VEHICLE LIGHT

Abstract

A vehicle light having at least one luminant and a cable-free interface for controlling the luminant via an integrated control device. The vehicle light includes an additional cable-bound communication and energy supply interface for controlling the luminant via the integrated control device, an energy storage device for supplying energy in the cable-free region, at least one integrated sensor for detecting vehicle states and/or the function of the cable-bound interface, and having an evaluation device for evaluating the data of the at least one sensor and for generating control signals for the control device from this.

Claims

1-8. (canceled)

9. A vehicle light for a vehicle, comprising: at least one luminant; a cable-free interface configured to control the at least one luminant via an integrated control device; a cable-bound communication and energy supply interface configured to control the at least one luminant via the integrated control device; an energy storage device configured to supply energy to the vehicle light; at least one integrated sensor configured to detect vehicle states or a function of the cable-bound communication and energy supply interface; an evaluation device configured to evaluate data of the at least one sensor and configured to generate control signals for the control device the evaluated data, wherein the at least one integrated sensor is configured to detect at least the function of the cable-bound communication and energy supply interface, wherein, in event of a loss of cable-bound communication via the cable-bound communication and energy supply interface, a warning message is generated, wherein, in event of a malfunction of the cable-bound communication via the cable-bound communication and energy supply interface, communication with the vehicle light is performed using cable-free communication via the cable-free interface, and wherein, in event of additional loss of the cable-free communication via the cable-free interface, at least one warning light function is activated.

10. The vehicle light of claim 9, wherein the vehicle light is an individual module with at least one driving direction indicator and at least one illumination.

11. The vehicle light of claim 9, wherein the at least one luminant is controlled depending on the sensor data.

12. The vehicle light of claim 9, wherein the cable-free interface is a DSRC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or radio interface.

13. The vehicle light of claim 9, wherein communication between the vehicle and the vehicle light is bidirectional.

14. The vehicle light of claim 9, wherein the vehicle light is a taillight for a trailer, semitrailer of a cab, or articulated vehicle.

15. The vehicle light of claim 14, wherein the vehicle or the cab is a completely autonomously driving vehicle or cab.

16. A method for controlling a vehicle light of a vehicle, the vehicle light including at least one luminant, the method comprising: controlling, by a cable-free interface, the at least one luminant via an integrated control device; controlling and supplying energy to the at least one luminant by a cable-bound communication and energy supply interface via the integrated control device; supplying, by an energy storage device, energy to the vehicle light; detecting, by at least one integrated sensor, vehicle states or a function of the cable-bound communication and energy supply interface; evaluating, by an evaluation device, data of the at least one sensor and generating control signals for the control device the evaluated data, detecting, by the at least one integrated sensor, at least the function of the cable-bound communication and energy supply interface; generating, in event of a loss of cable-bound communication via the cable-bound communication and energy supply interface, a warning message; performing communications with the vehicle light using cable-free communication via the cable-free interface in event of a malfunction of the cable-bound communication via the cable-bound interface; activating at least one warning light function in event of additional loss of the cable-free communication via the cable-free interface.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one luminant is controlled depending on the sensor data.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the cable-free interface is a DSRC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or radio interface.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein communication between the vehicle and the vehicle light is bidirectional.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

[0016] Here are shown:

[0017] FIG. 1 a vehicle cab indicated in principle with a vehicle light according to the invention; and

[0018] FIG. 2 a schematic view of a vehicle light according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] The vehicle light 1 according to the invention is designed and described in the figures below and in the exemplary embodiment below respectively as a taillight or a standardized taillight module. However, the invention is not limited to a taillight. The description by means of a vehicle cab 2 depicted in FIG. 1 also does not limit the invention to such a vehicle cab. Instead, the taillight 1 according to the invention can be used in different automatically driven or non-driven vehicles.

[0020] In the depiction of FIG. 1, a vehicle cab 2 can be seen. It consists of a towing vehicle 3 and a trailer 4. The construction is here depicted as a vehicle cab 2 with a drawbar 5 between the towing vehicle 3 and the trailer 4. The vehicle cab 2 could just as well be a so-called articulated truck, with a semitrailer attached directly to the towing vehicle 3 instead of the trailer 4, without thus changing the meaning below.

[0021] A taillight module 1 is attached to the trailer 4, which module forms the taillight 1 of the trailer 4 and which can be designed as an individual standardized module, yet does not have to be.

[0022] The module of the vehicle light 1 referred to below as the taillight 1 is correspondingly connected in an inherently known manner via a cable connection 6, such as typically a plug connection between the trailer 4 and the vehicle 3, and, inside the respective part of the towing vehicle 3 and trailer 4, via a cable tree. In doing so, the energy supply and the supply with control data, for example to control the driving direction indicator 7 indicated in FIG. 2, are transmitted in the normal operation. Along with the driving direction indicators 7, in the depiction of FIG. 2, rear lights 8 and brake lights 9 are indicated by way of example. As luminants 19, LEDs, for example, can be used therein, as indicated in one of the rear lights 8. In principle, further elements such as a rear driving light or similar are naturally also conceivable. In addition to and redundantly to the connection via the cable 6, which is in connection with a corresponding interface 10 with the taillight 1, there is, moreover, a wireless communication connection, which is respectively indicated in the depictions of FIGS. 1 and 2 with 11. The wireless connection functions via a wireless communication module 12 in the towing vehicle 3 and a cable-free interface 13 in the taillight 1. Various technologies can be used here, for example Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, DSRC or other established methods for the wireless transmission of data over typically short distances.

[0023] The wireless connection 11 along with the cable connection 6 functions substantially in parallel, such that there is a redundancy. In addition, electrical power can be transmitted via the cable connection 6, which is indeed possible in principle via the wireless connection, yet in practice is rather laborious. The taillight 1 thus has an energy storage device 14, for example an accumulator, in order to be able to be charged while the cable 6 is attached and to be able to assume the energy provision of the taillight 1 when the cable 6 is not attached or is defective.

[0024] Both the cable-bound interface 10 and the cable-free interface 13 here have an effect on a control device 15 in the taillight 1, which is designed to control the actual light functions. This could just as well be integrated into one or both of the interfaces 10, 13 or have one or both of the interfaces 10, 13 integrated in it. Furthermore, at least one sensor 16 and an evaluation device 17 is present for the data received from the sensor 16, such that the taillight 1 has a certain individual “intelligence”. Vehicle states of the trailer 4, for example, can be determined via this by, for example, yaw rates, accelerations or even vehicle positions by means of GPS data, speeds or similar being evaluated. Various light functionalities can be controlled via the individual intelligence independently of a control by the towing vehicle 3, for example a brake light or similar in the case of a delay.

[0025] The particular advantage of the redundant design of the cable-bound connection via the cable 6 and the wireless connection 11 in parallel to one another lies in that, furthermore, a safe functionality is ensured in the event of one of the two connections malfunctioning. This is particularly advantageous when it can lead to problems in the region of the cable connection, for example a detachment of the cable connection or the plug connection in the region of the drawbar 5 or, in the worst case, to a detachment of the entire trailer at the drawbar 5 from the towing vehicle 3. In this case, the cable connection would completely malfunction. From the point of view of the towing vehicle 3, even if the detachment were to be detected there, a warning function could no longer be activated in the vehicle light 1 as the taillight, since the connection does not exist. Furthermore, this could be carried out via the cable-free connection, such that, in such a case, the driving direction indicators 7, for example, could be activated as the flashing warning light. If the cable-free connection 11 also detaches, then, as a result of the individual intelligence of the vehicle 1, this can also notice the detachment and activate the flashing warning function automatically via the evaluation device 17, for example, when the problem is detected.

[0026] With a bidirectional communication between the taillight 1 and the towing vehicle 3 or the controller 18 schematically indicated there, it would now moreover be conceivable to emit a corresponding warning to the towing vehicle 3, at least as long as the wireless connection 11 still exists, such that it can stop, for example.

[0027] Here, the whole scenario is of great interest, in particular with completely autonomously driving vehicles 2, since it here increases traffic safety as a result of the additional redundancy and creates the possibility of warning other traffic participants, which would thus otherwise not be possible with autonomously driving vehicles 2. However, also with vehicles 2 controlled completely or partially by a driver, this can be a considerable advantage, since the flashing warning system for warning following traffic participants can be activated much more quickly in the event of the trailer 4 detaching, before the incident has been noticed by the driver, they have stopped the towing vehicle 3 and have manually positioned corresponding warning lights behind the trailer 4. All in all, such a construction of the vehicle light 1, in particular in terms of its design as a taillight, thus considerably contributes to an increase of safety.

[0028] Although the invention has been illustrated and described in detail by way of preferred embodiments, the invention is not limited by the examples disclosed, and other variations can be derived from these by the person skilled in the art without leaving the scope of the invention. It is therefore clear that there is a plurality of possible variations. It is also clear that embodiments stated by way of example are only really examples that are not to be seen as limiting the scope, application possibilities or configuration of the invention in any way. In fact, the preceding description and the description of the figures enable the person skilled in the art to implement the exemplary embodiments in concrete manner, wherein, with the knowledge of the disclosed inventive concept, the person skilled in the art is able to undertake various changes, for example, with regard to the functioning or arrangement of individual elements stated in an exemplary embodiment without leaving the scope of the invention, which is defined by the claims and their legal equivalents, such as further explanations in the description.