Daytime running light system

• US 5,081,565 A
• Filed: 11/08/1990
• Issued: 01/14/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Chrysler Group LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Chrysler Corporation (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Long, Michael C., Nabha, Ali M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazarus, Ira J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hagarman, Sue
• Application Number:
  US07/610,675
• Time in Patent Office: 432 Days
• Field of Search: 362/61, 362/80, 362/802, 340/468, 340/469, 315/82, 315/83, 307/10.8
• US Class Current: 362/465
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1423 Automatic dimming circuits, i.e. switching between high beam and low beam due to change of ambient light or light level in road traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 11/00 Arrangement of monitoring devices for devices provided for in groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/052 Switching delay, i.e. the beam is not switched or changed instantaneously upon occurrence of a condition change
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/054 Variable non-standard intensity, i.e. emission of various beam intensities different from standard intensities, e.g. continuous or stepped transitions of intensity
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/146 Abnormalities, e.g. fail-safe
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/30 Daytime running lights [DRL], e.g. circuits or arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/802 Position or condition responsive switch

Abstract

A daytime running light system employs level sensing comparators to effect reduced illuminating the high beam filaments of headlamps of a vehicle and short circuit protection to the circuit as well as to a high beam indicator circuit which only operates when the high beam filaments operate at full intensity.

Claims

1. A daytime running light system furnishing a reduced intensity light source mode automatically with respect to a full intensity mode from high beam filaments of a vehicle headlamp, after a chosen delay period following releasing a PARK BRAKE lever and turning an ignition switch from OFF to ON and without using a headlamp switch to turn ON the vehicle high beam headlamps, said high beam headlamps illuminating in the full intensity mode when operating the headlamp switch to a HEAD lamp position in conjunction with a headlamp dimmer and flash-to-pass (FTP) switch operated to a HIGH beam position, a high beam indicator lamp being driven ON when said high beam filaments operate in the full intensity mode but being held OFF when said high beam lights operate in the reduced intensity light source mode;

said system comprising;

a) means for delaying turn ON of said reduced intensity light source mode of the high beam filaments in response to turning ON said ignition switch and then releasing said PARK BRAKE lever;

b) means for generating a triangular waveform signal from a stable voltage source initiated by turning ON said ignition switch;

c) squarewave generating means coupled to said triangular waveform generating means for generating a squarewave signal of a chosen duty cycle;

d) high beam filament driver mean for illuminating the high beam filaments in the reduced intensity light source mode in response to said squarewave signal from said squarewave generating means;

e) high beam indicator driver means for holding said high beam indicator OFF when said high beam filaments are driven in the reduced intensity light source mode and for illuminating said indicator when the headlamp switch and the headlamp dimmer and FTP switch are operated to illuminate the high beam filaments in the full intensity mode; and

f) short-circuit protection circuit coupled between an input and an output of said high beam indicator driver means for inhibiting operation of said indicator driver means when a shorted high beam filament or shorted external wiring of said high beam indicator exist.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said triangular waveform generator means includes:

a) a voltage divider network having a first input terminal connected to receive forward current from said stable voltage source during a first time interval to produce an upper value reference voltage and a second input terminal connected to receive return current of a ground potential of said voltage source during a second time interval to produce a lower value reference voltage and an output terminal for alternately providing a bistable output voltage window between said upper voltage reference when said first input terminal receives current from said stable voltage source and said lower voltage reference when said second input terminal receives said return current;

b) a first integrator means having an input connected to said second input of said voltage divider network for receiving forward current from said stable voltage source as said current passes by passes said second input terminal of said voltage divider network, said current causing a capacitor of said integrator means to exponentially charge towards a potential difference of said stable voltage source at a time constant dependent upon a chosen resistor of said voltage divider network in series with a resistor of said first integrator means during the first time interval, said exponentially charging potential difference being available at an output terminal of said first integrator means;

said input of said integrator means also being connected to said second input terminal of said voltage divider means for routing asymptotically discharging current to the ground potential during the second time interval at a time constant dependent upon the resistor and capacitor of said integrator means; and

c) a first level detecting comparator means having a (+) input terminal connected to said output terminal of said voltage divider and a (-) input terminal connected to said output terminal of said RC integrator for producing an open output when the voltage at the (+) input exceeds the voltage at the (-) input and for producing a ground output when the opposite input voltages exists;

said first comparator making available at the (-) input terminal a positive slope voltage when said RC integrator charges and a negative slope voltage when said RC integrator discharges, said positive and negative slope voltages forming a triangularly shaped waveform of a chosen frequency.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said squarewave generating means includes a second level detecting comparator means having a (-) input terminal connected to the (-) input terminal of said first comparator means for receiving said triangularly shaped waveform and a (+) input terminal connected to a combination time delay and voltage divider circuit that places a reference voltage at the (+) input after a chosen time delay for producing at an output of said second comparator means, a HIGH output signal when an amplitude of the triangular waveform exceeds the reference voltage at the (+) input terminal and a LOW output signal when the amplitude of the triangular waveform falls below the reference voltage, forming a squarewave output signal of a chosen frequency;

said squarewave output signal being used to drive a smart high side field effect transistor, which in turn drives with a second output squarewave signal, the high beam filaments to produce the daytime running light.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein said high beam indicator driver means include a third level detecting comparator means having a (+) input terminal receiving a reference voltage of about 1/2 the stable source voltage and a (-) input terminal connected to an output of a second RC integrator means charged and discharged in response to oscillations of the second squarewave signal from said field effect transistor (FET) for producing an open output as long as the output of the FET is not overridden by a manual operation of the high beam light switch, the overriding of the FET output causing an amplitude at the (-) input of the third comparator to exceed that at the (+) input terminal causing a grounded output signal, said grounded output signal biases a conventional transistor ON which in turn lights the high beam indicator.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein a fourth level sensing comparator means has a (-) input terminal connected to a combination voltage divider and a third RC integrator which charges and discharges a capacitor of the third integrator between ground and to about 1/2 the stable source voltage in response to the oscillations of the second squarewave signal and having a (+) input terminal connected to a voltage divider circuit which provides a upper reference voltage to the (+) input terminal if a collector output of the conventional transistor is grounded and a lower reference voltage to the (+) input if the collector is at the source voltage potential, the upper reference voltage being above the amplitude of the voltage at the (+) input terminal and the lower reference voltage being below the amplitude of the voltage at the (+) terminal, the receipt of the lower reference voltage causing a grounded output of the fourth comparator means to cutoff base bias to the conventional transistor protecting it from a short circuit signal from the high beam indicator and the receipt of the lower reference voltage causing the output of the fourth comparator means to provide an open output which does not interfere with biasing circuits of the conventional transistor which lights the high beam indicator lamp.

6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein an auxiliary stable power source provides power to the system when the high beam filaments of the headlamps are turn ON when the ignition switch is OFF.

7. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the high beam filaments will illuminate to alert the operator if a reverse source voltage is applied to the daytime running light system while short circuit and load dump protection circuits protect components of the system from reverse voltages and shorts to ground.