Vehicle Light Control Device Wiring Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing complexity of light functions in motor vehicle headlamps using LEDs leads to a significant increase in dedicated connections for BIN information, resulting in high production costs and design constraints due to limited space, and poses maintenance challenges when replacing control devices as BIN information is no longer available.
Innovation Solution
A device for controlling the electrical power supply of light sources that eliminates the need for dedicated connections to read BIN information, using memory elements within the control device to store and process data for the intensity of the electric current, allowing for communication via a bus system like CAN or LIN, enabling configuration and maintenance without direct access to BIN information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If dedicated connections are used to read BIN information from each light source, then the control device can be configured correctly, but the wiring complexity and production costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the BIN information reading function from the control device and relocates it to the power supply device. The power supply device reads and stores BIN information in its own memory element, eliminating the need for dedicated connection wires between the control device and light sources for BIN information transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a data bus as an intermediary communication channel between the power supply device and control device. Instead of direct dedicated connections, the power supply device communicates BIN information to the control device through this shared data bus, reducing wiring complexity while maintaining configuration accuracy.
2Device complexity
If BIN information is stored only in the control device, then configuration is simplified, but maintenance becomes difficult when the control device is replaced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local storage of BIN information in the power supply device's memory element, separate from the control device. This distributed storage approach ensures that BIN information remains available locally at the power supply device even when the control device is replaced, facilitating easier maintenance while keeping the overall system configuration simple.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the number of light functions is increased, then the lighting system becomes more versatile, but the number of connection cables increases rapidly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the data bus a universal communication channel that serves multiple functions: transmitting BIN information, controlling light sources, and supporting various lighting functions. This multi-functional data bus replaces multiple dedicated connection cables, allowing the system to support increased lighting function versatility without proportionally increasing connection cable quantity.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention provides a device for controlling the power supply to light sources in a motor vehicle, designed to supply an electric current of a predetermined intensity to said light sources. The measures according to the invention eliminate the need for a dedicated cable between the control means and a support comprising LED light sources, which would only be useful for obtaining the BIN values of the LEDs. At the same time, the measures of the invention allow continued access to the data required to configure, for example, a replacement control device so that it can supply an electric current of an intensity suitable for the LEDs in question.