SIGNAL LIGHT INTEGRATED IN A MODULE HOUSING AND CONTROL AND MONITORING CIRCUIT FOR CONTROLLING SAME

• US 20180147977A1
• Filed: 12/13/2016
• Published: 05/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SMR Patents SARL
• Original Assignee: SMR Patents SARL
• Inventors: Liesener, Alf, Gttlicher, Stefanie, Wieczorek, Romeo, Fritz, Daniel, Rtzer, Ilka
• Granted Patent: US 10,696,206 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0011 with light guides for distributing the light between several lighting or signalling devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0023 the element being a sensor, e.g. distance sensor, camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2607 comprising at least two indicating lamps
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2665 on rear-view mirrors lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for rear-view mirrors B60Q3/258
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2696 Mounting of devices using LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/34 for indicating change of drive direction B60Q1/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/381 with several light sources activated in sequence, e.g. to create a sweep effect
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/46 for giving flashing caution signals during drive, other than signalling change of direction, e.g. flashing the headlights or hazard lights
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/48 for parking purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/543 for indicating other states or conditions of the vehicle indicating taxis' state of hire or fare G07B13/045
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/20 Multi-color single source or LED matrix, e.g. yellow blinker and red brake lamp generated by single lamp
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2900/30 Lamps commanded by wireless transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A camera module housing of a vehicle includes at least a first light source adapted to radiate light having a first color, a second light source adapted to radiate light having a second color, wherein the first color is different from the second color, at least a first opening in the aperture of the camera module housing adapted to allow for light passing through from the first light source, at least a second opening in the aperture of the camera housing adapted to allow for light passing through from the second light source, where the first and second opening are arranged around a lens of the camera. A control circuit for controlling a lighting application in a vehicle includes at least a voltage input channel for receiving an input voltage; and at least a first output channel, a first lighting device, a second output channel, and a second lighting device.

Claims

1. A camera module of a vehicle, comprising:

a signal lamp comprising a first light source, and adapted to radiate light having a first color and a second color the first color being different from the second color; and

a camera module housing comprising a first opening in an aperture of the camera module housing adapted to allow for light passing through from the first light source or the second light source,

wherein the first opening is arranged around a lens of the camera.

2. The camera module of claim 1, further comprising:

a second light source; and

a second opening in the aperture of the camera module housing adapted to allow for light passing through from the first light source or the second light source,

wherein the first light source radiates light having the first color and the second light source radiates light having the second color.

3. The camera module of claim 2, wherein the first and second openings are positioned on a boundary formed at the edge of the lens of the camera, or are positioned on a boundary formed at the edge of the camera module housing.

4. The camera module of claim 2, wherein the first light source is adapted to radiate the light having the first color in response to a first event at a first time interval and the second light source is adapted to radiate the light having the second color in response to a second event at a second time interval.

5. The camera module of claim 2, wherein the first light source and the second light source are light emitted diodes (LED) that are configured to emit both the first color and the second color.

6. The camera module of claim 5, wherein the first light source is adapted to radiate the light having the first color and the second light source is adapted to radiate the light having the second color in response to a first event at a first time interval, and the first light source is adapted to radiate the light having the second color and the second light source is adapted to radiate the light having the first color in response to a second event at a second time interval.

7. The camera module of claim 5, wherein the first light source and the second light source are both configured to radiate the light having the first color at a first time interval according to a first desired application and are both configured to radiate the light having the second color at a second time interval according to a second desired application.

8. The camera module of claim 5, wherein the first light source and the second light source are both configured to radiate the first light when used as indicator, the second light when used as warning light for blind spot detection, and a third and fourth light for signaling that the car is being locked and unlocked.

9. The camera module of claim 2, wherein the camera module housing further comprises a third opening and a fourth opening, and wherein the first opening, the second opening, the third opening, and the fourth opening are symmetrically arranged about the lens of the camera.

10. The camera module of claim 1, wherein the light source is a light emitting diode (LED) that is arranged at a rear portion of the camera module housing, and the camera module further comprises a plurality of light guides connecting the LED to the first opening and the second opening.

11. The camera module of claim 1, further comprising a control circuit for controlling lighting of the signal lamp.

12. The camera module of claim 1, further comprising a light guide, wherein the light guide is positioned at least partly on an outer periphery of the camera module housing.

13. The camera module of claim 2, wherein the first opening and the second opening have a circular, ovular, square, rectangular, triangular, octagonal, icon, or other freeform shape.

14. The camera module of claim 2, wherein the first light source and the second light source are Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), light bulbs, halogen lamps, xenon lamps, neon lamps, electrodeless lamps, or any light source.

15. The camera module of claim 1, wherein a signal of the light source does not interfere with an input of the camera.

16. The camera module of claim 1, wherein a signal of the light source is configured to be recognized by the driver but does not interfere with an input of the camera.

17. The camera module of claim 1, wherein each function is assigned to a specific light color or a specific light source.

34. The monitoring circuit of claim 28, wherein the monitoring circuit comprises:

a first port to couple the monitoring circuit to at least one turn-indicator or to all turn-indicators in the vehicle;

a second port to couple the monitoring circuit to the voltage input channel of the control circuit of claim 14;

or

a third port to couple the monitoring circuit to a control circuit via a bus system of the vehicle, preferably via a Controller Area Network, CAN, bus, a Local Interconnect Network, LIN bus, and/or a system utilizing Ethernet or TCP/IP.

35. A rear view display device for a vehicle, comprising the control circuit of claim 14 and the monitoring circuit of claim 28.

18. A control circuit for controlling a lighting application in a vehicle, comprising:

at least a voltage input channel for receiving an input voltage; and

at least a first output channel and at least a first lighting device, wherein the first output channel is adapted to control the on and off states of the first lighting device connected to the first output channel, and at least a second output channel and at least a second lighting device, wherein the second output channel is adapted to control the on and off states of the second lighting device connected to the second output channel,

wherein the first output channel is adapted to turn the first lighting device on and the second output channel is adapted to turn the second lighting device off based on a first information in the input voltage, and

the first output channel is adapted to turn the first lighting device off and the second output channel is adapted to turn the second lighting device on based on a second information in the input voltage.

19. The control circuit of claim 18, wherein the first and the second lighting device comprise at least one light source each or an array of light sources, wherein the first lighting device comprises a first light source having a first color, and wherein the second lighting device comprises a second light source having a second color.

20. The control circuit of claim 19, wherein the first and second colors are different colors, and wherein the first and second light sources are comprised in a side-turn indicator.

21. The control circuit of claim 19, wherein the light source comprises at least one of a Light Emitting Diode (LED), a light bulb, a halogen lamp, an arc lamp, a Xenon arc lamp, a fluorescent lamp, a neon lamp, or an electrodeless lamp.

22. The control circuit of claim 18, wherein the control circuit is adapted to determine the first information by determining that the input voltage is below a threshold, and determining the second information by determining that the input voltage is above the threshold, and the control circuit comprises a trigger circuit to adjust the threshold.

23. The control circuit of claim 18, wherein at least one of the first output channel or the second output channel comprises a delay circuit for time-delaying the output channel/output channels.

24. The control circuit of claim 18, wherein the control circuit is adapted to determine the first information by determining that the input voltage comprises a first duty cycle rate, preferably 20%, and to determine the second information by determining that the input voltage comprises a second duty cycle rate, preferably 50%, preferably wherein the duty cycle interval is 1 KHz.

25. The control circuit of claim 18, wherein the control circuit is adapted to determine the first information by determining that the input voltage comprises a first frequency and to determine the second information by determining that the input voltage comprises a second frequency, wherein the first and second frequencies are different.

26. The control circuit of claim 18, wherein the control circuit comprises at least one filter circuit to extract the first information and the second information from the input voltage.

27. The control circuit of claim 18, wherein the input voltage comprises the supply voltage for the first lighting device and/or second lighting device, or the control circuit comprises a discreet logic circuit, or a field-programmable gate array, FPGA.

28. A monitoring circuit for controlling a lighting application in a vehicle, wherein the monitoring circuit is adapted to supply information to a control circuit for flashing at least one lighting device in a first color for indicating a change of direction and a second color for an application other than indicating a change in direction.

29. The monitoring circuit of claim 28, wherein the monitoring circuit is adapted to supply information to the control circuit for flashing the lighting device in blue.

30. The monitoring circuit of claim 28, wherein the monitoring circuit comprises a wireless receiver arranged in a passenger compartment of the vehicle, and wherein the wireless receiver is adapted to detect the presence of at least one wireless sender, a plurality of wireless senders in the passenger compartment, and wherein the monitoring circuit is adapted to supply the information to the control circuit for turning the lighting device on or off as a result of detecting the removal of the wireless sender, the information being sent upon detecting that the vehicle is being locked.

31. The monitoring circuit of claim 30, wherein the wireless receiver or wireless sender comprises at least one of a radio frequency identification (RFID) receiver or sender, a Bluetooth receiver or sender, a Wi-Fi receiver or sender, or a receiver or sender using wireless technology.

32. The monitoring circuit of claim 28, wherein the monitoring circuit is coupled to a position detection circuit, comprising a Global Positioning System, GPS, receiver, to obtain information regarding the position of the vehicle, and wherein the monitoring circuit is adapted to supply information to the control circuit as a result of detecting the position of the vehicle, preferably the information is sent upon detecting that the vehicle is positioned in a no-parking zone.

33. The monitoring circuit of claim 28, wherein the monitoring circuit is coupled to an onboard diagnostic system, and wherein the monitoring circuit is adapted to supply information to the control circuit as a result of detecting a malfunctioning of the vehicle detected by the onboard diagnostic system, wherein a malfunctioning is detected based on a tire pressure value, and/or fuel level value.