Method for operating vehicle parking lights, control arrangement with a light control unit and with a timer, and a motor vehicle

Abstract

Method for operating a vehicle parking light (2) of a motor vehicle (1, 18-22) parked at a geographical location, which is switched between an on state and an off state by a light control unit (6) at least one wake-up time (t) which lies in a night phase (9) between a sunset (4) and a sunrise (3), where A timer (7) wakes the light control unit (6) and at least one light-sensitive sensor (8) from a sleep mode at at least one wake-up time (t) to check a switching condition for switching the vehicle's parking lights (2) and then reactivate the sleep mode, wherein the switching condition includes the light control unit (6) switching on the vehicle's parking lights (2) when the brightness falls below a certain value measured by the at least one light-sensitive sensor (8) and / or switching off the vehicle's parking lights (2) when the brightness exceeds the certain value, wherein the timer (7) sets the at least one wake-up time (t) based on calendar data for sunrise (3) and sunset (4) from a data storage device (5, 5') and the timer (7) limits the wake-up to the night phase (9). characterized by the fact that The switching condition for switching the vehicle's parking lights (2) includes the requirement that the light control unit (6) detects at least one object (17, 22) by means of at least one radar sensor or at least one camera, which acts as a shield for the motor vehicle (1, 18-22), and then checks the switching condition only for the direction in which the shield is missing, and / or the switching condition specifies at least one parameter of a battery (12) of the motor vehicle (1, 18-22) which describes a state of charge of the battery (12), and if the at least one parameter falls below a respective threshold value, the vehicle's parking light (2) is switched off or not switched on and / or the timer (7) is caused to stop waking up at the at least one wake-up time (t).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for operating the parking light of a parked motor vehicle, which is switched between an on state and an off state by a lighting control device at at least one wake-up time during a night drive between sunset and sunrise. Furthermore, the invention relates to a control arrangement comprising the lighting control device and the timer, as well as to a motor vehicle comprising the control arrangement.

[0002] In today's motor vehicles, the vehicle's auxiliary lighting, such as the parking lights or side lights, is activated by the driver using the turn signal switch. Depending on the side of the vehicle, the turn signal lever is permanently switched up for right-hand illumination or down for left-hand illumination. If the driver parks the vehicle in daylight and good visibility in the late afternoon, they cannot assess the lighting situation in complete darkness because they cannot see the conditions surrounding the vehicle with regard to lighting or a parking situation in front of and behind the vehicle if they are absent. This can result in the vehicle being parked on the side of the road in complete darkness, and damage by other road users cannot be ruled out.Furthermore, the vehicle's parking lights, particularly the parking lights or side lights, are permanently switched on and remain switched on even when the vehicle is parked for several days, which requires energy. While the energy consumption of vehicle parking lights can be low with the use of LED lighting, it will still affect the range of electrically powered vehicles. Being permanently switched on also requires energy during the day. Given the range reduction of electrically powered vehicles (EVs), this is a significant disadvantage, as the lighting is only needed at night.

[0003] The following state of the art is known regarding the problem in question: DE 42 04 856 A1 discloses a method for operating a parking light for a truck trailer parked on a public road at night. This method requires the driver to manually activate the parking light and a twilight switch to turn the parking light on at night and off during the day. A disadvantage of this method is that the parking light must be manually switched on by the driver. Furthermore, the operation of the twilight switch requires a continuous power supply from the truck trailer's battery.

[0004] Furthermore, DE 10 2016 006 037 A1 discloses a method for detecting the surroundings of a motor vehicle. When the motor vehicle is subjected to a shock or contact, the direction from which the shock or contact occurred is detected, so that an image is captured in that direction. When triggered by the shock or contact, a brightness sensor detects the level of brightness in the surroundings in order to switch on the vehicle's parking lights if necessary to support image capture. A disadvantage of this method is that the waking of the designated control unit is triggered by an external event, and the control unit's energy consumption is not monitored over time.

[0005] Finally, DE 10 2012 024 513 A1 discloses a method for operating an ambient lighting device of a motor vehicle. This method allows a user to configure the ambient lighting after locking the motor vehicle in such a way that the surroundings can be illuminated with all of the motor vehicle's lighting devices according to the user's preferences. A disadvantage is that this function is only activated when the motor vehicle is locked, and the vehicle's parking lights are not operated over time. Furthermore, the method does not provide for battery monitoring over time.

[0006] From DE 10 2004 029 629 A1 a parking light for a motor vehicle is known in which a user can manually set switching times so that the parking light switches off automatically at night or when parked for several days, so that the battery cannot be completely discharged.

[0007] It is known from DE 10 2004 042 200 A1 that an astronomical clock can be operated in a motor vehicle in order to detect the currently valid time zone, which can be used when parameterizing a control unit.

[0008] The invention is based on the object of providing a method for operating the vehicle parking lighting in a parking situation in a motor vehicle, in which the parking lighting of the motor vehicle is operated in a battery-saving manner.

[0009] The problem is solved by the subject matter of the independent patent claims. Advantageous developments of the invention are described by the dependent patent claims, the following description, and the figures.

[0010] The invention provides a method for operating the parking lights of a motor vehicle parked at a geographical location. The parking lights are switched between an on state and an off state by a lighting control device at at least one wake-up time, which lies in a night phase between sunset and sunrise.

[0011] The vehicle parking lighting can, in a manner known per se, comprise at least one external lighting device of the motor vehicle, in particular at least one headlight and / or at least one rear headlight. Additionally or alternatively, the vehicle parking lighting can also comprise interior lighting, which improves the visibility of the vehicle contour. The vehicle parking lighting can be operated for a parking light, in which a headlight and a rear headlight are switched on on the driver's side or the passenger's side, and / or for a side light, in which headlights and rear headlights are switched on on both sides of the motor vehicle. For this purpose, the vehicle parking lighting or part of the vehicle parking lighting can be switched on in accordance with national road traffic regulations, for example, the parking lights can be activated in the dark in built-up areas and the side lights outside of built-up areas.

[0012] The on and off states can relate to the operation of the vehicle's parking lights or just part of the vehicle's parking lights, in particular only the driver's or passenger's side headlights and rear headlights being switched on or off by the lighting control unit. The lighting control unit can switch between the on state and the off state at at least one wake-up time that indicates a sunset or a sunrise and / or lies in between. The respective wake-up time therefore indicates a respective decision time at which it is checked whether switching should take place and / or which light should be switched on. For example, it can be provided that the lighting control unit switches the vehicle's parking lights to an on state at 6:00 p.m. at dusk and to an off state at 6:00 a.m.

[0013] In order to avoid having to operate the lighting control unit continuously, the method is characterized in that a timer wakes up the lighting control unit and at least one light-sensitive sensor from a sleep mode (sleep mode, standby mode) at the at least one wake-up time in order to check a switching condition for switching the vehicle parking lights and then reactivate the sleep mode. The lighting control unit thus remains in sleep mode between the individual wake-up times. The switching condition checked at the respective wake-up time comprises the lighting control unit switching on the vehicle parking lights if the brightness falls below a certain value measured by the at least one light-sensitive sensor and / or switching off the vehicle parking lights if the brightness value is exceeded. The vehicle parking lights are thus only operated when needed, which further protects the battery.The timer sets the at least one wake-up time based on calendar data for sunrise and sunset from a data storage device, and the wake-up is limited to the night phase from sunset to sunrise. When the motor vehicle is parked, the respective control units of the motor vehicle (light control unit and sensor) can thus be operated in sleep mode. The timer then wakes the control units from sleep mode at the at least one wake-up time, which can indicate sunset or sunrise, or lies between sunset and sunrise, so that the light-sensitive sensor detects the brightness level of the vehicle's surroundings, and the light control unit then checks the switching condition of the vehicle's parking lights.Checking the switching condition by the light control unit can provide for the switching on or off of the vehicle parking lights or part of the vehicle parking lights, for example only switching on a front and rear headlight, right and / or left, when appropriate lighting conditions exist, i.e. the ambient brightness can be checked depending on the direction. The light-sensitive sensor can be designed, for example, as a so-called "light and rain sensor" or as a camera. Measuring the brightness level of the vehicle's surroundings by the light and rain sensor is sufficiently known from the prior art. When the light and rain sensor is in operation while driving, a different brightness value can be provided for switching than when parked to activate the vehicle parking lights.For example, the vehicle's parking lights can be activated when driving through an illuminated tunnel, but the vehicle's parking lights can be deactivated when parked under street lighting.

[0014] With a camera, however, the brightness value can be measured by determining whether the illuminance falls below a threshold at sunset and exceeds it at sunrise, assuming no artificial light is present in the environment. The camera can be, for example, a front-facing camera, a rearview camera, or a camera in an electronic rearview mirror, or a sensor can be a LIDAR.

[0015] The switching condition can include that the vehicle parking lighting or part of the vehicle parking lighting, in particular at least one headlight or rear headlight, is switched on by the lighting control unit when the brightness value falls below the specified value and is switched off again by the lighting control unit when the brightness value is exceeded. In this case, the switching condition can also include that, for example, in a motor vehicle as parking light, only the vehicle parking lighting on the front and rear of the driver's side is switched on, or that it is switched on on the front and rear of the passenger side. The switching condition can also include that in the motor vehicle as parking light, the vehicle parking lighting on both sides of the front and rear is switched on or off.The switching condition can also include the lighting control unit controlling individual vehicle side lights, such as a fog light, in addition to the parking and side lights. For this purpose, a direction-dependent brightness check can be provided, which ensures that the vehicle side lights only illuminate in the direction for which it is detected that the brightness value has been exceeded.

[0016] The calendar data can include the respective times for a sunset and a sunrise, ordered by a calendar day. These can be obtained from a current calendar from an external data storage device via a radio connection or stored in an internal data storage device of the motor vehicle, depending on the region, according to a longitude and / or latitude and / or a time zone. Additionally or alternatively, the calendar data for sunrise and sunset can be stored in an internal data storage device of the motor vehicle according to a country code.

[0017] The timer can now wake up the lighting control unit and at least the light-sensitive sensor at the wake-up times stored in the data memory, for example, for a period of up to 10 minutes, so that a measured value for the brightness of the vehicle's surroundings is detected or measured by the light-sensitive sensor, and the lighting control unit then checks the switching condition for switching the vehicle's parking lights, in particular whether the vehicle's parking lights, or at least part of them, should be switched on or off. For example, the timer can set the wake-up times at intervals ranging from 30 minutes to 120 minutes.In particular, when the respective brightness value is reached or exceeded, or when the lighting control unit has verified the switching condition, the timer can put the respective control units back into sleep mode, thus reducing energy consumption or not requiring the entire duration to be used up. Depending on the weather, for example, in foggy conditions, the vehicle's parking lights can be activated at different intervals than in clear weather.

[0018] Furthermore, it can be provided that the timer sets several wake-up times at specific time intervals, for example hourly or every two hours, in order to wake up the lighting control unit and the light-sensitive sensor in order to measure a current brightness value of the vehicle's surroundings. If, for example, a street light is switched off at a certain time of night, this can be detected at the next wake-up time when the switching condition is checked again by the lighting control unit. It can also be provided that summer or winter time is taken into account in the calendar data. This offers the advantage that a parking light or side light is automatically operated when it is needed in accordance with national road traffic regulations, namely in poor visibility, as defined by the brightness value.Furthermore, this results in the advantage that the vehicle parking lighting can be adapted to changing situations at night by the lighting control unit, such as in the case of self-switching street lighting, and the vehicle parking lighting can be operated in an energy-saving manner.

[0019] The switching condition of the light control unit can be checked according to the parking situation of the motor vehicle. Thus, the invention can provide that the switching condition for switching the vehicle's parking lights comprises the light control unit detecting at least one object that acts as a shield for the motor vehicle by means of at least one radar sensor or at least one camera and then checking the switching condition only for the direction in which the shield is missing. In other words, by means of at least one radar sensor, which is used according to the prior art for operating parking aids, the light control unit can detect whether and in which direction in relation to the motor vehicle there are objects and / or obstacles that shield a view of the motor vehicle from the outside. These could be, for example, other motor vehicles parked in front of or behind the motor vehicle and thus obscuring a view of the motor vehicle.

[0020] Additionally or alternatively, a camera system, in particular a front and / or rear view camera, can also be used to detect objects. For example, the lighting control unit can thus detect whether another vehicle is parked behind the vehicle, shielding the vehicle from the rear. The lighting control unit can then check the switching condition to ensure that only the front part of the vehicle's parking lights is switched on as parking lights, since the rear part of the vehicle's parking lights is obscured by the vehicle parked behind the vehicle.

[0021] The object can generally comprise a vehicle or a device, in particular a wall or a tree. If, for example, the vehicle parked behind the motor vehicle drives away during the night phase, the timer can also wake up the at least one radar sensor or the at least one camera in addition to the light control unit and the light-sensitive sensor, so that the radar sensor and / or the at least one camera detect that the rear motor vehicle has driven away and the light control unit thus checks the switching condition to ensure that the rear vehicle parking lights are also switched on if it is still night. This offers the advantage that the operation of the vehicle parking lights can also be adapted to changes in the parking situation.

[0022] The operation of the vehicle parking lights on a parked vehicle over an extended period of time impacts the energy state of a motor vehicle battery. Thus, the invention can provide that the switching condition specifies at least one parameter on the motor vehicle battery that describes a battery charge state. If the at least one parameter falls below a respective threshold value, the vehicle parking lights are switched off or not switched on and / or the timer is triggered to stop the wake-up at the at least one wake-up time. In other words, the parameter can, for example, describe a battery voltage value or contain another variable that allows a conclusion to be drawn about the current battery charge state, so that a minimum battery charge state is maintained.When checking the switching condition, the lighting control unit can take into account that if the battery voltage falls below a threshold, the vehicle's parking lights are switched off, or, if a day has already passed, the vehicle's parking lights are not switched on again after sunset. Additionally or alternatively, the lighting control unit can also trigger the timer to stop the respective control units for operating the vehicle's parking lights from waking up at at least one wake-up time.

[0023] The switching condition can also include, for example, operating an interior light, such as a reading light, in emergency mode before switching off any vehicle parking lights if the battery charge level is close to the threshold value, for example, within a tolerance of one percent of the threshold value. This has the advantage that the charge level is taken into account when operating the vehicle parking lights, and a minimum battery charge level can always be maintained.

[0024] The invention also includes embodiments which provide additional advantages.

[0025] One embodiment provides that the timer takes the geographical location of the parked motor vehicle into account when setting the at least one alarm time, and the timer retrieves the calendar data for sunrise or sunset from the data storage device according to the geographical location. In other words, if the motor vehicle is equipped with a positioning device for measuring a geographical location, such as a navigation system, the timer can retrieve position information from the positioning device after the end of a journey of the motor vehicle and, according to the position information, retrieve the calendar data for sunrise or sunset from the data storage device.The timer can obtain the calendar data according to a longitude and latitude from the position information of the tracking device, whether the vehicle is located at a latitude close to the equator or far from the equator, or in which time zone the vehicle is located, and set the wake-up time for sunrise or sunset accordingly. For example, the timer can consider whether the vehicle is located in Portugal or Finland and retrieve the wake-up times for sunrise or sunset from the calendar data according to the current time zone and current latitude. This offers the advantage that the operation of the vehicle's parking lights can be adapted to the specific location.

[0026] The vehicle parking lights can also be operated according to the geographical location. One embodiment provides that the lighting control unit uses the geographical location to determine whether the parked motor vehicle is on a public road or off the public road and checks the switching condition accordingly. In other words, in addition to the position information, the timer can use data from the navigation system, in addition to the position information regarding the motor vehicle's direction of travel, to cause the lighting control unit to check the switching condition according to the geographical location.For example, the lighting control unit can use data from the navigation system to determine whether the vehicle is on a property or on a public road and, for example, check the switching conditions to ensure that the vehicle's parking lights are not activated while on the property, thus saving energy. The lighting control unit can also check the switching conditions based on the direction of travel or side of the road. For example, only the driver's side parking lights are activated if the vehicle is parked on the right side of the public road in the direction of travel, or only the passenger side parking lights are activated if the vehicle is parked on the left side in the direction of travel.For example, it can be provided that when the motor vehicle is in a dead-end street on a public road in the direction of travel, the light control unit checks the switching condition in such a way that only a rear vehicle parking light is switched on or only a front light of the motor vehicle is switched on when the motor vehicle is at one end of the dead-end street and the direction of travel of the motor vehicle is directed out of the dead-end street.

[0027] Additionally or alternatively, in addition to the position information from the navigation system, the timer can also obtain information from the navigation system regarding whether the vehicle is parked in a built-up area or outside of a built-up area. Accordingly, the timer can cause the lighting control unit to check the switching condition to determine whether the vehicle is parked in a built-up area or outside of a built-up area. For example, in a built-up area, the parking lights—i.e., the front and rear headlights on the driver and passenger sides—can be activated by the lighting control unit, while in a built-up area, the respective parking lights—i.e., the front and rear headlights on the driver or passenger side—can be activated. This has the advantage that the switching condition for the vehicle parking lights can be activated by the lighting control unit depending on the geographical location of the parked vehicle.

[0028] Furthermore, it is possible for the wake-up time for checking the switching condition by the light control unit to also depend on various parameters. Thus, one embodiment provides that the timer additionally determines the at least one wake-up time from traffic information and / or from a switching time of a street light at the geographical location of the parked motor vehicle, and / or the switching condition includes that, with regard to the geographical location, traffic information indicates a traffic density above a threshold value and / or an operating time of the street light at the geographical location reaches the switching time. In other words, the timer can extract data from the navigation system regarding traffic information and accordingly set the wake-up time for waking the light control unit, the light-sensitive sensor, and / or other control units, in particular the navigation system.

[0029] In addition to position information, the navigation system also contains data containing information about the current traffic situation at the vehicle's current geographical location. For example, the lighting control unit can use the traffic information from the navigation system to check the switching condition so that, for example, in times of heavy traffic, such as during morning rush hour, the parking lights—that is, the vehicle's side lights on the driver and passenger sides—are activated instead of the driver-side parking lights, in order to more effectively warn road users during the night.

[0030] Furthermore, after the end of the journey, the timer can retrieve traffic information from the navigation system data in such a way that a wake-up based on an average traffic density at certain times adjusts at least one wake-up time for the respective control units, so that, for example, the navigation system control unit is only woken up when a traffic density value is expected to actually be above a threshold. For example, the timer can specify that the navigation system control unit only be switched on at 5:00 a.m. in the morning.

[0031] Additionally or alternatively, the timer can also set the wake-up time for the respective control units based on the switching time of a street light at the geographical location. For example, in certain locations the street lights are switched off at specific times to save energy, such as from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. For example, the timer can use traffic information and / or data from Car-2-X communication to align the wake-up time for the respective control units with the switching time of the street lights. For example, if the switching time for switching off the street lights is 10:00 p.m., the timer can wake up the respective control units at 10:00 p.m. so that the light-sensitive sensor checks a brightness value again at 10:00 p.m. and then switches on the vehicle parking lights according to the parking situation after the street lights are switched off.The traffic information or switching time can be obtained from data from a navigation device or from data from a Car-to-X communication system. This offers the advantage that the operation of the vehicle's parking lights can be adapted to changes in the vehicle environment at the geographical location of the parked vehicle, and only the part of the vehicle's parking lights that is actually needed is activated.

[0032] Additionally, further information about the vehicle's surroundings can be used when the light control unit checks the switching condition. One embodiment provides that the switching condition includes taking image-based environmental data from at least one camera and / or weather data from a weather service into account by the light control unit when switching. In other words, it is well known from the prior art that a light and rain sensor has problems detecting fog. For example, if the motor vehicle is equipped with a camera system, in particular a lidar, it can detect fog and, in the event of fog, cause the light control unit to check the switching condition in such a way that additional vehicle lights are switched on.For example, if fog is detected during the night, the parking lights, both front and rear headlights on the driver and passenger sides, or a fog light and / or a rear fog light can be activated in addition to the normal parking lights. The lighting control unit can take this into account when checking the switching condition.

[0033] Additionally or alternatively, when checking the switching condition, the lighting control unit can also take into account weather data obtained from the navigation system or via Car-to-X communication. This allows, for example, the timer to set the wake-up time for the respective control units based on a likely weather phase, such as forecast ground fog in the morning. This offers the advantage that the operation of the vehicle's parking lights can also be adjusted based on weather data to effectively warn other road users.

[0034] The minimum charge level of the battery can be adjusted according to various criteria. One embodiment provides that the respective threshold value with respect to the at least one parameter is set such that an internal combustion engine of the motor vehicle is still capable of starting, or an electric drive of the motor vehicle maintains a minimum range of the motor vehicle, in particular a minimum range set by a user. In other words, even if the battery parameter reaches the threshold value, the internal combustion engine of the motor vehicle can still be started, so that the user of the motor vehicle is not impaired in the use of the motor vehicle by the operation of the vehicle parking lights.

[0035] Furthermore, if the motor vehicle is electrically powered, a minimum range can be provided for the motor vehicle, so that, for example, the minimum range can be a fixed value or a value set by a user. For example, it can be provided that if the motor vehicle is parked for a user's two-week vacation period and the vehicle parking lights are operated continuously for these two weeks, the user can still cover a minimum distance to work after the vacation. This has the advantage that the operation of the vehicle parking lights does not impair the user's use of the motor vehicle.

[0036] The invention also includes the control device or control arrangement for the motor vehicle. The control device or control arrangement can have a data processing device or a processor device that is configured to carry out an embodiment of the method according to the invention. For this purpose, the processor device can have at least one microprocessor and / or at least one microcontroller and / or at least one FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) and / or at least one DSP (Digital Signal Processor). Furthermore, the processor device can have program code that is configured to carry out the embodiment of the method according to the invention when executed by the processor device. The program code can be stored in a data memory of the processor device.

[0037] A further aspect of the invention provides a control arrangement with the light control device and with the timer, which are designed to carry out the method described above for operating the vehicle parking lighting.

[0038] A further aspect of the invention also provides a motor vehicle comprising an embodiment of said control arrangement.

[0039] The invention also encompasses combinations of the features of the described embodiments. The invention therefore also encompasses implementations that each comprise a combination of the features of several of the described embodiments, unless the embodiments are described as mutually exclusive.

[0040] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described below. Shown are: Fig. 1 a schematic representation of the method over a time course comprising a day and night phase; and Fig. 2 a schematic representation of the method in relation to a geographical location of the parked motor vehicle.

[0041] The exemplary embodiments explained below are preferred embodiments of the invention. In the exemplary embodiments, the described components of the embodiments each represent individual features of the invention that can be considered independently of one another, each of which also develops the invention independently of one another. Therefore, the disclosure is intended to encompass combinations of the features of the embodiments other than those shown. Furthermore, the described embodiments can also be supplemented by further features of the invention already described.

[0042] In the figures, the same reference symbols designate elements with the same function.

[0043] Fig. 1 shows the course of a day using a timeline at a geographical location of the motor vehicle 1. On the left of the timeline, 0:00 a.m. is shown, where the night phase 9 is supposed to still be. At time t1, a sunrise 3 occurs at 6:00 a.m. After sunrise 3, the day begins, which lasts until time t2, when sunset 4 occurs and the night phase 9 begins again. The motor vehicle 1 is permanently parked at the same geographical location over time and has a vehicle parking light 2, an internal data memory 5 and / or an external data memory 5', a light control unit 6, a timer 7, a light-sensitive sensor 8, a radio network antenna 11 and a battery 12. Parked here means that the control units of the motor vehicle 1, i.e. at least the light control unit 6 and the light-sensitive sensor 8, are in sleep mode.In sleep mode, power consumption is reduced in a manner known per se (standby or without power) compared to normal operation of the light control device 6 or to measuring operation of the light-sensitive sensor 8.

[0044] The timer 7 can wake the light control device 6 and the light-sensitive sensor 8 from sleep mode at a predetermined wake-up time t, for example at sunset 4 at time t2, so that they remain awake for a duration D and go back to sleep after the duration D or after completing a task. Waking up means that power consumption increases because normal operation or measuring operation is started. The wake-up time t at time t2, at which the timer 7 performs the wake-up, can be obtained by the timer 7 from the data memory 5 and / or calculated using a calculation routine. The data memory 5 has stored calendar data for the respective sunrise 3 and sunset 4 depending on the calendar day. The data memory 5 has stored the respective data for sunrise 3 and sunset 4 depending on the geographical location, in particular across the board by country and / or time zone.Likewise, said alarm times can be stored in the data storage device 5 according to a region, depending on the distance of the respective region from the equator. The data storage device 5 can be located in the motor vehicle 1 or an external data storage device 5', with the motor vehicle 1 obtaining the respective calendar data from the external data storage device 5', for example, from an external server unit via the radio network antenna 11 for a network connection. This can, in particular, be a Car-2-X communication interface.

[0045] After waking up at time t2 at sunset 4 at 6:00 p.m., the light-sensitive sensor 8 measures the ambient brightness, and the light control unit 6 checks whether the measured ambient brightness falls below a certain brightness value, i.e., whether it is sufficiently dark. The light-sensitive sensor 8 can be based on a light and rain sensor and / or a camera, in particular a rearview camera. If the measured ambient brightness falls below the brightness value, the switching condition for switching on the vehicle's parking lights 2 is met, so the light control unit 6 can switch on the vehicle's parking lights 2.

[0046] However, it may still be sufficiently bright after sunset 4, for example due to street lighting 13. Thus, street lighting 13 is still located at the geographical location of motor vehicle 1 and is switched on at time t2 after sunset 4. The illuminated street lighting 13 now has the effect that the ambient brightness measured by light-sensitive sensor 8 does not fall below the brightness value, so that the switching condition for switching on vehicle parking lighting 2 is not met and light control unit 6 therefore does not switch on the vehicle parking lighting. For this reason, the said brightness value for switching vehicle parking lighting 2 on or off while motor vehicle 1 is parked may be below a different brightness value while driving, so that vehicle parking lighting 2 is not switched on as long as street lighting 13 is lit.The street lighting is switched off at switching time S at 10:00 p.m. The timer 7 can now wake up the light control unit 6 and the light-sensitive sensor 8 of the motor vehicle 1 at switching time S of the street lighting 13, so that the light-sensitive sensor 8 measures the ambient brightness again at switching time S and the light control unit 6 determines that the ambient brightness measured by the light-sensitive sensor 8 falls below the brightness value, so that the switching condition for switching on the vehicle parking light 2 is now met and the light control unit 6 then switches on the vehicle parking light 2.During the night phase 9, the timer 7 can wake up the respective control units of the motor vehicle 1 at different or regular time intervals Δt, such as hourly or half-hourly or only every two hours, to recheck the ambient brightness of the motor vehicle 1 using the light-sensitive sensor 8, resulting in additional wake-up times. In particular, the time interval Δt for regularly waking up the respective control units of the motor vehicle 1 by the timer 7 can depend on the charge state of the battery 12 of the motor vehicle 1.

[0047] For example, if the charge state of the battery 12 is above a threshold value of at least one parameter of the battery 12, the control units of the motor vehicle 1 can be woken up by the timer 7 every 30 minutes in the time interval Δt, and if the charge state of the battery 12 decreases below the respective threshold value, the time interval Δt can be extended accordingly in order to save energy.

[0048] After the end of the night phase 9, the timer 7 can wake up the light control unit 6 and the light-sensitive sensor 8 at time t1 at 6:00 a.m. for sunrise 3, so that the light-sensitive sensor 8 measures the ambient brightness of the motor vehicle 1. If the ambient brightness exceeds the brightness value, the switching condition for switching off the vehicle parking light 2 is not met, so that the light control unit 6 then switches off the vehicle parking light 2. The timer 7 can keep the light control unit 6 and the light-sensitive sensor 8 awakened for a duration D until the duration D has elapsed or the task has been completed. This can be the case, for example, if the motor vehicle is parked outdoors or under a tree, where it can be dark for longer at sunrise 3.

[0049] Fig.2 shows the method for operating the vehicle parking lighting 2 in relation to the geographical location of the motor vehicle 1. A location 15 and an out-of-town area 16 are shown where the motor vehicle 1 could be parked. Thus, on the one hand, the motor vehicle 1 is parked in the out-of-town area 16 at the edge of the road 14 on the right-hand side in the direction of travel 24 of the motor vehicle 1. The light control unit 6 of the motor vehicle 1 is now configured to determine the geographical location of the motor vehicle 1 from data stored in a control unit of the navigation system of the motor vehicle 1 and to establish that the motor vehicle 1 is parked in the out-of-town area 16 on the right-hand side of the road 14. According to a national road traffic regulation, it may be stipulated that in the out-of-town area 16, a parking light must be activated while parking during the night phase 9, therefore both headlights and both rear headlights.Thus, the light control unit 6 can check the switching condition of the vehicle parking light 2 in such a way that the parking light is activated for the vehicle parking light 2, so that the front and rear headlights of the motor vehicle 1 on the driver and passenger side are switched on.

[0050] On the other hand, a second motor vehicle 18 identical to motor vehicle 1 can be parked in location 15. Depending on national road traffic regulations, it may be stipulated that a parking light, i.e. only the left or right front and rear headlights, must be switched on during parking in location 15. Based on the data from the navigation system, the light control unit 6 takes this into account when checking the switching condition for the vehicle's parking light 2 and, while the second motor vehicle 18 is parked on the right side of road 14, switches on the parking light on the left side in the direction of travel 24 during the night phase 9. A switching time of the street light 13 of location 15 can also be taken into account by the timer 7.Additionally or alternatively, the light control unit 6 can also obtain traffic information from the navigation system data regarding the times of day at which increased traffic density can be expected on road 14 and accordingly check the switching condition of the vehicle parking lights 2 of the second motor vehicle 18. For example, the data from the navigation system can indicate that at 5:00 a.m. there is increased traffic volume on road 14 due to regular rush hour traffic, and thus the light control unit 6 of the second motor vehicle 18 checks the switching condition of the vehicle parking lights 2 in such a way that a parking light, i.e. both front and rear headlights, is activated instead of the urban parking light in order to better warn road users.

[0051] In another case, a third motor vehicle 19 may be parked in a dead-end street, rearward of the wall 17. The light control unit 6 uses the position information from the navigation system data to determine the direction of travel 24 of the third motor vehicle 19 and whether the direction of travel 24 of the third motor vehicle 19 leads out of the dead-end street or not. The light control unit 6 checks the switching condition of the vehicle's parking lights 2 such that the part of the vehicle's parking lights 2 that is not shielded by the wall 17 and thus cannot be seen by other road users is activated. In this case, only the parking lights of the headlights can be switched on for the third motor vehicle 19 parked in front of the wall 17.

[0052] In a further case, the light control unit 6 of a fourth motor vehicle 20 determines from the position information from the navigation device data whether the fourth motor vehicle 20 is on the public road 14 or on private property 23. The light control unit 6 of the fourth motor vehicle 20 then checks the switching condition of the vehicle's parking lights in such a way that no vehicle's parking lights 2 are switched on.

[0053] Furthermore, the fifth motor vehicle 21 can be parked on the road 14 in front of a sixth motor vehicle 22, wherein the sixth motor vehicle 22 has switched on a conventional vehicle parking light 2. At least one radar sensor and / or a camera device of the fifth motor vehicle 21 can detect whether the sixth motor vehicle 22 is located behind the fifth motor vehicle 21 in the direction of travel 24, so that the light control unit 6 of the fifth motor vehicle 21 checks the switching condition of the vehicle parking light 2 on the basis of the data from the at least one radar sensor and / or the camera system such that only the left headlight in the direction of travel 24 is switched on as parking light, since the sixth motor vehicle 22 shields the fifth motor vehicle 21 from behind.The timer 7 can activate the respective control devices, i.e. the light control device 6, the light-sensitive sensor 8 and the at least one radar sensor and / or the at least one camera, at specific time intervals Δt in order to detect changes in the environment after the time intervals Δt have elapsed, so that the light control device 6 checks the switching condition according to the changes in the respective vehicle environment at the geographical location.

[0054] In today's vehicles, the parking lights are activated by the customer using the turn signal switch, which they move the lever continuously upwards (for right-hand lighting) or downwards (for left-hand lighting), depending on the side of the vehicle. This permanently switches on the parking lights and remains on even if the vehicle is parked for several days, thus consuming electricity. While the power consumption is very low due to LED lighting, it will affect the range of electric vehicles (EVs).

[0055] Because they are constantly switched on, power is consumed even during the day. Given the reduced range of electrically powered vehicles (EVs), this is a significant disadvantage, as the lighting is only needed at night. The parking lights are still switched on and off by the customer by operating the indicator switch. However, if the rain / light sensor detects that a certain level of brightness has been reached which no longer requires backup lighting, the lights are switched off and, when the brightness requires it again, switched on again automatically without customer intervention. For this purpose, a database stored in the vehicle is used. The wake-up time and date and the GPS position of the current location are important for database access. The data, wake-up time and date are provided by the vehicle via a responsible control unit.The vehicle's position is provided via the navigation system in the form of GPS data. If a vehicle is not equipped with a navigation system, the delivery location and the selected language are used to access a pre-configured database containing the date and time of sunrise and sunset. This data is used to activate the rain / light sensor. This ensures that the vehicle is only awake for a short period of time and then goes back to sleep (minimal power consumption). If GPS data is available from the navigation system, the system can operate more precisely, as a much finer clustering of the switch-on and switch-off times is possible.

[0056] The advantages are as follows: 1. The vehicle only consumes power for the parking lights when needed. 2. The customer can also activate the park lighting during the day and no unnecessary electricity will be consumed until dark. 3. The range of electrically powered vehicles (E-vehicles) is not unnecessarily burdened.

[0057] The technical implementation can be done as follows: Vehicle without navigation: There's a database that stores the sunset and sunrise times for each day. The vehicle is identified by its country code. If the vehicle is sold to another country, the dealer will adjust the country code at the next service. When the parking lights are activated, the rain / light sensor is immediately queried to determine whether the brightness is sufficient. If the brightness is sufficient, the parking lights are not activated. The customer is informed via the infotainment system's Multi-Media Interface (MMI) (brightness is still too bright; as part of energy optimization, the lights will only be activated once a certain brightness level is reached). When the brightness level is reached, the parking lights are activated.

[0058] A wake-up timer is then set in a control unit, which wakes up the vehicle and queries the rain / light sensor to determine whether the brightness level is sufficient to turn off the parking lights. This process of turning the parking lights on and off continues until the customer either manually turns them off, or the voltage level threatens to fall below the required level to start the vehicle, or, in the case of electrically powered vehicles (EVs), the range falls below 20 or x kilometers. Vehicle with navigation:

[0059] In a vehicle with navigation, the position is not retrieved from a predefined database, but rather determined more precisely using the GPS signal. This also requires a larger and more comprehensive database.

[0060] The parking lights can also be switched on automatically in the dark. If the vehicle is parked at the side of the road in complete darkness, damage by other road users cannot be ruled out. Therefore, the parking lights are automatically switched on and off by the vehicle. The customer selects an option in the Multi-Media Interface (MMI) infotainment system and activates the feature.

[0061] However, if the rain / light sensor detects that a certain level of brightness has been reached that requires safety lighting, the lights are switched on and when the brightness requires it again, they are switched off again automatically without customer intervention. The front camera and, if available, the rear view camera are used to assess whether the parking lights should be automatically switched on or off. The parking aid sensors (PDC sensors) are also included in order to estimate the distance to vehicles in front of and behind the vehicle. A database stored in the vehicle is used for this purpose. The time and date and the GPS position of the current location are important for database access. The time and date data are provided by the vehicle via a responsible control unit.The vehicle's position is provided via the navigation system in the form of GPS data.

[0062] By automatically switching on the parking lights in the dark, the vehicle is better protected from damage by other road users.

[0063] The option to allow the vehicle to automatically turn its parking lights on or off is selected in the Multimedia Interface (MMI). The vehicle is parked and locked. The driver exits the vehicle. Vehicle without navigation:

[0064] When the specified time for the day is reached, the vehicle wakes up and switches on its rain / light sensor and checks the brightness. Once a specified brightness level is reached, the parking assist sensors (PDC sensors) check the distances to the rear and front. If an object or vehicle is detected, the parking lights are "not" activated. If no object or vehicle is detected, the front and rear cameras switch on and check whether the vehicle is on a road (check road contour). If no road contour is detected, the vehicle is either in a garage or in an area parking lot. Therefore, the parking lights are not switched on. The camera also detects whether the vehicle is parked on the right or left side of the road (one-way street) and switches on the left or right parking lights accordingly.When the parking lights are switched on, the system checks the surroundings for changes in a one-hour time slot in order to check for and react to changes in the vehicle's environment. Vehicle with navigation:

[0065] In a vehicle with navigation, the position is not retrieved from a predefined database, but rather determined more precisely using the GPS signal. 4 This also requires a larger and more comprehensive database. The exact position can also be used to provide a decision matrix from a database, indicating the vehicle's location and the traffic and environmental conditions.

[0066] In this concept, the parking lights are activated at the front and rear. The parking lights are not switched on immediately (the driver parks the vehicle at 2:00 p.m. and leaves for an event that lasts until approximately midnight). The parking lights are only activated after the rain / light sensor has been activated via the database and / or the GPS position using sunset data and has determined that it is dark enough to switch on the parking lights. Furthermore, the GPS signal is used to check the location and determine whether the vehicle is parked in a parking space where parking light assistance is necessary (if the vehicle is parked at the side of the road, it is switched on, but not in a specific parking space or parking garage). The GPS signal is also used to check which side of the street the vehicle is parked on (one-way street), and then the corresponding side is switched on.When the time stored in the database is reached, the rain / light sensor is activated to check whether the parking lights still need to be left on. If a defined brightness level is reached, it switches off. If not, it sets a timer and checks again after a defined time. Then it switches off and then switches the parking lights back on if the customer leaves the vehicle parked for several days. This process repeats until the vehicle is moved again.

[0067] Furthermore, the present idea involves parking lighting that serves to protect the vehicle for a period of time when the vehicle is parked at a dark, unlit roadside. The present invention is not a convenience feature for the customer, but rather a protective function for the vehicle.

[0068] Finally, the present idea also involves parking lighting that serves to protect the vehicle for a period of time when it is parked at a dark, unlit roadside. No images or videos are taken, and the vehicle's parking lights are not fully switched on or activated with flashing lights. The invention is not a convenience feature for the customer, but rather a protective function for the vehicle.

[0069] Overall, the example shows how a method for operating a vehicle parking light can be provided, where the vehicle parking light is only activated when needed.

Claims

[1] Method for operating a vehicle parking light (2) of a motor vehicle (1, 18-22) parked at a geographical location, which is switched between an on state and an off state by a light control device (6) at at least one wake-up time (t) which lies in a night phase (9) between a sunset (4) and a sunrise (3), where a timer (7) wakes up the light control device (6) and at least one light-sensitive sensor (8) at the at least one wake-up time (t) from a sleep mode to check a switching condition for switching the vehicle parking light (2) and then reactivate the sleep mode, wherein the switching condition comprises that the light control device (6) switches on the vehicle parking light (2) when the brightness falls below a value measured by the at least one light-sensitive sensor (8) and / or switches off the vehicle parking light (2) when the brightness value is exceeded, wherein the timer (7) determines the at least one wake-up time (t) for waking up based on calendar data for sunrise (3) and sunset (4) from a data memory (5, 5'), and the timer (7) limits the waking up to the night phase (9), characterized by , that the switching condition for switching the vehicle parking lighting (2) comprises that the light control device (6) detects at least one object (17, 22) by means of at least one radar sensor or at least one camera, which acts as a shield for the motor vehicle (1, 18-22), and then checks the switching condition only for the direction in which the shield is missing, and / or the switching condition specifies at least one parameter of a battery (12) of the motor vehicle (1, 18-22), which describes a charge state of the battery (12), and if the at least one parameter falls below a respective threshold value, the vehicle parking light (2) is switched off or not switched on and / or the timer (7) is caused to stop the waking up at the at least one wake-up time (t). [2] Method according to claim 1, wherein the timer (7) takes into account the geographical location of the parked motor vehicle (1, 18-22) when setting the at least one wake-up time (t) and the timer (7) obtains the calendar data for the sunrise (3) or the sunset (4) according to the geographical location from the data memory (5, 5'). [3] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the light control device (6) detects on the basis of the geographical location whether the parked motor vehicle (1, 18-22) is on a public road (14) or off the public road, and checks the switching condition as a function thereof. [4] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the timer (7) additionally determines the at least one wake-up time (t) from traffic information and / or from a switching time (S1, S2) of a street lighting (13) at the geographical location of the parked motor vehicle (1, 18-22) and / or the switching condition comprises that, with regard to the geographical location, traffic information indicates a traffic density above a threshold value and / or an operating time of the street lighting (13) at the geographical location reaches the switching time (S1, S2). [5] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the switching condition comprises that image-based environmental data from at least one camera and / or weather data from a weather service are taken into account by the light control device (6) during switching. [6] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the switching condition specifies the at least one parameter of a battery (12) of the motor vehicle (1, 18-22) and, if the at least one parameter falls below the respective threshold value, switches off or does not switch on the vehicle parking light (2) and / or causes the timer (7) to stop the waking up at the at least one wake-up time (t), wherein the respective threshold value with respect to the at least one parameter is set such that an internal combustion engine of the motor vehicle (1, 18-22) is still capable of starting or, an electric drive of the motor vehicle (1, 18-22), a minimum range of the motor vehicle (1, 18-22), in particular a minimum range set by a user, is maintained. [7] Control arrangement with a light control device (6) and with a timer (7), which are designed to carry out a method for operating a vehicle parking light (2) according to one of the preceding claims. [8] Motor vehicle (1, 18-22) comprising a control arrangement according to claim 7.

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