Automotive LED lighting module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11236877-B2
Application number	US-202017015683-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 9, 2020
Priority date	Oct 25, 2019
Publication date	Feb 1, 2022
Grant date	Feb 1, 2022

Abstract

Embodiments include an automotive LED lighting module comprising an LED lamp comprising a number of light-emitting diodes; a first driver module configured to drive the LED lamp at a first DC voltage level (U_hi); a second driver module configured to drive the LED lamp at a second DC voltage level (U_lo), which second DC voltage level (U_lo) is lower than the first DC voltage level (U_hi); and a switch arrangement comprising an interface for connection to a two-level DC voltage supply (PS), and wherein the switch arrangement is configured to connect the first driver module to the LED lamp when the input voltage is at a first level and to connect the second driver module to the LED lamp when the input voltage level is at a second level (U_lo). Embodiments can further include an automotive lighting system of a vehicle, and a method of operating an automotive LED lighting system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A lighting module configured to drive a lighting element, the lighting module comprising:
a first driver module configured to drive the lighting element at a first voltage level;
a second driver module configured to drive the lighting element at a second voltage level, different than the first voltage level;
a switch arrangement comprising an interface for connection to a voltage supply, the switch arrangement configured to connect the first driver module to the lighting element when an input voltage at the interface is at a first level, and to connect the second driver module to the lighting element when the input voltage at the interface is at a second level.

2. The lighting module to claim 1 , wherein the interface for connection to the voltage supply comprises a single positive terminal and a ground terminal.

3. The lighting module of claim 1 , wherein the switch arrangement, the first driver module and the second driver module are incorporated in the lighting element.

4. The lighting module of claim 1 , wherein the first driver module is configured to drive the lighting element at a rated output flux of the lighting element.

5. The lighting module of claim 1 , wherein the second driver module is configured to drive the lighting element at, at most, 10% of a rated output flux of the lighting element.

6. The lighting module of claim 1 , wherein the lighting element comprises a number of red light-emitting light sources to provide a tail light function when the input voltage is at the first level and to provide a rear position light function when the input voltage is at the second level.

7. The lighting module of claim 1 , wherein the lighting element comprises a number of white light-emitting light sources to provide a headlight function when the input voltage is at the first level and to provide a front position light function when the input voltage is at the second level.

8. The lighting module of claim 1 , wherein the lighting element comprises a number of yellow light-emitting sources to provide an indicator function when the input voltage is at the first level and to provide a side position light function when the input voltage is at the second level.

9. A lighting system comprising:
a voltage supply configured to provide at least a first voltage level and a second voltage level, the second voltage level different than the first voltage level; and
a number of lighting modules, each lighting module including:
a lighting element comprising a number of light-emitting sources,
a first driver module configured to drive the lighting element at the first voltage level,
a second driver module configured to drive the lighting element at the second voltage level, and
a switch arrangement comprising an interface for connection to the voltage supply, the switch arrangement configured to connect the first driver module to the lighting element when an input voltage at the interface is at a first level, and to connect the second driver module to the lighting element when the input level at the interface is at a second level.

10. The lighting system of claim 9 , wherein the first level is 13.5 Volts.

11. The lighting system of claim 9 , wherein the second level is less than 6 Volts.

12. The lighting system of claim 9 , wherein the lighting system is part of a vehicle, the vehicle comprising:
a front lighting unit with white-emitting light sources arranged to provide a front signalling function and a front position light function; or
a rear lighting unit with red-emitting light sources arranged to provide a rear signalling function and a rear position light function; or
a side lighting unit with yellow-emitting light sources arranged to provide an indicator light function and a side position light function.

13. A method of operating a lighting system of a device, the method comprising:
controlling a voltage supply to provide a first voltage level to a lighting module during a first operating state of the device, the lighting module including a lighting element comprising a number of lighting sources, a first driver module configured to drive the lighting element at a first voltage level, a second driver module configured to drive the lighting element at a second voltage level, the second voltage level different than the first voltage level, a switch arrangement comprising an interface for connection to the voltage supply, the switch arrangement configured to connect the first driver module to the lighting element when an input voltage at the interface is at a first level, and to connect the second driver module to the lighting element when the input voltage at the interface is at a second level; and
controlling the voltage supply to provide the second voltage level to the lighting module during a second operating state of the device.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising connecting the lighting element to the voltage supply using a single positive terminal and a ground terminal.

15. A method of claim 13 , further comprising incorporating the switch arrangement, the first driver module and the second driver module in the lighting element.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first driver module is configured to drive the lighting element at a rated output flux of the lighting element.

17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising driving, by the second driver module, the lighting element at, at most, 10% of a rated output flux of the lighting element.

18. The method of claim 13 , further comprising providing, by a number of red-emitting light sources of the lighting element, a tail light function when the input voltage is at the first level and to a rear position light function when the input voltage is at the second level.

19. The method of claim 13 , further comprising providing, by a number of white-emitting light sources of the lighting element, a headlight function when the input voltage is at the first level and a front position light function when the input voltage is at the second level.

20. The method of claim 13 , further comprising providing, by a number of yellow-emitting light sources, an indicator function when the input voltage is at the first level and to a side position light function when the input voltage is at the second level.

Assignees

• Lumileds Llc

Inventors

• Timinger Andreas

Classifications

• H05B45/10 Primary

  Controlling the intensity of the light · CPC title

• F21S41/141 Primary

  Light emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• H05B45/3725

  Switched mode power supply [SMPS] · CPC title

• B60Q1/0094 Primary

  Arrangement of electronic circuits separated from the light source, e.g. mounting of housings for starter circuits for discharge lamps (arrangements being part of the light source holder F21V17/06, F21S43/195) · CPC title

• F21Y2115/10

  Light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title