# US 2024/0200741 A1 · Apparatus and method for driving lamp

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- Number: US 2024/0200741 A1
- Document ID: US20240200741A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 18/219,380
- Filed: 2023-07-07
- Published: 2024-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2022-12-14
- Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Corporation
- Applicants: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Corporation
- Inventors: Moon Soo Park
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20240200741A1

## CPC

- F21S 41/153: arranged in a matrix
- B60Q 1/00: Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor (for lighting vehicle interior B60Q3/00)
- B60Q 1/0094: {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)}
- H05B 45/10: Controlling the intensity of the light
- H05B 45/305: Frequency-control circuits
- F21S: NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
- B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL

## Abstract

An apparatus for driving a lamp includes an LED array module having a light emitting pattern adjusted in a function or mode, a body domain controller that detects a user input or a preset event and generates a control signal including control information for controlling the LED array module corresponding to the user input or the event, and an LED driver module that receives the control signal from the body domain controller through a wire and operates the LED array module in a preset function or mode corresponding to the control information of the control signal.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for driving a lamp, the apparatus comprising:
a light emitting diode (LED) array module having a plurality of LEDs;
a body domain controller configured to:
detect a user input or a preset event; and
generate a control signal including control information for controlling the LED array module corresponding to the user input or the preset event; and
an LED driver module configured to:
receive the control signal from the body domain controller through a wire; and
operate the LED array module in a preset function or mode corresponding to the control information of the control signal.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the body domain controller is configured to set a duty of the control signal according to the user input or the preset event.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the LED driver module is configured to:
determine the duty of the control signal during a first period; and
drive the LED array module according to the duty during a second period.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the LED driver module is configured to:
stop driving of the LED array module when a period for which the control signal is applied as a low level voltage is equal to or longer than a period of a low level voltage of a minimum duty.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the body domain controller is configured to:
generate a first control signal having a duty that determines a function of the LED array module according to the user input or the preset event; and
generate a second control signal having a duty that determines an operation mode of the function according to the user input or the preset event.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the body domain controller is configured to:
transmit the first control signal to the LED driver module through a first wire; and
transmit the second control signal to the LED driver module through a second wire.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the body domain controller is configured to:
transmit the first control signal for determining the function of the lamp according to the user input or the preset event during a function information transmission period; and
transmit the second control signal for determining the operation mode of the function according to the user input or the preset event during a mode information transmission period.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the body domain controller is configured to set a frequency of the control signal according to the user input or the preset event.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the body domain controller is configured to set a voltage level of the control signal according to the user input or the preset event.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the LED driver module is configured to operate the LED array module in one of a lighting show function, a welcome light function, an escort light function, or a road projection function.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the LED driver module is configured to set a lighting pattern of the LED array module according to the preset function or mode.

### Claim 12

A method of driving a lamp, the method comprising:
detecting, by a body domain controller, a user input or a preset event and generating a control signal including control information for controlling an LED array module corresponding to the user input or the preset event;
transmitting, by the body domain controller, the control signal to an LED driver module through a wire; and
operating, by the LED driver module, the LED array module in a preset function or mode corresponding to the control information of the control signal.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein generating the control signal includes:
setting a duty of the control signal according to the user input or the preset event.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein operating the LED array module includes:
determining the duty of the control signal during a first period; and
driving the LED array module according to the duty during a second period.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein operating the LED array module corresponding to the duty of the control signal includes:
stopping driving of the LED array module when a period for which the control signal is applied as a low level voltage is equal to or longer than a period of a low level voltage of a minimum duty.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein generating the control signal includes:
generating a first control signal having a duty that determines a function of the LED array module according to the user input or the preset event; and
generating a second control signal having a duty that determines an operation mode of the function according to the user input or the preset event.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein transmitting the control signal includes:
transmitting the first control signal to the LED driver module through a first wire; and
transmitting the second control signal to the LED driver module through a second wire.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein transmitting the control signal includes:
transmitting the first control signal for determining the function of the lamp according to the user input or the preset event during a function information transmission period; and
transmitting the second control signal for determining the operation mode of the function according to the user input or the preset event during a mode information transmission period.

### Claim 19 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein generating the control signal includes setting a frequency of the control signal according to the user input or the preset event.

### Claim 20 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein generating the control signal includes setting a voltage level of the control signal according to the user input or the preset event.