Synchronous light source for a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention provides a pixelated light source that can be used in a lighting assembly for a motor vehicle that combines several such pixelated light sources. The pixelated light source is such that the lighting assembly is capable of projecting light beams with reduced flicker effects compared to known solutions. The effect is achieved by means of synchronization between the clock signals internal to the different pixelated light sources of such an assembly. Figure for the abstract: Fig. 1

Description

Title of the invention: Synchronous light source for a motor vehicle

[0001] This invention relates to the field of motor vehicle lighting systems, and in particular it relates to such systems using a plurality of pixelated light sources.

[0002] A light-emitting diode, LED, is a semiconductor electronic component capable of emitting light of a predetermined wavelength when an electrical voltage at least equal to a threshold value is applied to its terminals. Beyond this threshold value, called forward voltage, the intensity of the luminous flux emitted by an LED generally increases with the average intensity of the supply electric current. With heating of the semiconductor junction, the intensity of the electric current tends to increase at a constant applied voltage. Their small size and low power consumption make LED components interesting in the field of light modules for motor vehicles. LED-type light sources can, for example, be used to produce distinctive optical signatures by placing the components along predetermined contours.By using LED components, the creation of lights with multiple lighting functions is also facilitated.

[0003] It is also known to use pixelated light sources of different types of technologies to project these light beams from image data. This is for example the monolithic technology, according to which a large plurality of elementary sources of the light-emitting diode, LED, type, equivalent to pixels, are etched in a common semiconductor substrate. The substrate can also comprise embedded electronic components, such as switch circuits or others. Integrated electrical connections make it possible to activate the pixels independently of each other. It has in particular been proposed to control such pixelated light sources by voltage: by applying a constant electrical voltage to a pixelated light source, the individual pixels can be controlled by means of a switch per pixel, controlled by a binary signal.The control signal for a pixel can, for example, be a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal, the duty cycle of which will have a direct impact on the average intensity of the electric current flowing through the pixel, and therefore on its brightness. This makes it possible to project pixelated beams from grayscale image data. Each pixelated light source includes, in a known manner, an oscillator for . generate a periodic binary or sinusoidal signal acting as a clock signal. This signal can, for example, be used to generate the PWM signal just described, or to clock a counter indicating a degree of brightness.

[0004] Pixelated light sources can be used to perform “high beam” (HB) functions, or complex functions such as ADB (“Adaptive Driving Beam”) or others. To perform complex light functions, it may be interesting to combine several pixelated segments, each segment having its own matrix of elementary light sources and its own oscillator generating its own clock signal.

[0005] It has been observed that a visual phenomenon of flickering may appear when using such sources which combine several pixelated matrices. This phenomenon is undesirable and may in particular present a source of potential danger in road traffic, since it can be a source of distraction for road users.

[0006] The invention aims to overcome at least one of the problems posed by the prior art. More specifically, the invention aims to propose a pixelated light source which can be used in a light assembly bringing together several such pixelated light sources, such that the light assembly is capable of projecting light beams with reduced flicker effects compared to known solutions.

[0007] In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, a pixelated light source for a motor vehicle is proposed. The pixelated light source comprises means for connection to a synchronous serial data bus and a management unit capable of generating a clock signal. The pixelated light source is remarkable in that the management unit comprises a phase-locked loop intended to control a first signal, originating from an oscillator, by means of a reference clock signal received on said synchronous serial data bus, to generate a clock signal phase-locked to the reference clock signal.

[0008] The connection means may preferably comprise an area of the pixelated light source intended to be connected by wire bonding to the data bus. Alternatively, the connection means may comprise a bridging type connection to a data bus. Alternatively, the connection means may comprise a connector.

[0009] Preferably, the management unit may comprise a microcontroller element. The management unit may preferably comprise an oscillator intended to generate said clock signal.

[0010] Preferably, the pixelated light source may comprise a plurality of elementary light sources intended to be controlled by a signal from pulse width modulation control. The frequency and / or duty cycle of the control signal can preferably be determined from the clock signal generated by the management unit.

[0011] The clock signals may preferably comprise periodic binary or sinusoidal signals. The reference clock signal may preferably comprise an analog signal. Alternatively, the reference clock signal may comprise a digital signal transmitted in an encoded manner on said synchronous serial data bus. Preferably, the pixelated light source may comprise a decoding unit for decoding the reference clock signal from the data received on the data bus, in order to slave it to the phase-locked loop.

[0012] The phase-locked loop may preferably comprise a frequency divider circuit and in that the clock signal generated by the management unit has a higher frequency than the reference clock signal.

[0013] The frequency divider circuit may preferably be intended to divide the frequency of the first signal from an oscillator by a factor which is between 1.2 and 70, preferably between 1.24 and 64, limits included.

[0014] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a lighting assembly for a motor vehicle comprising is provided. The assembly comprises a plurality of pixelated light sources according to the preceding aspect of the invention, a control unit having means for connection to a synchronous serial data bus, and a data bus connecting the control unit to each of the pixelated light sources. The assembly is remarkable in that said reference clock signal serves to clock the communications between the control unit and each of the pixelated light sources.

[0015] Preferably, the control unit may comprise a microcontroller element.

[0016] Preferably, said synchronous serial data bus may comprise a channel dedicated to the transmission of the reference clock signal.

[0017] The reference clock signal may preferably be an analog signal.

[0018] Preferably, the synchronous serial data bus may be a SPI (“Serial Peripheral Interface”) type bus.

[0019] Each of the plurality of pixelated light sources may preferentially form a segment of a projection unit.

[0020] In accordance with a final aspect of the invention, a method for synchronizing two clock signals generated respectively by two management units of two pixelated light sources according to one of the preceding aspects of the invention is proposed. The method is remarkable in that it comprises the following steps at each management unit:

[0021] - obtaining a reference clock signal on a synchronous serial data bus which connects each of the management units to a common control unit;

[0022] - phase locking of the clock signal generated by the management unit to the phase of said reference signal.

[0023] By using the measures proposed by the present invention, it becomes possible to propose a pixelated light source which can intervene in a light assembly bringing together several such pixelated light sources, such that the light assembly is capable of projecting light beams with reduced flicker effects compared to known solutions. Indeed, it has been observed that a source of the undesirable effect of flicker is a random phase shift which can exist between the oscillators internal to the pixelated light sources, and therefore between the clock signals of the different pixelated light sources, which are independent of each other.Since the clock signals impact the PWM signals that control the elementary light sources of each pixelated light source, their mutual phase shifts generate inhomogeneities in the light beam projected by the light assembly - which is a main source of the flickering effect. The invention makes it possible to provide a pixelated light source capable of synchronizing the frequency of its internal oscillator, and therefore its own clock signal, to a reference clock signal. Preferably, the reference clock signal used is a signal that is already available at the pixelated light source. It may, for example, be a clock signal that regulates communications on a serial data bus used to connect each of the pixelated light sources to a control unit that is common to them.By reusing this signal available at each of the pixelated light sources of a light assembly as a synchronization reference for the clock signals internal to each of the pixelated light sources, we avoid the need to provide an additional connection dedicated to obtaining the desired effect. In addition, we avoid calibrating each oscillator with respect to a theoretical reference during the production phase. It has been observed that the undesirable effect of flicker can be greatly reduced by imposing for the clock signal, internal to each pixelated light source, a constant phase shift in time with respect to the reference clock signal, common to all the pixelated light sources.

[0024] Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be better understood with the aid of the description of the examples and the drawings among which:

[0025] - [Fig.l] is a schematic illustration of a pixelated light source according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

[0026] - [Fig.2] is a schematic illustration of a management unit as it operates in a pixelated light source according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

[0027] - [Fig.3] is a schematic illustration of a light assembly according to a mode of preferred embodiment of the invention.

[0028] Unless specifically indicated otherwise, technical features described in detail for a given embodiment may be combined with technical features described in the context of other embodiments described by way of example and in a non-limiting manner.

[0029] The description focuses on the elements of a lighting assembly for a motor vehicle, which are necessary for understanding the invention. Other elements, which are for example in a known manner part of such assemblies, will not be mentioned or described in detail. For example, the presence of a support or heat dissipation elements are implicit for the operation of such a module.

[0030] A light assembly or module for a motor vehicle as it is involved in the implementation of a control method in accordance with a first embodiment according to the invention makes it possible to project lighting functions from image data. The module comprises a plurality of pixelated light sources. The module is capable of projecting a pixelated light beam, preferably with high definition. An image generally comprises a matrix of pixel values, each value corresponding to a degree of brightness to be achieved by a corresponding elementary light source of the lighting module. By way of example, a pixelated light source is supplied with electrical voltage, without the invention being limited to this method of electrical supply: at a given instant, the same electrical voltage is applied to the terminals of each pixel, which is equivalent to an elementary source produced by a miniaturized electroluminescent semiconductor element.The brightness level to be emitted by each pixel is controlled by the duty cycle of a pulse width modulation (PWM) control signal that selectively and periodically switches the pixel on and off. For a duty cycle of 100%, the average electrical current flowing through a pixel is equal to its maximum or peak intensity, which results in maximum brightness. For lower intensity levels, a lower duty cycle results in a lower average value of the average electrical current flowing through the pixel. The maximum current intensity is dependent on the electrical voltage value applied to the pixelated light source. The periodic PWM signal used to control the elementary light sources of a particular pixelated light source is dependent on a clock signal internal to this pixelated light source.

[0031] [Fig.l] shows a pixelated light source 110 according to an embodiment of the invention. The pixelated light source comprises a plurality of elementary light sources with electroluminescent semiconductor element 115, arranged in the form of a matrix. By way of example and without limitation, the illustrated light source is supplied with voltage. The pixelated light source 110 further comprises connection means 120 allowing its connection, for example by bridging, to a synchronous serial data bus, on which the light source can receive instructions which control its operation: this data can for example indicate which image is to be projected by the matrix of elementary light sources. The data exchanges between the light source and an external entity connected by the data bus are clocked by a regular and periodic clock signal: at each period, a data exchange can take place.In accordance with the invention, this reference clock signal 121, which is received on the synchronous data bus, is used to generate an internal clock signal 131 by means of a management unit 130. The internal clock signal has the particularity of having a fixed phase shift relative to the reference clock signal 121 used on the data bus. To achieve this effect, the management unit comprises an electronic circuit known as a phase-locked loop.

[0032] [Fig. 2] shows the management unit 130 of the light source 110 in more detail. This is a preferred embodiment of the invention. The management unit comprises a voltage-controlled oscillator circuit 136, intended to produce a first periodic signal 137 at a desired frequency. It may advantageously be a voltage signal, preferably sinusoidal.

[0033] The phase-locked loop of the management unit 130 further comprises a phase comparator circuit 132 as well as a filtering circuit, typically of the low-pass type 134. The frequency divider circuit 138 is optional. In its absence, the phase of the signal 137 supplied by the oscillator 136 is continuously compared to that of the input signal 121. The phase comparator generates a voltage signal which corresponds directly to the phase difference and which is presented to the input of the low-pass filter 134. The filtered signal controls the oscillator. The first signal 137 from the oscillator is thus controlled by means of the reference clock signal 121, to thereby generate a clock signal 131. The role of the phase-locked loop is to ensure that the frequencies of the signals applied to the two inputs of the phase comparator are identical. The phases of these two signals can be different.However, the difference between the phases of signals 121 and 131 is constant and controlled.

[0034] If the frequency of the clock signal 131 to be generated, which is intended to be used in the control of the elementary light sources of the pixelated light source, must have a higher (or lower) frequency than the frequency of the available clock signal 121, the frequency divider circuit 138 makes it possible to divide the frequency of the signal generated by the oscillator circuit 136 by an appropriate factor.

[0035] Circuit arrangements for oscillators, frequency dividers, phase comparators and low-pass filters are known in many variations in the art and may be used within the scope of the present invention. The details of the implementation of these electronic circuits will not be provided within the scope of the present invention since they are in themselves well known to a person having general abilities in electronics.

[0036] [Fig. 3] shows a light assembly 100 for a motor vehicle according to a preferred embodiment. The assembly 100 comprises a plurality of pixelated light sources 110, 110', 110” as just described in relation to FIGS. 1 and 2. The assembly further comprises a control unit 150 having connection means 152, for example by bridging or by means of a dedicated connector, to a synchronous serial data bus. The data bus 140 connects the control unit 150 to each of the pixelated light sources 110, 110', 110”. While [Fig. 3] shows a plurality of three pixelated light sources, the invention is obviously not limited to this specific example and other numbers of pixelated light sources can be envisaged depending on the intended projection applications, without departing from the scope of the present invention.The data bus 140 comprises, preferably on a dedicated channel, a reference clock signal 121 which is used to clock the communications between the control unit 150 and each of the pixelated light sources 110, 110', 110”. It becomes apparent that each of the pixelated light sources is now capable of generating an internal clock signal 131, 131', 131” each of which has a constant phase shift relative to the same reference clock signal 121. The phase shifts between the internal clock signals 131, 131', 131” are therefore constant and controlled without the intervention of specific connections dedicated to carrying out this synchronization. This degree of synchronization at the level of the internal clocks, which have a direct impact on the control of the elementary light sources, makes it possible to avoid flickering visible to the human eye during the projection of light beams involving all the light sources. pixelated from set 100. .

[0037] Preferably, the data bus 140 is a SPI (“Serial Peripheral Interface”) type bus, which comprises a dedicated channel for transporting the internal reference clock signal 121. Other protocols are however conceivable provided that the management unit 130 of a pixelated light source is capable of extracting the clock signal used in the communication protocol used on the data bus 140. For example, the clock signal 121 can be encoded in a way digital in digital data packets transmitted by the control unit 150 to a pixelated light source 110. In such a case, a decoder circuit will be provided at the light source 110 in order to extract the reference clock signal, to slave it in the phase-locked loop as described above. Provided that each of the pixelated light sources 110, 110', 110” of the set 100 uses the same reference clock signal, synchronization between the internal clocks 131, 131', 131” can thus be obtained.

[0038] For the example of a data bus 140 of the SPI type, the reference clock 121 typically has a frequency between 1 and 25 MHz. However, the clock signal 131 necessary for controlling elementary light sources (for example to control their lighting state in PWM mode) may have a frequency between 32 and 64 MHz. In this example, it is therefore necessary to provide a frequency divider circuit in the phase-locked loop, as illustrated by the circuit 138 of [Fig. 2]. The division factor corresponds to a value between 1.28 and 64 to match the frequency ranges mentioned. It goes without saying that, depending on the frequencies targeted, other division factors are to be provided without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0039] It goes without saying that the embodiments described do not limit the scope of protection of the invention. By using the description which has just been given, other embodiments are conceivable without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0040] The scope of protection is determined by the claims.

Claims

Claims

1. A lighting assembly (100) for a motor vehicle comprising a plurality of pixelated light sources (110, 110', 110”), each of the pixelated light sources comprising: • connection means (120) to a synchronous serial data bus (140); • a management unit (130) capable of generating a clock signal (131), the management unit comprising: • a phase-locked loop (132, 134, 136) intended to control a first signal (137), originating from an oscillator (136), by means of a reference clock signal (121) received on said synchronous serial data bus, to generate a clock signal (131) phase-locked to the reference clock signal (121);the assembly further comprising: • a control unit (150) having connection means (152) to a synchronous serial data bus, and • a data bus (140) connecting the control unit to each of the pixelated light sources, characterized in that the synchronous data bus (140) comprises the reference clock signal (121) which is used to regulate the communications between the control unit and each of the pixelated light sources.;

2. Lighting assembly (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the pixelated light source (110) comprises a plurality of elementary light sources (115) intended to be controlled by a pulse width modulated control signal, the frequency and / or the duty cycle of the control signal being determined from the clock signal (131) generated by the management unit (130).

3. Lighting assembly (100) according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the phase-locked loop comprises a frequency divider circuit (138) and in that the clock signal generated (131) by the management unit has a higher frequency than the reference clock signal (121).

4. Lighting assembly (100) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the frequency divider circuit (138) is intended to divide the frequency of the first signal (137) coming from an oscillator (136) by a factor which is between 1.2 and 70, limits included.

5. Lighting assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said synchronous serial data bus (140) comprises a channel dedicated to the transmission of the reference clock signal.

6. Lighting assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the reference clock signal is an analog signal.

7. Lighting assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the synchronous serial data bus (140) is a SPI (“Serial Peripheral Interface”) type bus.

8. A light assembly according to any preceding claim, characterized in that each of the plurality of pixelated light sources (110, 110', 110”) forms a segment of a projection unit.

9. Method for synchronizing at least two clock signals (131, 131', 131”) generated respectively by at least two management units (130, 130', 130”) of at least two pixelated light sources (110, 110', 110”) of a light assembly (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the method comprises the following steps at each management unit: - obtaining a reference clock signal (121) on a synchronous serial data bus (140) which connects each of the management units to a common control unit; - locking the phase of the clock signal (131, 131', 131”) generated by the management unit to the phase of said reference signal (121).

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