Wireless Vehicle Lighting Control With Signal-Loss Safety Modes
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing complexity of motor vehicle headlights requires more complex control signals, leading to a cumbersome wiring harness, which complicates the connector system and fails to meet legal safety requirements in case of lighting device subsystem failures.
Innovation Solution
A lighting device operates using wirelessly received control and sensor signals, allowing for reduced wiring and enabling safety modes to maintain functionality even in case of signal loss, with fallback operations to ensure compliance with legal beam light distribution requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If complex control signals are used to implement advanced lighting functions, then lighting functionality is improved, but wiring harness complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/electrical wiring harness system with a wireless communication system. Control signals are transmitted wirelessly between the control unit and lighting device, eliminating the need for complex physical cable connections while maintaining full control functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the control signal transmission function from the physical wiring harness and implements it through wireless communication. This removes the bulky cable infrastructure while preserving the essential control capability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If more signal lines are added to accommodate complex lighting functions, then lighting control capability is improved, but connector system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the complex mechanical connector system with multiple signal lines with a wireless communication interface. A single wireless transmitter and receiver replace what would otherwise require numerous individually connected signal lines and a complex multi-pin connector assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple control signal transmission channels into a single wireless communication link. Instead of requiring separate physical connections for each control signal, all control information is merged into wireless data packets transmitted through a single communication interface.
3Weight of moving object
If wireless communication is used to reduce wiring, then wiring harness weight is reduced, but reliability in case of signal loss must be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements beforehand cushioning by providing fallback control modes that activate when wireless control signals are lost. The lighting device can switch to operating based on sensor signals or pre-programmed default behaviors, ensuring continued safe operation even when primary control communication fails.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses feedback mechanisms where the lighting device monitors the presence and quality of received control signals. When signal loss is detected, the system provides feedback about its operational status and automatically transitions to appropriate fallback modes to maintain reliability.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for operating a motor vehicle lighting system with a light source unit (109) for generating a light distribution (400) is proposed. The light source unit (109) is operated in normal mode depending on a wirelessly received control signal (330). The absence of the wirelessly received control signal (330) is determined. The light source unit (109) is operated in safety mode (410) depending on a wirelessly received sensor signal (340).