Motor Vehicle Surface Light Source Thermal Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Motor vehicle surface light sources are prone to overheating due to operational and environmental factors, leading to potential damage and uneven luminance distribution, which existing temperature monitoring methods fail to address effectively and efficiently.

Innovation Solution

A lighting device equipped with a temperature sensor device featuring multiple thin-film sensors that detect temperature distribution and a control device to locally control the surface light source, preventing overheating and ensuring homogeneous luminance by positioning sensors directly on the light source for precise temperature monitoring.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If a surface light source is used to illuminate the motor vehicle interior, then uniform illumination and special design elements are achieved, but overheating and potential damage occur due to operational and environmental factors

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuniform illuminationVSAvoidoverheating
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by segmenting the surface light source into multiple independently controllable light-emitting diodes arranged in rows and columns. Each LED can be individually controlled based on local temperature conditions detected by corresponding temperature sensors, allowing selective dimming or shutdown of specific regions to prevent overheating while maintaining uniform illumination in cooler areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback control by using temperature sensors to continuously monitor the temperature of each light-emitting diode and adjusting the luminance of individual LEDs based on the detected temperature. The control device receives temperature signals and automatically reduces the luminance or switches off LEDs that exceed temperature thresholds, creating a closed-loop system that prevents overheating while maintaining optimal illumination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If conventional temperature sensors are used with base bodies, then temperature monitoring is achieved, but measurement precision is reduced due to distance from the light source and heat transfer calculations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetemperature monitoringVSAvoidtemperature measurement accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the temperature sensing function from conventional bulk sensors with base bodies and implements it through thin-film temperature sensors that can be directly applied to the surface of each light-emitting diode. This eliminates the need for base bodies and heat transfer calculations, providing direct contact temperature measurement with high precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses thin-film temperature sensors that can be directly applied to the surface of light-emitting diodes. These thin-film sensors conform to the LED surface without requiring rigid base bodies, enabling direct thermal contact and accurate temperature measurement right at the light source, thereby eliminating measurement errors associated with thermal conduction through base bodies.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Reliability

If multiple temperature zones are monitored and controlled, then overheating prevention is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple sensors and control mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoverheating preventionVSAvoidsensor and control system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the surface light source into multiple independently controllable light-emitting diodes arranged in a grid pattern with corresponding temperature sensors for each LED. This segmentation allows localized temperature monitoring and control, where each LED-sensor pair operates as an independent unit, simplifying the overall control logic while achieving comprehensive temperature management across the entire illumination surface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Measurement precision

If thin-film sensors are positioned directly on the surface light source, then measurement precision is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetemperature measurement accuracyVSAvoidsensor integration difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the temperature sensor and light-emitting diode into a single integrated module, where the thin-film temperature sensor is directly applied to the surface of each LED. This integration simplifies manufacturing by treating the LED and its temperature sensor as a pre-assembled unit, reducing the complexity of subsequent assembly operations while maintaining direct thermal contact for accurate measurement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

The solution allows for precise temperature monitoring and control of surface light sources, preventing damage from overheating and ensuring uniform luminance distribution, even in complex geometries, while being cost-effective and adaptable to various environmental conditions.

Implementation Method 1

a temperature sensor device with a large number of thin-film sensors for detecting a temperature distribution of the surface light source

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTemperature sensing: Thermistor

Implementation Method 2

a control device, by means of which a luminance generated by means of the surface light source can be locally specifically controlled as a function of the temperature distribution

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight emission control: Light Emitting Diode

Data Source

PatentEP3163271B1Lighting device for a motor vehicle and method for manufacturing of a lighting device
Publication Date: 2019.08.21 AUDI AG
  • EP3163271B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2

AI summary

The invention relates to a lighting device (12) for a motor vehicle comprising a surface light source, a temperature sensor device (10) for detecting a temperature at a point on the surface light source (14), and a control device by means of which the surface light source (14) can be controlled depending on the detected temperature, wherein the temperature sensor device (10) comprises a thin-film sensor (20). The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a lighting device (12) for a motor vehicle comprising a surface light source (14).