ASSEMBLY AND CONTROL OF LIGHT EMITTING DIODE (LED) HEADLIGHTS

Abstract

This disclosure includes methods and systems for creating, using, and controlling LED headlight topologies and arrays that require fewer parts, electricity, and energy, while enabling advanced features such as cornering lights; the disclosed methods and systems may enable the use of smaller electrical systems, including LED control systems and other headlight topologies; the disclosed methods and systems may also take advantage of pixel pairing and time-division multiplexing, among other methods, to manage electrical flow to minimize the energy required along the circuit at specified times, thereby reducing the amount of materials needed to create the LED headlight topology and related methods and systems for creating, using, and controlling the LED headlight topology.

Description

ASSEMBLY AND CONTROL OF LIGHT EMITTING DIODE (LED) HEADLIGHTS CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 043467, entitled LED HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY AND CONTROL, filed on June 24, 2020, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION This disclosure relates to a vehicle headlight design and, more specifically, to light-emitting diode (LED) headlight topology and array management. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Some vehicles use headlight designs composed of light-emitting diodes (LEDs). LED functions in automotive headlights can include various activation patterns and brightness levels associated with different headlight settings. For example, LED functions may include, but are not limited to: focused low beam, wide low beam, high beam, turn signal, and daytime running lights (DRL). The focused low beam LED function can be designed to illuminate a relatively short distance from a vehicle, but focused primarily on a point in the area directly in front of the vehicle. The wide low beam LED function can be designed to illuminate a relatively short distance from a vehicle, but dispersed to emit light in a cone from the headlights to project light to the sides of the vehicle. Thus, headlights disperse light in a wider pattern when in wide low beam mode compared to focused low beam mode.The high beam LED function can be designed to illuminate a relatively long distance from a vehicle, allowing a driver to see further in the dark. The turn signal LED function can be used to signal to oncoming traffic that the driver intends to turn in a certain direction. Daytime running lights can be used to increase the vehicle's visibility to other vehicles and pedestrians, even if the lights are not needed to illuminate the immediate area for the driver. Other LED functions may include advanced features such as cornering lights, where light beams are directed to illuminate around turns and corners. For example, an LED function can be designed to emit light from the LEDs to direct it at an angle as the vehicle turns. MA / t / ZUZÓ / UZU I As shown in Figure 1A, some current automotive headlight designs use a plurality of LEDs, with each LED connected to an individual driver circuit used to turn the connected LED on and off. In the implementation shown in Figure 1A, each driver circuit is connected to an individual LED, which is, in turn, connected to ground. Activating the driver circuit turns on a single LED. Some LEDs connected in this way can be used within a vehicle to provide high beams, enabling the driver to see long distances at night. Alternatively, some LEDs within a headlight assembly can be used as part of the low beams. Other LEDs within an automotive lighting assembly can be used as daytime running lights. In some LED headlight designs, individual LEDs are arranged in parallel and controlled independently by separate LED drivers, meaning only one driver is needed for each LED string. This parallel design can be cost-inefficient and lead to poor system performance because each LED string may require a significant amount of power to operate its drivers. For example, excess power may be converted into heat instead of light, resulting in inefficient conversion of electrical energy to light. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A modality is a system for controlling light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in a vehicle. The modality includes an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to control current, voltage, or power to a first LED driver circuit; one or more LEDs electrically connected to the first LED driver circuit; and a first shunt connected to the ECU and configured to electrically shunt the first LED(s) to form one or more first LED functions. The system may include one or more second LEDs electrically connected to the first LED driver circuit. The system may include a second shunt connected to the ECU and configured to electrically shunt the second LED(s) to form one or more second LED functions. The first shunt may be controlled using time-division multiplexing, angle-domain multiplexing, or volt-second analysis to shunt one or more of the first LEDs.The second shunt can be controlled using time-division multiplexing, angle-domain multiplexing, or volt-second analysis to shunt one or more of the second LEDs. The ECU can be configured to prevent the total power supplied to the first shunt from the first LED(s) and the second LED(s) from reaching a predetermined threshold. The first LED(s) comprise a plurality of LEDs that can illuminate independently. The ECU can comprise a variety of profiles for illuminating LED assemblies within the headlight assembly. The profiles can be selected from the group consisting of: high beam, focused low beam, wide low beam, daytime running light, or turn signal. This disclosure includes a method for controlling a light-emitting diode (LED) array in a vehicle, wherein the method comprises: receiving a signal to activate an array of LEDs in the vehicle; activating a first LED driver circuit to supply power to an array of LEDs; and controlling a first shunt connected to one or more of the LEDs in an array of LEDs to electrically shunt one or more of the LEDs in the array of LEDs. The method may further comprise monitoring the power drawn by the first LED driver circuit and shunting one or more LEDs if the power drawn is above a predetermined threshold. Activating the first LED driver circuit may comprise reading an LED lighting profile to determine which LEDs should be shunted by the first shunt. The profile may be selected from the group consisting of: high beam, focused low beam, wide low beam, daytime running light, or turn signal.Controlling the first differentiator may involve time-division multiplexing, angle-domain multiplexing, or volt-second analysis of the first differentiator. This disclosure includes a method for controlling a light-emitting diode (LED) array in a vehicle headlight assembly, wherein the method comprises identifying a first pixel and a second pixel of the LED array powered by an LED driver; matching the first pixel to the second pixel, wherein the matching is optimized such that the matching intensity is below the maximum intensity of any individual pixel powered by the LED driver; determining a threshold amount of volt-seconds to be emitted by the LED driver; determining a set of LED functions to be associated with the LED driver; optimizing the set of LED functions of the vehicle headlight assembly; and associating the set of LED functions with the LED driver.The LED function set can be associated with the LED light profile comprising one or more of the following LED profiles: high beam, focused low beam, wide low beam, daytime running light, and turn signal profiles. Optimizing the LED function set of the vehicle headlight assembly may involve optimization using any combination of time-division multiplexing, angle-domain multiplexing, or volt-second analysis. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The following will describe various inventive features, with reference to the drawings below. Reference numbers may appear throughout the drawings. MA / t / ZUZÓ / UZU 104 may be reused to indicate a correspondence between referenced elements. The drawings are provided to illustrate illustrative modalities described herein and are not intended to limit the scope of disclosure. Figure 1A illustrates an illustrative circuit diagram of the prior art with a parallel LED driver for each LED Function. Figure IB illustrates an illustrative circuit diagram with LED Strings, wherein each LED String includes an LED driver, one or more LED functions, and one or more shunts in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Figure 1C illustrates an illustrative timeline diagram for the operation of the illustrative circuit diagram shown in Figure 1B. Figure 2A shows an example of a current flow varying through a series-differentiator topology. Figure 2B shows another example of a current flow varying through a series-differentiator topology. Figure 3A illustrates an illustrative LED matrix arrangement. Figure 3B illustrates an illustrative LED matrix arrangement grouped in banks. Figure 4A illustrates illustrative voltage measurements over time for three interleaved LED banks. Figure 4B illustrates example voltage measurements over time for an LED channel. Figure 5 illustrates a graph that represents how pixel pairing can be optimized in the angular domain. Figure 6 illustrates a graph showing volt-second analysis used to maximize the utilization of LED drivers. Figure 7A illustrates an illustrative flowchart demonstrating an illustrative series of steps in pixel-matching optimization. Figure 7B illustrates an illustrative flowchart demonstrating an illustrative series of steps in pixel-matching optimization. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Several aspects of the systems, apparatus, and methods will be described more fully hereafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the teachings of this disclosure can be represented in many different ways and should not be interpreted as being limited to any specific structure or function presented herein. MA / t / ZUZÓ / UZU I of this disclosure. Rather, these aspects are provided so that this disclosure is exhaustive and complete and fully conveys the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. Based on the teachings herein, a person skilled in the art will appreciate that the scope of the disclosure is intended to cover any aspect of the novel systems, apparatus, and methods disclosed herein, whether implemented independently or in combination with any other aspect of the invention. For example, an apparatus may be implemented, or a method may be put into practice, using any number of the aspects set forth herein. Furthermore, the scope of the invention is intended to cover an apparatus or method thus put into practice using a different surface, functionality, or structure and functionality in addition to or different from the various aspects of the invention set forth herein.It shall be understood that any aspect disclosed herein may be represented by one or more elements of a claim. Although specific aspects are described herein, many aspects and permutations thereof fall within the scope of disclosure. While some benefits and advantages of preferred aspects are mentioned, the scope of disclosure is not intended to be limited to any particular benefits, uses, or objectives. Instead, aspects of the disclosure are intended to apply broadly to various wireless technologies, system configurations, networks, and transmission protocols, some of which are illustrated by way of example in the figures and in the following description of preferred aspects. The detailed description and drawings are merely illustrative of the disclosure, rather than limiting it, where the scope of disclosure is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. This disclosure includes methods and systems for creating, using, and controlling LED headlight topologies and arrays that require fewer parts, less electricity, and less power compared to previous systems, while enabling advanced features such as cornering lights. The disclosed methods and systems may allow for easier manufacturing and repair of LEDs and other headlight topologies. Modalities of the disclosed methods and systems may allow for the use of smaller electrical systems, including control systems for LEDs and other headlight topologies.Other modalities can take advantage of pixel pairing and time-division multiplexing, among other methods, to manage the electrical flow to each LED to minimize the energy required along the circuit at given times, thereby reducing the amount of materials needed to create the LED headlight topology and related methods and systems for creating, using, and controlling the LED headlight topology. In some implementations of this system, multiple LEDs are connected in series to the same LED driver and controlled as a single LED string. This design allows for the assignment of multiple LEDs and functions to a single LED driver. In some configurations, the system controls the functions of individual LEDs using shunts to adjust the brightness of individual LEDs, or groups of LEDs, without affecting the brightness of other LEDs in the same LED string. Reducing the component count, for example, by decreasing the number of LED drivers, can lower system costs, reduce the size of the printed circuit board (PCB), and increase space for other electrical components. This can allow for a smaller LED headlight design to fit a variety of headlight configurations and designs, and also decrease circuit complexity.The reduced complexity may lead to improvements in the manufacturing, repair, and replacement of headlights that use this system. These methods may result in smaller housing or heat sink sizes for a particular headlight. In general, a system with fewer LED drivers can also reduce the amount of energy and / or power required to operate, thereby decreasing energy consumption and increasing battery life when drawing power from a battery, as with an electric vehicle. The series-shunt LED topology disclosed herein can thus result in improved electrical efficiency, reduced size and weight, and lower costs. The series-shunt topology can be used to improve electrical efficiency and reduce the size of any high-power LED lighting system, although this disclosure focuses on its use in automotive headlights. As shown in Figure IB, a series-shunt topology supporting five LEDs requires only two control circuits: LED Driver 1 and LED Driver 2. The series-shunt topology shown in Figure IB includes LED shunts for individual control of each LED. A shunt is placed at each LED function, so that individual LED functions can be controlled independently by activating the shunt using a control system connected to each shunt. As shown, Vn connects to LED Driver 1, which supplies power to LED String 1. LED Driver 1 provides power to a first LED (LED Function 1) and a second LED (LED Function 2). LED Function 1 is also connected to a first LED dimming shunt that can divert power beyond the LED and act to dim or brighten LED Function 1 in a controllable manner.As shown in Figure IB, LED String 1 also includes LED Function 2 connected to a second LED dimming shunt in LED String 1. By activating each shunt, a control system can control the brightness of the first or second LED in LED String 1, and only one controller is needed to provide power and LED activation to LED String 1. As also shown in Figure 1B, LED Driver 2 is connected to and configured to control a set of three LEDs (LED Functions 1, 2, and 3). Each of the three LEDs is connected to an individual shunt circuit that can be used to dim or brighten each LED without affecting other LED functions in the same series. To operate each shunt, a control system can turn the shunt off, allowing current to flow through that LED's function, thus illuminating the LED. When the shunt for the LED's function is turned on, the current can be diverted around the LED's function, so the LED does not light up because the power was diverted to the LED. Alternatively, shunts can be used to dim an LED, rather than turning it off completely. To dim an LED, each shunt can be modulated to a frequency high enough to avoid noticeable flicker, but low enough that switching losses are negligible. For example, shunts can be modulated to operate at approximately 200 Hz. Alternatively, shunts can be modulated to operate at approximately 100, 120, 130, 144 Hz, or frequencies above 200 Hz, depending on the design parameters. The LED driver powering each LED string can maintain a constant current throughout the string, so the current through any given LED function can be controlled by its associated shunt. Therefore, shunts can control multiple LED functions from the same LED driver while maintaining complete control over the overall brightness of each LED function.Shunts can also be useful because they can be configured to use very little PCB space and can have relatively low complexity compared to other electrical components, such as LED drivers and stimulus converters. Figure IC is a timeline diagram illustrating voltage levels for LED Functions 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 in Figure IB and the corresponding voltage levels seen in the two LED strings, referencing the series-differentiator topology illustrated in Figure IB. LED Functions 1 and 2 are in series and constitute LED String 1, and LED Functions 3, 4, and 5 are in series and constitute LED String 2. Figure IC also demonstrates how the different LED Functions can be multiplexed to prevent any overvoltage condition in any LED String or LED Function. For example, LED Function 3 could be a daytime running light, and LED Function 5 could be a wide low beam light. These lights are not used simultaneously, as the daytime running light is used during the day and the wide low beam light is used at night.As such, the illustrative time-multiplexing shown in Figure IC shows how LED Function 3 can function as a daytime running light and only turn on and activate when LED Function 5, as a Low Beam Wide Beam headlight, is off and vice versa. In another example, LED Function 1 and LED Function 2 can serve as a second and third daytime running light, respectively. As such, the illustrative time-multiplexing shown in Figure 1C demonstrates how LED Function 1 (the second daytime running light) is only on when LED Function 2 (the third daytime running light) is off, and vice versa. These examples illustrate how time-multiplexing and / or interleaving of an LED driver channel allows for additional LED functions without increasing the overall forward voltage of the LED string. Figures 2A and 2B show examples of a current flow that varies through a series-shunt topology, guided by shunts. Varying the current flow can enable different combinations of LED functions, which can be used in specific situations. For example, activating the High Beam LED shunt, as shown in Figure 2A, can prevent the High Beam LED function from being activated for nighttime driving, thus reducing the risk to oncoming traffic. In another example, Figure 2B represents a combination of activated LED functions that might include only Daytime Running Lights (DRL) for daytime driving. As shown in Figure 2B, LED Driver 1 is shunted to bypass the Focused Low Beam, Wide Low Beam, and High Beam LEDs and only connects the DRL LED function to be activated.Similarly, LED Driver 2 is connected to DRL 2 and DRL 3, so that all three DRL systems are activated as shown in Figure 2B. Figures 2A and 2B also show how diodes and shunts can be used to power the turn signal from any LED driver. The representations in Figures 2A and 2B can reflect all the LED functions activated by LED drivers 1 and 2, but not all LED functions need to be activated at the same time. Figures 2A and 2B illustrate illustrative modes of the LED driver, which can activate one or more LED functions simultaneously and alternate and / or multiplex signals to each of the associated LED functions. The series-differentiator topology described herein can use time-division multiplexing to share a single LED driver among multiple LED functions. Time-division multiplexing is possible because differentiators allow individual control of distinct LED functions, enabling the interleaving and time-division multiplexing of these functions. Hysteretic LED drivers can suffer from poor electrical efficiency when there is a large difference between the input voltage to the LED driver and the output voltage from the LED driver. By stacking and multiplexing multiple LED functions, the series-differentiator topology can reduce the input-output voltage differential and increase the electrical efficiency of the LED driver. The reduction in the input-output voltage differential can be attributed to the time-multiplexing of LED functions controlled by the same LED driver. For example, LED driver 1 in Figure 2A can control DRL1 and the Wide Low Beam, because the LED driver's maximum voltage will not include both the Wide Low Beam and DRL1 simultaneously. The LED driver will use time-multiplexing to control the DRL1 and Wide Low Beam LED functions at different times. Similarly, DRL2 and DRL3 in Figure 2B never illuminate at the same time, so LED driver 2 can control both DRL2 and DRL3, since they will never both contribute to the LED driver's maximum voltage simultaneously.Due to this increased electrical efficiency and / or reduced energy consumption, the stimulus converters used in the series-differentiator topology can be physically smaller than the stimulus converters in other topologies. It should be understood that the series-differentiator topology can be implemented using any commercially available LED driver. In some implementations, LED matrix control systems result in large, expensive ECUs that are inefficient and can suffer from large power surges that affect upstream components. In some implementations, LED matrix control methods typically align the turn-on time of all pixels in an LED bank. As used here, a pixel can be a single LED. The pixel can also be part of an LED bank comprising a plurality of individual LEDs, each of which can be individually powered to provide a particular light pattern within the LED bank. By aligning the turn-on time of all pixels in an LED bank, all pixels turn on and turn off simultaneously, as needed to achieve a desired brightness.This leads to peak power / current being drawn from upstream components for short periods. To accommodate these surges, upstream components (e.g., wires, high-side drivers, etc.) need to be enlarged to handle the power draw from the LED matrix modules, requiring them to be divided into LED banks, with a dedicated LED driver for each bank. Furthermore, there is increased electrical inefficiency due to an input-output voltage differential. This results in each LED driver controlling only a small section of LEDs. This design uses LED drivers inefficiently and requires multiple LED drivers to control an array. The present control method can allow for a lower component count, greater efficiency of electrical systems, components, and space, and a lower system cost. The present system and method can combine multiple banks to form channels.Instead of using one LED driver per bank, the present method can use one LED driver per channel, thus reducing the number of LED drivers required. The system and method can further increase the efficiency of the LED system by grouping pixels to utilize LED drivers more efficiently. This control of the LEDs can also limit the occurrence of overcurrents by staggering the activation periods of individual pixels. Variations of the system can be used to control any LED array, including, but not limited to, the series-differentiator LED topology described above. Figures 3A and 3B illustrate an illustrative LED array arrangement. Figure 3A shows a 28x4 array of individual pixels, where each pixel can be operated at a preset brightness within a light unit. The illumination of a given pixel can be determined by a currently activated LED function (e.g., high beam, focused low beam, or daytime running lights). Another LED function can be cornering illumination, a feature that can change the direction of the headlights when a vehicle is preparing for, in the process of, or completing a turn at a corner or adjusting to a curve in the road. In prior art implementations, cornering illumination is achieved mechanically, where a motor rotates the headlight hardware so that the light beam is angled into the curve.In this approach, curve illumination is achieved electronically by adjusting pixel brightness to focus the light beam onto the curve. In some implementations, pixels facing the curve can be brightened, while pixels facing away from the curve can be dimmed. In other implementations, curve illumination can be achieved by creating an interference pattern from the light emitted by individual pixels. Figure 3B shows one possible configuration of how the individual pixels in Figure 3A can be grouped into banks. As shown in Figure 3B, the LEDs can be grouped into nine banks, each of which can be controlled individually. In some implementations, Figure 3A describes the use of each pixel, while Figure 3B describes the use of banks. These nine banks can be further grouped into channels. To form channels, banks that use more power can be paired with banks that use less power, so that the total power used never exceeds a maximum value of the associated LED driver, which will control power to the multiple banks grouped to form a channel. In some implementations, one or more banks with lower usage will be paired with one or more banks with higher usage, so that the power required by the banks does not exceed the maximum power that the LED driver can supply.The pixels in each bank can also be individually interleaved to smooth out large power / current surges that may occur. Under the current control method, one LED driver can control each channel. Thus, this control method maximizes the utilization of the LED driver while still implementing advanced features such as curve lighting, which require highly dynamic control of pixel brightness. In some implementations, one or more banks with lower usage will be paired with one or more banks with higher usage, so that the power required by the banks when performing any particular LED function does not exceed the maximum power that the LED driver can supply. Usage can be measured in average power consumption, brightness, or the percentage of time that the threshold current is typically drawn. The pixels in each bank can also be individually interleaved to smooth out large power / current surges that might occur during any particular LED function. Figures 4A and 4B illustrate voltage levels in an LED matrix where pixel activation times are staggered. Figure 4A shows illustrative voltage measurements over time for three staggered LED banks that can be controlled by a single LED driver, with the LED banks configured to form a channel. With staggering, the LED banks do not need to activate simultaneously. Instead, each LED bank can be activated only when needed, so that surges can be spread out over time, thus preventing large overloads. A staggered LED matrix can handle overlapping LED bank activations by grouping banks that, even when activated simultaneously, do not draw more power than the driver can handle. Figure 4B illustrates illustrative voltage measurements over time for an LED channel. The channel can be formed by grouping at least two banks of LEDs. Each channel can be controlled by a dedicated LED driver. Without interleaving, the LED driver can be used for longer periods, in contrast to other methods that leave the LED drivers in standby (at 0 voltage) for relatively long periods between LED function changes. As shown in the figure, interleaving can minimize the peak voltage of the channel and can prevent the system from exceeding the driver's maximum withstand voltage. Figure 5 is a graph illustrating how pixel matching in the angular domain can be optimized for curve lighting. As described above, electronic curve lighting may require dimming and brightening individual pixels. Figure 5 shows the curve angle and intensity of Pixel A, Pixel B, and the sum of their intensities. Pixel intensities can depend on the curve angle and may change as the curve angle changes. In some implementations, curve lighting may involve beam patterns for curve angles from -10 degrees to 5 degrees, or -5 degrees to 10 degrees, depending on whether the beam originates from the left or right side of the vehicle. In the example, -10 degrees could be -10 degrees relative to the light shining forward and could be -10 degrees to the left or right.In some implementations, these curve angles can be configured to change at a resolution of 0.1 degrees (for example, allowing curve angles of 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4, etc.). Optimized pixel pairing can allow for adjusting the intensity of each pixel during LED functions, while ensuring that the pair of pixels never exceeds 100% of their combined intensity. Intensity can refer to the voltage, current, and / or power supplied to the pixel, or the intensity of the light emanating from the pixel. Note also that the intensity of a pixel can be related to the pixel's on-time when pulse-amplitude modulation is implemented to supply power to a pixel. For example, each pair of pixels cannot be supplied with more than the maximum voltage, current, and / or power that can be supplied to a single pixel at any given time.In some implementations, each pair of pixels cannot emit light beyond the maximum light that a single pixel can emit. A pair of pixels with 100% intensity from all angles might mean that the two pixels are perfectly matched, since the off time of one pixel is covered by the on time of the other. As illustrated in Figure 5, pixels do not necessarily sum to 100% intensity at all angles, but the ideal sum should be as close to 100% as possible without exceeding it. By optimizing all pixel pairs to 100% intensity, the input-output voltage differential can be minimized, increasing electrical efficiency and other factors disclosed herein. For example, some pixels may have maximum intensity at negative angles, and others may have maximum intensity at positive angles. These pixels with maximum intensities at opposite angles can be paired together so that when one is darkened, the other is bright. The paired pixels do not have to be adjacent to each other or laterally adjacent to each other.Alternatively, the intensities of the pair of pixels can be optimized to add up as close to 200% as possible, where 200% represents the maximum intensity of two pixels that the LED drivers are designed to power. Pixel matching can be optimized in both the angular and temporal domains. For example, an angular-domain optimization matches pixels based on their use in curve lighting angles. In another example, a temporal-domain optimization matches pixels based on their use in time-multiplexing. Pixel matching can be optimized in both the angular and temporal domains simultaneously. Pixel matching can also be optimized in the volt-second domain (described herein). Figure 6 is a graph showing volt-second analysis used to maximize the utilization of LED drivers. Volt-second analysis (also known as Tetromino analysis) can be used to optimize an LED driver channel when multiple LED functions are multiplexed. Volt-second analysis can visualize the maximum capacity of the LED driver in terms of an area with units of volt-seconds, represented by the rectangular sections in Figure 6. Using volt-second analysis, an LED driver (or a driver of an LED driver) can determine the optimal utilization function. MA / t / ZUZÓ / UZU I LED control is determined by examining the input voltage and the input voltage PWM. For example, the LED control system illustrated with the volt-second analysis graph shown in Figure 6 will control the high beam LED function if the input voltage is between 30 and 50 V and the input voltage PWM is between 0 and 90%. The same LED control system shown in Figure 6 will control the wide low beam LED function if the input voltage is between 10 V and 30 V and the input voltage PWM is between 10% and 100%. Using volt-second analysis can lead to simpler control scheme designs for multiple LED functions controlled by a single LED driver. An LED driver can support as many different functions as possible, up to the point where its volt-second capacity is fully utilized.Increasing the LED output voltage can increase the total available volt-second area. Increasing the LED driver current can decrease the volt-second area required for each function, thus allowing more functions per LED driver. Therefore, LED driver utilization (i.e., the LED driver area, the volt-second area occupied by an LED function) can be maximized by adjusting the driver voltage and current. Figures 7A and 7B are illustrative flowcharts demonstrating a series of steps in pixel pairing optimization. The flowchart helps ensure that pixels are paired as effectively as possible for advanced features, such as curve lighting. This method also allows us to assign a numerical value to each possible pair of pixels in a channel powered by an LED driver, where the numerical value represents how well the pixels are paired. Figure 7A represents an illustrative series of steps that can be described as angular domain optimization. Angular domain optimization describes the usage of each pixel in a channel (for example, for advanced features such as curve lighting) and uses that usage to determine pixel pairing. Figure 7B illustrates a series of steps that can be described as time-domain optimization. Time-domain optimization describes the use of pixels, banks, and / or channels and their respective peak voltages or currents over time periods. Time-domain optimization can use multiplexing or interleaving techniques to ensure that peak voltages or currents in the electrical system (pixel, bank, or channel voltages or currents) are not exceeded while providing the necessary voltage and / or current to the LEDs for illumination or target beam patterns and brightness. The foregoing description is not intended to limit the present disclosure to the precise forms or particular fields of use described. As such, it is contemplated that various alternative implementations and / or modifications to this disclosure, whether explicitly described or implied herein, are possible. Having thus described implementations of this disclosure, a person skilled in the art will recognize that changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Thus, this disclosure is limited only by the claims. In the preceding specification, the disclosure has been described with reference to specific implementations thereof. However, as one skilled in the art will appreciate, several implementations disclosed herein may be modified or implemented in various other ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, this description is considered illustrative and is intended to teach those skilled in the art how to use various implementations of the disclosed motor assembly. It should be understood that the forms of disclosure shown and described herein are to be taken as representative implementations. Equivalent elements, materials, procedures, or steps may be substituted for those representatively illustrated and described herein.Furthermore, certain features of this disclosure may be used independently of other features, as will be apparent to someone skilled in the art from the description of this disclosure. Expressions such as "includes," "comprises," "consists of," "has," and "is," used to describe and claim this disclosure, are intended to be taken in a non-exclusive manner, meaning that they allow for the inclusion of articles, components, and elements not explicitly described. References to the singular should also be interpreted as relating to the plural. Furthermore, several implementations described herein are intended for illustrative and explanatory purposes only and are not intended to be limitations of this disclosure. All references to connection (e.g., attached, fixed, coupled, connected, etc.) are used solely to aid the reader's understanding of this disclosure and do not create limitations, particularly regarding the position, orientation, or use of the systems and / or methods disclosed herein. Therefore, references to connection, if any, should be interpreted broadly. Moreover, such references to connection do not necessarily imply that two elements are directly connected to one another. Additionally, all numerical terms, such as, but not limited to, first, second, third, primary, secondary, principal, or any other ordinary and / or numerical term, are also to be taken only as identifiers, to assist the reader in understanding the various elements, implementations, variations, and / or modifications of this disclosure and do not create any limitation, in particular the order or preference of any element, implementation, variation, and / or modification in relation to, or over, any other element, implementation, variation, and / or modification. MA / t / ZUZÓ / UZU I It should be noted that one or more of the elements depicted in the drawings / figures may also be implemented in a more separate or integrated manner, or even removed or rendered inoperable in certain cases, as required by a particular application. Additionally, any signal hatches in the drawings / figures should be considered illustrative only and not limiting, unless explicitly stated otherwise.

Claims

1. A system for controlling light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in a vehicle, characterized in that it comprises: an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to control current, voltage, or power to a first LED driver circuit; one or more LEDs electrically connected to the first LED driver circuit; and a first shunt connected to the ECU and configured to electrically shunt the first one or more LEDs to form one or more first LED functions.

2. The system according to claim 1, further characterized in that it additionally comprises: one or more second LEDs electrically connected to the first LED driver circuit; and a second shunt connected to the ECU and configured to electrically shunt the one or more second LEDs to form one or more second LED functions.

3. The system according to claim 1, further characterized in that the first shunt is controlled using time-division multiplexing, angle-domain multiplexing, or volt-second analysis to shunt one or more of the first LEDs.

4. The system according to claim 2, further characterized in that the second shunt is controlled using time-division multiplexing, angle-domain multiplexing, or volt-second analysis to shunt one or more of the second LEDs.

5. The system according to claim 2, further characterized in that the ECU is configured to prevent the total energy supplied to the first shunt of the first one or more LEDs and the second one or more LEDs from reaching a predetermined threshold.

6. The system in accordance with any of claims 1 to 5, further characterized in that the first one or more LEDs comprise a plurality of LEDs that can be illuminated independently.

7. The system in accordance with any of claims 1 to 6, further characterized in that the ECU comprises a variety of profiles for illuminating LED assemblies within the headlight assembly.

8. The system according to claim 7, further characterized in that the profiles comprise profiles selected from the group consisting of: high beam profiles, focused low beam profiles, wide low beam profiles, daytime running light profiles, and turning beam profiles.

9. A method for controlling an array of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in a vehicle, characterized in that the method comprises: receiving a signal to activate an array of LEDs in the vehicle; activating a first LED driver circuit to provide power to an array of LEDs; and controlling a first shunt connected to one or more of the LEDs in an array of LEDs to electrically shunt one or more of the LEDs in the array of LEDs.

10. The method according to claim 9, further characterized in that it comprises monitoring the energy drawn by the first LED driver circuit and diverting the one or more LEDs if the energy drawn is above a predetermined threshold.

11. The method according to claim 9, further characterized in that activating the first LED driver circuit comprises reading an LED lighting profile to determine which LEDs should be shunted with the first shunt.

12. The method according to claim 9, further characterized in that the profile is selected from the group consisting of: high beam, focused low beam, wide low beam, daytime running light or turn signal.

13. The method according to claim 9, further characterized in that controlling the first differentiator comprises time-division multiplexing, angle-domain multiplexing, or volt-second analysis of the first differentiator.

14. A method for controlling a light-emitting diode (LED) array in a vehicle headlight assembly, characterized in that the method comprises: identifying a first LED and a second LED of the LED array powered by an LED driver; pairing the first LED with the second LED, wherein the total intensity of the LED pair is below a maximum intensity of any individual pixel powered by the LED driver; determining a threshold amount of volt-seconds emitted by the LED driver; and emitting volt-seconds from the LED driver that are below the threshold.

15. The method according to claim 14, further characterized in that it additionally comprises determining a set of LED functions to be associated with the LED driver.

16. The method according to claim 15, further characterized in that it additionally comprises associating the LED function set with the LED controller.

17. The method according to claim 15, further characterized in that the LED function set can be associated with an LED light profile comprising one of the following LED profiles: high beam, focused low beam, wide low beam, daytime running light and turning profiles.

18. The method according to claim 14, further characterized in that emitting the volt-seconds comprises any combination of time-division multiplexing, angle-domain multiplexing, or volt-second analysis.

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