Vehicular Door Handle Lighting with Freeform Optics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle door handles lack integrated lighting solutions that provide clear illumination and communication, particularly for door status and ground illumination, which can enhance safety and user experience but are not effectively addressed by existing technologies.
Innovation Solution
A door handle assembly with a pocket lighting module that uses LEDs to emit different colors of light for door status indications and a ground illumination module with freeform optics to provide uniform lighting for vehicle cameras, enhancing visibility and communication through light patterns and data transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a door handle assembly integrates multiple lighting functions (pocket illumination, ground illumination, status indication), then visibility and communication are enhanced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple lighting functions (pocket illumination, ground illumination, status indication) into a single door handle assembly. The handle integrates LED light sources with freeform optics that can perform multiple functions simultaneously or sequentially, reducing the need for separate lighting components and simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining enhanced visibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The door handle assembly is designed as a multi-functional device that simultaneously provides pocket illumination, ground illumination, and status indication capabilities. The integrated lighting system can adapt its function based on detected conditions (e.g., ambient light levels, door status, presence of users), allowing a single component to serve multiple purposes and reduce system complexity.
2Illumination intensity
If freeform optics are used to provide uniform ground illumination spanning the entire vehicle length, then illumination uniformity is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs freeform optics with specifically designed refractive index gradients and surface profiles that can be manufactured using modern optical fabrication techniques. By optimizing the optical parameters (refractive index distribution, surface curvature profiles) of the freeform lenses, the system achieves uniform illumination across the entire vehicle length while maintaining manufacturability through standardized optical design methodologies.
3Loss of information
If multiple LED colors are integrated for different status indications and communication, then information communication is enhanced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple colored LEDs (red, green, blue, white) within the same door handle assembly, combining multiple information communication functions into a single location. The system uses these different colored LEDs to convey various status information (locked/unlocked, authentication status, communication states) and can perform vehicle-to-vehicle communication, eliminating the need for separate indicator lights elsewhere on the vehicle.
4Illumination intensity
If the lighting module provides both pocket region illumination and ground illumination, then visibility is improved, but use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic lighting control system that adjusts the operation of pocket illumination and ground illumination based on detected conditions. The control module monitors ambient light levels, door handle usage patterns, and presence detection to selectively activate only the necessary lighting functions at any given time, optimizing energy consumption while maintaining adequate visibility when needed.
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
The solution provides enhanced visibility and communication by illuminating the door handle pocket and surrounding ground areas, improving safety and user experience through customizable light patterns and data transmission, while supporting vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication.
Implementation Method 1
The pocket lighting module comprises at least one light emitting diode operable to emit light to illuminate the pocket region
Implementation Method 2
a freeform optic disposed in front of said at least one light emitting diode
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicular exterior lighting system includes a lighting module disposed at a side of a vehicle. The lighting module includes at least one light emitting diode. The lighting module is operable to emit light that is viewable by a person exterior the side of the vehicle who is viewing the side of the vehicle. The lighting module emits white light responsive to a signal from a remote device to provide ground illumination of a ground region at the side of the vehicle at which the lighting module is disposed, and the lighting module (i) emits a first color of light responsive to a door lock signal and (ii) emits a second color of light responsive to a door unlock signal. The first color of light is different than the second color of light.