Vehicle Indicator Control Circuit With Fewer Switches
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing indicator control systems for vehicles with both heater and ventilation functions require a large number of switches, leading to increased costs and complex wiring, as users need to control multiple indicators for different performance intensities of these functions.
Innovation Solution
An indicator control system that reduces the number of switches required by using N switches connected to circuitry and N+1 indicators, with a switching element and mode determination switches to control the indicators, allowing for simplified ON/OFF operations through fewer physical switches.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a separate physical button for each indicator is provided to control performance intensities of heater and ventilation, then each indicator can be controlled independently, but the number of switches increases and wiring becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
A single physical button is designed to perform multiple functions by controlling different indicators through software logic. When the button is pressed, the controller determines which indicator group (heater or ventilation) is currently active and toggles the corresponding indicator, allowing one button to replace multiple physical switches while maintaining independent control capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces multiple physical mechanical switches with a single physical button combined with electronic control logic. The controller uses software algorithms to interpret button presses and activate appropriate indicators based on current system state, substituting a mechanical multi-switch system with a simplified mechanical-electronic hybrid system
2Ease of operation
If six switches are provided to control six indicators for heater and ventilation functions, then each indicator can be controlled, but the cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
One physical button is designed to universally control multiple indicators by changing its function based on software-determined context. The button serves as a universal control element that can activate different indicators (first through sixth indicators corresponding to heater and ventilation functions) depending on which function group is currently selected, thereby reducing component quantity while preserving full control capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functionality of six separate switches into a single physical button by combining it with electronic control logic. The controller integrates the button press detection with indicator control algorithms, effectively combining multiple discrete control elements into one unified control mechanism that reduces both component count and cost
Data Source
AI summary
An indicator control system includes N switches connected to circuitry configured to control the N switches, N+1 first indicators connected to the N switches to indicate performance intensity of the heater or ventilation, and a switching element connected in series with one of the first indicators and controlled by one of the switches, wherein, when the one of the switches is turned off, the switching element and the one of the first indicator are turned off.