Motor vehicle light controlling device

• US 5,491,383 A
• Filed: 12/02/1994
• Issued: 02/13/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Leiber, Heinz, Brinkmeyer, Horst, Burghoff, Heinz-Georg
• Primary Examiner(s): Pascal, Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Philogene, Haissa
• Application Number:
  US08/352,210
• Time in Patent Office: 438 Days
• Field of Search: 315/77, 315/78, 315/79, 315/80, 315/82, 315/83, 307/10.8, 340/641, 340/648, 340/428
• US Class Current: 315/77
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 11/00 Arrangement of monitoring devices for devices provided for in groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00

Abstract

A motor vehicle light controlling device includes an operating switch and electronics assigned to the operating switch for supplying current to a multiplicity of lamps of the operating light system. At least one controlled switching component provides a clock-controlled supply of current to the assigned lamp circuit. The device is divided into a light switch module and a rear lamp module. A clock control provided, distributed over both modules, in order to influence the lamp currents of the vehicle operating lights. That is, in order to lower the luminosity of certain lights when required, and to be able to increase the on-board system voltage temporarily without the luminosity or lamp power changing as a result. The latter is of interest, for example, for the brief driving of electrical heating elements or servomotors to achieve an advantageously high utilization of conductor material. Lamps for driving light can be dimmed when the vehicles stationary to a luminosity corresponding to the customary parking light. Or, in the event of failure of a lamp or of a circuit for driving light, the corresponding headlamp can be supplied with current clock-controlled for lower light power for an emergency driving light function.

Claims

1. A light controlling device for a motor vehicle, comprising an operating switch and electronic apparatus assigned to the operating switch for supplying current to a multiplicity of lamps of an operating light system and having for each lamp function at least one controlled switching component for clock-controlled supplying of current to an assigned lamp, wherein the apparatus includes a light switch module and a rear lamp module, clock controlling apparatus being distributed over the rear lamp module, and both modules being connected to each other via a maximum of three line conductors in addition to a frame terminal, the light switch module being arranged in a dashboard region and the rear lamp module being installed in a rear region adjacent the rear lights, and the lamp currents being clock-controlled such that the luminosity of certain lights can be lowered as required and/or the on-board system voltage can be increased temporarily without the luminosity changing significantly as a result.

2. The light controlling device according to claim 1, wherein both modules each comprise a microcomputer.

3. The light controlling device according to claim 2, wherein the light switch module has a redundant frame terminal and a redundant operating voltage terminal for controlling the lamps for the driving light and, furthermore, circuits independent from the microcomputer by way of which the associated lamps can be driven alternatively in the event of failure of the microcomputer in the light switch module.

4. The light controlling device according to claim 2, wherein the clock controlling apparatus comprise electrically driveable switching components, a shunt being provided in at least one lamp circuit, and the voltage dropping in proportion to the current at said shunt being feedable to the corresponding microcomputer and the switching component supplying current to the relevant circuit being driven by a disabling signal when said voltage has exceeded a predetermined limit.

5. The light controlling device according to claim 1, wherein the lamps of the lights for the driving light when stationary, are dimmable with a light power corresponding to a customary parking light.

6. The light controlling device according to claim 5, wherein the device is configured such that dimming occurs automatically at a transition from driving to stationary and is discontinued when driving is resumed.

7. The light controlling device according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured such that, after transition from driving to stationary, the power supply of the lamps of the lights for driving light is automatically cut off and the lamps of the lights for parking light are supplied with current.

8. The light controlling device according to claim 1, wherein, in the event of failure of one of a lamp and a circuit for driving light, the lamp of the corresponding headlamp is configured to be supplied with current clock-controlled for lower light emergency power.

9. The light controlling device according to claim 1, wherein a light sensor emits a brightness signal to effect, according to requirements, an automatic switching on of light circuits.

10. The light controlling device according to claim 1, wherein a light sensor emits a brightness signal to prevent, according to requirements, a switching on of certain light circuits.

11. The light controlling device according to claim 10, wherein the certain light circuits being prevented from being switched on include at least one of the circuits for trunk lighting, interior light and exit lighting, and the device is configured to communicate via a bus line with at least one door control unit.

12. The light controlling device according to claim 9, wherein the light sensor is a component part of an outside mirror unit communicating with a door control unit.

13. The light controlling device according to claim 10, wherein the light sensor is a component part of an outside mirror unit communicating with a door control unit.

14. The light controlling device according to claim 9, wherein the light sensor is arranged at a lower boundary surface of an outside rear-view mirror.

15. The light controlling device according to claim 1, wherein the rear lamp module is configured to be installable in a region of one of right-hand or left-hand rear lights.

16. The light controlling device according to claim 1, wherein a two-wire bus line operatively connects the light switch module and the rear lamp module.

17. The light controlling device according to claim 1, wherein the light switch module comprises a manually actuatable operating switch for light control, via which at least one data word into which the currently desired lighting situation is coded is enterable into the microcomputer of the light switch module.

18. The light controlling device according to claim 1, wherein two of the three connecting conductors constitute a serial bus line, via which the two modules are communicable with each other.

19. The light controlling device according to claim 18, wherein the modules are configured to communicate at least with a central control unit connected to the bus line and with an instrument cluster in the dashboard.

20. The light controlling device according to claim 18, wherein the modules are configured to communicate with an ABS control unit connected to the bus line.

21. The light controlling device according to claim 18, wherein the rear lamp module is arranged to obtain a braking signal from an ABS control unit via the bus line.

22. The light controlling device according to claim 3, wherein the redundant operating voltage terminal is arranged to be supplied from an energy source which is redundant with one of a vehicle battery and an on-board system rail for a passenger restraint system connected to the bus line.

23. The light controlling device according to claim 22, wherein means is provided, according to requirements, for driving all flashing lights in a flashing sequence for a predetermined time period via a signal emitted when the passenger restraint system control unit responds.

24. The light controlling device according to claim 1, wherein the clock control apparatus of the lamp currents is operative to allow one of a phase-shifted and time-shifted clock control of various lamp currents.