Method for the operation of a light unit, and light unit

• US 10,285,234 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2016
• Issued: 05/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Moisel, Joerg
• Primary Examiner(s): A, Minh D
• Application Number:
  US15/766,858
• Publication Number:
  US 20180310375A1
• Time in Patent Office: 982 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/14 having dimming means
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/122 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/141 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/153 arranged in a matrix
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/663 by switching light sources by switching incandescent light sources F21S41/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/20 Processor architectures; Processor configuration, e.g. pipelining
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/12 using optical feedback

Abstract

A method for the operation of a vehicle light unit is provided. The light unit includes at least one light source module having several light sources and a control unit coupled to the light source module. The light sources each include a predetermined number of brightness levels. A predetermined number of light sources are combined by the control unit to form at least one controllable light source unit. In order to set a light distribution, the light sources that form the at least one light source unit are activated together and a brightness level of each light source of the at least one activated light source unit is set individually.

Claims

1. A method for the operation of a vehicle light unit, the method comprising:

determining a light distribution for the vehicle light unit; and

forming at least one controllable light source unit based on the determined light distribution for the vehicle light unit,

wherein the vehicle light unit comprises at least one light source module having a plurality of light sources and a control unit coupled to the light source module,

wherein the plurality of light sources each comprise a predetermined number of brightness levels,

wherein a predetermined number of the plurality of light sources is combined by the control unit to form the at least one controllable light source unit,

wherein the plurality of light sources forming the at least one controllable light source unit are activated together to set a light distribution,

wherein a brightness level of each of the plurality of light sources of the at least one controllable light source unit is set individually and independently of other ones of the plurality of light sources so that at least one of the plurality of light sources of the at least one controllable light source unit has a different brightness level than other ones of the plurality of light sources, and

wherein a brightness resolution of the at least one controllable light source unit is set by an amount of light sources forming the at least one controllable light source unit, the method further comprising

determining a current driving situation of the vehicle based on vehicle data; and

automatically setting the light distribution and the brightness levels of the plurality of light sources depending on the current driving situation of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one controllable light source unit is formed from a number of the plurality of light sources arranged adjacent to one another.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of light sources arranged adjacent to one another are arranged horizontally, vertically or diagonally adjacently to one another.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting information from the control unit to the light source module to form the at least one controllable light source unit, the light source module comprising the plurality of light sources to be combined.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

transferring the brightness level to be set and the information about the plurality of light sources to be combined via a data bus.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the brightness level to be set from the control unit to the light source module to individually set a brightness level of each of the plurality of light sources.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle data includes at least one of steering angle, speed, yaw angle, longitudinal and transverse acceleration, switch positions, and surroundings data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the control unit is operable to control the at least one controllable light source to have a number of brightness levels equal to a product of the predetermined number of brightness levels of the plurality of light sources and a total number of the plurality of light sources.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the control unit transfer a brightness level for each of the plurality of light sources to the at least one light source module.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light sources form a pixel headlight.

11. A vehicle light unit, comprising:

at least one light source module comprising a plurality of light sources that each have a predetermined number of brightness levels; and

a controller coupled to the light source module, wherein the controller is configured to

set a light distribution of a combination of the plurality of light sources to form at least one controllable light source unit,

activate the plurality of light sources forming the at least one controllable light source unit together, and

individually set a brightness level of each of the plurality of light sources of the at least one controllable light source unit, wherein the brightness level of each of the plurality of light sources is set independently of other ones of the plurality of light sources so that at least one of the plurality of light sources of the at least one controllable light source unit has a different brightness level than other ones of the plurality of light sources,

wherein a brightness resolution of the at least one controllable light source unit is set by an amount of light sources forming the at least one controllable light source unit, and

wherein the controller is further configured to automatically set the light distribution and brightness levels of the plurality of light sources depending on a current driving situation of the vehicle, wherein the current driving situation of the vehicle is based on vehicle data.

12. The vehicle light unit of claim 11, wherein the plurality of light sources are arranged horizontally, vertically, or diagonally adjacent to one another.

13. The vehicle light unit of claim 11, wherein the control unit is configured to transmit information to the light source module regarding the plurality of light sources to be combined.

14. The vehicle light unit of claim 11, wherein the vehicle data includes at least one of steering angle, speed, yaw angle, longitudinal and transverse acceleration, switch positions, and surroundings data.

15. The vehicle light unit of claim 11, wherein the control unit is operable to control the at least one controllable light source to have a number of brightness levels equal to a product of the predetermined number of brightness levels of the plurality of light sources and a total number of the plurality of light sources.

16. The vehicle light unit of claim 11, wherein the control unit transfer a brightness level for each of the plurality of light sources to the at least one light source module.

17. The vehicle light unit of claim 11, wherein the plurality of light sources form a pixel headlight.