Vehicle Lighting Module Communication for Fault Detection and Dimming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle lighting modules with parallel power supply, such as those using a Y cable, fail to detect faults in individual modules and can produce excessive light when used as double modules, leading to undetected failures and excessive brightness.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a bidirectional communication interface and controller within each lighting module to exchange status information, allowing modules to adjust current consumption and brightness accordingly, enabling fault detection and light regulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If two lighting modules are powered in parallel using a Y cable, then the lighting system can provide sufficient light output, but fault detection becomes impossible when one module fails because the total current remains above the threshold
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the parallel-powered lighting system into two independently controllable units by assigning separate power supply lines to each lighting module. This segmentation allows the control unit to independently manage and monitor each module's power consumption, enabling fault detection even when one module fails, while maintaining sufficient total light output through the other module.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the control unit continuously monitors the power consumption of each lighting module through separate power supply lines. When a fault is detected in one module (indicated by abnormal current consumption), the control unit receives feedback and can respond by adjusting the operation of the other module or alerting the driver, thereby enabling reliable fault detection in dual-module configurations.
2Illumination intensity
If two lighting modules are used as double modules, then the lighting coverage is improved, but the light output becomes excessive and exceeds regulatory requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic control of the lighting modules through separate power supply lines, allowing the control unit to adjust the operation of each module based on actual lighting requirements. This dynamic adjustment enables the system to provide adequate lighting coverage when needed while reducing or disabling output when the combined brightness would exceed regulatory limits, thus adaptively managing light coverage and excessive brightness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the lighting modules by controlling their power consumption independently through separate power supply lines. The control unit can adjust parameters such as duty cycle, intensity, or operational status of each module to achieve optimal lighting coverage while preventing excessive brightness that would violate regulatory requirements.
3Reliability
If separate power supply lines are used for each lighting module, then fault detection is enabled, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by using a single control unit that performs multiple functions: it controls both lighting modules, monitors power consumption of each separately, detects faults, and manages power distribution. This multi-functional approach enables fault detection through separate power supply line monitoring while avoiding the need for separate control systems for each module, thereby reducing overall device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a lighting module for exterior lighting of vehicles. The lighting module includes a housing with at least one light-emitting diode and/or at least one group of light-emitting diodes for generating high beam, low beam, side or marker light, parking light, turn signal light, fog light, cornering light and/or daytime running light. The lighting module includes at least one power input so that the at least one light-emitting diode or the at least one group of light-emitting diodes of the lighting module can be connected to an on-board power supply of a motor vehicle. The lighting module includes an interface for bidirectional communication, by means of which it can communicate with another identical lighting module according to the invention. The lighting module also includes a controller to process an incoming signal by means of the interface and/or to generate an outgoing signal by means of the interface.