Power distribution system for vehicle lighting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11059384-B2
Application number	US-201816059624-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 9, 2018
Priority date	Aug 9, 2018
Publication date	Jul 13, 2021
Grant date	Jul 13, 2021

Abstract

A system includes a first power net in a vehicle electrically coupled to a first control unit. The first control unit controls first lights included in a second light set when the first power net is operational. A second power net in the vehicle is electrically coupled to the second light set and a second control unit. The second control unit controls the first lights when the first power net includes a fault condition.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a first power net in a vehicle electrically coupled to a first light set including first lights, the first lights including at least one of headlamps, tail lights, front blinkers, or rear blinkers, and to a first computer programmed to control second lights included in a second light set when the first power net is operational, the second lights including at least one of autonomous vehicle light bars, brake lights, or a center high mount stop lamp; and
a second power net in the vehicle electrically coupled to the second light set and a second computer programmed to control the second lights when the first power net includes a fault condition;
wherein the first power net is further electrically coupled to a body control unit that is programmed to control at least one of the headlamps, the tail lights, the front blinkers or the rear blinkers when the first power net is operational.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first computer is included in a primary power brake system.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first power net is electrically coupled to an autonomous vehicle platform module, and the autonomous vehicle platform module includes the first computer that controls the autonomous vehicle light bars when the first power net is operational.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the second power net is electrically coupled to a secondary light control system that includes the second computer programmed to control the autonomous vehicle light bars when the first power net includes a fault condition.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the secondary light control system is included in one of the autonomous vehicle light bars.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the secondary light control system causes the autonomous vehicle light bars to blink when the first power net includes a fault condition.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the autonomous vehicle light bars includes a secondary light control system that includes the second computer.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first power net is further electrically coupled to a primary power steering system that steers the vehicle based on commands from a primary virtual driver when the first power net is operational.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein:
the first power net is electrically coupled to the primary virtual driver that controls vehicle steering by sending commands to the primary power steering system when the first power net is operational.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein:
the second power net is electrically coupled to a secondary power steering system that steers the vehicle based on commands from the secondary virtual driver when the first power net includes a fault condition.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein:
the second power net is further electrically coupled to a secondary virtual driver configured to control vehicle steering when the first power net includes a fault condition by sending commands to the secondary power steering system.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein:
the secondary virtual driver is operable to execute a minimum risk condition when the first power net includes a fault condition.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle incudes at least one autonomous vehicle light bar on each of a front of the vehicle, a left side of the vehicle, and a right side of the vehicle.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the vehicle further includes at least one autonomous vehicle light bar on a rear of the vehicle.

15. A system comprising:
a first power net in a vehicle electrically coupled to a first light set including at least one of headlamps, tail lights, front blinkers, or rear blinkers and to a primary power brake system that is programmed to control brake lights when the first power net is operational; and
a second power net in the vehicle electrically coupled and providing power to the brake lights and a secondary power brake system that is programmed to control the brake lights when the first power net includes a fault condition;
wherein the first power net is further electrically coupled to a body control unit that is programmed to control at least one of the headlamps, the tail lights, the front blinkers or the rear blinkers when the first power net is operational.

16. A system comprising:
a first power net in a vehicle electrically coupled to a first light set including at least one of headlamps, tail lights, front blinkers, or rear blinkers and to an autonomous vehicle platform module that is programmed to control autonomous vehicle light bars when the first power net is operational; and
a second power net in the vehicle electrically coupled to the autonomous vehicle light bars and a secondary light control system that is programmed to control the autonomous vehicle light bars when the first power net includes a fault condition;
wherein the first power net is further electrically coupled to a body control unit that is programmed to control at least one of the headlamps, the tail lights, the front blinkers or the rear blinkers when the first power net is operational.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Tsai Tsung-Han
• Siciak Ray C

Classifications

• B60Q11/002 Primary

  Emergency driving lights in the event of failure of the principal lighting circuit · CPC title

• B60L58/10 Primary

  for monitoring or controlling batteries · CPC title

• B60Q1/507

  specific to autonomous vehicles · CPC title

• B60L3/0092

  with use of redundant elements for safety purposes · CPC title

• Y02T10/70

  Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries · CPC title