REAR VIEW DEVICE ASSEMBLIES AND CIRCUITS

• US 20200137853A1
• Filed: 12/23/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SMR Patents Sarl (SMR Patents)
• Original Assignee: SMR Patents Sarl (SMR Patents)
• Inventors: Herrmann, Andreas, Wieczorek, Romeo, Vardhan Rao, Kollu Harsha
• Granted Patent: US 10,806,002 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 1/381 with several light sources activated in sequence, e.g. to create a sweep effect
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/1207 with lamps; with turn indicators
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/24 using electrical feedback from LEDs or from LED modules
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/325 Pulse-width modulation [PWM]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/42 Antiparallel configurations
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/48 having LEDs organised in strings and incorporating parallel shunting devices

Abstract

A control circuit for an illumination module in a vehicle includes an input channel for receiving a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal, a filter configured to extract information received by the input channel, one or more first light sources, one or more second light sources, a first output channel which is adapted to control on and off states of the one or more first light sources depending on the extracted information, and a second output channel which is adapted to control on and off states of the one or more second light source connected to the second output channel depending on the extracted information, and an electronic circuit connected to the first output channel and including a circuit carrier which includes the one or more first light sources, and at least one circuit connection mounted to the circuit carrier.

Claims

1. A control circuit for an illumination module in a vehicle, comprising:

an input channel for receiving a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal;

a filter configured to extract information received by the input channel;

one or more first light sources;

one or more second light sources;

a first output channel which is adapted to control on and off states of the one or more first light sources depending on the extracted information; and

a second output channel which is adapted to control on and off states of the one or more second light source connected to the second output channel depending on the extracted information; and

an electronic circuit connected to the first output channel and comprising;

a circuit carrier which comprises the one or more first light sources; and

at least one circuit connection mounted to the circuit carrier, the circuit connection being coupled to at least one of the one or more first light sources,

wherein at least one of the one or more first light sources are supplied with current corresponding to a voltage applied to the circuit connection, and

wherein the voltage applied to the circuit connection comprises an on-board voltage of the vehicle.

2. The control circuit of claim 1, wherein the one or more first light sources and the one or more second light sources comprise light-emitting diodes.

3. The control circuit of claim 1, wherein the one or more first light sources comprise a primary first light source and a secondary first light source,

wherein the electronic circuit further comprises a first circuit part assigned to the primary first light source and a second circuit part assigned to the secondary first light source, and

wherein, in use, the primary first light source and the secondary first light source emit light having different wavelengths.

4. The control circuit of claim 3, wherein at least one of the first circuit part and the second circuit part comprises two diodes switched inversely to one another.

5. The control circuit of claim 4, wherein the two diodes switched inversely to one another comprise a first inverse-polarity protection diode switched in series with the primary first light source and a second inverse-polarity protection diode switched in series with the secondary first light source.

6. The control circuit of claim 5, wherein the two serial connections of the primary first light source and the first inverse-polarity protection diode and the secondary first light source and second inverse-polarity protection diode are switched parallel to one another.

7. The control circuit of claim 6, wherein the electronic circuit has a capacitance which is switched parallel to the two serial connections of the primary first light source and the first inverse-polarity protection diode and the secondary first light source and the second inverse-polarity protection diode.

8. The control circuit of claim 7, wherein the electronic circuit has a connection cable which connects the two serial connections of the primary first light source and the first inverse-polarity protection diode and the secondary first light source and the second inverse-polarity protection diode to the circuit connection.

9. The control circuit of claim 7, wherein the capacitance comprises exclusively the connection cable.

10. The control circuit of claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit comprises at least one of an electronic circuit of a blind-spot monitoring display and a route indicator.

11. The control circuit of claim 1, further comprising another electronic circuit connected to the second output channel, and comprising

a circuit carrier which comprises the one or more second light sources;

and

at least one circuit connection mounted to the circuit carrier, the circuit connection being coupled to at least one of the one or more second light sources.

12. The control circuit of claim 1, wherein the first output channel is adapted to turn at least one of the one or more first light sources on and the second output channel is adapted to turn at least one of the one or more second light sources off based on a first PWM signal,

wherein the first output channel is adapted to turn at least one of the one or more first light sources off and the second output channel is adapted to turn at least one of the one or more second light sources on based on a second PWM signal, and

wherein the first output channel is adapted to turn at least one of the one or more first light sources on and the second output channel is adapted to turn at least one of the one or more second light sources on, at the same time, based on a third PWM signal.

13. The control circuit of claim 12, wherein, in response to either the first PWM signal or the second PWM signal being transmitted consecutively with the third PWM signal during a period of time, one of the one or more first light sources or the one or more second light sources is permanently lit while another of the one or more first light sources or the one or more second light sources flashes on and off.

14. The control circuit of claim 1, wherein the one or more first light sources and the one or more second light sources comprise at least one light each or an array of lights, wherein the one or more first light source comprises a first light having a first color, and wherein the one or more second light sources comprises a second light having a second color.

15. The control circuit of claim 14, wherein the first and second colors are different colors, and wherein the first and second light sources are provided in a side-turn indicator.

16. The control circuit of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more first light sources and the one or more second light sources 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, and an electrodeless lamp.

17. The control circuit of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first output channel or the second output channel comprises a delay circuit for time delaying the at least one of the first output channel or second output channel.

18. The control circuit of claim 12, wherein the first PWM signal comprises a duty cycle rate of 20%, the second PWM signal comprises a duty cycle rate of 100%, and the third PWM signal comprises a duty cycle rate of 80%.

19. The control circuit of claim 12, wherein the filter is configured to extract information from each of the first PWM signal, the second PWM signal, and the third PWM signal.

20. The control circuit of claim 1, wherein the PWM signal comprises a supply voltage for at least one of the one or more first light sources or the one or more second light sources.