Vehicle Headlamp Circuit for LED Fault Detection During Animations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional lamp control units are inadequate for modern lighting systems with multiple semiconductor light sources, as they require binary operating behavior to distinguish between functioning and failed components, leading to difficulties in error detection and energy management during complex lighting effects.
Innovation Solution
A circuit system with a microcontroller that monitors and controls the operating state of individual light sources, using a controllable aid to adjust current consumption and simulate binary behavior, allowing for comprehensive monitoring and error detection, even during running light effects, by incorporating a current sink and animation control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional lamp control units are used with multiple semiconductor light sources, then the system can operate with simple binary detection, but accurate error detection becomes difficult due to variable current consumption during lighting effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the light source system into individually controllable LED modules or groups, each with its own control circuit. This allows the control unit to selectively activate or deactivate specific segments to maintain binary current consumption patterns while preserving the ability to create complex lighting effects through coordinated segment control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary control unit that sits between the lamp control unit and the LED matrix. This intermediary translates complex lighting effect requirements into binary on/off states for current detection, effectively mediating between the need for sophisticated lighting effects and the simplicity of binary fault detection.
2Measurement precision
If individual light sources are monitored separately, then accurate error detection is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the monitoring functions into a centralized control unit that manages multiple LED segments. Instead of implementing separate monitoring circuits for each light source, the system combines all monitoring and control functions into a single integrated unit that can track the state of individual segments while presenting a unified interface to the lamp control unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as the monitoring system for fault detection and as the control system for generating lighting effects. This universal unit handles both error detection and effect generation, eliminating the need for separate dedicated monitoring hardware and reducing overall system complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If power is continuously supplied to light module, then animation effects can be executed, but energy consumption increases during non-critical periods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic power supply to the LED light module, activating power only during animation sequences or critical lighting functions. During normal operation or non-critical periods, the power supply is deactivated or reduced, creating a periodic on/off pattern that maintains animation capability while significantly reducing overall energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system discards power supply during periods when animation effects are not required, and recovers power only when animations need to be executed. This selective power management allows the system to maintain full animation capability when needed while eliminating unnecessary energy consumption during extended periods of normal operation.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a circuit system (1), comprising: a light module (2) for emitting a light distribution; a lamp control unit (3) for supplying electrical power and for monitoring the operational capability of the light module (2), wherein the lamp control unit (3), in order to monitor the operational capability of the light module (2), detects the current (Iist) consumed by the light module (2) in the operating state and compares same with a single lamp control unit threshold value (Ifail,max), wherein the lamp control unit (3) is designed to infer the presence of an error and to trigger an error routine (F) if the lamp control unit threshold value (Ifail,max) is not reached, wherein the light module (2) has a number of light sources (2a) which can be supplied individually with electrical power; a microcontroller (6) for detecting the operating state of the individual light sources (2a); and at least one controllable auxiliary means (4) for manipulating the current consumption of the light module (2), wherein at least one item of predeterminable comparative information (IIO,min, SA) is fed to the microcontroller (6), and the microcontroller (6) is designed, by comparing the detected operating state of the individual light sources (2a) with the comparative information (IIO,min, SA), to emit a control signal (SS), wherein the control signal (SS) is fed to the controllable auxiliary means (4) for the control thereof, and, on the basis thereof, the controllable auxiliary means (4) manipulates the current consumption of the light module (2).