466results about "Power to electric lighting circuits" patented technology

Vehicle lighting methods and apparatus, in which an LED-based light source is configured to generate at least visible radiation associated with a vehicle. The light source is controlled such that the generated visible radiation has a variable color over a range of colors including at least three different perceivable colors. Examples of vehicles in which such methods and apparatus may be used include, but are not limited to, an automobile, airplane, boat, non-motorized vehicle, etc. The LED-based light source may be disposed inside the vehicle (e.g., dashboard, instrument panel) or outside the vehicle (e.g., brake lights, undercarriage lighting), and may be controlled to generate white light as one of the perceivable colors. A user interface may be employed to facilitate an adjustment of the variable color of the generated visible radiation. Additionally, information relating to at least one condition associated with the vehicle may be employed to control the LED-based light source such that the variable color of the generated visible radiation is based at least in part on the condition associated with the vehicle.

An apparatus and method for illuminating a vehicle including a light source connected to an illuminatable component such as an interior or exterior vehicle door handle or steering wheel, and a control system including a plurality of sensors that monitor the vehicle and surroundings for predetermined conditions and selectively illuminate the component as a means of conveying information or warnings about the vehicle or its surroundings. Illumination may be enhanced by other auditory signals such as audio alarms or vibration. Predetermined conditions may include the proximity of a vehicle user, key fob activation or proximity, input from an entertainment system, activation of a pressure sensor, the presence of a person or object in proximity to the vehicle, or the vehicle's ignition or gear state.

A mobile wireless receiver for use with a first electromagnetic resonator coupled to a power supply and a second electromagnetic resonator coupled to at least one of a power supply and the first electromagnetic resonator. The mobile wireless receiver includes a load associated with an electrically powered system that is disposed interior to a vehicle, and a third electromagnetic resonator configured to be coupled to the load and movable relative to at least one of the first electromagnetic resonator and the second electromagnetic resonator, wherein the third resonator is configured to be wirelessly coupled to at least one of the first electromagnetic resonator and the second electromagnetic resonator to provide resonant, non-radiative wireless power to the third electromagnetic resonator from at least one of the first electromagnetic resonator and the second electromagnetic resonator.

This invention relates to the production of a beam of light comprised of many microbeams, controlled by incoming radiation, employing a sensor to determine the location of light sources forward of the apparatus and using that information to control the intensity, and / or the angular position, of one or more narrow-angle microbeams, which are part of a large number of beams comprising the overall output beam.

A light assembly including a housing, a plurality of light emitting diodes (LED) on a circuit board, a lens, a lens cover and a heating board positioned within the housing. The heating board is positioned behind the lens and in front of LEDs within the housing, such that light from the LEDs shines through the heating board. The heating board also includes a sensor and a microcontroller to activate, deactivate and control the heating board in response to an outside air temperature.

Described herein are improved capabilities for a system and method for wireless energy distribution across a vehicle compartment of defined area, comprising a source resonator coupled to an energy source of a vehicle and generating an oscillating magnetic field with a frequency, and at least one repeater resonator positioned along the vehicle compartment, the at least one repeater resonator positioned in proximity to the source resonator, the at least one repeater resonator having a resonant frequency and comprising a high-conductivity material adapted and located between the at least one repeater resonator and a vehicle surface to direct the oscillating magnetic field away from the vehicle surface, wherein the at least one repeater resonator provides an effective wireless energy transfer area within the defined area.

The invention consists of an electrical circuit for a vehicle headlight system whereby the conventional parallel circuit connection of headlights is automatically converted into a series circuit connection under conditions appropriate for daytime running lights, whereby the light output of the headlights is reduced as compared to that in conventional headlight circuit mode, and a method for interconnecting such circuit with conventional headlight systems.

The lighting device for a vehicle includes running direction detect means 3 for detecting the vehicle running direction or the vehicle steering angle and vehicle speed detect means 4 for detecting the vehicle speed. An illumination control means 5 specifies the turn-on and turn-off of a plurality of lamps in accordance with detect signals output from the means 3 and 4, thereby changing the combinations of the illumination ranges of the lamps.

An apparatus and method for illuminating a vehicle including a light source connected to an illuminatable component such as an interior or exterior vehicle door handle or steering wheel, and a control system including a plurality of sensors that monitor the vehicle and surroundings for predetermined conditions and selectively illuminate the component as a means of conveying information or warnings about the vehicle or its surroundings. Illumination may be enhanced by other auditory signals such as audio alarms or vibration. Predetermined conditions may include the proximity of a vehicle user, key fob activation or proximity, input from an entertainment system, activation of a pressure sensor, the presence of a person or object in proximity to the vehicle, or the vehicle's ignition or gear state.

An electric charger resource sharing method and system comprise a charger that supplies electrical energy to a plurality of electric vehicles. The charger includes a robotic arm that articulates to be proximal to each of the electric vehicles for supplying the electrical energy to the electric vehicles and a docking interface at a distal end of the robotic arm that couples with a receptacle on each of the electric vehicles for transferring the electrical energy from the charger to the electric vehicles. A resource management device receives a bid from each electric vehicle, and allocates a portion of the electrical energy for a predetermined period of time to an electric vehicle of the plurality of electric vehicles in response to the bid of the electric vehicle.

The supply of a predetermined current to LEDs is controlled by using series regulators. In accordance with the controlled states of the series regulators, a switching regulator adjusts an output voltage relative to the LEDs to the maximum voltage. When a ground fault occurs at the anode of one of the LEDs, and when a short circuit occurs at the output terminal of the switching regulator and the output voltage drops abnormally, the operation of the switching regulator is halted. When the gate voltage of an NMOS transistor is raised due to the disconnection of one of the LEDs, or when the drain voltage of the transistor is raised due to a short circuit at one of the LEDs, a Zener diode becomes conductive and an NPN transistor and a PNP transistor are rendered on. Then, a current flows through a diode, and as the gate voltage has been lowered, the operation of the NMOS transistor is halted, so that the remaining, normal LEDs are protected when an abnormality occurs.

In a method for driving electronic devices connected to a vehicle trailer tow connector a trailer electronic device control signal is receiving from a vehicle data communication network. In response to the received control signal, a solid state power control device is switched to connect electrical power to a selected pin of the trailer tow connector. The trailer electronic device control signal may be received from a wiring harness connector connected to a vehicle data communication network. A vehicle trailer tow connector module includes a module housing. A vehicle wiring connector and a trailer wiring connector are coupled to the module housing. A power control circuit is connected to a selected pin in the trailer wiring connector. A controller circuit is coupled to the vehicle wiring connector for receiving communication data from a vehicle data bus, and coupled by control lines to the power control circuit.

Testing or diagnostics are performed on an electric vehicle. The vehicle is operated and current flow through a system of the vehicle is monitored. A voltage related to the system is also monitored. Diagnostics are provided based upon the monitored voltage and the monitored current.

The invention provides a system for mutual charging of electric vehicles. The system comprises a first electric vehicle, a second electric vehicle and a charging connector, and each of the first electric vehicle and the second electric vehicle comprises a power battery, a battery manager, an energy conversion control device and a charging and discharging socket, wherein the energy conversion control device comprises a three-level bidirectional DC / AC module, a charging and discharging control module and a controller module. The charging connector is connected between the first electric vehicle and the second electric vehicle. When the first electric vehicle enters a discharging mode, the second electric vehicle enters a second charging mode, so that the first electric vehicle can charge the second electric vehicle by the charging connector. By the system for mutually charging the electric vehicles, mutual charging of the electric vehicles is realized. In addition, by the aid of the three-level control, DC-DC modules are reduced, high-power charging is realized, charging efficiency is high and charging time is short. The invention further provides the charging connector.

During external charging, a charger converts AC electric power from an external power supply into electric power for charging a main battery. An AC / DC converter converts the AC electric power on the power line into auxiliary electric power. The charger is further capable of executing power conversion for converting output electric power of the main battery into AC electric power for output to the power line. While a vehicle is running, normally, the charger and the AC / DC converter are stopped, and the auxiliary electric power obtained by converting the output electric power of the main battery by a main DC / DC converter is output. At the time of regenerative braking of the vehicle, where charging of the main battery is prohibited or restricted, the charger and the AC / DC converter are further operated to intentionally increase loss power, thereby generating auxiliary electric power.

A watercraft engine includes a lubrication system alarm control system which initiates an alarm when lubricant pressure within the lubrication system falls below an acceptable pressure. The alarm system compares lubricant pressure during engine operation with a lower pressure threshold which is determined as a function of engine speed. Thus, partial reductions in lubricant pressure are identified. Additionally, the alarm control system may be configured to emit an alarm if lubricant pressure fluctuates at a rate that is greater than a predetermined pressure fluctuation rate threshold.

A light emitting diode drive device includes a drive circuit section that applies a direct-current voltage to a light source including a plurality of light emitting diodes connected in series to allow the light source to light up, a voltage detection circuit section that detects a voltage across the light source, and a malfunction determination circuit section that determines that the light emitting diode is short-circuited when the voltage detection circuit section detects a voltage drop and a potential between the voltage before being dropped and the voltage after being dropped is equal to or more than a predetermined threshold value. Thus, it is possible to detect a fact that a light emitting diode, which lights up, is short-circuited or is not short-circuited, with a simple circuit configuration.

For the purpose of providing a direct current power generator accommodating a bicycle hub or a motor for auxiliary power, the structure of which is simple, the weight of which is light and which may generate sufficient electric power and also be applicable to an auxiliary to drive a bicycle without wasting excess energy, a wheel equipped with the direct current power generator accommodating a bicycle hub or the motor for auxiliary power, a bicycle equipped with the direct current power generator accommodating a bicycle hub or the motor for auxiliary power and the direct current power generator accommodating a bicycle hub, a direct current power generator accommodating a bicycle hub or a motor for auxiliary power comprising a hub connected to a bicycle wheel through a spoke, a rotational production part arranged in the hub, at least one or more motor fixed to the center of the hub and engaged with the above mentioned rotational driving part whereby charging and driving may be performed, a rechargeable battery equipped on the outside of the above mentioned hub and connected to the above mentioned motor in series, a backflow prevention diode connected to the above mentioned battery in series and a switch connected to the above mentioned backflow prevention diode in parallel are provided, and the above mentioned switch is turned on whereby the electric power charged in the above mentioned battery is supplied to the above mentioned motor for driving.

A power management system comprises a busboard for selectively managing the power from a forty-two volt source and a fourteen volt source in a vehicle dual voltage electrical system. The busboard has a lower plate with recesses for receiving variously configured busbars. The busbars have upright terminals for electrical connection with the voltage sources. The power from the voltage sources is directed along the busbars to other terminals extending at assorted locations from the busboard. An upper cover fits over the lower plate and covers the recesses. The upper cover has an area accommodating the forty-two volt source and housings for partially enclosing the other terminals. One of the housings forms a forty-two volt jump start post. Another of the housings forms a fourteen volt jump start post. The terminal in the fourteen volt jump start post is connected through a DC / DC converter to the forty-two volt source so power from a vehicle having a fourteen volt electrical system can be converted to forty-two volts and used to charge the dual voltage system. A relay mounted on the busboard is actuated to provide power to a vehicle starter when the batteries are charged. An additional housing provides a connection port for electrically connecting the busboard to a vehicle alternator. Two further terminals on the busboard enable connection of forty-two volt power and fourteen volt power to a junction box requiring each of the separate voltages for serving different sets of electrical components.

A single DC / DC converter section 2 has two circuits connected in parallel: a flyback type boosting circuit 2A and a boosting circuit 2B. The former includes a transformer 2a and a switching device 2b and the like to boost DC voltage of a DC power supply 1, and the latter includes a transformer 2d and a switching device 2e and the like to do likewise. A control section 4 carries out switching control of the switching devices 2b and 2e in such a manner that shifts from each other the phases of current Ida and current Idb to be supplied from the two boosting circuits 2A and 2B to a plurality of LED 3a and the like connected in series in a light emitting section 3.

An apparatus for adjusting a direction of a light axis of a swingable auxiliary headlight of a vehicle includes a steered angle sensor detecting a steered angle of a steering wheel of a vehicle, a vehicle speed sensor detecting a vehicle speed of the vehicle, a turning radius calculating device calculating a turning radius of the vehicle on the basis of the detected steered angle and the detected vehicle speed, and a control unit performing a swivel control by which the directions of the light axes of auxiliary headlights of the vehicle are adjusted to target directions determined depending on the detected steered angle and the detected vehicle speed. The control unit is configured to control the auxiliary headlights to be in an off state while the calculated turning radius shows a value equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold.

A lighting circuit includes a DC / DC converting circuit for boosting an input DC voltage so as to produce boosted DC power, a detecting circuit for producing a detection signal in response to the output voltage of the DC / DC converting circuit, a DC / AC converting circuit for producing AC power to be supplied to the discharge tube from the boosted DC power, a starting circuit for starting up the discharge tube, and a control circuit for receiving the detection signal from the detecting circuit. The control circuit contains a capacitor which is charged based upon the detection signal, a first discharging unit for discharging the capacitor, a second discharging unit for providing a discharging path for the capacitor in response to turning-OFF of the input DC voltage, and a signal producing unit for producing a control signal used to adjust the output of the DC / DC converting circuit in response to a terminal voltage of the capacitor.

The invention discloses a tramcar power system and a control method. The system is characterized in that a fuel battery is connected with a unidirectional direct-current converter; a super capacitor is connected with a first bidirectional direct-current converter; a power battery is connected with a second bidirectional direct-current converter; the unidirectional direct-current converter, the first bidirectional direct-current converter and the second bidirectional direct-current converter are connected with an inverter by direct-current buses; the inverter is connected with a motor of a tramcar; the fuel battery, the super capacitor, the power battery, the first bidirectional direct-current converter, the second bidirectional direct-current converter and the inverter are connected with a main control unit; the main control unit is connected with a control device of the tramcar. According to the tramcar power system and the control method, the super capacitor, the fuel battery and the power battery are matched for supplying power so that the disadvantages that energy of the super capacitor is not enough and the power property of the power battery is not enough are solved, and the disadvantage complementation of energy-storing parts is realized; the fuel battery and the power battery are mutually redundant so as to realize the emergency rescuing under a fault condition of a power supplying part.

The present invention provides a method for controlling a charging voltage of a 12V auxiliary battery for a hybrid vehicle, which can (1) improve charging efficiency of an auxiliary battery by increasing the output voltage of a DC-DC converter during cold start when the outside air temperature is low, (2) improve the charging efficiency of the auxiliary battery by increasing or decreasing the output power of the DC-DC converter according to the state of charge of the auxiliary battery and by increasing the output voltage of the DC-DC converter when many electrical loads are turned on, and (3) allow the DC-DC converter to provide continuous power supply for charging the auxiliary battery by turning on a main switch disposed between a high voltage battery and the DC-DC converter based on a reverse power conversion operation of the DC-DC converter even in the case where the voltage of the auxiliary battery falls below 9V.