Headlight system for vehicles

1 . A headlamp system for vehicles, the headlamp system comprising:

an imaging unit;

an optical unit for generating a light distribution (L) that includes illuminated light patches, wherein the light patches are generated by mapping at least one corresponding light pixel of the imaging unit, wherein the optical unit is configured to form intensity progressions of the mapped light pixels as bell curves;

an actuator unit for actuating the imaging unit, wherein the actuator unit includes a corrective mechanism configured to actuate at least one corrective light pixel in response to a presence of a defective light pixel that cannot be mapped by the optical unit on a light patch, wherein actuation of the at least one corrective light pixel causes light patches adjacent to a defective light patch associated with the defective light pixel to have a changed corrective intensity progression in a corrective state in comparison to a non-corrective state;

wherein the optical unit is configured such that each light pixel is mapped in an excessive radiance section extending beyond the corresponding light patch, an intensity in the excessive radiance section being lower than an intensity within the respective light patch, the intensity of each of the light patches in the non-corrective state being formed by overlapping of a first light portion and a second light portion, wherein, for each of the light patches in the non-corrective state, the first light portion is generated by the corresponding light pixel mapped by the optical unit onto the light patch, and the second light portion is generated by the excessive radiance section of at least one light pixel mapped by the optical unit onto an adjacent light patch,

wherein the second light portion of the defective light patch has a first intensity greater than zero when at least one light patch adjacent to the defective light patch is in the non-corrective state, and

wherein the corrective mechanism is configured such that the at least one light patch adjacent to the defective light patch is in the corrective state and has a corrective intensity progression that is increased in comparison to the non-corrective state, and the second light portion of the defective light patch has a second intensity greater than the first intensity when the at least one light patch adjacent to the defective light patch is in the corrective state.

2 . The headlamp system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the light patches are arranged in rows and columns to form an illumination area.

3 . The headlamp system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the imaging unit and/or the optical unit are configured such that a maximum level of the intensity is arranged in a central area of the light patch.

4 . The headlamp system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the excessive radiance section of the light pixel has an extent (dS) that is smaller than a fourfold extent (dF) of the light patches.

5 . The headlamp system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the light patches are mapped at the same size on a measuring screen.

6 . The headlamp system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the at least one corrective light pixel is arranged adjacent to the defective light pixel.

7 . The headlamp system in accordance with claim 1 , where a maximum intensity is arranged in the central area of the respective light patch.

8 . The headlamp system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the corrective mechanism is configured such that several corrective light pixels arranged around the defective light pixel are actuated in the corrective state.

9 . The headlamp system in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising a defect identification unit configured to determine a presence of defective light pixels.

10 . The headlamp system in accordance with claim 9 , wherein the defect identification unit comprises:

a light sensor that detects the light distribution (L) mapped on a measuring screen, and

an evaluation unit that evaluates image data provided by the light sensor and, on the basis of an allocation regulation, determines from the location of the defective light patch of the light distribution (L) to the location of the defective light pixel in the imaging unit.

11 . The headlamp system in accordance with claim 9 , wherein the defect identification unit is configured to perform a defect measuring routine by which the light pixels are subjected to a measuring current and/or a measuring voltage, such that an error signal can be generated from measured values, the error signal defining the defectiveness of each light pixel on which the defect measuring routine is performed.

12 . The headlamp system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the imaging unit comprises:

(1) a plurality of individually actuatable light sources arranged in the form of a matrix;

(2) a light source unit; and

(3a) a liquid crystal device, or

(3b) a micromirror device.

13 . The headlamp system in accordance with claim 12 , wherein the liquid crystal device includes a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) unit.

14 . The headlamp system in accordance with claim 12 , wherein the micromirror device includes a digital micromirror device (DMD).

15 . A method for compensating for defective light pixels of a headlamp for vehicles, the method comprising the steps of:

mapping light pixels via an optical unit to corresponding light patches of a light distribution (L) that, through overlapping, form an illumination field of the light distribution (L), wherein intensity progressions of the mapped light pixels form bell curves;

actuating at least one of the light pixels that is mapped to a corresponding light patch adjacent to a defective light patch such that the light patch adjacent to the defective light patch is in a corrective state and any contrast between the defective light patch and the adjacent light patch is reduced in comparison to a non-corrective state of the light patch adjacent to the defective light patch;

actuating the at least one of the light pixels such that the illuminance of the light patch adjacent to the defective light patch in the corrective state is greater than light patches farther away from the defective light patch that are in the non-corrective state; and

actuating each of the light pixels such that the light pixels are mapped in excessive radiance sections extending beyond the corresponding light patches, an intensity of each of the light patches in the non-corrective state being formed by overlapping of a first light portion generated via the corresponding light pixel and a second light portion generated via the excessive radiance section of a light pixel mapped onto an adjacent light patch,

wherein, for each light pixel, an intensity in the excessive radiance section is lower than the intensity within the corresponding light patch.