A multiple-redundant brake light illumination control system, method, and vehicle

Abstract

This invention discloses a multi-redundant brake light illumination control system, method, and vehicle, belonging to the field of brake light control technology. The system includes a brake switch, a power module, a multi-redundant brake light illumination control module, and brake lights. The multi-redundant brake light illumination control module includes multiple parallel brake light drive paths, with each brake light having a built-in OR logic gate. The input terminal of each brake light drive path is connected to the brake switch; the power supply terminal of each brake light drive path is connected to the power module; the output terminal of each brake light drive path is connected to one input terminal of the OR logic gate; and the output terminal of the OR logic gate is connected to the drive input terminal of the brake light. This invention achieves multi-redundant brake light illumination control. When any one or more brake light drive paths fail, the remaining brake light drive paths can still operate normally to ensure reliable brake light illumination, improving the reliability and safety of the brake light illumination control system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of brake light control technology. Specifically, this invention relates to a multi-redundant brake light illumination control system, method, and vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] Traditional brake light control methods, centrally controlled by a single module (such as BCM or VCU), are prone to single-point failure. If the brake lights malfunction, it can easily lead to rear-end collisions and other accidents. The safety hazards of this traditional control method are mainly reflected in the following aspects: 1. The controller is highly dependent. If the BCM itself malfunctions, it will not be able to drive the lamp assembly even if it receives the correct braking signal. 2. The signal transmission path is fragile. The brake switch signal may be lost during transmission to the BCM due to damaged wiring harness or loose connectors. The CAN bus may also experience command delays or loss due to interference or excessive load. Therefore, this invention proposes a multi-redundant brake light illumination control system, method, and vehicle. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention aims to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and proposes a multi-redundant brake light illumination control system, method, and vehicle to achieve the following objectives: to realize multi-redundant brake light illumination control, so that when any one or more brake light drive paths fail, the remaining brake light drive paths can still work normally to ensure that the brake lights can be reliably illuminated, thereby improving the reliability and safety of the brake light illumination control system.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: A multi-redundant brake light illumination control system is disclosed. The system includes a brake switch, a power module, a multi-redundant brake light illumination control module, and brake lights. The multi-redundant brake light illumination control module includes multiple parallel brake light drive paths. Each brake light has a built-in OR logic gate. The input terminal of each brake light drive path is connected to the normally open contact of the brake switch. The power supply terminal of each brake light drive path is connected to the power module. The output terminal of each brake light drive path is connected to one input terminal of the OR logic gate. The output terminal of the OR logic gate is connected to the drive input terminal of the brake light.

[0005] Preferably, the multi-redundant brake light illumination control module includes a first brake light drive path, which includes an isolation relay. The first end of the coil of the isolation relay is connected to the power supply module, and the second end of the coil of the isolation relay is connected to the normally open contact of the brake switch. The moving contact of the isolation relay is connected to one input of the OR logic gate. One of the two stationary contacts of the isolation relay is connected to the power supply module, and the other is grounded.

[0006] Preferably, the multi-redundant brake light illumination control module includes a second brake light drive path, the second brake light drive path includes a body controller (BCM), the power supply terminal of the body controller (BCM) is connected to the power module, the signal input terminal of the body controller (BCM) is connected to the normally open contact of the brake switch, and the signal output terminal of the body controller (BCM) is connected to one input terminal of the OR logic gate.

[0007] Preferably, the multi-redundant brake light illumination control module includes a third brake light drive path, which includes a vehicle controller (VCU). The power supply terminal of the VCU is connected to the power module, and the signal input terminal of the VCU is connected to the normally open contact of the brake switch. The signal output terminal of the VCU is connected to one input terminal of the OR logic gate.

[0008] Preferably, the multi-redundant brake light illumination control module includes a fourth brake light drive path, which includes a keyless entry and start system (PEPS). The power supply terminal of the PEPS is connected to the power module, and the wake-up input terminal of the PEPS is connected to the normally open contact of the brake switch. The signal output terminal of the PEPS is connected to one input terminal of the OR logic gate.

[0009] Preferably, the brake lights include the vehicle's left brake light, right brake light, and high-mounted brake light.

[0010] Preferably, a fuse is provided between the power supply terminal of each brake light drive path and the power module.

[0011] Preferably, a diode is connected in series between the output terminal of each brake lamp drive path and the brake lamp, with the positive terminal of the diode connected to the output terminal of the brake lamp drive path and the negative terminal of the diode connected to the brake lamp.

[0012] This invention also provides a multi-redundant brake light illumination control method. Using the aforementioned multi-redundant brake light illumination control system, the method includes: After the brake switch is closed, its normally open contact outputs a brake signal to each brake lamp drive path of the multi-redundant brake lamp lighting control module. After detecting the braking signal, each brake light drive path outputs a brake light illumination signal to the brake light. The brake light is based on an OR logic gate. When a brake light ignition signal is received from any brake light drive path, the brake light is immediately turned on.

[0013] The present invention also provides a vehicle comprising the aforementioned multi-redundant brake light illumination control system.

[0014] The technical effects of this invention are as follows: (1) By using four physically isolated, parallel-operating paths and power redundancy, the possibility of a single point of failure causing brake light failure is completely eliminated (unless the brake light itself is damaged). The failure of any single controller, sensor, wiring harness or power supply will not prevent the brake light from illuminating; (2) Since all paths work simultaneously, there is no time blind spot during master / slave switching. The time from when the pedal is pressed to when the light turns on is determined only by the mechanical action of the switch and the circuit propagation delay, which is superior to any solution based on software arbitration.

[0015] (3) The diode isolation technology is adopted and each path has a back EMF protection design, which not only ensures the superimposed power supply, but also prevents backflow of faults, greatly improving the robustness of the system.

[0016] (4) The relay path does not rely on any controller, ensuring that the vehicle can still send a braking signal through a pure electromechanical hardwire connection even under the worst electronic failure (such as the failure of BCM, VCU, and PEPS), which is unmatched by traditional solutions.

[0017] (5) The system structure of the present invention naturally meets the requirements of ISO 26262 for ASIL D safety objectives for two-point fault detection and single-point fault coverage, and meets the highest level of functional safety requirements. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a circuit diagram of a multi-redundant brake light illumination control system provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. This is to help those skilled in the art to have a more complete, accurate, and in-depth understanding of the inventive concept and technical solutions of the present invention, and to facilitate its implementation. It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., used in this application are only for the convenience of describing the technical solutions and to distinguish components; the corresponding component configurations may be the same or different, and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. To make the technical solutions of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be explained and illustrated through the following embodiments.

[0020] As the most direct and critical interaction signal between a vehicle and other road users, the reliability and real-time performance of brake lights directly determine driving safety. According to global automotive safety regulations, brake lights must be accurately activated the instant the driver intends to brake or the vehicle performs active braking (such as ACC adaptive cruise control or AEB automatic emergency braking).

[0021] As automotive electronic and electrical architectures evolve from distributed to centralized and domain-controlled systems, the control logic for brake lights is becoming increasingly complex. In current mainstream solutions, brake light illumination is typically controlled by the Body Controller (BCM) based on brake switch signals or bus commands from the Vehicle Control Unit (VCU) / Autonomous Driving Domain Controller (ADC). While this architecture achieves functional integration, it also introduces the risk of single-point failures. Although some redundant design schemes exist in existing technologies, such as adding a simple hardwired relay circuit outside the BCM, these schemes are usually in a "master-slave switching" mode, meaning the backup path is only activated when a fault is detected in the primary path. This mode introduces a switching time lag, and the redundant path cannot intervene if the fault detection mechanism itself fails. More importantly, existing technologies fail to achieve parallel driving of multiple signal sources and multiple actuators across the entire time domain, failing to achieve true physical isolation and "multiple redundancies" at the system architecture level.

[0022] To address the problems of existing technologies, this invention provides a multi-redundant brake light illumination control system to solve the technical issues of single brake light control paths and time blind spots during master / slave switching in existing technologies. The core of this invention lies in constructing a multi-path, physically isolated, parallel-driven redundant architecture. In this architecture, multiple brake light illumination drive commands simultaneously act on the brake light assembly at the electrical level. Through hard-wired OR logic circuits and multiple power supply isolation technologies, it is ensured that even under any single or multiple superimposed faults, as long as at least one signal is valid and power is available, the brake light can be reliably illuminated.

[0023] Figure 1 This is the circuit schematic diagram of the system in this embodiment. Figure 1As shown, the system in this embodiment includes a brake switch, a power module (VCC), a multi-redundant brake lamp illumination control module, and brake lamps. The brake switch is connected to the multi-redundant brake lamp illumination control module to provide a braking signal; the power module is connected to the multi-redundant brake lamp illumination control module to supply power; the multi-redundant brake lamp illumination control module is connected to the brake lamps to illuminate them according to the braking signal. The multi-redundant brake lamp illumination control module includes multiple parallel brake lamp drive paths, and each brake lamp has a built-in OR logic gate. The input of each brake lamp drive path is connected to the normally open contact of the brake switch; the power supply of each brake lamp drive path is connected to the power module; the output of each brake lamp drive path is connected to one input of the OR logic gate; and the output of the OR logic gate is connected to the drive input of the brake lamp.

[0024] In existing technologies, brake light illumination control typically relies on a single control path (such as solely through the BCM or VCU). A failure in any part of this path will prevent the brake lights from illuminating properly, severely impacting driving safety. This embodiment, however, achieves multiple redundancies in brake light illumination control by setting up multiple parallel and independent brake light drive paths. Each drive path is electrically independent and functionally redundant. If any one or more drive paths fail, the remaining drive paths can still function normally, ensuring reliable brake light illumination. This design significantly improves the reliability and safety of the brake light illumination control system.

[0025] Furthermore, the OR logic gate built into the brake light is one of the key technical means to achieve multiple redundancy in this embodiment. The OR logic gate has multiple inputs and one output. Its logic characteristic is that as long as any input receives a high-level signal (i.e., the brake light ignition signal), the output will output a high level, driving the brake light to illuminate. The technical advantage of using the OR logic gate is: (1) Electrical isolation and logic integration of each brake lamp drive path are achieved. The output of each drive path is connected to different inputs of the OR logic gate, and electrical isolation between paths is achieved through the OR logic gate, so as to avoid interference from the fault of one path (such as short circuit, abnormal high level) to other paths; (2) It achieves true logic that the brake light will illuminate as soon as any one of the brake light drive paths is working properly and outputs a brake light ignition signal, without all paths needing to work simultaneously. This is fundamentally different from the common master-slave switching scheme in the prior art, which requires switching time and has a switching delay when the master path fails, while the logic scheme of this invention achieves delay-free redundancy backup.

[0026] (3) The system architecture is simplified. OR logic gates can be implemented using hardware logic circuits, with a fast response speed (nanosecond level). There is no need for complex software judgment and switching logic, which further improves the real-time performance and reliability of the system.

[0027] The brake lights described in this embodiment include the vehicle's left brake light, right brake light, and high-mounted brake light. These three brake lights are functionally identical, all used to indicate the vehicle's braking status. They can be designed in parallel and uniformly controlled by the drive output of an OR logic gate, eliminating the need for separate drive circuits for each brake light, simplifying the system architecture, and reducing costs and failure rates. Simultaneously, the simultaneous illumination of all three brake lights creates a three-dimensional braking warning effect, allowing drivers of following vehicles to observe the braking signal from multiple angles and heights, significantly improving the recognition rate and response speed of the braking signal and reducing the risk of rear-end collisions. The three brake lights are located on the left rear, right rear, and above the rear window (or on the trunk lid), respectively, covering multiple observation angles for following vehicles. Even if one brake light fails due to a bulb malfunction, the other brake lights will still function normally, ensuring the visibility of the braking signal.

[0028] Specifically, the multi-redundant brake light illumination control module of this embodiment includes a first brake light drive path, i.e., a direct hard-wired path. This first brake light drive path includes an isolation relay. The first end of the coil of the isolation relay is connected to the power supply module, and the second end of the coil is connected to the normally open contact of the brake switch. The moving contact of the isolation relay is connected to one input of the OR logic gate. The two stationary contacts of the isolation relay are connected as follows: the first stationary contact is connected to the power supply module, and the second stationary contact is grounded. Under normal circumstances, the moving contact of the isolation relay is connected to the second stationary contact, at which point the moving contact outputs a low level and cannot drive the brake light to illuminate. When the normally open contact of the brake switch sends a braking signal, the coil of the isolation relay is energized, driving the moving contact of the isolation relay to connect with the first stationary contact. At this time, the moving contact outputs a high level and can be used normally to drive the brake light to illuminate. This path is independent of any controller; when the brake pedal is depressed, it directly uses the energy of the power supply VCC to attempt to illuminate the brake light.

[0029] As a redundant drive path independent of all electronic controllers, the selection of isolation relays has the following characteristics: (1) The coil resistance is about 80-120Ω, and the rated operating current is about 100-150mA; (2) The contact capacity is not less than 20A to meet the peak current requirements of the left / right brake lights working at the same time; (3) It has a reverse connection protection diode to prevent the reverse electromotive force of the coil from damaging the front-end circuit.

[0030] The design philosophy behind the first brake light drive path, i.e., the direct hard-wired path, is that the relay is a purely electromechanical component, containing no software code or semiconductor devices. Its operational reliability is entirely determined by its mechanical lifespan and contact materials. Compared to complex electronic controllers, relays have a natural immunity to harsh electromagnetic environments, enabling them to illuminate the brake lights solely through a purely electromechanical circuit even in extreme situations where the entire vehicle's electronic system is completely paralyzed.

[0031] In summary, the first brake light drive path provides the most basic and reliable hardware backup. Even if all electronic controllers (BCM, VCU, PEPS) fail, as long as the power module and brake switch are normal, the isolation relay can still reliably operate to drive the brake lights. This is the last physical guarantee in case of electronic system failure. Furthermore, the first brake light drive path has a fast response speed and no software dependency. The relay's operation is entirely determined by physical electromagnetic processes, without relying on any software program, eliminating the risk of software crashes or program errors. The time from brake switch closure to relay contact closure is in the millisecond range, meeting the real-time requirements for brake light illumination. Moreover, the first brake light drive path has a simple structure, low cost, and is easy to maintain. Relays are standard components widely used in automobiles, with extremely low cost and easy replacement. Fault diagnosis and repair of this path are also very simple; the relay status can be determined by measuring coil resistance and contact continuity.

[0032] The multi-redundant brake light illumination control module in this embodiment also includes a second brake light drive path, namely the BCM intelligent drive path. This second brake light drive path includes a body controller (BCM). The power supply terminal of the body controller (BCM) is connected to the power module, and the signal input terminal of the body controller (BCM) is connected to the normally open contact of the brake switch. The signal output terminal of the body controller (BCM) is connected to one input terminal of the OR logic gate. The body controller (BCM) is used to collect the brake signal from the brake switch and output a brake light illumination signal to the brake light through its internally integrated high-side driver chip or internal light drive relay. The body controller (BCM) monitors the state of the normally open contact of the brake switch through its signal input terminal. When the brake switch is closed, after receiving the corresponding brake signal at the BCM's signal input terminal, it outputs a brake light illumination signal through its signal output terminal (usually a high-side driver output). This signal is a digital level signal and is connected to one input terminal of the OR logic gate.

[0033] The Body Controller (BCM), as the conventional control core for vehicle lighting, integrates an intelligent high-side drive unit (HSD_BCM) (or an internal relay) to output power voltage to the brake light input. This unit has the following functions: (1) Built-in current detection function can monitor the working current of the brake lamp in real time and diagnose open circuit, short circuit and overload faults; (2) Supports PWM dimming, which can realize brightness adjustment or signal blinking as needed; (3) It has overheat protection and automatic restart functions.

[0034] In addition to directly acquiring the braking signal from the brake switch, the Body Controller (BCM) can also acquire: brake request messages sent by the Vehicle Control Unit (VCU) via the CAN bus, containing information such as braking intent and braking intensity; and active braking requests sent by the Autonomous Driving Domain Controller (ADAS) via CAN FD. These signals, along with the directly acquired braking signal from the brake switch, are processed by the BCM using OR logic. If any braking signal is valid, the HSD_BCM is controlled to output a PWM or DC drive level, which is then sent to the brake lights as a brake light illumination signal.

[0035] The design concept of the second brake light drive path, namely the BCM intelligent drive path, is as follows: The BCM is a standard feature in modern automobiles, responsible for managing the vehicle's electronic systems, including lights, door locks, and windows. BCMs typically have brake light control functions. Utilizing existing BCM resources to drive the brake lights eliminates the need for additional hardware costs, achieving resource reuse and system integration. BCMs possess strong signal processing and fault diagnosis capabilities. They typically integrate analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), digital input interfaces, and fault diagnosis circuits, enabling filtering, debouncing, and diagnostic processing of brake switch signals to improve signal reliability. BCMs can also detect short circuits and open circuits in the brake switches and report fault information via the CAN bus, facilitating problem localization by maintenance personnel. BCMs typically have a limp-home function; when the BCM detects an abnormality in some of its functions, it can enter a degraded operating mode to maintain the operation of critical functions. Regarding brake light control, even if some peripherals or software modules of the BCM fail, its core brake light drive function can still be retained.

[0036] In summary, the second brake light drive path enables intelligent brake light control. The BCM can not only simply control the brake lights based on the brake switch status, but also combine this with vehicle status information collected on the CAN bus to implement more intelligent control strategies and share brake light status information with other systems. For example, when the brake lights are illuminated, the BCM can use the CAN bus to notify the instrument panel to display the brake indicator light, notify the automatic parking system to prepare for intervention, and notify the adaptive cruise control system to adjust the following distance, etc.

[0037] The multi-redundant brake light illumination control module of this embodiment includes a third brake light drive path, namely the VCU safety redundancy path. The third brake light drive path includes the vehicle controller (VCU). The power supply terminal of the vehicle controller (VCU) is connected to the power module. The signal input terminal of the vehicle controller (VCU) is connected to the normally open contact of the brake switch. The signal output terminal of the vehicle controller (VCU) is connected to one input terminal of the OR logic gate.

[0038] As the core controller for coordinating the vehicle's power and braking, the Vehicle Control Unit (VCU) bears the important responsibility of monitoring braking redundancy. In addition to directly acquiring braking signals from the brake switches, the VCU can also obtain: analog signals collected by the pedal travel sensor; and comprehensive judgment information such as internal vehicle speed, deceleration, and regenerative braking status.

[0039] The vehicle control unit (VCU) has a dedicated "safety redundancy drive pin" FS_VCU, which is directly connected to the VCU's power output stage and has independent current drive capability (not less than 2A). When the VCU confirms the braking intention based on any of the above signals, it immediately outputs a high-level drive signal through the FS_VCU pin as a brake light ignition signal without waiting for any external commands. This signal is sent to one input of the brake light's OR logic gate, ensuring timely braking and achieving safety redundancy.

[0040] The unique value of the third brake light drive path, namely the VCU safety redundancy path, lies in the fact that the VCU has the highest control priority. In the control system architecture of new energy vehicles, the VCU is usually at the top of the control hierarchy, responsible for coordinating and monitoring the work of other controllers. Even if the BCM fails to respond due to software failure, CAN communication interruption, or hardware damage, the VCU can still independently identify the braking intention and directly drive the brake lights. At the same time, the VCU is the core controller of new energy vehicles (pure electric and hybrid), responsible for the vehicle's power management, energy management, driving mode management, etc. The VCU can combine vehicle speed and energy recovery status to pre-illuminate the brake lights in advance during the pure electric braking phase, eliminating the lighting delay of traditional brake lights when switching between electric braking and mechanical braking.

[0041] In summary, the third brake light drive path coordinates brake light control and energy recovery. In new energy vehicles, braking operations not only trigger hydraulic braking but may also trigger regenerative braking. The VCU, as the control center for energy recovery, can control the brake lights to illuminate simultaneously with energy recovery, ensuring that following vehicles are promptly aware of the vehicle's deceleration status, even if the deceleration is primarily caused by energy recovery rather than hydraulic braking. Furthermore, the third brake light drive path supports more refined brake light control strategies. The VCU can implement more intelligent brake light control based on information such as pedal travel sensors, for example, tiered brake light control: during light braking, the brake lights illuminate at standard brightness; during emergency braking, the brake lights illuminate at higher brightness or flash rapidly to enhance the warning effect.

[0042] The multi-redundant brake light illumination control module in this embodiment also includes a fourth brake light drive path, namely the PEPS constant-power emergency path. This fourth brake light drive path includes a keyless entry and start system (PEPS). The power supply terminal of the PEPS is connected to the power module, and the wake-up input terminal of the PEPS is connected to the normally open contact of the brake switch. The signal output terminal of the PEPS is connected to one input terminal of the OR logic gate. The wake-up input terminal of the PEPS is directly connected to the normally open contact of the brake switch. When a braking signal triggers the PEPS to wake up, the PEPS outputs a brake light illumination signal through its internally integrated high-side drive switch and sends it to the brake light, forming a fourth illumination circuit independent of the BCM and VCU.

[0043] The keyless entry and start system (PEPS), as a core unit in the vehicle's constant power domain, is given new safety functions in this embodiment of the invention. The PEPS has the following characteristics: it always maintains a low-power standby state, unaffected by the vehicle's ignition status; it has an independent high-level wake-up pin, which can be woken up by an external hard-wired signal, utilizing the existing wake-up input of the PEPS to receive the brake switch signal without requiring additional hardware interfaces; it internally integrates a high-side power switch HSD_PEPS, possessing a current drive capability of over 2A; as an independent control unit, the PEPS provides an additional redundancy level. The PEPS is typically physically and electrically independent from controllers such as the BCM and VCU, and its failure mode differs from other controllers. Integrating the PEPS into the brake light drive path further mitigates the risk of single-point failures.

[0044] When the vehicle is in sleep mode, PEPS is in low-power mode, but its wake-up input remains in monitoring mode. When the driver presses the brake pedal, the brake switch closes, and the keyless entry and start system PEPS receives the brake signal from the normally open contact of the brake switch through its wake-up input. At this time, PEPS is woken up. Subsequently, the microcontroller inside PEPS executes the brake light control program. After PEPS confirms that the brake signal is valid, it outputs a brake light illumination signal to one input of an OR logic gate through its signal output terminal (high-side drive switch).

[0045] It is important to note that the wake-up input of the PEPS is typically designed for low-power wake-up, resulting in higher input impedance and limited driving capability. Therefore, the signal line from the brake switch to the PEPS may require additional signal conditioning circuitry (such as pull-up resistors and filter capacitors) to ensure that the PEPS can reliably recognize the braking signal.

[0046] In summary, the fourth brake light drive path, namely the PEPS constant-power emergency path, enables brake light control during vehicle sleep mode. In existing technologies, when the vehicle is in sleep mode, controllers such as the BCM and VCU may enter deep sleep and fail to respond to brake switch signals. However, PEPS typically needs to maintain some functional wake-up to monitor events such as key approach and door opening / closing. Utilizing this characteristic of PEPS, the brake lights can still be illuminated even when the vehicle is in sleep mode, improving safety in extreme situations. Simultaneously, the fourth brake light drive path provides cross-system redundancy. PEPS belongs to the comfort access system and is completely different from the BCM and VCU in functional domain. This cross-system redundancy design avoids the risk of common-cause failure of controllers within the same functional domain. For example, if the power supply or communication in the body control domain fails, PEPS, as an independent system, may still function normally. Furthermore, the fourth brake light drive path makes full use of existing hardware resources with minimal cost increase. As a standard system in vehicles, PEPS already has its hardware resources (microcontroller, power module, output driver, etc.). Only a signal line from the brake switch to PEPS and corresponding software configuration are needed to realize the brake light drive function, with almost no increase in hardware cost.

[0047] It should be noted that the signal processing time and output response time of each brake light drive path may differ. The isolation relay has the shortest response time (approximately 5-20 milliseconds), the BCM and VCU have slightly longer response times (approximately 20-100 milliseconds, depending on the software execution cycle and signal processing algorithm), and the PEPS may have the longest response time (approximately 50-200 milliseconds, depending on the wake-up time and software startup time). However, due to the characteristics of OR logic gates, the brake light will illuminate as long as any path outputs a valid signal first. Therefore, the overall system response time is always determined by the fastest responding path. This ensures that the brake light illuminates in the shortest possible time after braking, meeting the highest safety requirements.

[0048] Based on the four brake light drive paths described above, the system in this embodiment includes four independent power lines. The first power line directly supplies power to the brake lights via the brake light relay; the second power line is directly input to the BCM, where the BCM performs signal detection and filtering before supplying power to the brake lights via its internal high-side drive chip or relay; the third power line is directly input to the VCU, where the VCU performs signal detection and filtering before supplying power to the brake lights via its internal high-side drive chip or relay; and the fourth power line is directly input to the PEPS, where the PEPS performs signal detection and filtering before supplying power to the brake lights via its internal high-side drive chip or relay.

[0049] In this embodiment, a fuse is installed between the power supply terminal of each brake light drive path and the power module. The fuse enables rapid isolation of faulty paths. When a short-circuit fault occurs in a drive path, the corresponding fuse melts within milliseconds, isolating the faulty path from the system and ensuring that other paths are unaffected. This rapid isolation capability is crucial for maintaining system safety. The application of fuses reduces the risk of fire. Short-circuit faults in automotive electrical systems are one of the main causes of vehicle fires. As an overcurrent protection element, the fuse can cut off the circuit before the short-circuit current generates a large amount of heat, significantly reducing the risk of fire caused by electrical faults. The application of fuses also achieves low-cost fault protection. Fuses are the simplest, most reliable, and lowest-cost overcurrent protection element. Compared with electronic protection circuits (such as electronic fuses, intelligent power switches, etc.), fuses have advantages such as fast response speed, high reliability, and low cost, making them very suitable for use as basic protection in the redundant system of this embodiment.

[0050] In this embodiment, a diode is connected in series between the output terminal of each brake lamp drive path and the brake lamp. The anode of the diode is connected to the output terminal of the brake lamp drive path, and the cathode of the diode is connected to the brake lamp. The diode is used to prevent reverse current. In some fault conditions, the output terminal of one drive path may be accidentally grounded or generate a low level, while the output terminals of other paths are high. Without diode isolation, the current in the high-level path may flow into the low-level path through the input terminal of the OR logic gate, forming a reverse current. The reverse current may cause overload damage to the drive circuit of the low-level path, or cause the voltage drop of the high-level path, affecting the normal lighting of the brake lamp. At the same time, the reverse protection function of the diode achieves true electrical isolation between the paths. When a path outputs a low level or is floating, the corresponding diode is reverse-biased and cut off, preventing current from flowing in reverse and interfering with the current path.

[0051] In this embodiment, the power module is used to supply power. For safety redundancy, the power module can provide a separate power supply for each brake light drive path, or some brake light drive paths can use the same power supply (for example, the first brake light drive path uses one power supply, while the second, third, and fourth brake light drive paths share one power supply), thereby achieving redundant power supply and reducing the possibility of brake light failure due to a single point of power failure.

[0052] The technical effects of the embodiments of the present invention are as follows: (1) The embodiments of the present invention realize true parallel redundancy control. The four drive paths simultaneously receive braking signals, process signals, and output drive signals. There is no delay or risk of switching failure during master-slave switching. The reliability of this parallel architecture is much higher than that of serial or master-slave architectures.

[0053] (2) The four brake light drive paths in this embodiment of the invention achieve complete decoupling and isolation at the electrical level, ensuring that a fault in one path does not affect the other three, a fault in two paths does not affect the other two, and a fault in three paths still has one backup path. This fault tolerance capability is reliably implemented at the hardware level. When one path fails, the brake light control circuits of the other three paths can continue to work stably, ensuring the effective illumination of the brake lights; when two paths fail, the brake light control circuits of the other two paths can still continue to work stably, ensuring the effective illumination of the brake lights; even when three brake light control circuits fail simultaneously, there is still one brake light control circuit as a backup, continuing to maintain the stable operation of the brake lights. This fault tolerance characteristic, where any single-point failure does not affect the function, any two-point failure does not affect the function, and any three-point failure still ensures the function, enables the brake light control system of this invention to meet the stringent requirements of the highest safety level (ASIL D) in the ISO 26262 functional safety standard, providing a solid technical foundation for the safe application of intelligent connected vehicles and brake-by-wire systems.

[0054] (3) The embodiments of the present invention significantly improve the active safety of vehicles. Brake lights are one of the most important active safety devices of a vehicle, and their reliability is directly related to whether following vehicles can promptly know the braking intention of the vehicle. The present invention reduces the failure probability of brake light illumination control to an extremely low level through multiple redundancy design, significantly reducing the risk of rear-end collisions caused by brake light failure.

[0055] (4) The embodiments of the present invention can significantly improve the reliability of brake light control without significantly increasing costs, providing vehicle manufacturers with a differentiated competitive advantage.

[0056] This invention also provides a multi-redundant brake light illumination control method. Using the aforementioned multi-redundant brake light illumination control system, the method includes: After the brake switch is closed, its normally open contact outputs a brake signal to each brake lamp drive path of the multi-redundant brake lamp lighting control module. After detecting the braking signal, each brake light drive path outputs a brake light illumination signal to the brake light. The brake light is based on an OR logic gate. When a brake light ignition signal is received from any brake light drive path, the brake light is immediately turned on.

[0057] The present invention also provides a vehicle comprising the aforementioned multi-redundant brake light illumination control system.

[0058] The present invention has been described above by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the specific implementation of the present invention is not limited to the above-described manner. Any non-substantial improvements made using the inventive concept and technical solution; or the direct application of the inventive concept and technical solution to other situations without modification, are all within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multi-redundant brake light illumination control system, characterized in that: The system includes a brake switch, a power module, a multi-redundant brake light illumination control module, and brake lights. The multi-redundant brake light illumination control module includes multiple parallel brake light drive paths. Each brake light has a built-in OR logic gate. The input of each brake light drive path is connected to the normally open contact of the brake switch. The power supply of each brake light drive path is connected to the power module. The output of each brake light drive path is connected to one input of the OR logic gate. The output of the OR logic gate is connected to the drive input of the brake light.

2. The multi-redundant brake light illumination control system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The multi-redundant brake light illumination control module includes a first brake light drive path, which includes an isolation relay. The first end of the coil of the isolation relay is connected to the power supply module, and the second end of the coil of the isolation relay is connected to the normally open contact of the brake switch. The moving contact of the isolation relay is connected to one input of the OR logic gate. One of the two stationary contacts of the isolation relay is connected to the power supply module, and the other is grounded.

3. The multi-redundant brake light illumination control system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The multi-redundant brake light illumination control module includes a second brake light drive path, which includes a body controller (BCM). The power supply terminal of the body controller (BCM) is connected to the power module, and the signal input terminal of the body controller (BCM) is connected to the normally open contact of the brake switch. The signal output terminal of the body controller (BCM) is connected to one input terminal of the OR logic gate.

4. The multi-redundant brake light illumination control system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The multi-redundant brake light illumination control module includes a third brake light drive path, which includes a vehicle controller (VCU). The power supply terminal of the VCU is connected to the power module, and the signal input terminal of the VCU is connected to the normally open contact of the brake switch. The signal output terminal of the VCU is connected to one input terminal of the OR logic gate.

5. The multi-redundant brake light illumination control system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The multi-redundant brake light illumination control module includes a fourth brake light drive path, which includes a keyless entry and start system (PEPS). The power supply terminal of the PEPS is connected to the power module, and the wake-up input terminal of the PEPS is connected to the normally open contact of the brake switch. The signal output terminal of the PEPS is connected to one input terminal of the OR logic gate.

6. A multi-redundant brake light illumination control system according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that: The brake lights include the vehicle's left brake light, right brake light, and high-mounted brake light.

7. A multi-redundant brake light illumination control system according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that: A fuse is installed between the power supply terminal of each brake light drive path and the power module.

8. A multi-redundant brake light illumination control system according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that: A diode is connected in series between the output terminal of each brake lamp drive path and the brake lamp. The positive terminal of the diode is connected to the output terminal of the brake lamp drive path, and the negative terminal of the diode is connected to the brake lamp.

9. A method for controlling the illumination of brake lights with multiple redundancy, using a brake light illumination control system with multiple redundancy according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that: The method includes: After the brake switch is closed, its normally open contact outputs a brake signal to each brake lamp drive path of the multi-redundant brake lamp lighting control module. After detecting the braking signal, each brake light drive path outputs a brake light illumination signal to the brake light. The brake light is based on an OR logic gate. When a brake light ignition signal is received from any brake light drive path, the brake light is immediately turned on.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that: The vehicle includes a multi-redundant brake light illumination control system according to any one of claims 1-8.

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