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DE-102019124960-B4 - Method for operating a lighting device for a motor vehicle

DE102019124960B4DE 102019124960 B4DE102019124960 B4DE 102019124960B4DE-102019124960-B4

Abstract

Method for operating a lighting device (100) for a motor vehicle, comprising a plurality of lighting units (3), a data bus (2), and a control unit (1), wherein the lighting units (3) can each emit light with variable characteristics and are coupled to the data bus (2), via which the control unit (1) can address the lighting units (3) using unicast addresses (UA) and multicast addresses (MA), wherein each individual lighting unit (3) is assigned a unicast address (UA), and a set of multicast addresses (MA) is specified, each of which can be assigned to several lighting units (3) in order to address the several lighting units (3) simultaneously, wherein the characteristic of the emitted light of the lighting units (3) is repeatedly set in successive cycles (FRn-1, FRn), and in each cycle (FRn), which is preceded by a cycle (FRn-1), the following steps are performed: a) the lighting units (3) are divided into groups (G0, G1, G2, G3) by means of the control device (1) in such a way that the lighting units (3) which are to emit light with the same characteristics in the respective cycle (FRn) are assigned to the same group (G0, G1, G2, G3), thereby obtaining current groups (G0, G1, G2, G3) for the respective cycle (FRn); b) If the group classification in the respective cycle (FRn) changes compared to the group classification in the previous cycle (FRn-1), the control unit (1) determines an evaluation measure (BM) for each combination of the current group (G0, G1, G2, G3) and the old group (G0', G1', G2', G3') determined in the previous cycle (FRn-1). This measure is larger the greater the number of matching luminaire units (3) between the current group (G0, G1, G2, G3) and the old group (G0', G1', G2', G3') of the respective combination, and smaller the greater the number of matching luminaire units (3) between the current group (G0, G1, G2, G3) of the respective combination and the old groups (G0', G1', G2', G3') not belonging to the respective combination. old group (G0, G1, G2, G3) of the respective combination and the current groups (G0, G1, G2, G3) not belonging to the respective combination; c) Multicast addresses (MA) of the old groups (G0', G1', G2', G3') are assigned to the current groups (G0, G1, G2, G3) by means of the control device (1) by assigning the multicast address (MA) of a respective old group (G0', G1', G2', G3') to the current group (G0, G1, G2, G3) the combination of current group (G0, G1, G2, G3) and respective old group (G0', G1', G2', G3') with the highest weighting factor (BM), if the current group (G0, G1, G2, G3) has not yet been assigned a multicast address (MA) in the respective cycle (FRn), otherwise the multicast address (MA) of the respective old group (G0', G1', G2', G3') is assigned to another current group (G0, G1, G2, G3) that has not yet been assigned a multicast address (MA). is assigned an assigned multicast address (MA), whereby the current groups (G0, G1, G2, G3), which have not yet received a multicast address (MA) after the assignment of the multicast addresses (MA) of all old groups (G0', G1', G2', G3'), are each assigned an unassigned multicast address (MA) from the specified set of multicast addresses (MA); d) by means of the control unit (1) one or more grouping messages (GN) in the form of unicast and/or multicast messages are sent via the data bus (2) to the lighting units (3), with which the lighting units (3) receive the multicast addresses (MA) of the current groups (G0, G1, G2, G3) according to their assignment to the current groups (G0, G1, G2, G3); e) By means of the control device (1) a control message (SN) in the form of a multicast message is sent via the data bus (2) for each current group (G0, G1, G2, G3), which includes the multicast address (MA) of the respective current group (G0, G1, G2, G3) and a parameter value (FW) for setting the characteristic of the emitted light of the lighting units (3) of the respective current group (G0, G1, G2, G3), whereupon the lighting units (3) of the respective current group (G0, G1, G2, G3) emit light with this characteristic.

Inventors

  • Bernd Pichon

Assignees

  • BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20190917

Claims (15)

  1. Method for operating a lighting device (100) for a motor vehicle, comprising a plurality of lighting units (3), a data bus (2), and a control unit (1), wherein the lighting units (3) can each emit light with variable characteristics and are coupled to the data bus (2), via which the control unit (1) can address the lighting units (3) using unicast addresses (UA) and multicast addresses (MA), wherein each individual lighting unit (3) is assigned a unicast address (UA), and a set of multicast addresses (MA) is specified, each of which can be assigned to several lighting units (3) in order to address the several lighting units (3) simultaneously, wherein the characteristic of the emitted light of the lighting units (3) is repeatedly set in successive cycles (FRn-1, FRn), and in each cycle (FRn), which is preceded by a cycle (FRn-1), the following steps are performed: a) the lighting units (3) are controlled by the control unit (1) divided into groups (G0, G1, G2, G3) such that the luminaire units (3) which are to emit light with the same characteristics in the respective cycle (FRn) are assigned to the same group (G0, G1, G2, G3), thereby obtaining current groups (G0, G1, G2, G3) for the respective cycle (FRn); b) If the group classification in the respective cycle (FRn) changes compared to the group classification in the previous cycle (FRn-1), the control unit (1) determines an evaluation measure (BM) for each combination of the current group (G0, G1, G2, G3) and the old group (G0', G1', G2', G3') determined in the previous cycle (FRn-1). This measure is larger the greater the number of matching luminaire units (3) between the current group (G0, G1, G2, G3) and the old group (G0', G1', G2', G3') of the respective combination, and smaller the greater the number of matching luminaire units (3) between the current group (G0, G1, G2, G3) of the respective combination and the old groups (G0', G1', G2', G3') not belonging to the respective combination. old group (G0, G1, G2, G3) of the respective combination and the current groups (G0, G1, G2, G3) not belonging to the respective combination; c) Multicast addresses (MA) of the old groups (G0', G1', G2', G3') are assigned to the current groups (G0, G1, G2, G3) by means of the control device (1) by assigning the multicast address (MA) of a respective old group (G0', G1', G2', G3') to the current group (G0, G1, G2, G3) the combination of current group (G0, G1, G2, G3) and respective old group (G0', G1', G2', G3') with the highest weighting factor (BM), if the current group (G0, G1, G2, G3) has not yet been assigned a multicast address (MA) in the respective cycle (FRn), otherwise the multicast address (MA) of the respective old group (G0', G1', G2', G3') is assigned to another current group (G0, G1, G2, G3) that has not yet been assigned a multicast address (MA). assigned multicast address (MA), whereby the current groups (G0, G1, G2, G3), which have not yet received a multicast address (MA) after the assignment of the multicast addresses (MA) of all old groups (G0', G1', G2', G3'), are each assigned an unassigned multicast address (MA) from the specified set of multicast addresses (MA); d) by means of the control unit (1) one or more grouping messages (GN) in the form of unicast and/or multicast messages are sent via the data bus (2) to the lighting units (3), with which the lighting units (3) receive the multicast addresses (MA) of the current groups (G0, G1, G2, G3) according to their assignment to the current groups (G0, G1, G2, G3); e) By means of the control device (1) a control message (SN) in the form of a multicast message is sent via the data bus (2) for each current group (G0, G1, G2, G3), which includes the multicast address (MA) of the respective current group (G0, G1, G2, G3) and a parameter value (FW) for setting the characteristic of the emitted light of the lighting units (3) of the respective current group (G0, G1, G2, G3), whereupon the lighting units (3) of the respective current group (G0, G1, G2, G3) emit light with this characteristic.
  2. Procedure according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the variable characteristic of the light of the luminaire units (3) includes the light color and the parameter value (FW) determines the light color.
  3. Procedure according to Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that , in the event that, according to the grouping of step a), one or more lighting units (3) are not assigned to any current group (G0, G1, G2, G3), a control message (SN) in the form of a unicast message is sent via the data bus (2) for each of these lighting units (3) by means of the control device (1) in step e), which includes the unicast address (UA) of the respective lighting unit (3) and a parameter value (FW) for setting the characteristic of the emitted light of the respective lighting unit (3), whereupon the respective lighting unit (3) emits light with this characteristic.
  4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the evaluation measure (BM) for a respective combination of current group (G0, G1, G2, G3) and old group (G0', G1', G2', G3') is as follows: A ⋅ m i j − ∑ k = 0 M m i k − ∑ k = 0 N m k j where i = 0, 1,..., N is an index for numbering the old groups (G0', G1', G2', G3'); where j = 1, ..., M is an index for numbering the current groups (G0, G1, G2, G3); where A > 2 and preferably A = 4; where m ij is the number of matching luminous units (3) between the current group (G0, G1, G2, G3) with index j and the old group (G0', G1', G2', G3') with index i, where the current group (G0, G1, G2, G3) with index j and the old group (G0', G1', G2', G3') with index i represent the respective combination of current group (G0, G1, G2, G3) and old group (G0', G1', G2', G3').
  5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, in the case where a multicast address (MA) is assigned to a respective old group (G0', G1', G2', G3') in step c) of the current group (G0, G1, G2, G3) of the combination with the highest weighting measure (FRn), a multicast address (MA) has already been assigned in the respective cycle. The multicast address (MA) of the respective old group (G0', G1', G2', G3') of the current group (G0, G1, G2, G3) is assigned to that combination of current group (G0, G1, G2, G3) with unassigned multicast address (MA) and respective old group (G0', G1', G2', G3') with the highest weighting measure (BM).
  6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the initial cycle, which is not preceded by any cycle (FRn-1, FRn), the following steps are performed: i) the lighting units (3) are divided into groups (G0, G1, G2, G3) by means of the control device (1) such that the lighting units (3) which are to emit light with the same characteristics in the initial cycle are assigned to the same group (G0, G1, G2, G3), thereby obtaining current groups (G0, G1, G2, G3) for the initial cycle, wherein initially a multicast address from the specified set of multicast addresses (MA) is assigned to each current group; ii) by means of the control unit (1) one or more grouping messages (GN) in the form of unicast and/or multicast messages are sent via the data bus (2) to the lighting units (3), with which the lighting units (3) receive the multicast addresses (MA) of the current groups (G0, G1, G2, G3) according to their assignment to the current groups (G0, G1, G2, G3); iii) The control unit (1) sends a control message (SN) in the form of a multicast message via the data bus (2) for each current group (G0, G1, G2, G3), which includes the multicast address (MA) of the respective current group (G0, G1, G2, G3) and a parameter value (FW) for setting the characteristic of the emitted light of the lighting units (3) of the respective current group (G0, G1, G2, G3), whereupon the lighting units (3) of the respective current group (G0, G1, G2, G3) emit light with this characteristic.
  7. Procedure according to Claim 6 , characterized in that , in the event that, according to the grouping of step i), one or more lighting units (3) are not assigned to any current group (G0, G1, G2, G3), a control message (SN) in the form of a unicast message is sent via the data bus (2) for each of these lighting units (3) by means of the control device (1), which includes the unicast address (UA) of the respective lighting unit (3) and a parameter value (FW) for setting the characteristic of the emitted light of the respective lighting unit (3), whereupon the respective lighting unit (3) emits light with this characteristic.
  8. Procedure according to Claim 6 or 7 , characterized in that , in the case that in the initial cycle in step i) at least a predetermined percentage of all lighting units (3) of the lighting device (100) are assigned to the same current group (G0, G1, G2, G3), first, with at least one grouping message (GN) in the form of a broadcast message, with which all lighting units (3) of the lighting device (100) are addressed, all lighting units (3) temporarily receive the multicast address (MA) of this same current group (G0, G1, G2, G3) and subsequently, with at least one grouping message (GN) in the form of a unicast message, all lighting units (3) which do not belong to this same current group (G0, G1, G2, G3) receive the multicast address (MA) initially assigned to them according to their group membership, wherein the predetermined percentage is preferably 50% or more.
  9. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, if it is determined that according to the grouping of step a) all lighting units (3) of an old group (G0', G1', G2', G3') become part of a current group (G0, G1, G2, G3), in step e) at least one grouping message (GN) in the form of a multicast message with the multicast address of the old group (G0', G1', G2', G3') is sent by means of the control device (1) via the data bus (2), wherein by means of the at least one grouping message (GN) the lighting units (3) of the old group (G0', G1', G2', G3') receive the multicast address of the current group (G0, G1, G2, G3).
  10. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a grouping message (GN) comprises a bitmask in which a bit is provided for each multicast address (MA) of at least a part of the specified set of multicast addresses (MA), wherein the state of the respective bit specifies whether the lighting unit (3) addressed by the grouping message receives the multicast address (MA) corresponding to the respective bit or not.
  11. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lighting units (3) are LED units and in particular RGB LED units.
  12. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a lighting device (100) is an interior light in the motor vehicle or an exterior light on the outside of the motor vehicle.
  13. Lighting device for a motor vehicle, wherein the lighting device (100) The lighting device comprises a plurality of lighting units (3), a data bus (2), and a control unit (1), wherein the lighting units (3) can each emit light with variable characteristics and are coupled to the data bus (2), via which the control unit (1) can address the lighting units (3) using unicast addresses (UA) and multicast addresses (MA), wherein each individual lighting unit (3) is assigned a unicast address (UA), and a set of multicast addresses (MA) is specified, each of which can be assigned to several lighting units (3) in order to address the several lighting units (3) simultaneously, wherein the lighting device is configured to repeatedly adjust the characteristics of the emitted light of the lighting units (3) in successive cycles (FRn-1, FRn), and in each cycle (FRn), preceded by a cycle (FRn-1), perform steps a) to e) of the Claim 1 to execute.
  14. Lighting device according to Claim 13 , characterized in that the lighting device (100) is used to carry out a method according to one of the Claims 2 until 12 is set up.
  15. motor vehicle comprising one or more lighting devices according to Claim 13 or 14 .

Description

The invention relates to a method for operating a lighting device for a motor vehicle and to a corresponding lighting device. Automotive lighting devices are known from the prior art, comprising a plurality of lighting units that can be individually controlled via a data bus by control messages from a control unit in order to emit light of a predetermined characteristic. Such a lighting device is described, for example, in the publication WO 2017 / 084 881 A1 This lighting device comprises one or more processing modules, an internal data bus, and a plurality of LED units. The internal data bus is an SPI bus or a differential data bus, where a differential data bus encodes digital data via a voltage difference between two lines. Each processing module is associated with several LED units from the plurality of LED units, and the processing module is coupled to the associated LED units via the internal data bus. The associated LED units each comprise one or more LEDs and an integrated circuit and are connected to a power supply for the LED(s). The processing module is configured to connect to an automotive data bus to receive initial digital control commands for operating the lighting device from the automotive data bus and to output secondary digital control commands to the internal data bus. The associated LED units are configured to supply current to their LEDs from the power supply based on the secondary digital control commands on the internal data bus by means of the integrated circuits. The printed matter US 2009 / 0 021 955 A1 Disclosure reveals a lighting system for a transit vehicle, comprising a plurality of LED-based lighting devices for providing interior lighting. A control network includes a plurality of slave nodes for controlling the LED-based lighting devices and a master node for controlling the slave nodes. The printed matter DE 10 2015 003 001 A1 A method for operating a lighting device with a lighting element arrangement is disclosed. A current-controlled, pulse-width modulated supply current is received via one terminal contact and passed through to another terminal contact. The duration of each phase of the supply current is determined, and depending on the determined duration, one or more bits of a message are decoded. The message contains an address, which is determined by a control circuit and compared with an address stored in the lighting device. Only if the addresses match is a switching state selected for a switch arrangement of the lighting device. The message can also include a lighting pattern identifier, which specifies a color of light to be produced or a mixed lighting color. The selected switching state is set at the switch arrangement, so that the lighting element arrangement is operated by means of the supply current depending on the set switching state. The printed matter DE 10 2013 210 261 A1 Disclosing a lighting device for a vehicle, comprising a plurality of light-emitting diodes divided into groups, a series resistor connecting the plurality of light-emitting diodes to a voltage source, and a control unit configured to control the light-emitting diodes or groups of light-emitting diodes by means of pulse width modulation and to output PWM control signals for the light-emitting diodes successively within one period and to vary the pulse widths of the PWM control signals for the light-emitting diodes. The printed matter US 2016 / 0 284 177 A1 Disclosing a lighting system with a light strip comprising a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) along the length of the light strip, the light strip includes three conductors connected to the LEDs in a connection arrangement that allows selected LEDs to be addressed to illuminate the diodes. The LEDs are arranged in physical groups, with each LED in the physical group being addressed by a different address. The physical groups are repeated such that LEDs with the same address, but located in different groups, are arranged in address groups. Address signals cause an address group to light up. The printed matter US 2019 / 0 132 929 A1 Disclosed is a method for operating a plurality of drive units for driving electronic units, comprising an exchange of a data frame containing a bit sequence between a master control unit and at least one of the plurality of drive units at slave nodes. The method is preferably intended for operating LEDs in a lighting system of a motor vehicle. It is therefore known from the above-mentioned publications that lighting units of lighting devices for motor vehicles can be controlled individually or in groups by means of a control unit via addresses, whereby both individual lighting units and several lighting units can be specifically addressed and light with variable characteristics can be emitted at each address. To control a lighting device of the type described above, the individual lighting units can be addressed separately using unicast addresses. It is also possible to group lighting units a