Vehicle rear light assembly
First Claim
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1. A vehicle rear light assembly (VRLA) that functions in combination with a vehicle that includes a left turn switch that produces a left turn input signal (11), a right turn switch that produces a right turn input signal (13), a brake pedal that produces a brake input signal (15), and a tail light switch that produces a tail light input signal (17), said VRLA comprising:
- A. a vehicle function select circuit (12) having means for receiving and processing;
a) the left turn input signal (11) and producing through an isolation diode (D1), a left turn output signal (21),b) the right turn input signal (13) and producing through an isolation diode (D2), a right turn output signal (23),c) the brake input signal (15) and producing through an isolation diode (D3) a brake output signal (25), andd) the tail light input signal (17) and producing through an isolation diode (D4), a tail light output signal (27), wherein said vehicle function select circuit (12) produces a single output consisting of a function select signal (29) that corresponds to the particular vehicle function that has been selected,B. an LED drive circuit (14) having means for receiving and processing the function select signal (29) and producing an LED drive signal (31),C. an LED control circuit (16) having means for receiving and processing the left turn input signal (11), the right turn input signal (13), the brake input signal (15) and the tail light input signal (17), wherein said LED control circuit (16) having further means for determining which LEDs are to be activated to produce a red light or a yellow light, wherein the output of said LED control circuit (16) is a first transistor activation signal (37), a second transistor activation signal (39), a third transistor activation signal (41), a fourth transistor activation signal (43) and a fifth transistor activation signal (45),D. an LED activation circuit (18) comprising;
a) a first transistor (Q1) having a collector, a base connected to the transistor activation signal (39) and an emitter connected to circuit ground,b) a second transistor (Q2) having a collector, a base connected to the transistor activation signal (41) and an emitter connected to circuit ground,c) a third transistor (Q3) having a collector, a base connected to the transistor activation signal (43) and an emitter connected to circuit ground,d) a fourth transistor (Q4) having a collector, a base connected to the transistor activation signal (37) and an emitter connected to circuit ground,e) a fifth transistor (Q5) having a collector, a base connected to the transistor activation signal (45) and an emitter connected to circuit ground, andE. an LED display unit (20) which includes a center compartment (22) having a plurality of LEDs, including a first plurality of LEDs (DS1), a left compartment (24) having a second plurality of LEDs (DS2), and a right compartment (26) having a third plurality of LEDs (DS3), wherein the anode of each LED is connected to the LED drive signal (31) applied from said LED drive circuit (14), and the cathodes of the LEDs comprising (DS1) are connected to the collector of transistor (Q2) via an LED activation signal (49), the cathodes of the LEDs comprising (DS2) are connected to the collector of transistor (Q1) via an LED activation signal (51), the cathodes of the LEDs comprising (DS3) are connected to the collector of transistor (Q3) via an LED activation signal (53) and the cathodes of the LEDs comprising (DS3) are connected to the collector of transistor (Q5) via an LED activation signal (55),wherein when a particular vehicle function is selected by a driver of the vehicle, the corresponding signal (11, 13, 15, 17) is processed by said LED control circuit (16) that produces the first transistor activation signal (37), the second transistor activation signal (45), the third transistor activation signal (39), the fourth transistor activation signal (41) and the fifth transistor activation signal (43), wherein these signals are applied through the LED control circuit (18) to the LED display unit (20) which is also applied the LED drive signal (31) from the LED drive circuit (14).
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Abstract
A vehicle rear light assembly (VRLA) that is enclosed within an elongated LED display unit that includes a center compartment having a plurality of red LEDs and contiguous left and right compartments each having a plurality of yellow/red LEDs. The VRLA is comprised of an electrical circuit consisting of a function select circuit that is connected to a vehicle and sequentially includes an LED drive circuit, an LED control circuit and a LED activation circuit that is connected, in combination with the LED drive circuit, to the LED display unit. The display unit allows the viewing of left and right blinking turn signals, brake lights and tail lights.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A vehicle rear light assembly (VRLA) that functions in combination with a vehicle that includes a left turn switch that produces a left turn input signal (11), a right turn switch that produces a right turn input signal (13), a brake pedal that produces a brake input signal (15), and a tail light switch that produces a tail light input signal (17), said VRLA comprising:
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A. a vehicle function select circuit (12) having means for receiving and processing; a) the left turn input signal (11) and producing through an isolation diode (D1), a left turn output signal (21), b) the right turn input signal (13) and producing through an isolation diode (D2), a right turn output signal (23), c) the brake input signal (15) and producing through an isolation diode (D3) a brake output signal (25), and d) the tail light input signal (17) and producing through an isolation diode (D4), a tail light output signal (27), wherein said vehicle function select circuit (12) produces a single output consisting of a function select signal (29) that corresponds to the particular vehicle function that has been selected, B. an LED drive circuit (14) having means for receiving and processing the function select signal (29) and producing an LED drive signal (31), C. an LED control circuit (16) having means for receiving and processing the left turn input signal (11), the right turn input signal (13), the brake input signal (15) and the tail light input signal (17), wherein said LED control circuit (16) having further means for determining which LEDs are to be activated to produce a red light or a yellow light, wherein the output of said LED control circuit (16) is a first transistor activation signal (37), a second transistor activation signal (39), a third transistor activation signal (41), a fourth transistor activation signal (43) and a fifth transistor activation signal (45), D. an LED activation circuit (18) comprising; a) a first transistor (Q1) having a collector, a base connected to the transistor activation signal (39) and an emitter connected to circuit ground, b) a second transistor (Q2) having a collector, a base connected to the transistor activation signal (41) and an emitter connected to circuit ground, c) a third transistor (Q3) having a collector, a base connected to the transistor activation signal (43) and an emitter connected to circuit ground, d) a fourth transistor (Q4) having a collector, a base connected to the transistor activation signal (37) and an emitter connected to circuit ground, e) a fifth transistor (Q5) having a collector, a base connected to the transistor activation signal (45) and an emitter connected to circuit ground, and E. an LED display unit (20) which includes a center compartment (22) having a plurality of LEDs, including a first plurality of LEDs (DS1), a left compartment (24) having a second plurality of LEDs (DS2), and a right compartment (26) having a third plurality of LEDs (DS3), wherein the anode of each LED is connected to the LED drive signal (31) applied from said LED drive circuit (14), and the cathodes of the LEDs comprising (DS1) are connected to the collector of transistor (Q2) via an LED activation signal (49), the cathodes of the LEDs comprising (DS2) are connected to the collector of transistor (Q1) via an LED activation signal (51), the cathodes of the LEDs comprising (DS3) are connected to the collector of transistor (Q3) via an LED activation signal (53) and the cathodes of the LEDs comprising (DS3) are connected to the collector of transistor (Q5) via an LED activation signal (55),wherein when a particular vehicle function is selected by a driver of the vehicle, the corresponding signal (11, 13, 15, 17) is processed by said LED control circuit (16) that produces the first transistor activation signal (37), the second transistor activation signal (45), the third transistor activation signal (39), the fourth transistor activation signal (41) and the fifth transistor activation signal (43), wherein these signals are applied through the LED control circuit (18) to the LED display unit (20) which is also applied the LED drive signal (31) from the LED drive circuit (14). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification
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Current AssigneeYao Hung Huang
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Original AssigneeYao Hung Huang
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InventorsHuang, Yao Hung
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Primary Examiner(s)Bugg, George
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Assistant Examiner(s)OBINIYI, PAULSON IDOWU
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Application NumberUS13/597,670Publication NumberTime in Patent Office1,147 DaysField of Search340/439, 340/464, 340/465, 340/467, 340/468US Class Current1/1CPC Class CodesB60Q 1/2607 comprising at least two ind...B60Q 1/2696 Mounting of devices using LEDs
