Vehicle light system circuit which automatically compensates for a light source failure

• US 6,281,631 B1
• Filed: 12/10/1999
• Issued: 08/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Schaffer, Thomas Scott, Poirier, James Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Philogene, Haissa
• Application Number:
  US09/458,866
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 315/82, 315/83, 315/77, 315/88, 315/131, 315/291, 315/307, 307/10.8, 340/475.2, 340/458, 340/642, 340/643
• US Class Current: 315/82
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 11/00 Arrangement of monitoring devices for devices provided for in groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 11/002 Emergency driving lights in the event of failure of the principal lighting circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/047 with pulse width modulation from a DC power source
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/10 Circuits providing for substitution of the light source in case of its failure changing to a reserve current source H02J9/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/00 Energy efficient lighting technologies, e.g. halogen lamps or gas discharge lamps

Abstract

A vehicle light system circuit includes a PROFET to automatically detect the presence of a faulty light source and switch to an unaffected light source. The system also adjusts the brightness of the unaffected light source by adjusting a PWM signal applied thereto to approximate the brightness of the unaffected light source.

Claims

1. A vehicle light system, comprising:

a controller connected to a base of a transistor to control a pulse width modulated drive signal;

a resistor and a capacitor connected between said controller and said base of said transistor, said resistor and capacitor determining a frequency and a duty cycle of said pulse width modulated drive signal supplied to said base of said transistor;

a collector of said transistor connected to a gate input of a PROFET;

a drain of said PROFET connected to a power source;

a source of said PROFET connected to a relay; and

said relay connected between a first and a second light source to selectively power one of said first and second light source upon a failure of one of said second and first light source at a predetermined brightness level.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined brightness level is substantially equivalent to a brightness level of one of said first and second failed light source.

3. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a current sensing line connected to said PROFET, said current sensing line for providing an output proportional to a current to said relay.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein said PROFET provides either a constant DC or a pulsed power to said relay in response to said current sensing line.

5. A system according to claim 3, further comprising a voltage detect circuit connected to said current sensing line.

6. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a pull down resistor connected to said base of said transistor.

7. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a control circuit connected to said relay to energize and deenergize size relay.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein said controller includes said control circuit.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein said controller intermittently activates said PROFET to identify and output from a current sensing line connected to said PROFET.

10. A method of operating a first, second, third and fourth lighting filament, including the steps of:

(a) assigning first and third filaments to a first function (HI);

(b) assigning second and fourth filaments to a second function (LO);

(c) selecting one of said first and second functions for operation;

(d) supplying a required amount of power to the filaments assigned to said selected function;

(e) detecting whether a current flowing to each of the supplied filaments is within a predetermined range such that in response to the detection of a current outside of the predetermined range in a inoperative filament, ceasing the supply of current to said inoperative filament, and applying a second required amount of power to one of the filaments assigned to the unselected function as a replacement filament, said second required amount of power being selected to ensure that the two filaments respectively receiving first and second required amounts of power illuminate with substantially identical intensity,

(f) generating a control signal as a summation of an input from each of a programmable controller, and a manual switch;

(g) supplying the control signal to each of first and second power switches by an isolated AC coupling;

(h) supplying first and second required amounts of power, each from the appropriate one of outputs of first and second power switches; and

(i) applying said first required amount of power to an operative filament assigned to the selected function; and

(j) applying said second required amount of power to the replacement filament.

11. A method according to claim 10 further comprising the steps of:

(a) generating a current indicator signal in a current sensor circuit in each of the power switches, each representing the load current flowing through the respective power switch;

(b) supplying each current indicator signal to a command circuit; and

(c) basing the detection of a current outside of the predetermined range on the current indicator signal.

12. A method according to claim 10 wherein the signal from the programmable controller includes a PWM signal indicative of a desired intensity of illumination.

13. A method according to claim 10 wherein the signal from the manual switch comprises a voltage representing a user'"'"'s desire to operate a corresponding lamp.

14. A method according to claim 10 wherein each power switch is a PROFET power switch.

15. A method according to claim 10 wherein each power switch is periodically activated, to enable detection of rapid rise-fall of the current sense output, indicating a short circuit condition, and an absence of rapid rise-fall of the current sense output indicating no short circuit condition.

16. A method according to claim 10, wherein a separate power switch is provided for each filament, and each power switch is controlled by the programmable controller.

17. A method according to claim 10 wherein each power switch is selectively controlled by a DC and a PWM voltage supplied in response to control signals from the programmable controller, and a current sense output is provided from each power switch to the programmable controller.

18. A vehicle light system, comprising:

a controller connected to a base of a transistor to control a pulse width modulated drive signal;

an AC couple between said controller and said transistor;

a collector of said transistor connected to a gate input of a PROFET;

a drain of said PROFET connected to a power source;

a source of said PROFET connected to a relay; and

said relay connected between a first and a second light source to selectively power one of said first and second light source upon a failure of one of said second and first light source at a predetermined brightness level.