Homogeneous Rear Light System Adaptive Intensity Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rear light systems for motor vehicles face a reduction in light intensity when the tailgate is raised, leading to inadequate signaling for following vehicles, which cannot be effectively compensated by existing improvements, resulting in insufficient visibility and non-compliance with minimum light intensity regulations.
Innovation Solution
A centralized unit controls the light intensity of rear light groups on the vehicle's body to increase light intensity when the tailgate is open, ensuring it matches or exceeds the nominal intensity when the tailgate is closed, allowing for dynamic signaling such as braking, direction changes, and hazard warnings, using a method that defines nominal and increased light intensity values and continuously adjusts based on the tailgate's open or closed state.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the rear light system uses duplicated light units on both the body and the flap, then the light signaling is sufficient when the flap is closed, but the light intensity becomes insufficient when the flap is opened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the light intensity adaptive rather than static. The control unit dynamically adjusts the intensity of body-mounted light units based on the flap position sensor feedback. When the flap is closed, both body and flap light units operate at standard intensity. When the flap opens, the control unit automatically increases the intensity of body light units to compensate for the loss of visible flap light units, ensuring consistent signaling effectiveness in both states.
2Illumination intensity
If additional static lighting is added to compensate for open flap signaling loss, then visibility is improved, but the system cannot provide dynamic signaling for braking or direction changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing the body-mounted light units to perform multiple functions. These light units serve both as compensation lighting when the flap is open and as dynamic signaling elements for braking, turning, and hazard warnings. The control unit manages this multi-functionality by receiving signals from various sources (flap position sensor, brake pedal sensor, turn signal switch) and appropriately adjusting light unit intensity and pattern accordingly, allowing the same light units to adapt to different operational requirements.
Data Source
Figure 1a~2
Figure 3a~4b
Figure 5
AI summary
The invention relates to a homogeneous rear signal lights system (101) of a vehicle, each light being able to be mounted in a rear corner of the vehicle comprising a body shell (C) and an openable rear hatch (V). Said system comprises two groups of units of lights for each rear light, a group of "shell" lights (1) and a group of "hatch" lights (2), as well as a centralised member (22) for controlling the light intensity emitted by the rear lights of the vehicle. Said member (22) distributes at least one light intensity replicated between the two groups of rear lights (1; 2), corresponding to a light signal. The system (101) also comprises a sensor (21) for detecting the opening of the hatch (V), which can transmit an information signal relating to the opening/closing of the hatch (V) to the centralised member (22) for controlling the light intensity, which, in the event of transmission of an opening signal, can then supply, to each shell group (1), a signal for controlling increased light intensity in relation to the replicated nominal intensity corresponding to a closed hatch (V) state.