CN-116210350-B - Method for detecting a fault in a solid-state light source of a motor vehicle lighting device and motor vehicle arrangement

CN116210350BCN 116210350 BCN116210350 BCN 116210350BCN-116210350-B

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for detecting a fault in a solid state light source of a motor vehicle lighting device. The method comprises the steps of providing an estimated temperature profile for the lighting device, measuring an actual temperature profile of the lighting device, and comparing the estimated temperature profile with the actual temperature profile in order to detect differences between them.

Inventors

Rabbi Tarebo
Maroni Kari
Hafez EL- West

Assignees

法雷奥照明公司

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20211015
Priority Date: 20201015

Claims (10)

1. A method for detecting a fault in a solid state light source (2) of a motor vehicle lighting device (1), the method comprising the steps of: -providing an estimated temperature profile (11) for the lighting device; -measuring an actual temperature profile (12) of the lighting device, and Comparing the estimated temperature profile with the actual temperature profile to detect a difference between the estimated temperature profile and the actual temperature profile and determining that the solid state light source is malfunctioning based on the difference, wherein, The method further comprises the steps of: -activating a first lighting function in only a portion of the lighting device in case there is a difference between the actual temperature profile and the estimated temperature profile; -measuring a second actual temperature profile in the lighting device; -measuring a third actual temperature profile in the portion of the lighting device; -comparing the estimated temperature profile with the second and third actual temperature profiles and determining that the portion of the lighting device is malfunctioning based on the comparison.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the estimated temperature profile comprises at least: Checking data of at least one temperature sensor, and/or Checking data of a vehicle speed sensor, and/or Checking the activation of the lighting function, and -Estimating a temperature of the lighting device using at least one of the data and the activation of the lighting function.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein estimating the temperature of the lighting device using at least one of the data and the activation of the lighting function comprises using a machine learning algorithm.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: -performing a second lighting function in the same part of the lighting device in case there is a difference between the actual temperature profile and the estimated temperature profile; -measuring a fourth actual temperature profile in the lighting device; -measuring a fifth actual temperature profile in the portion of the lighting device; -comparing the estimated temperature profile with the fourth and fifth actual temperature profiles and verifying that the portion of the lighting device is malfunctioning based on the comparison.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first lighting function is one of an adaptive drive beam, a hazard warning, or a dynamic turn lamp, and the second lighting function is different from the first lighting function and is one of an adaptive drive beam, a hazard warning, or a dynamic turn lamp.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of activating the first lighting function or the second lighting function is subsequently performed in a plurality of portions of the lighting device.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the portion of the lighting device is selected by an AI algorithm.
8. A data processing element comprising means for performing the steps of the method according to any of the preceding claims.
9. A motor vehicle lighting structure comprising: -a motor vehicle lighting device (1), the motor vehicle lighting device (1) in turn comprising a matrix arrangement of solid state light sources (2), a plurality of auxiliary sensors (4) configured to provide some device data, and a control unit (3) for performing the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, and -A plurality of temperature sensors (5).
10. Motor vehicle lighting structure according to claim 9, wherein the matrix arrangement comprises at least 2000 solid state light sources (2).

Description

Method for detecting a fault in a solid-state light source of a motor vehicle lighting device and motor vehicle arrangement Technical Field The present invention relates to the field of automotive lighting devices and, more particularly, to temperature management of such devices. Background Digital lighting devices are increasingly being used by automotive manufacturers for mid-to-high end market products. These digital lighting devices typically include a solid state light source whose operation is severely dependent on temperature. These lighting devices include solid state light sources, such as Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). Each of these LEDs is a separate element that can fail in a separate manner from the remaining LEDs. Detecting a performance degradation or failure of a particular LED within a lighting module is not always easy, especially when the module may comprise thousands of LEDs and the only parameters to be measured are global voltage and current. Therefore, it is impossible to detect the failure of a specific LED before the failure occurs. Disclosure of Invention Until now this problem has been assumed, but solutions to it have been sought. The present invention provides an alternative solution for detecting and isolating faults in the light source of a motor vehicle lighting device by a method for detecting faults in the solid state light source of a motor vehicle lighting device according to the present invention. Preferred embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims. Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein should be interpreted according to the conventions of the art. It will be further understood that the terms "comprises" and "comprising," are also to be interpreted as referring to, and not in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein. In this document, the terms "comprises" and its derivatives (e.g., "comprising" etc.) are not to be construed in an exclusive sense, i.e., they are not to be construed to exclude the possibility that what is described and defined may include other elements, steps, etc. In a first aspect of the invention, the invention provides a method for detecting a fault in a solid state light source of a motor vehicle lighting device, the method comprising the steps of: -providing an estimated temperature profile for the lighting device; -measuring an actual temperature profile of the lighting device, and -Comparing the estimated temperature profile with the actual temperature profile in order to detect differences between them. The term "solid state" refers to light emitted by a solid state electroluminescent that uses a semiconductor to convert electricity into light. The solid state lighting produces visible light with reduced heat generation and lower energy consumption compared to incandescent lighting. Solid state electronic lighting devices, which are generally of smaller mass, provide greater resistance to shock and vibration than fragile glass tubes/bulbs and elongated filaments. They also eliminate filament evaporation, potentially increasing the lifetime span of the lighting device. Some examples of these types of illumination include semiconductor Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs), or Polymer Light Emitting Diodes (PLEDs) as illumination sources, rather than electrical filaments, plasmas, or gases. With this method, a fault in the solid state light source can be detected due to the difference between the estimated temperature profile and the actual temperature profile. When the lighting function is activated, a plurality of data about the vehicle and the environment are provided, and the estimated temperature profile provides an estimate of the evolution of the temperature of the lighting device over time. When the lighting device does not follow the temperature estimation, it may be due to a failure or failure of one or more of the light sources. The method of the present invention allows such detection. In some particular embodiments, the step of using the value to estimate the temperature of the lighting device comprises using a machine learning algorithm. A machine learning algorithm may be used to estimate the temperature of the lighting device. Since some embodiments include temperature sensors for checking the estimates, these algorithms can adapt the estimated data to the real data, thereby improving their accuracy. In some particular embodiments, the method further comprises the steps of: -activating a specific lighting function in only a part of the lighting device in case there is a difference between the actual temperature profile and the estimated temperature profile; -measuring a second actual temperature profile in the lighting device; -measuring a third actual temperature profile in the portion of the lighting device; -comparing the estimated temperature profile with the second and third actual temperature