Optical Module Light Guide Segmentation for Adaptive Beam Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Optical modules for motor vehicles face challenges in reducing parasitic luminosity, particularly when creating a dark band for adaptive lighting, due to crosstalk from light guides, which complicates the manufacture and assembly while increasing weight and cost.

Innovation Solution

The optical module features a specific arrangement of light guides with varying transverse dimensions, where first light guides are offset with respect to the longitudinal optical axis, forming a series with a median offset between 0.5° and 5°, and are associated with primary elementary light sources to produce high-resolution pixels, while second light guides project lower-resolution beams, reducing parasitic luminosity by controlling light intensity through pulse width modulation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If light guides are arranged to form high-resolution secondary elementary light sources on the optical axis, then lighting quality and resolution are improved, but parasitic luminosity increases due to crosstalk between adjacent light guides

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelighting qualityVSAvoidparasitic luminosity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention segments the light guide array into alternating first and second light guides with different transverse dimensions. First light guides have smaller transverse dimensions to reduce crosstalk and parasitic luminosity, while second light guides have larger transverse dimensions to provide sufficient light output. This segmentation allows the system to simultaneously achieve high lighting quality and low parasitic luminosity by distributing different functions across different segments of the light guide array.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Object-generated harmful factors

If opaque closing walls are arranged between light guides to reduce parasitic luminosity, then harmful light leakage is reduced, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveparasitic luminosityVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and eliminates the need for opaque closing walls by using alternating first and second light guides with different transverse dimensions. The smaller first light guides inherently reduce crosstalk and parasitic luminosity without requiring additional opaque structures between guides. This approach removes the complexity of assembling and aligning closing walls while achieving the same harmful factor reduction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Illumination intensity

If all primary elementary light sources are switched on to illuminate the road at great range, then visibility is improved, but risk of dazzling oncoming vehicles increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovevisibilityVSAvoiddazzling risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention enables dynamic control of the segmented light beam by selectively switching individual primary elementary light sources on or off based on detected road users. The projection optics project a segmented pattern where specific segments can be activated or deactivated independently. This dynamic adaptability allows the system to maintain high visibility when no vehicles are present while creating shadow zones to prevent dazzling when oncoming vehicles are detected, thus resolving the contradiction between visibility and dazzling risk.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 configuration effectively minimizes parasitic luminosity, enhances lighting quality by matching high-resolution pixels on either side of the dark tunnel, and complies with regulatory standards for adaptive driving beam functionality, improving driver safety without dazzling oncoming vehicles.

Implementation Method 1

a first optical element comprising a plurality of light guides arranged opposite the light sources primary elementary elements and projection optics, configured to shape the rays emitted by the primary light sources and deflected by the first optical element

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight transmission and shaping: Optical Fibre

Implementation Method 2

projection optics, configured to shape the rays emitted by the primary light sources and deflected by the first optical element, so as to form a regulatory lighting beam

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOptical projection and focusing: Lens

Implementation Method 3

By selectively switching on or off each of the primary elementary light sources, it is possible to modify the shape of the segmented light beam projected and to specifically illuminate certain areas of the road in front of the vehicle

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPulse width modulation:

Data Source

PatentEP3511608B1Optical module for motor vehicle
Publication Date: 2022.05.11 VALEO VISION SA
  • EP3511608B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3511608B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3511608B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The invention relates to an optical module (100) for a motor vehicle comprising a first optical element (1) including light guides (11, 12) and a projection optic (3) positioned at a distance from the first optical element (1) and having a longitudinal optical axis (O). The light guides are aligned in a series, perpendicular to the longitudinal optical axis (O) and in a transverse direction, and they comprise first light guides (11) and second light guides (12). The first light guides are arranged successively relative to each other, interposed between second light guides (12), each first light guide (11) having a transverse dimension smaller than the equivalent transverse dimension of each second light guide (12). According to the invention, the first light guides (11) are predominantly offset transversely with respect to the longitudinal optical axis (O).