Rear Light Distance Data Transmission via Current Modulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Heavy vehicles lack a reliable system to feed distance information from rear-mounted sensors to the driver, as existing solutions involve costly cable installations or unreliable wireless technologies due to the large distance between the rear and front of the vehicle.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle rear light with a control unit and indication device that modifies the current in existing light source conductors to convey distance data to the vehicle management system, allowing for autonomous management of the reversing alarm and sensor data without additional cables or complex wireless systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a dedicated cable is installed to connect the distance sensor to the vehicle management system, then the distance information can be reliably transmitted to the driver, but the construction cost and complexity increase significantly due to the long cable length required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the distance sensor with the rear light assembly, integrating two separate components into one unified unit. This merging eliminates the need for separate cable runs between the sensor and light, as both functions share the same housing and power/communication infrastructure, thereby reducing construction complexity while maintaining reliable data transmission
Solution Approach 2:
The rear light assembly serves as an intermediary device that receives distance information from the sensor and relays it to the driver through visual indicators. Instead of directly connecting the sensor to the vehicle management system with long cables, the light assembly acts as a local processing and display unit, reducing the need for extensive wiring
2Device complexity
If wireless technology is used to transmit distance information from the rear to the front of the vehicle, then cable installation is avoided, but the signal reliability deteriorates due to the large distance and disturbances
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating the distance sensor directly into the rear light assembly, the patent eliminates the need for long-distance wireless transmission. The sensor and light are co-located, allowing data to be processed and displayed locally without requiring signal transmission across the entire vehicle length, thus avoiding wireless reliability issues while still avoiding cable installation
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the rear light includes an audible reversing alarm, then pedestrians and other users are warned when the vehicle is reversing, but the driver cannot directly perceive the distance information without additional feedback systems
Solution Approach 1:
The rear light assembly is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it provides audible warning to pedestrians through the reversing alarm while also providing visual feedback to the driver about distance through integrated indicators. This multi-functionality allows the same integrated unit to serve both safety warning and driver information needs without requiring separate systems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the distance sensor continuously monitors the environment and provides real-time visual feedback to the driver through the rear light assembly. The light intensity or pattern changes based on detected distance, creating a closed-loop feedback system that keeps the driver informed of proximity conditions while the audible alarm simultaneously warns external users
Data Source
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Figure 2
AI summary
The rear light (10) of the vehicle (1) includes a reversing light (22) housed in a casing (21) and may also include a reversing alarm (23) associated with the casing. A control unit (30) housed in the casing receives data from a distance sensor (24) corresponding to the distance (d) separating said sensor from a surrounding element (25). Depending on the distance data, the control unit: - can generate a signal S1 to control the frequency of the sounds emitted by the reversing alarm; - generates a signal S2 controlling an indicator device (36) which generates a signal S3 detectable by a vehicle management system (20), allowing the driver to access the distance data d.