LED headlamp system with brightness control
OwnerWilliam H. Jones, Jr., Edward Robertson +3inventors
InventorsWilliam H. Jones, Jr., Edward Robertson, William Lauer, Jason Anderson, John Wiley Horton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A headlamp illumination source that switches from a first configuration conforming to on-road illumination standards to a second configuration that does not conform to on-road illumination standards. The switching is preferably controlled by a wireless signal but in some embodiments the switching can be controlled by a hard-wired signal or by a switch proximate the illumination source itself.
Claims20
An illumination source configured to attach to a mount within a headlamp assembly of a vehicle, said vehicle including a power conductor and a ground conductor, said headlamp assembly including a reflector having a focus, comprising:
- (a) a plurality of light emitting diodes, mounted on a frame having a base attached to said mount and a shank region proximate said base;
- (b) driver circuitry configured to take in power from said power conductor of said vehicle and provide suitable power to drive said plurality of light emitting diodes;
- (c) a controller configured to control said driver circuitry and thereby vary an output of said plurality of light emitting diodes;
- (d) said controller being configured to wirelessly communicate with a separate command device so that said output of said plurality of light emitting diodes is responsive to a command sent by said separate command device;
- (e) a subset of said light emitting diodes being mounted on said shank region of said frame to the rear of said focus;
- and
- (f) said subset of said light emitting diodes being independently controllable by said controller.
An illumination source within a headlamp assembly of a vehicle, said vehicle including a high beam power conductor, a low beam power conductor, and a ground conductor, said headlamp assembly including a mount and a reflector having a focus, comprising:
- (a) a plurality of light emitting diodes, mounted on a frame having a base attached to said mount and a shank region proximate said base;
- (b) driver circuitry configured to take in power from said power conductors of said vehicle and provide suitable power to drive said plurality of light emitting diodes;
- (c) a controller configured to control said driver circuitry and thereby vary an output of said plurality of light emitting diodes;
- (d) said controller being responsive to a command sent via power pulses on said power conductors of said vehicle so that said output of said plurality of light emitting diodes is responsive to said command sent via power pulses on said power conductors of said vehicle;
- (e) a subset of said light emitting diodes being mounted on said shank region of said frame to the rear of said focus;
- and
- (f) said subset of said light emitting diodes being independently controllable by said controller.
An illumination source configured to attach to a mount within a headlamp assembly of a vehicle, said vehicle including a power conductor, a ground conductor, and a vehicle data bus, said headlamp assembly including a reflector having a focus, comprising:
- (a) a plurality of light emitting diodes;
- (b) driver circuitry configured to take in power from said power conductor of said vehicle and provide suitable power to drive said plurality of light emitting diodes;
- (c) a controller configured to control said driver circuitry in order to control a light output of said plurality of light emitting diodes from a first state to a second state;
- (d) said controller receiving commands transmitted on said vehicle data bus;
- (e) said controller configured to respond to said commands transmitted on said vehicle data bus by varying said light output of said plurality of light emitting diodes;
- (f) a subset of said light emitting diodes being mounted on said shank region of said frame to the rear of said focus;
- and
- (g) said subset of said light emitting diodes being independently controllable by said controller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.