Motor Vehicle Light Source Illuminance Diagnosis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for determining the operating parameters of motor vehicle light sources are inadequate in detecting states of different illuminance, particularly failing to diagnose decreases in illuminance effectively and ensuring compliance with legal minimum illuminance values.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising a control unit, light sensor, and evaluation unit that controls and evaluates different states of illuminance, allowing for the determination of the contribution of each light source to overall illuminance, with the ability to individually switch LEDs on and off to diagnose failing lamps and maintain minimum legal illuminance levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a minimum current measurement is used to detect light source failures, then the detection method is simple, but it cannot detect decreases in illuminance or diagnose individual illuminant failures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the light source into multiple individually controllable illuminants (LEDs) and uses a light sensor to measure illuminance contributions from each illuminant separately by switching them on and off individually. This allows precise diagnosis of which specific illuminant has failed or degraded, moving beyond simple binary failure detection to detailed illuminance state analysis.
2Measurement precision
If individual illuminants are switched off for diagnosis, then failing lamps can be identified, but the average illuminance over time may fall below legal minimums
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic switching of illuminants where each illuminant is switched off briefly for diagnosis and then restored. The control unit manages these periodic switching cycles and can adjust the duration and frequency of illuminant deactivation to ensure that the time-averaged illuminance remains above legal minimum thresholds while still enabling effective failure diagnosis.
Solution Approach 2:
The light sensor provides continuous feedback on the illuminance level to the control unit. Based on this feedback, the control unit dynamically adjusts the switching behavior of illuminants to maintain compliance with minimum illuminance requirements while performing necessary diagnostic measurements.
3Measurement precision
If multiple states of different illuminance are controlled and evaluated, then illuminance contributions can be determined accurately, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit serves multiple functions: it controls the switching of individual illuminants, manages the timing of measurements, processes the sensor signals, and ensures compliance with illuminance regulations. The light sensor similarly performs multiple measurement tasks by detecting illuminance under different switching conditions. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each function.
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
Enables improved detection of illuminance states, allowing for simple diagnosis of decreased headlight illuminance and ensuring compliance with legal minimums by correlating sensor signals with different illuminance states, thereby maintaining safe and legal lighting conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a light sensor and an evaluation unit for evaluating signals generated by the light sensor
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The device (10) has a control unit (18) for controlling two conditions of different illumination intensity of a light source (14), a light sensor (20) and an evaluation unit (22) for evaluating signals generated by the light sensor. The illumination intensity is determined at a location illuminated by the light source. : An independent claim is included for a method for determining an operating parameter of an illuminant of a light source of a motor vehicle. USE : Device for determining an operating parameter of an illuminant of a light source of a motor vehicle (Claimed). ADVANTAGE : The device has a control unit for controlling two conditions of different illumination intensity of a light source, and the illumination intensity is determined at a location illuminated by the light source, and hence ensures improved detection of conditions of different illumination intensity of the light source. DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS : The drawing shows a schematic view of a device for determining an operating parameter of an illuminant of a light source of a motor vehicle. 10 : Determining device 14 : Light source 18 : Control unit 20 : Light sensor 22 : Evaluation unit.