Automotive Light With LCD Panel For Dynamic Sector Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing taillights lack the ability to variably adjust the shape, dimensions, and color of individual transparent or semi-transparent sectors, limiting their adaptability to different light signal requirements.
Innovation Solution
The automotive light system incorporates a platelike light source, an LCD panel, and a multidirectional collimation device, allowing for selective backlighting and color adjustment of transparent or semi-transparent sectors, enabling dynamic control over light beams.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional lighting assemblies with fixed LEDs and light-guide bodies are used, then the structure is simple and reliable, but the ability to vary the shape, dimensions, and color of transparent or semi-transparent sectors is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical lighting assemblies (fixed LEDs with light-guide bodies) with an LCD panel system that uses liquid crystal technology to control light transmission. This substitution enables dynamic variation of sector shape, dimensions, and color without mechanical reconfiguration, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs an LCD panel that can dynamically change its optical parameters (transparency, color, shape) through electrical control of liquid crystal molecules. This allows the same physical structure to produce multiple sector configurations by changing the state of the liquid crystal material, achieving high adaptability without increasing physical complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple lighting assemblies are used to achieve different light signals, then the light signal requirements are met, but the device complexity and thickness increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the LCD panel a universal component that can display multiple different sector patterns and colors within a single plane. Instead of requiring separate lighting assemblies for different light signals, the single LCD panel can dynamically reconfigure to produce various sector arrangements, reducing the overall thickness while maintaining signal variety.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a three-dimensional arrangement of multiple lighting assemblies stacked or distributed in space to a two-dimensional LCD panel that achieves the same functional variety through planar pixel control. This dimensional reduction eliminates the need for thickness to accommodate multiple separate lighting components.
3Manufacturing precision
If traditional lighting assemblies are used, then the manufacturing process is straightforward, but the precision control over light beam characteristics is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional optical components (lenses, reflectors, multiple LEDs) with an LCD panel that provides precise digital control over light transmission characteristics. This substitution enables accurate control of beam shape, color, and distribution through software control of liquid crystal pixels, achieving high manufacturing precision while simplifying the physical manufacturing process.
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
This solution enables the production of light beams that meet specific automotive light signal standards, including colorimetric requirements, while allowing for innovative optical effects and reduced thickness of the automotive light.
Implementation Method 1
an LCD panel, and a multidirectional collimation device, allowing for selective backlighting and color adjustment of transparent or semi-transparent sectors
Implementation Method 2
a multidirectional collimation device, adapted to collimate the light emitted by the platelike light source in a plurality of main emission directions
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~6
AI summary
A automotive light (1) comprising: a substantially basin-shaped rear casing (2); a front half-shell (3) which is arranged to close the mouth of the rear casing (2) and is provided with many transparent or semi-transparent sectors (5, 6); and at least one lighting assembly (4) that emits light on command, is located inside the rear casing (2) so as to selectively backlight the transparent or semi-transparent sectors (5, 6) of the front half-shell (3), and finally comprises: an electrically-powered plate light source (10) that emits light on command and is located inside the rear casing (2) so as to contemporaneously backlight said transparent or semi-transparent sectors (5, 6) of the front half-shell (3); an LCD panel (11) that extends inside the rear casing (2), in front of the transparent or semi-transparent sectors (5, 6) of the front half-shell (3), so as to be crossed by the light emitted by the platelike light source (10) and directed towards the front half-shell (3); and an electronic control unit (12) which is adapted to drive the LCD panel (11) in order to control the light passing through the single pixels of the LCD panel (11) in such a way that the platelike light source (10) can selectively backlight each transparent or semi-transparent sector (5, 6) of the front half-shell (3), or part of the same transparent or semi-transparent sector (5, 6), separately and independently from the other transparent or semi-transparent sectors (5, 6).