DESC:FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to automotive lighting and more particularly, to dynamic stop lamps for vehicles.

BACKGROUND

With the ever-growing traffic on roads, it is relevant to ensure safe driving conditions. In fact, in the recent past, a significant growth and development is witnessed in field of automotive lighting focusing towards safety of the drivers. Automotive lights, such as lamps, play a major role in providing visibility to a vehicle on road, particularly, during the night. Various types of lamps are nowadays available in the market for different vehicles.

Lamps, such as stop lamps, are generally employed in vehicle for indicating braking function of the vehicle to drivers of surrounding vehicles and pedestrians. Conventional stop lamps for two-wheeler generally include one or more light sources, such as LEDs. When the driver applies brake for reducing a speed of the vehicle, all the light sources of the stop lamp illuminate to indicate braking of the vehicle. In such stop lamps, intensity of illumination and pattern of illumination of the light sources are not controlled based on a nature of braking, such as light braking and heavy braking. For instance, when the driver applies lower force on a brake pedal to apply light braking for slowing the speed of the vehicle, all the light sources of the stop lamps are illuminated with full intensity. Similarly, when the driver applies higher force on the brake pedal to apply heavy braking to stop the vehicle in an emergency scenario, all the light sources of the stop lamps are illuminated with full intensity. Owing to such illumination of the light sources, it is difficult for the pedestrians and the surrounding vehicles to anticipate rate of deceleration and a stopping distance of such vehicle. This may lead to rear-end collision of vehicles, which may further possess safety risk to passengers travelling in such vehicles.

In existing dynamic stop lamps, sensing modules, such as potentiometer sensors and optical sensors, are employed for sensing speed of the vehicle. However, such sensing modules are not robust and therefore, fail to withstand harsh environmental conditions. For instance, usage of the optical sensors is limited in harsh environmental condition. The optical sensor may cease to operate, if sensing area of such optical sensor is covered with contaminants present in such environmental conditions. Furthermore, a potentiometer sensor fails to provide accurate output which leads to inefficient operation of the existing dynamic stop lamp.

SUMMARY

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a dynamic stop lamp for a vehicle is disclosed. The dynamic stop lamp includes a plurality of light sources and a system in communication with the plurality of light sources. The system includes a sensor in communication with a brake pedal of the vehicle. The sensor is configured to detect a set of parameters associated with braking of the vehicle through the brake pedal. Further, the system includes a controlling unit in communication with the sensor and the plurality of light sources. The controlling unit is configured to receive information indicative of at least one of the set of parameters from the sensor. Further, the controlling unit is configured to determine a number of light sources from among the plurality of light sources to be illuminated based on the received information. The controlling unit is configured to illuminating the determined number of light sources from the among the plurality of light sources

To further clarify advantages and features of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof, which is illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 illustrates a block diagram depicting dynamic illumination of a plurality of light sources of a stop lamp, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

Figure 2 illustrates a flow chart depicting a method of dynamic illumination of the plurality of light sources of the stop lamp, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Further, skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the drawings are illustrated for simplicity and may not have been necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the flow charts illustrate the method in terms of the most prominent steps involved to help to improve understanding of aspects of the present invention. Furthermore, in terms of the construction of the device, one or more components of the device may have been represented in the drawings by conventional symbols, and the drawings may show only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the drawings with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having benefit of the description herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated system, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skilled in the art to which this invention belongs. The system, methods, and examples provided herein are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.

The term “some” as used herein is defined as “none, or one, or more than one, or all.” Accordingly, the terms “none,” “one,” “more than one,” “more than one, but not all” or “all” would all fall under the definition of “some.” The term “some embodiments” may refer to no embodiments or to one embodiment or to several embodiments or to all embodiments. Accordingly, the term “some embodiments” is defined as meaning “no embodiment, or one embodiment, or more than one embodiment, or all embodiments.”

The terminology and structure employed herein is for describing, teaching and illuminating some embodiments and their specific features and elements and does not limit, restrict or reduce the spirit and scope of the claims or their equivalents.

More specifically, any terms used herein such as but not limited to “includes,” “comprises,” “has,” “consists,” and grammatical variants thereof do NOT specify an exact limitation or restriction and certainly do NOT exclude the possible addition of one or more features or elements, unless otherwise stated, and furthermore must NOT be taken to exclude the possible removal of one or more of the listed features and elements, unless otherwise stated with the limiting language “MUST comprise” or “NEEDS TO include.”

Whether or not a certain feature or element was limited to being used only once, either way it may still be referred to as “one or more features” or “one or more elements” or “at least one feature” or “at least one element.” Furthermore, the use of the terms “one or more” or “at least one” feature or element do NOT preclude there being none of that feature or element, unless otherwise specified by limiting language such as “there NEEDS to be one or more . . . ” or “one or more element is REQUIRED.”

Unless otherwise defined, all terms, and especially any technical and/or scientific terms, used herein may be taken to have the same meaning as commonly understood by one having an ordinary skill in the art.

Reference is made herein to some “embodiments.” It should be understood that an embodiment is an example of a possible implementation of any features and/or elements presented in the attached claims. Some embodiments have been described for the purpose of illuminating one or more of the potential ways in which the specific features and/or elements of the attached claims fulfil the requirements of uniqueness, utility and non-obviousness.

Use of the phrases and/or terms such as but not limited to “a first embodiment,” “a further embodiment,” “an alternate embodiment,” “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “multiple embodiments,” “some embodiments,” “other embodiments,” “further embodiment”, “furthermore embodiment”, “additional embodiment” or variants thereof do NOT necessarily refer to the same embodiments. Unless otherwise specified, one or more particular features and/or elements described in connection with one or more embodiments may be found in one embodiment, or may be found in more than one embodiment, or may be found in all embodiments, or may be found in no embodiments. Although one or more features and/or elements may be described herein in the context of only a single embodiment, or alternatively in the context of more than one embodiment, or further alternatively in the context of all embodiments, the features and/or elements may instead be provided separately or in any appropriate combination or not at all. Conversely, any features and/or elements described in the context of separate embodiments may alternatively be realized as existing together in the context of a single embodiment.

Any particular and all details set forth herein are used in the context of some embodiments and therefore should NOT be necessarily taken as limiting factors to the attached claims. The attached claims and their legal equivalents can be realized in the context of embodiments other than the ones used as illustrative examples in the description below.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 illustrates a block diagram depicting dynamic illumination of a plurality of light sources 102 of a stop lamp 100, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The stop lamp 100 is hereinafter referred to as the dynamic stop lamp 100. In an embodiment, the dynamic stop lamp 100 may be employed in a vehicle to indicate braking operation of the vehicle to surrounding vehicles and pedestrians in vicinity of such vehicle. The vehicle may be embodied as one of a two-wheeler vehicle, a three-wheeler vehicle, and a four-wheeler vehicle.

In the illustrated embodiment, the dynamic stop lamp 100 may include the plurality of light sources 102 and a system 104 for dynamically controlling illumination of the plurality of light sources 102 of the dynamic stop lamp 100. The system 104 may be configured to selectively illuminate the plurality of light sources 102 based on various parameters associated with braking of the vehicle. The system 104 may be in communication with the plurality of light sources 102 and a brake pedal 110 of the vehicle.

The system 104 may include, but is not limited to, a controlling unit 106 and a sensor 108. The controlling unit 106 may be embodied as a microcontroller 106 and therefore, hereinafter referred to as the microcontroller 106, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The system 104 may be in communication with the dynamic stop lamp 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the system 104 may be deployed in the dynamic stop lamp 100. In an alternate embodiment, the system 104 may be deployed externally with respect to the dynamic stop lamp 100. Further, the plurality of light sources 102, the microcontroller 106, and the sensor 108 may derive power from a battery of the vehicle.

Further, according to the illustrated embodiment, the dynamic stop lamp 100 may include, but is not limited to, the plurality of light sources 102 and at least one of a transistor and a Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET). In an embodiment, the plurality of light sources 102 may be embodied as Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). Therefore, the plurality of light sources 102 may interchangeably be referred to as LEDs. In another embodiment, the plurality of light sources 102 may be embodied as any other type of light source known in the art, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In the illustrated embodiment, the LEDs 102 may be arranged in a matrix topology depicting a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns of the LEDs 102.

Referring to Figure 1, the sensor 108 may be in communication with the microcontroller106 and the brake pedal 110 of the vehicle. In an embodiment, the sensor 108 may be configured to detect a set of parameters associated with braking of the vehicle. The set of parameters may include, but are not limited to, a position of the brake pedal 110, an amount of pressure applied on the brake pedal 110, and an amount of force applied on the brake pedal 110. The sensor 108 may be embodied as a hall-effect base sensor, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

The microcontroller 106 may be in communication with the sensor 108 and the plurality of light sources 102. The microcontroller 106 may be configured to receive information indicative of at least one of the set of parameters from the sensor 108. In an embodiment, the microcontroller 106 may be configured to receive information, such as an input signal from the sensor 108. The input signal may be indicative of one of the set of parameters associated with braking of the vehicle. Further, the microcontroller 106 may be configured to determine a number of LEDs from among the LEDs to be illuminated based on the input signal received from the sensor 108. The microcontroller 106 may be configured to illuminate the determined number of LEDs of the dynamic stop lamp 100.

In an embodiment, based on the input signal, the microcontroller106 may selectively illuminate the LEDs 102 of the dynamic stop lamp 100. In particular, as explained earlier, based on the input signal, the microcontroller106 may determine the number of LEDs 102 to be illuminated. Accordingly, in an embodiment, the microcontroller106 may selectively illuminate the number of the LEDs 102 through one of the transistor or the MOSFET.

In an embodiment, a number of LEDs 102 to be illuminated may directly be proportional to an amount of force applied on the brake pedal 110 by the driver of the vehicle. The microcontroller 106 may be configured to illuminate a number of LEDs from among the LEDs 102 based on a first amount force applied on the brake pedal 110. Further, the microcontroller 106 may be configured to illuminate a number of LEDs from among the LEDs 102 based on a second amount of force applied on the brake pedal 110. The first amount of force may be less than the second amount of force. In such an embodiment, the number of LEDs illuminated based on the first amount of force may be less than the number of light sources illuminated based on the second amount of force.

In an embodiment, the number of LEDs 102 to be illuminated during light braking of the vehicle may be less than the number of LEDs 102 to be illuminated during heavy braking of the vehicle. For example, in case of light braking, if the driver applies a lower amount of force on the brake pedal 110, the microcontroller106 may illuminate one row or one column of the LEDs 102. Owing to such illumination, overall intensity of illumination of the dynamic stop lamp 100 is low which indicates light braking of the vehicle. Further, in case of heavy braking, if the driver applies a higher amount of force on the brake pedal 110, the microcontroller106 may illuminate multiple rows or columns of the LEDs 104. Owing to such illumination, overall intensity of illumination of the dynamic stop lamp 100 is high which indicates heavy braking of the vehicle.

Further, the microcontroller106 may control a pattern of illumination of the plurality of light sources 102 of the dynamic stop lamp 100, based on the input signal received from the sensor 108. For instance, based on the input signal, the microcontroller 106 may illuminate selective the LEDs 102 of the dynamic stop lamp 100 to generate a pattern of illumination which indicates the nature of braking, i.e., light braking or heavy braking of the vehicle.

In an alternate embodiment, the microcontroller106 may be adapted to control intensity of illumination of the LEDs 102 of the dynamic stop lamp 100. In such an embodiment, the microcontroller 106 may control intensity of illumination of the LEDs 102, based on the input signal received from the sensor 108. For example, in case of light braking, if the driver applies a lower amount of force on the brake pedal 110, the microcontroller106 may illuminate the LEDs 102 with lower intensity to indicate light braking of the vehicle. Further, in case of heavy braking, if the driver applies a higher amount of force on the brake pedal 110, the microcontroller106 may illuminate the LEDs 102 with a higher intensity to indicate heavy braking of the vehicle.

In an alternate embodiment of the present disclosure, functionalities of the microcontroller106 may be performed by an Integrated Circuit (IC). In such an embodiment, based on the input signal received from the sensor 108, the IC may be configured to selectively illuminate the LEDs 102 of the dynamic stop lamp 100.

Figure 2 illustrates a flow chart depicting a method 200 of dynamic illumination of the plurality of LEDs 102 of the stop lamp 100, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. For the sake of brevity, features of the present disclosure that are already explained in the description of Figure 1 are not explained in detail in the description of Figure 2.

At block 202, the method 200 includes determining whether the vehicle is in an ignition mode. In an embodiment, when it is determined that the vehicle is not in the ignition mode, the method 200 branches to block 204. At block 204, the dynamic stop lamp 100 is switched-off. In an alternate embodiment, when it is determined that the vehicle is in the ignition mode, the method 200 branches to block 206.

At block 206, the method 200 includes determining a position of the brake pedal 110 of the vehicle. In an embodiment, when it is determined that the position of the brake pedal 110 is not changed, the method 200 branches to block 204. As mentioned earlier, at block 204, the dynamic stop lamp 100 is switched-off. In an alternate embodiment, when it is determined that the position of the brake pedal 110 is changed, the method 200 branches to block 208. In an embodiment, the sensor 108 may determine the position of the brake pedal 110 of the vehicle.

At block 208, the method 200 includes generating an input signal based on the position of the brake pedal 110. In an embodiment, the sensor 108 may generate the input signal indicative of at least one of the position of the brake pedal 110, the amount of force applied on the brake pedal 110, and the amount of pressure applied on the brake pedal 110. Subsequently, the microcontroller106 may receive the input signal from the sensor 108.

At block 210, the method 200 includes generating an output signal based on the input signal received from the sensor 108. In an embodiment, the microcontroller106 may generate the output signal to selectively illuminate the LEDs 102 of the dynamic stop lamp 100, based on the input signal received from the sensor 108. In one embodiment, the microcontroller106 may determine the number of LEDs 102 to be illuminated, based on the input signal received from the sensor 108. Subsequently, the microcontroller106 may generate the output signals based on the determined number of LEDs 102 to be illuminated. The output signal may be embodied as a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) signal, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. At block 212, the method 200 includes illuminating the number of LEDs 102, based on the output signal. Further, overall intensity of illumination of the dynamic stop lamp 100 is controlled by varying the number of LEDs 102 to be illuminated, based on the output signal.

As would be gathered, the dynamic stop lamp 100 of the present disclosure includes the system 104 for controlling illumination of the plurality of LEDs 102 based on the set of parameters associated with braking of the vehicle. As explained earlier, the system 104 includes the sensor 108 for detecting the set of parameters, such as the position of the brake pedal 110, the amount of force applied on the brake pedal 110, and the amount of pressure applied on the brake pedal 110. Owing to implementation of the sensor 108, operation of the dynamic stop lamp 100 is substantially accurate compared to operation of conventional stop lamps.

Various components, such as the sensor 108 and the microcontroller106, may be disposed within a housing member of the dynamic stop lamp 100. Owing to such an arrangement, the dynamic stop lamp 100 can withstand harsh environment which further leads to an improved service life of the dynamic stop lamp 100. Further, the system 104 of the dynamic stop lamp 100 may control the number of LEDs 102 to be illuminated to indicate nature of braking to the surrounding vehicles and pedestrians in vicinity of such vehicle. This helps drivers of the surrounding vehicles and the pedestrians to anticipate a rate of deceleration and a stopping distance of a vehicle in front, which further ensure safety of the pedestrians and the surrounding vehicles. Therefore, the present disclosure offers the dynamic stop lamp 100 that is efficient, economical, compact, flexible, and effective for the vehicle.

While specific language has been used to describe the present subject matter, any limitations arising on account thereto, are not intended. As would be apparent to a person in the art, various working modifications may be made to the method in order to implement the inventive concept as taught herein. The drawings and the foregoing description give examples of embodiments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more of the described elements may well be combined into a single functional element. Alternatively, certain elements may be split into multiple functional elements. Elements from one embodiment may be added to another embodiment.
,CLAIMS:1. A dynamic stop lamp (100) for a vehicle, the dynamic stop lamp (100) comprising:
a plurality of light sources (102);
a system (104) in communication with the plurality of light sources (102), the system (104) comprising:
a sensor (108) in communication with a brake pedal (110) of the vehicle, wherein the sensor (108) is configured to detect a set of parameters associated with braking of the vehicle through the brake pedal (110);
a controlling unit (106) in communication with the sensor (108) and the plurality of light sources (102), the controlling unit (106) configured to:
receive information indicative of at least one of the set of parameters from the sensor (108);
determine a number of light sources from among the plurality of light sources to be illuminated based on the received information; and
illuminating the determined number of light sources from the among the plurality of light sources.

2. The dynamic stop lamp (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of light sources (102) is a Light Emitting Diode (LED).

3. The dynamic stop lamp (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor (108) is a hall-effect base sensor.

4. The dynamic stop lamp (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the set of parameters include a position of the brake pedal (110), an amount of pressure applied on the brake pedal (110), and an amount of force applied on the brake pedal (110).

5. The dynamic stop lamp (100) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the controlling unit (106) is configured to one of:
illuminate a number of light sources from among the plurality of light sources (102) based on a first amount of force applied on the brake pedal (110);
illuminate a number of light sources from among the plurality of light sources (102) based on a second amount of force applied on the brake pedal (110), wherein the first amount of force is less than the second amount of force,
wherein the number of light sources illuminated based on the first amount of force is less than the number of light sources illuminated based on the second amount of force.

6. The dynamic stop lamp (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controlling unit (106) is one of a microcontroller and an Integrated Circuit (IC).

7. The dynamic stop lamp (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controlling unit (106) further configured to:
control a pattern of illumination of the plurality of light sources (102) based on the information received from the sensor (108), wherein the pattern of illumination is indicative of a nature of braking applied through the brake pedal (110).

8. The dynamic stop lamp (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controlling unit (106) further configured to control intensity of illumination of the plurality of sources (102) based on the information received from the sensor (108).

9. A system (104) for operating a dynamic stop lamp (100), the system (104) comprising:
a sensor (108) in communication with a brake pedal (110) of the vehicle, wherein the sensor (108) is configured to detect a set of parameters associated with braking of the vehicle through the brake pedal (110);
a controlling unit (106) in communication with the sensor (108) and a plurality of light sources (102) of the dynamic stop lamp (100), the controlling unit (106) configured to:
receive information indicative of at least one of the set of parameters from the sensor (108);
determine a number of light sources from among the plurality of light sources to be illuminated based on the received information; and
illuminating the determined number of light sources from the among the plurality of light sources.

10. The system (104) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the set of parameters include a position of the brake pedal (110), an amount of pressure applied on the brake pedal (110), and an amount of force applied on the brake pedal (110).