Multicolor LED Unit with Local Microcontroller for Color Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multicolor LED lighting devices for motor vehicles have insufficient local compensation for operating conditions, leading to non-uniform appearances due to centralized parameter storage, which requires complex calibration processes and is inefficient in handling temperature fluctuations.
Innovation Solution
Each multicolor LED unit in the lighting device includes a microcontroller that stores calibration data for setting operating currents based on desired color locations and brightness, allowing for local control and temperature compensation, eliminating the need for centralized data access and pre-sorting processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If calibration data are stored in a central processing module, then device complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to insufficient local compensation of operating conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the centralized calibration data storage into distributed microcontrollers, with each LED unit having its own microcontroller storing local calibration data. This segmentation enables local compensation for temperature and aging effects, improving color uniformity while maintaining manageable device complexity through modular architecture
Solution Approach 2:
Each LED unit is equipped with its own microcontroller that stores calibration data specific to that unit's characteristics. This local quality approach allows each LED to independently compensate for its own operating conditions (temperature, aging), ensuring uniform color appearance across all LEDs without requiring complex centralized control
2Manufacturing precision
If multicolor LED units are pre-sorted by color characteristics, then manufacturing precision improves, but productivity deteriorates due to additional sorting steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs calibration measurements on each LED unit during the manufacturing process and stores the calibration data in the LED's microcontroller before the LED leaves the production line. This preliminary action eliminates the need for post-production sorting, as each LED is already configured with its specific calibration data, thereby improving productivity while maintaining color consistency
Solution Approach 2:
Each LED unit is equipped with a microcontroller that automatically stores and uses its own calibration data for temperature and brightness compensation. This self-service capability eliminates the need for external sorting and matching processes, streamlining production while ensuring each LED maintains its optimal performance characteristics
3Device complexity
If centralized control is used for multicolor LED units, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability deteriorates in handling local operating conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The control architecture is segmented into distributed microcontrollers, each capable of independently reading temperature sensors and adjusting LED operating parameters based on local temperature conditions. This segmentation provides adaptability to local variations while maintaining a relatively simple overall system structure
Solution Approach 2:
Each LED unit's microcontroller dynamically adjusts operating currents based on real-time temperature readings from local temperature sensors. This dynamic adaptation allows each LED to respond to its specific thermal environment, improving overall system adaptability while keeping the control architecture manageable through standardized protocols
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables simple, local control of each LED unit to achieve uniform lighting with desired color and brightness, maintaining consistency across the lighting device even with temperature changes, and simplifies the manufacturing process by eliminating the need for pre-sorting and binning.
Implementation Method 1
Each of the multi-color LED units (3) is a single semiconductor component with a plurality of single-color LEDs (301 to 304) and a microcontroller (4) in a common housing of the semiconductor device
Implementation Method 2
maintaining consistency across the lighting device even with temperature changes
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention relates to an illumination device, in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising one or more multi-color LED units (3) which each have a settable color point and a settable brightness. Each multi-color LED unit (3) is an individual semiconductor component having multiple single-color LEDs (301, 302, 303, 304) of different colors and a microcontroller (4), wherein the single-color LEDs (301, 302, 303, 304) and the microcontroller (4) are surrounded by a housing of the semiconductor component. Calibration data (KD) which describe a dependency of at least one color point and at least one brightness of the associated multi-color LED unit (3) on operating currents of the single-color LEDs (301, 302, 303, 304) are stored in the microcontroller (4). Furthermore, the microcontroller (4) is designed to control each single-color LED (301, 302, 303, 304) depending on a set color point and a set brightness of the associated multi-color LED unit (3) by setting the operating currents of the associated single-color LEDs (301, 302, 303, 304) using the calibration data (KD).