LED Failure Detection System with Pre-Trip Inspection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems lack an effective method for real-time monitoring and pre-trip inspection of lighting devices in vehicles, leading to potential failures that can result in roadside service calls and out-of-service violations.
Innovation Solution
A light failure detection system that includes a circuit board with voltage and current monitoring circuits, a microcontroller, and a temperature sensor, allowing for a pre-trip inspection mode to activate and cycle through lighting circuits, and a learn mode to determine threshold levels, with a fault indicator for alerting drivers to any failures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If real-time monitoring of lighting circuits is implemented, then reliability of lighting detection is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple monitoring circuits and control systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines voltage monitoring circuits and current monitoring circuits into a single integrated system controlled by one microcontroller. The control unit consolidates the functionality of multiple separate monitoring devices, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive monitoring capability for all lighting circuits.
Solution Approach 2:
The microcontroller serves multiple functions: it controls the sequential activation of lighting circuits during pre-trip inspection, processes data from both voltage and current monitoring circuits, determines threshold levels during learn mode, and activates the fault indicator. This multi-functional approach reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each function.
2Ease of operation
If pre-trip inspection mode is added, then ease of operation is improved for drivers, but device complexity increases due to additional control modes and sequences
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically cycling through and activating all lighting circuits during the pre-trip inspection mode before the driver needs to verify them. This automated preliminary activation eliminates the need for manual switching or complex driver operations, simplifying the inspection process while the microcontroller manages the sequencing internally.
3Measurement precision
If voltage and current monitoring circuits are implemented for each lighting circuit, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functionality of multiple voltage monitoring circuits and current monitoring circuits into an integrated monitoring system managed by a single microcontroller. This consolidation maintains precise measurement capability for each lighting circuit while reducing the overall number of discrete components and simplifying the system architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
A light failure detection system with pre-trip inspection for use in a vehicle having a plurality of light emitting diode lighting devices includes a plurality of voltage level monitoring circuits and plurality of current monitoring circuits for measuring the voltage and current draw of a plurality of lighting circuits. The system includes a pre-trip inspection mode for sequentially activating a plurality of lighting circuits and allowing inspection of the plurality of light emitting diode lighting devices.