Rear lamps, their operating method, and vehicles

Abstract

The present invention relates to a rear lamp (1) for a vehicle (2), comprising a plurality of light-emitting means (3) arranged in a line according to a pattern (6). The rear lamp (1) according to the present invention is characterized in that, depending on the mirror symmetry or point symmetry in the pattern (6), at least one partner light-emitting means (3P) is assigned to each light-emitting means (3), the center point or mirror point (5) of each mirror axis (4) is located at the geometric center point of the pattern (6), and each partner light-emitting means (3P) is configured to switch off if the light-emitting means (3) to which the partner light-emitting means (3P) is assigned fails.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a rear lamp of a vehicle of the type defined in detail in the preamble of claim 1, a method of operating a rear lamp of that type, and a vehicle equipped with a rear lamp of that type.

Background Art

[0002] The latest LEDs enable the provision of light-emitting means that are particularly small yet bright. The resulting design freedom is utilized by vehicle manufacturers to adapt the appearance of the vehicle accordingly. In that case, by using LEDs, it is possible not only to provide a dot-like light source in the vehicle, but also to provide surface-like, strip-like, or matrix-like illumination.

[0003] For this purpose, a plurality of LEDs are arranged side by side in a specific pattern. That is, a large number of individual light-emitting means are required to design such a lamp. LEDs are characterized by a long lifespan. However, it is possible that an individual LED may fail prematurely. In such a case, the appearance of the lamp is adversely affected by having a dark area. There is also a possibility that the visibility of the vehicle is impaired.

[0004] This requires the replacement of the vehicle lamp, which has several drawbacks. That is, the vehicle owner has to visit a repair shop, which is laborious. Furthermore, the payment for a new lamp has to be made, resulting in expenses. The defective lamp has to be discarded, which places a burden on the environment. In particular, since there are still functioning LEDs in the lamp, there has been an exploration of the possibility of not replacing the entire vehicle lamp when an individual LED fails.

[0005] Regarding this, Patent Document 1 discloses an LED module equipped with a passive LED. This document describes an LED module consisting of multiple LEDs arranged on a circuit board. Each LED is coupled to a photo-input coupling element of a light guide, which radiates the light emitted from the LED outwards. In addition to the LEDs, at least one passive LED is provided on the circuit board. The passive LED is deactivated in the normal operating mode of the LED module and is activated and functions as a replacement when at least one LED fails. By incorporating an additional LED, the LED module can be reliably operated even if an individual LED fails. However, the disadvantage is that in that case, it is necessary to incorporate an additional LED into the LED module.

[0006] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a diagnostic system for LED lamps in automobiles. The LEDs in an LED lamp can be arranged in a matrix. The matrix can have multiple LED strings connected in parallel to each other, and multiple LEDs connected in series to one LED string. If one LED fails, the entire LED string containing the defective LED also fails.

[0007] Furthermore, Patent Document 3 discloses a method and system for recognizing LED failures in a vehicle lighting system. The vehicle lighting system comprises a first lamp and a second lamp. If an LED fails in one of the two lamps, both lights are deactivated.

[0008] Furthermore, Patent Document 4 discloses a method and apparatus for functional testing of a matrix light source assembly, and a headlight equipped therewith. In order to test the functionality of the light source assembly, the energy value of one of the two light sources of the light source assembly is detected and compared with a comparison value.

[0009] Furthermore, Patent Document 5 discloses a light-transmitting body member for the outer skin of an automobile. In this case, the vehicle's functional lighting is formed from two parts: the first part utilizes a light source incorporated into the headlight housing, and the second part utilizes a light-transmitting body member with a backlight. The light-transmitting body member can extend across the entire width of the automobile. Furthermore, a vehicle lighting system is known from Patent Document 6. The lighting system includes a vehicle lamp having at least two LEDs. Therefore, the control device can detect a failure in one of the LEDs and issue a warning message to the vehicle user accordingly. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0010] [Patent Document 1] DE202010004874U1 [Patent Document 2] EP1000806B1 [Patent Document 3] DE102022115153A1 [Patent Document 4] DE102018201102A1 [Patent Document 5] DE102012003200B4 [Patent Document 6] DE102009019752A1 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0011] The present invention is based on the objective of providing an improved rear lamp for a vehicle and a method for operating it, which enables the rear lamp to continue operating even if an individual light-emitting means fails. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] According to the present invention, this problem is solved by a vehicle taillight having the features of claim 1, and a method of operating the same having the features of claim 5. Advantageous embodiments and developments, as well as vehicles equipped with such taillights, will become apparent from the claims relating thereto.

[0013] A tail lamp for a vehicle that corresponds in terms of attributes, comprising a plurality of light-emitting means arranged in a pattern, is improved according to the present invention by relying on mirror symmetry or point symmetry in the pattern, assigning at least one partner light-emitting means to each light-emitting means, with each center point or mirror point of the mirror axis located at the geometric center point of the pattern, and each partner light-emitting means being set to switch off if the light-emitting means to which the partner light-emitting means is assigned fails, thereby maintaining the symmetry of the pattern.

[0014] If an individual light-emitting means of a rear lamp fails, this can be detected relatively quickly by an observer. In that case, the corresponding light characteristics emitted from the rear lamp will have individual dark areas. The rear lamp according to the present invention is based on the idea of ​​deactivating the individual light-emitting means of the rear lamp to emit light, thereby maintaining the symmetry of the pattern in which the light-emitting means are arranged. Therefore, it is not immediately apparent that an individual light-emitting means of the rear lamp has failed. Thus, the rear lamp according to the present invention can continue to operate without the need to replace it with a new one.

[0015] Particularly preferably, in this case, the individual light-emitting means are arranged in a two-dimensional field. This type of field can also be called an array or matrix.

[0016] Assigning light-emitting means to partner light-emitting means is easily possible. The pattern in which the light-emitting means are arranged, i.e., the geometric distribution of the light-emitting means, is known. Therefore, partner light-emitting means can be found by relying on their respective symmetries. In this case, each assignment can be stored in digital data format on a computer-readable storage medium of the computing unit. If at least one light-emitting means fails, the corresponding control unit for monitoring and / or controlling the light-emitting means can access this data storage device and easily determine which partner light-emitting means needs to be switched off.

[0017] In this context, "switching off" means that the partner light-emitting means is controlled to stop emitting light if the respective light-emitting means fails. In other words, the partner light-emitting means is always in an inactive state. In this case, the rear lamp can project static or dynamic light characteristics onto the surroundings via a pattern.

[0018] An advantageous development of the rear lamp according to the present invention is that at least one light-emitting means is formed by an LED. As already mentioned, LEDs can be manufactured to be particularly small and have high luminous power, which makes it possible to create particularly complex patterns and therefore visually attractive rear lamps. Furthermore, LEDs are relatively inexpensive and have a long lifespan. However, generally speaking, the light-emitting means may also be incandescent bulbs, xenon lamps, gas discharge lamps, lasers, etc.

[0019] According to another advantageous embodiment of the rear lamp according to the present invention, it comprises an integrated control unit for monitoring and / or controlling the light-emitting means. In order to ensure the operation of the rear lamp according to the present invention, it is necessary to monitor and precisely control the individual light-emitting means. In this case, both the monitoring function and the control function can be integrated into a common control unit. The control unit may be part of the vehicle or, preferably, integrated into the rear lamp itself. This makes it possible to provide an assembly that can be easily installed and operated. However, the monitoring and control functions can also be divided into multiple computer systems or modules. For example, the monitoring function can be integrated into the computer system of the rear lamp and the control function can be integrated into the vehicle's control unit, and vice versa. However, it is particularly preferable that both functions are provided by a control unit integrated into each rear lamp.

[0020] In particular, each control unit has a computer-readable storage medium in which the assignment of light-emitting means to each partner light-emitting means is stored.

[0021] Another advantageous embodiment of the rear lamp according to the invention contemplates that at least two different colors of light can be emitted from the light-emitting means at at least one position in the pattern and at the position of the corresponding partner. Thereby, particularly complex light characteristics can be projected from the rear lamp to the surroundings. If the light-emitting means are arranged as one field, the "position" can be understood as one pixel of the field or matrix. In that case, a plurality of light-emitting means of different colors can be installed in this type of pixel, or the same light-emitting means can emit different colors to the surroundings. The position of the partner with respect to the position is determined in the same way as the partner light-emitting means for each light-emitting means. For example, the following three colors, namely red, orange, white, or red, green, blue can be emitted to the surroundings at the same position. Red is typically used by vehicles as a tail light or brake light. The direction indicator typically emits orange or yellow light. White light can be used to form a backlight. For example, red, green, and blue LEDs can be provided at each position or each pixel of the pattern. In that case, by precisely controlling the brightness of the LEDs of each color, various colors can be created by adding colors, particularly red, orange, and white.

[0022] According to the invention, the method of operation of the rear lamp described in the above section comprises the following method steps, namely, - a method step of monitoring the normal functional ability of the light-emitting means, and after detecting a failure of at least one light-emitting means, - a method step of deactivating the partner light-emitting means assigned to the failed light-emitting means with respect to the emission of light and includes.

[0023] Monitoring of the normal functional ability is possible using a monitoring unit inside or outside each rear lamp. For example, the monitoring unit can be part of or integrated into the control unit. In that case, each partner light-emitting means can be deactivated for both static and dynamic lighting emissions.

[0024] An advantageous development of the method involves a monitoring module that monitors the voltage, current, and / or resistance of at least a portion of the rear lamp's electrical circuit to detect a failure of a light-emitting means. If one of the rear lamp's light-emitting means fails, this affects the flow of current through the rear lamp's circuit. In this case, higher or lower voltages or currents may flow between individual components. In particular, the resistance of individual components also changes. The monitoring module can monitor each component of the rear lamp's electrical circuit and thereby confirm the failure of a light-emitting means. Depending on which part of the electrical circuit changes its behavior, the monitoring module can determine which light-emitting means has failed. For example, each light-emitting means is integrated into the electrical circuit via a separate circuit. In that case, the failed light-emitting means can be determined by analyzing which circuit changes its electrical behavior.

[0025] The monitoring module can be the monitoring unit described above. Therefore, the monitoring module can be integrated into the control unit or formed externally. The monitoring module can be part of the taillight or part of the vehicle.

[0026] The vehicle according to the present invention is equipped with the taillights described above. The taillights provided on the vehicle preferably operate using the method according to the present invention. The vehicle can be any vehicle, such as a passenger car, cargo van, transporter, bus, or motorcycle.

[0027] In that case, an advantageous alternative development of the vehicle is intended to be a rear lamp that is configured to emit specific lights for taillights, reverse lights, brake lights, and / or turn signals. That is, according to the present invention, the rear lamp is configured to function as a corresponding taillight, reverse light, brake light, and / or turn signal. In operation as a taillight, a moderately bright red light is statically projected into the surroundings. In function as a brake light, a red light that is projected into the surroundings when the brake pedal is operated is projected into the surroundings with higher brightness. In function as a reverse light, a white light is projected into the surroundings after the vehicle is put into reverse gear. In function as a turn signal, a corresponding orange or yellow flashing light is provided when the vehicle's turn signal lever is operated.

[0028] A separate rear lamp can be provided on the vehicle for each function; for example, a rear lamp according to the present invention can be provided to provide a backlight, and another rear lamp according to the present invention can be provided as a brake light. In that case, each rear lamp can be provided in duplicate, one on the left half of the vehicle and one on the right half. However, it is particularly preferable to have a rear lamp that integrates all functions.

[0029] According to another advantageous embodiment of the vehicle according to the present invention, the vehicle has a continuous rear lamp extending horizontally across the rear of the vehicle, the rear lamp being configured such that at least a first portion of the pattern emits a first characteristic light, and a second portion of the pattern emits a characteristic light corresponding to the first characteristic light. The first characteristic light may be, for example, a brake light or a taillight. In this case, the first portion of the pattern may be located, for example, in the area of ​​the rear of the vehicle where the left brake light or taillight would otherwise be located. Correspondingly, the second portion of the pattern may be located in the area of ​​the rear of the vehicle where the right brake light or taillight would otherwise be located. Thus, the vehicle according to the present invention preferably comprises the rear lamp according to the present invention, which can provide a plurality of characteristic lights of different light-emitting functions. In this case, for example, in addition to the left rear and right rear brake lights, an additional third brake light may also be provided, for example, further projected circumferentially between the first portion and the second portion of the pattern, particularly in the center between the first portion and the second portion of the pattern, as viewed in the transverse axis direction of the vehicle.

[0030] Another advantageous embodiment of the vehicle according to the present invention is configured to detect failure of a light-emitting means, by having a monitoring module that, after detecting a failure of at least one light-emitting means, issues a warning message to the user via an output means inside the vehicle, in particular, the light-emitting means are divided into a first number of light-emitting means and a second number of light-emitting means, depending on their arrangement in a pattern, and the monitoring module further intends to issue different warning messages when the first number of light-emitting means fails and when the second number of light-emitting means fails. A vehicle driver or owner typically checks the proper functioning of their vehicle's taillights only irregularly or not at all. Therefore, it is possible that the person may drive for a relatively long time with a defective taillight installed. However, according to the present invention, if at least one light-emitting means fails, the monitoring module can issue a warning message, thereby making the user aware of the defect. In that case, visual, audible, and / or tactile warning messages can be output via the corresponding output means. For example, explanatory text messages and / or pictograms can be output to vehicle display devices such as the instrument cluster, head unit, and head-up display. Acoustic warning sounds, such as bells or sirens, can be output via speakers, and / or corresponding text messages can be read aloud by computer voice. Furthermore, vehicle structures that are frequently touched by the vehicle's occupants, such as the steering wheel, control elements, vehicle seats, and pedals, can be excited and vibrated.

[0031] The system can also forward corresponding warning messages to the user's smartphone or other mobile device linked to the vehicle.

[0032] In the simplest case, the user is notified only of a general failure of at least one light-emitting device. However, different warning messages can be given for different light-emitting devices. This is especially true for a single rear lamp that extends across the entire width of the rear of the vehicle. For a vehicle to be authorized, certain lamps must be present in specific locations on the vehicle. For example, brake lights or taillights, turn signals, etc., must be in specific locations and, in that case, must be able to project sufficient specific light characteristics into the surrounding area. In particular, if a light-emitting device used for functions such as brake lights, taillights, or turn signals fails, the vehicle's traffic suitability will be adversely affected. In such cases, the warning message may include a request to visit a repair shop to have the damage repaired as soon as possible. This will allow the vehicle to maintain or recover its drivability as soon as possible. On the other hand, if a light-emitting device not used to provide the corresponding light characteristics fails, it is not necessarily required to visit a repair shop immediately. Therefore, the warning message may only include information that a light-emitting device has failed. Supplementary information may also be provided here regarding which light-emitting device has failed. For example, an image of the rear lamp according to the present invention can be displayed on a vehicle's display device, and the malfunctioning light-emitting means will be highlighted.

[0033] The rear lamp according to the present invention, the method of operation thereof according to the present invention, and other advantageous embodiments of a vehicle according to the present invention will also be apparent from exemplary embodiments which will be described in detail below with reference to the figures. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0034] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of the rear lamp according to the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram of the rear of a vehicle according to the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0035] Figure 1 shows a rear lamp 1 according to the present invention for a vehicle 2 shown in Figure 2. The rear lamp 1 comprises a plurality of light-emitting means 3 arranged according to a pattern 6. In this case, only some elements are given reference numerals to ensure visibility. In the exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 1, the light-emitting means 3, for example, LEDs, are arranged in a square field or matrix. In this case, each position where each light-emitting means 3 is arranged can also be called a pixel.

[0036] During the operation of the rear lamp 1, it is possible that individual light-emitting means 3 may fail. In Figure 1, the failed light-emitting means 3 are shown with hatching. The failed light-emitting means 3 are outlined with a solid, dark line.

[0037] Failure of individual light-emitting means 3 can adversely affect the appearance of the rear lamp 1. Therefore, as is known from the prior art, the rear lamp 1 needs to be replaced. According to the present invention, to prevent this, each light-emitting means 3 is assigned to a corresponding partner light-emitting means 3P. The pattern 6 in which the light-emitting means 3 are arranged has at least one symmetrical characteristic. In Figure 1, this is a square pattern, thereby having four reflection axes 4 and one reflection point 5. Each partner light-emitting means 3P of a light-emitting means 3 is indicated by appropriate hatching and a dashed border. In this case, Figure 1 shows an example where exactly one partner light-emitting means 3P is switched off for each light-emitting means 3. However, based on the symmetry of the pattern 6 shown in Figure 1, it is possible to find multiple partner light-emitting means 3P, such as partner light-emitting means 3P for the horizontal reflection axis 4 and the vertical reflection axis 4. Therefore, it becomes possible to switch off not just one, but multiple (not shown) partner light-emitting means 3P for each light-emitting means 3.

[0038] By switching off each partner light-emitting means 3P, the symmetry of pattern 6 is maintained when emitting light, and as a result, the rear lamp 1 is not considered defective when observed. Therefore, there is no need to replace the rear lamp 1. This reduces costs incurred by the vehicle owner and is environmentally friendly by reducing waste generation.

[0039] Figure 2 shows the rear 7 of a vehicle 2 according to the present invention. The rear lamp 1 is designed horizontally across the entire rear 7 of the vehicle. In this case, the pattern 6 can preferably be divided into at least a first part 6.1, a second part 6.2, and a third part 6.3. The light characteristics emitted by the light-emitting means 3 are preferably designed to be the same in the first part 6.1 and the second part 6.2 of the pattern 6. The design of the light characteristics of the third part 6.3 is not important for the time being. Therefore, it is possible to provide illumination for multiple different functions, such as turn signals, brake lights, and taillights, through the rear lamp 1 in the respective parts 6.1, 6.2, and 6.3. For example, the light-emitting means 3 can emit red light uniformly across the entire pattern 6. When the vehicle 2 is braked, the brightness of the red light in the first part 6.1 and the second part 6.2 can be increased, thereby outputting brake lights. Optionally, an additional brake light can be indicated in the third part 6.3 of the pattern 6.

[0040] Furthermore, if at least one light-emitting means 3 fails, a warning message can be sent to the driver of the vehicle 2. The light-emitting means 3 of the rear lamp 1 can be divided into a first number 8.1 and a second number 8.2. The division is made in particular in accordance with the legal framework. Thus, it is necessary to be able to provide specific functional lamps in specific areas of the rear of the vehicle 7 and generate corresponding light characteristics. This is easily made possible by using the rear lamp 1 according to the present invention. Thus, the light-emitting means 3 of the first number 8.1 is used in particular to form brake lights, taillights, and / or turn signals. Then, the light-emitting means 3 of the second number 8.2 can be used to project any light characteristics into the surroundings in accordance with current laws. Next, if the light-emitting means 3 of the second number 8.2 fails, the vehicle owner does not need to take any further action for the time being. On the other hand, if the light-emitting means 3 of the first number 8.1 fails, it may be necessary to repair or replace the rear lamp 1 in order to maintain the traffic suitability of the vehicle 2. Therefore, if the first light-emitting means 3 of number 8.1 malfunctions, a warning message including a request to visit a repair shop can be sent to the user of the vehicle 2.

Claims

1. A rear lamp (1) of a vehicle (2), comprising a plurality of light-emitting means (3) arranged in a pattern (6), The rear lamp (1) is characterized in that, relying on the mirror symmetry or point symmetry in the pattern (6), at least one partner light-emitting means (3P) is assigned to each light-emitting means (3), the respective center points or mirror points (5) of the mirror axis (4) are located at the geometric center point of the pattern (6), and each partner light-emitting means (3P) is configured to switch off if the light-emitting means (3) to which the partner light-emitting means (3P) is assigned fails, thereby maintaining the symmetry of the pattern (6).

2. The rear lamp (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one light-emitting means (3) is formed by an LED.

3. The rear lamp (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by an integrated control unit for monitoring and / or controlling the light-emitting means (3).

4. The rear lamp (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the pattern (6) is designed to emit at least two different colors of light from the light-emitting means (3) at at least one position in the pattern (6) and the corresponding partner position.

5. In the method for operating the rear lamp (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, the following method steps, i.e. - A method for monitoring the normal functional capability of the light-emitting means (3), and after detecting a failure of at least one light-emitting means (3), - A method step of deactivating the partner light-emitting means (3P) assigned to the malfunctioning light-emitting means (3) with respect to light emission. The method characterized by the above.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that a monitoring module monitors the voltage, current, and / or resistance of at least a portion of the electrical circuit of the rear lamp (1) in order to detect a failure of the light-emitting means (3).

7. In vehicle (2), The vehicle (2) characterized by at least one rear lamp (1) as described in any one of claims 1 to 4.

8. The vehicle (2) according to claim 7, characterized in that the rear lamp (1) is configured to emit specific light for a taillight, reverse light, brake light, and / or turn signal.

9. The vehicle (2) according to claim 8, characterized by a continuous rear lamp (1) extending horizontally across the rear of the vehicle (7), wherein the rear lamp (1) is configured to emit a first characteristic light by at least a first portion (6.1) of a pattern (6) and to emit a characteristic light corresponding to the first characteristic light by a second portion (6.2) of the pattern (6).

10. A monitoring module for detecting a failure of a light-emitting means (3) is configured to issue a warning message to the user via an output means inside the vehicle after detecting a failure of at least one light-emitting means (3), wherein the light-emitting means (3) is divided into a first number (8.1) of light-emitting means (3) and a second number (8.2) of light-emitting means (3) depending on the arrangement in the pattern (6), and the monitoring module issues different warning messages when the first number (8.1) of light-emitting means (3) fails and when the second number (8.2) of lighting means (3) fails, as described in any one of claims 7 to 9.

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