Exterior Brake Light Array for Remote State-of-Charge Display
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Solution Overview
Problem
The lengthy charging time of all-electric and hybrid motor vehicles makes it inconvenient for owners to monitor the state-of-charge (SOC) from a distance, as conventional displays are not designed for remote viewing and are often out of sight during charging.
Innovation Solution
An exterior light array on the vehicle, such as a brake light array, is used to display the SOC using a subset of lighting elements, and can be controlled via a wireless signal from a remote device, allowing owners to view the SOC from a distance and on demand.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If conventional lighted indicators around the charge port or interior dashboard lighting are used to display SOC, then the display is simple and inexpensive, but the viewing distance is limited and the owner cannot check charging status from a distance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies multi-functionality by using the vehicle's existing exterior light array, which is originally designed for signaling purposes, to also serve as an SOC display medium. This allows the same lighting infrastructure to communicate both safety signals and charging status information, eliminating the need for separate display components while extending viewing distance to tens of meters.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from interior or near-charge-port displays to exterior displays that utilize the vehicle's external lighting elements. This spatial dimensionality change allows owners to view SOC from a distance of tens of meters away from the vehicle, fundamentally solving the viewing distance limitation without adding complex display hardware.
2Ease of operation
If the owner remains in view of the vehicle interior or charge port during charging to monitor SOC, then real-time monitoring is possible, but this is inconvenient given the several hours required for full recharge
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements on-demand display activation where the SOC information is displayed only when the owner needs to check it, rather than continuously. The display can be activated remotely via wireless communication, allowing the owner to check charging status at convenient intervals without needing to remain near the vehicle throughout the entire charging process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces wireless communication as an intermediary between the vehicle's battery management system and the owner's mobile device. This allows the owner to remotely query and receive SOC information without physically approaching the vehicle, significantly improving monitoring convenience during extended charging periods.
3Illumination intensity
If existing exterior light arrays are used for SOC display, then the viewing distance is extended to tens of meters, but the lighting elements needed for vehicle signals may conflict with SOC display requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the exterior light array into functionally independent segments or groups. Specific lighting elements are allocated for signal purposes (brake lights, turn signals) while other elements are designated for SOC display. This segmentation allows both functions to operate simultaneously without interference, maintaining signal integrity while enabling remote SOC visibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic control where the lighting elements can switch between different functions based on operational context. When vehicle signals are not active, the same lighting elements can be utilized for SOC display. This dynamic allocation optimizes the use of available lighting resources and resolves conflicts between signal and display requirements.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A
AI summary
A state-of-charge (SOC) display (460A) system includes a battery (112, 212), a brake light array (220, 320, 420) including multiple lighting elements (118, 218), and an SOC module (240, 340A, 340B). The SOC module (240, 340A, 340B) is configured to receive a battery status signal (338) including an SOC of the battery (112, 212). The SOC module (240, 340A, 340B) is further configured to output a display signal (386A, 386B) to the brake light array (220, 320, 420) based on the battery status signal (338). The brake light array (220, 320, 420) is configured to receive the display signal (386A, 386B), and illuminate at least a subset of the lighting elements (118, 218, 318A, 318B, 318C, 318D, 318E, 318F, 318G, 318H, 318I) for displaying the SOC of the battery (112, 212) by the brake light array (220, 320, 420), in response to the display signal (386A, 386B).