Lighting system

• US 8,981,647 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2011
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lumileds LLC (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Ding, Chao, Huang, Frank, Darsy, Francois, Zhang, Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens, Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, THAI N
• Application Number:
  US13/821,276
• Publication Number:
  US 20130175925A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,292 Days
• Field of Search: 315/76, 315/77, 315/80, 315/82, 315/83
• US Class Current: 315/77
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0017 Devices integrating an element dedicated to another function
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/28 for indicating front of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 11/005 for lighting devices, e.g. indicating if lamps are burning or not
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/30 Daytime running lights [DRL], e.g. circuits or arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2900/10 Retrofit arrangements

Abstract

To satisfy the need for refitting the lighting of a vehicle without the need to modify the controlling system of the vehicle, the present invention proposes a lighting system which comprises an electrical element (110), configured to consume the received power and incapable of emitting light; a light source (130); and a controller (120), configured to receive a first signal indicating the working status of the electrical element (110) and control the light source (130) generating a first light and a second light, respectively, based on the first signal. By utilizing the signal indicating the working status of the electrical element (110), which element is used to replace another automotive lamp, the controller can control the light source (130) to mimic said another automotive lamp while performing its original function.

Claims

1. A lighting system for providing a refit lighting system for a vehicle, comprising:

an electrical element, incapable of emitting light and comprising a resistance circuit, which electrical element replaces a light bulb of the vehicle and consumes a received power, such that a detection system of the vehicle capable of detecting a failure of the light bulb will conclude that the light bulb has not failed;

a light source;

a controller, configured to receive a first signal indicating the working status of the electrical element and control the light source generating a first light and a second light respectively based on the first signal.

2. A lighting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first signal represents any one of the working status according to which the power is fed to the electrical element or the status according to which an enable signal is transmitted to the electrical element.

3. A lighting system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first light has a first intensity when the working status of the electrical element is OFF and the second light has a second intensity when the working status of the electrical element is ON.

4. A lighting system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first light is the daytime running light and the second light is the position light.

5. A lighting system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the electrical element is placed at the location of a position light bulb of a vehicle.

6. A lighting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first signal is obtained from a second light source, having a synchronized working status, as the electrical element.

7. A lighting system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a detector, configured to detect the power consumption of the electrical element and generate a warning message when the electrical element is incapable of consuming the power.

8. A lighting system for providing a refit lighting system for a vehicle, comprising:

an electrical element, incapable of emitting light and comprising a resistance circuit, which electrical element replaces a light bulb of the vehicle and consumes a received power, such that a detection system of the vehicle capable of detecting a failure of the light bulb will conclude that the light bulb has not failed;

a light source;

a controller, configured to receive a first signal indicating the working status of the electrical element and control the light source generating a first light and a second light respectively based on the first signal;

wherein the first signal is transmitted from the electrical element to the controller in a wireless manner.

9. A lighting system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first signal represents any one of the working status according to which the power is fed to the electrical element or the status according to which an enable signal is transmitted to the electrical element.

10. A lighting system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first light has a first intensity when the working status of the electrical element is OFF and the second light has a second intensity when the working status of the electrical element is ON.

11. A lighting system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first light is the daytime running light and the second light is the position light.

12. A lighting system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the electrical element is placed at the location of a position light bulb of a vehicle.

13. A lighting system as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

a detector, configured to detect the power consumption of the electrical element and generate a warning message when the electrical element is incapable of consuming the power.

14. A lighting system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first signal is obtained from a second light source, having a synchronized working status, as the electrical element.

15. A method of generating light, comprising the steps of:

a) receiving a first signal indicating the working status of an electrical element, which electrical element is incapable of emitting light, and wherein the electrical element replaces a light bulb of the vehicle and consumes a received power, such that a detection system of the vehicle capable of detecting a failure of the light bulb will conclude that the light bulb has not failed;

b) controlling a light source to generate a first light or a second light, based on the first signal.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a step of:

c) detecting the power consumption of the electrical element and generating a warning message when the electrical element is incapable of consuming the power.

17. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the first signal is obtained from a cable connected to the electrical element, or is transmitted from the electrical element to the controller in a wireless manner, or is obtained from a cable connected to a second light source, having a synchronized working status, as the electrical element.

18. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the step b) further comprises the steps of:

i). generating the first light having a first intensity when the working status of the electrical element is OFF; and

ii). generating the second light having a second intensity when the working status of the electrical element is ON.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the electrical element comprises a resistance.