Combined Display-Lighting Unit for Adaptive Vehicle Exterior Communication
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicles lack the ability to easily and efficiently alter their external appearance for different purposes or situations, such as changing from a wedding car to a surf vacation vehicle, without significant effort.
Innovation Solution
A combined display-lighting unit integrating an e-paper display device for information and a lighting unit, allowing for dynamic color and pattern changes, enabling the vehicle to display various designs, information, and alerts while maintaining safety-relevant functions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If individual vehicle paints and attachment parts are used to customize the outside of the vehicle, then the vehicle appearance can be individualized, but the customization cannot be changed situationally and requires significant effort to alter
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by using an e-paper display device that can dynamically change the vehicle's external appearance through electrical signals. The display device can switch between different colors, patterns, and information displays without physical reconfiguration, allowing the vehicle to adapt its appearance situationally (e.g., different colors for wedding ceremonies vs. surf vacations) with minimal effort - simply by changing the electrical input to the display device.
2Loss of information
If display devices are added to the vehicle exterior, then information can be displayed, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the display function with the existing lighting unit (headlight or rear lamp) by integrating the e-paper display device into the lighting assembly. This combination allows the vehicle to display information (such as vehicle status, communication messages, or promotional content) while utilizing the existing lighting infrastructure, thereby reducing overall device complexity compared to adding separate display systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting unit serves multiple functions: it provides illumination for safety (headlight/rear lamp functions) and simultaneously serves as a display surface for information communication. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated display devices, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining robust information display capability.
3Loss of information
If the region between headlights or rear lamps is used as a display surface, then communication and information purposes are enhanced, but the safety-relevant functions must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting unit is segmented into distinct functional regions: the illumination regions (headlight or rear lamp areas) maintain their safety-relevant lighting functions, while the intermediate region between them is allocated for display purposes. This spatial segmentation allows both safety functions and communication functions to operate simultaneously without interference, ensuring that safety-critical illumination is not compromised while enabling information display in the non-critical intermediate area.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables customizable and dynamic exterior displays for vehicles, enhancing user experience and communication, allowing for situational adaptations, safety alerts, and information updates without compromising safety functions.
Implementation Method 1
By using display elements operating on the principle of electronic ink (e-book principle), it becomes possible in a simple manner for an element arranged on the outside of the vehicle body to take on different colors and/or patterns.
Implementation Method 2
a lighting unit forming an illumination region, in particular with a headlight and/or a rear lamp
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle includes a combined display-lighting unit. The combined display-lighting unit has, combined in a single component, an electronic paper display device forming an information zone and a lighting unit forming an illumination zone.