Vehicular Lamp Control Device Staggered Detection Timing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicular lamp control devices often falsely detect abnormalities due to noise interference, leading to temporary shutdowns of semiconductor light sources, which can compromise vehicle safety.

Innovation Solution

The device employs abnormality detecting parts for each semiconductor light source, with staggered acquisition periods to differentiate detection timings, preventing false detections caused by noise interference.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If detection signals are acquired at the same detection timing for all semiconductor light sources, then the detection process is simple and efficient, but noise interference causes false abnormality detection

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveabnormality detection accuracyVSAvoiddetection timing control
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The detection process is segmented by dividing the plurality of semiconductor light sources into multiple groups. Each group is detected at a different detection timing within the acquisition period, rather than detecting all light sources simultaneously. This segmentation prevents noise interference from causing false detections while maintaining systematic control over the detection process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The control part performs periodic detection of semiconductor light sources in a cyclic manner, alternating between different detection timings for different groups of light sources. This periodic action ensures that noise affecting one detection period does not consistently affect all light sources, thereby reducing false abnormalities while maintaining regular detection intervals.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

2Reliability

If the acquisition period for all semiconductor light sources is the same, then the control process is simplified, but noise-induced false detection cannot be prevented

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection reliabilityVSAvoidacquisition period management
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The acquisition period is segmented into multiple sub-periods, with each group of semiconductor light sources assigned to a specific sub-period. This allows the control part to manage different acquisition periods for different groups systematically, preventing noise-induced false detection while maintaining organized control over the entire detection process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different acquisition period characteristics are applied to different groups of semiconductor light sources based on their specific detection requirements. By assigning different detection timings and acquisition period configurations to different groups, the system achieves localized optimization that prevents false detection without requiring complete redesign of the overall control architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP2170012B1Device for controlling turning on and off of a vehicular lamp
Publication Date: 2011.05.18 KOITO MFG CO LTD
  • EP2170012B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2170012B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2170012B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

There is provided a device for controlling turning on and off of a vehicular lamp. The device includes a plurality of semiconductor light sources; a plurality of abnormality detecting parts, one abnormality detecting part provided for each semiconductor light source, that detect currents or voltages supplied to the plurality of semiconductor light sources so as to output detection signals used to detect abnormalities of the respective semiconductor light sources; and a control part that detects the respective detection signals at a regular detection period at a different detection timing for each of the detection signals. When, for each semiconductor light source, a time period between a detection timing of the detection signal in one detection period and a detection timing of the detection signal in a next detection period is defined as an acquisition period for the respective semiconductor light sources, the acquisition period of at least one semiconductor light source is different from the other acquisition periods for the other semiconductor light sources.