Automotive lighting device and method

Abstract

The invention provides an automotive lighting device for an automotive vehicle. This device comprises a voltage regulator, a temperature sensor and a controlled light group. The controlled light group comprises a plurality of light sources and a light driver, the light driver comprising terminals and being configured to selectively activate or deactivate current flow in each terminal, in such a way that each light source is connected to one of the terminals. The controlled light group is fed by a voltage output value of the voltage regulator, the temperature sensor is arranged to sense a temperature in a zone of the lighting device and send information to the voltage regulator and the voltage regulator comprises a control driver to modify the voltage output value when receiving information from the temperature sensor.

Claims

1. An automotive lighting device for an automotive vehicle, the automotive lighting device comprising: a temperature sensor arranged to sense and communicate temperature information in a zone of the automotive lighting device; a voltage regulator configured to be electrically fed between a power source and a ground connection in communication with the temperature sensor, the voltage regulator includes a control driver configured to modify the voltage output value responsive to the temperature information; and a controlled light group fed by a voltage output value of the voltage regulator, the control light group includes a plurality of light sources and a light driver, the light driver having a plurality of terminals and being configured to selectively activate or deactivate current flow in each terminal, in such a way that each of the plurality of light sources is connected to one of the terminals, with the voltage regulator, the plurality of lights, and the light driver arranged in series.

2. The automotive lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the light driver is located in series with the light sources with respect to the voltage regulator, in such a way that the light driver is arranged between the voltage regulator and the light sources.

3. The automotive lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the light driver is located in series with the light sources with respect to the voltage regulator, in such a way that the light sources are arranged between the voltage regulator and the light driver.

4. The automotive lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the light driver is a multi-channel driver.

5. The automotive lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the voltage regulator is a linear regulator.

6. The automotive lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the voltage regulator is a switched regulator.

7. The automotive lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor is a thermistor.

8. The automotive lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the light sources are configured to perform more than one different lighting functionality.

9. The automotive lighting device according to claim 8, wherein the more than on different functionalities are selected from the group consisting of daily running light, position light, stop light, tail light, and turning indicator.

10. The automotive lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the light sources are solid-state light sources.

11. A method for controlling an automotive lighting device, comprising: switching, with a lighting driver, an on/off state for some of a plurality of light sources in the automotive lighting device; sensing, with a temperature sensor, a temperature in a zone of in the automotive lighting device; modifying a voltage output value of a voltage regulator, with a control driver, in the automotive lighting device responsive to the temperature, with the voltage regulator, the plurality of light sources, and the light driver arranged in series.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the temperature is sensed around light sources.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein modifying the voltage output value includes controlling the voltage regulator, with the control driver, to modify the voltage output value to keep a predetermined value in a light driver.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) To complete the description and in order to provide for a better understanding of the invention, a set of drawings is provided. Said drawings form an integral part of the description and illustrate an embodiment of the invention, which should not be interpreted as restricting the scope of the invention, but just as an example of how the invention can be carried out. The drawings comprise the following figures:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a general electric scheme of an automotive lighting device according to the invention.

(3) FIG. 2 show a scheme alternative of another automotive lighting device according to the invention.

(4) FIG. 3 shows an automotive lighting device according to the invention installed in an automotive vehicle.

(5) Elements of the example embodiments are consistently denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the drawings and detailed description where appropriate: 1 Voltage regulator 2 Light sources 3 Temperature sensor 4 Light driver 5 Power source 6 Ground connection 10 Automotive lighting device 40 Light driver terminals 100 Automotive vehicle

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) The example embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those of ordinary skill in the art to embody and implement the systems and processes herein described. It is important to understand that embodiments can be provided in many alternate forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein.

(7) Accordingly, while embodiment can be modified in various ways and take on various alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown in the drawings and described in detail below as examples. There is no intent to limit to the particular forms disclosed. On the contrary, all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the appended claims should be included. Elements of the example embodiments are consistently denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the drawings and detailed description where appropriate.

(8) FIG. 1 shows a general electric scheme of an automotive lighting device 10 according to the invention. This automotive lighting device 10 comprises

(9) a voltage regulator 1 configured to be electrically fed between a power source 5 and a ground connection 6,

(10) a temperature sensor 3, and

(11) a controlled light group, comprising a group of LEDs 2 and a light driver 4.

(12) The light driver 4 comprises terminals 40 and is configured to selectively activate or deactivate current flow in each terminal 40, in such a way that each LED 2 is connected to one of the terminals 40.

(13) In the embodiment shown in this figure, the light driver 4 is arranged in series with the LEDs 2 with respect to the voltage regulator 1, in such a way that the light driver 4 is arranged between the voltage regulator 1 and the LEDs 2.

(14) The main aim of the voltage regulator 1 is setting the correct voltage output value to feed the controlled light group, since light drivers 4 usually have power restrictions, due to the heat dissipation which may lead to overheating.

(15) The group of LEDs 2 consume a portion of the voltage output value set by the voltage regulator 1. This consumption depends on the working temperature. The temperature sensor 3 is arranged to sense the temperature around the LEDs 2 and hence calculate the LED voltage value, which is consumed by the LEDs 2. The light driver 4 needs a constant driver voltage value. As a consequence, the control driver 7 of the voltage regulator 1 receives the information about the temperature of the LEDs 2 provided by the temperature sensor 3, which is useful to calculate the LED voltage value. Since the driver voltage value is constant, the control driver 7 provides the voltage regulator 1 with a voltage value which is suitable so that the LEDs 2 are working properly and the light driver 4 does not overheat.

(16) The light driver 4 is a multi-channel driver, to be able to control the whole amount of LEDs 2 which are intended to provide the lighting functionalities.

(17) This device 10 may be embodied with a voltage regulator 1 with linear technology or with a voltage regulator 1 with switched technology.

(18) FIG. 2 shows a scheme alternative of a different automotive lighting device according to the invention.

(19) In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the light driver 4 was arranged in series with the light sources 2 with respect to the voltage regulator 1, in such a way that the light driver 4 is arranged between the voltage regulator 1 and the light sources 2.

(20) In this embodiment of FIG. 2, the light driver 4 is arranged in series with the light sources 2 with respect to the voltage regulator 1, in such a way that the light sources 2 are arranged between the voltage regulator 1 and the light driver 4.

(21) FIG. 3 shows an automotive lighting device 10 according to the invention installed in an automotive vehicle 100.

(22) This automotive lighting device 10 controls the operation of a great amount of LEDs 2 without an overheating risk for the internal light driver. As a consequence, the performance of the LEDs 2 may be optimized without endangering the operation of the rest of the device.

(23) The sensor 3 is located near the LEDs 2 to sense accurate data about the LEDs' temperature.