Segmented Vehicle Exterior Lighting with Randomized Dynamic Signatures

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing motor vehicle exterior lights offer only one fixed, predetermined lighting design, limiting design differentiation and visibility enhancement, despite advancements in LED and OLED technologies.

Innovation Solution

Implement a control scheme that dynamically varies the brightness and appearance of individually controllable segments in exterior lights using pseudo-randomization or randomization, ensuring compliance with legal and design requirements by maintaining a constant overall brightness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a fixed, predetermined lighting design is used to meet legal requirements, then compliance with lighting regulations is ensured, but design differentiation and visibility enhancement are limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedesign differentiationVSAvoidhardware variants
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The exterior light's luminous surface is divided into multiple independently controllable segments, each with its own light source. This segmentation allows the control device to dynamically configure different lighting patterns and designs by selectively activating specific segments, eliminating the need for multiple hardware variants while enabling diverse design expressions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The lighting system transitions from a static, fixed design to a dynamic, reconfigurable system. The control device can change the illumination state of different segments in real-time, allowing the same physical light fixture to display multiple design configurations and adapt to various driving conditions or aesthetic preferences.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple hardware variants with differently arranged light sources are used to achieve design differentiations, then design variety is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedesign varietyVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

A single universal light fixture design incorporates multiple independently controllable segments that can be configured to serve different design purposes. The same hardware platform can produce multiple design variants through software control, eliminating the need to manufacture separate hardware versions for different design requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of changing physical hardware parameters (light source arrangement, fixture geometry), the system changes operational parameters (which segments are active, their brightness levels, timing patterns) to achieve different design effects. This parameter-based approach simplifies manufacturing while maintaining design variety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Illumination intensity

If dynamically varying segment brightness is implemented to create a vibrant light signature, then visibility and attention-grabbing effect are enhanced, but overall brightness control becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisibility enhancementVSAvoidcontrol scheme complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control device implements periodic or sequential illumination patterns where different segments are activated in a predetermined sequence or with varying brightness levels over time. This creates a dynamic, attention-grabbing light signature that enhances visibility while using systematic control patterns that manage complexity through repetition and predictability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentEP4171997B1Method for operating a lighting device of a motor vehicle, lighting device and motor vehicle
Publication Date: 2026.02.25 AUDI AG
  • EP4171997B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4171997B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4171997B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for operating a lighting device (2) of a motor vehicle (1), wherein the lighting device (2) comprises at least an exterior lamp (4) and a control device (3), wherein the exterior lamp (4) has an illuminating area (14) having at least two independently controllable segments (15, 15a, 15b) each comprising at least one light source, wherein, in at least one dynamic operating mode of the control device (3), for at least one dynamic group of the segments (15, 15a, 15b) comprising at least two segments (15, 15a, 15b), the segments (15, 15a, 15b) of the dynamic group run an illumination mode which is pseudorandomizedly or randomizedly temporally variable, as described by a temporal sequence of control schemes, wherein each control scheme for each segment (15, 15a, 15b) of the dynamic group describes whether and/or at what brightness said segment is to be operated.