Vehicle light controller apparatuses, methods and systems

The VEHICLE LIGHT CONTROLLER APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS include circuits for coupling lighting systems of a vehicle to controls for the windshield wipers. For example, when a vehicle operator engages the windshield wipers, vehicle lighting systems such as the headlights, tail lights, side markers, tag lights, and/or the like may be automatically engaged as well, without further user action. In some embodiments, the disclosed electronic circuitry may be configured as a kit suitable for retrofitting an existing vehicle system.

This application for letters patent disclosure document describes inventive aspects that include various novel innovations (hereinafter “disclosure”) and contains material that is subject to copyright, mask work, and/or other intellectual property protection. The respective owners of such intellectual property have no objection to the facsimile reproduction of the disclosure by anyone as it appears in published Patent Office file/records, but otherwise reserve all rights.

FIELD

Embodiments of the present innovations pertain to circuits for circuits for controlling lights, such as headlights, within vehicles such as automobiles, and more particularly include VEHICLE LIGHT CONTROLLER APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS (“VLC”).

BACKGROUND

Vehicles, such as automobiles, include a variety of external lighting systems, including headlights, tail lights, tag lights, and the like. Such lighting systems may serve a variety of functions, such as improving visibility for the driver, providing alerts to pedestrians or other drivers, and otherwise providing for increased safety in the operation of the vehicle. Vehicles also frequently include windshield wiper systems, allowing a vehicle operator to clear rain or other material from the windshield from within the vehicle.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, embodiments of the disclosed apparatuses, methods and systems comprise electronic circuitry that couples lighting systems of a vehicle to controls for the windshield wipers. Thus, for example, when a vehicle operator engages the windshield wipers, vehicle lighting systems such as the headlights, tail lights, side markers, tag lights, and/or the like may be automatically engaged as well, without further user action. In one embodiment, the disclosed electronic circuitry may be configured as a kit suitable for retrofitting an existing vehicle system.

In one embodiment, an apparatus is disclosed, comprising: a semiconductor-controlled rectifier having a gate electrode, an anode, and a cathode, wherein the gate electrode is connected through a diode resistor to the windshield wiper motor of a vehicle, and the anode is connected through a piggyback fuse holder to a 5 amp ignition fuse holder in a fuse box of the vehicle; a relay having a first coil terminal, a second coil terminal, a high power feed, and a high power output, wherein the first coil terminal is connected to ground, the second coil terminal is connected to the cathode of the semiconductor-controlled rectifier, the high power feed is connected to a key-on-engine-running signal of a vehicle, and the high power output is connected through a diode resistor to at least one headlight of the vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The VEHICLE LIGHT CONTROLLER APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS (“VLC”) provide, in various embodiments, for automatic activation of vehicle lights in response to manual activation of the windshield wipers by an operator of the vehicle. In one embodiment, the VLC is configured to activate the vehicle headlights in response to activation of the windshield wipers. Such automatic activation of the headlights presents safety advantages, as it may improve visibility for a driver of the vehicle in adverse weather conditions such as rain, snow, fog, and the like. In various embodiments, other lights may be automatically activated in addition to or instead of the headlights, including the tail lights, tag lights, side markers, running lights, and/or the like and/or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the VLC may be configured as a kit such as may be used to retrofit existing vehicles to allow for automatic activation of lights based on activation of the windshield wipers. In some implementations, the kit may receive power from the windshield wiper motor, the power being provided to one or more relays which power the headlights and/or other lights of the vehicle.

FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1Cshow respectively a top view, side view and a bottom view of a relay101used in conjunction with the VLC in some embodiments. In one embodiment, the relay may be rated for 12 volts of potential and 40 amps of current. The relay may include various leads with which it may be connected to other components, the leads including, for example, a first coil terminal85, a second coil terminal86, a high power feed30, a high power output87, and/or the like. Examples of suitable relays include the Meishuo MAH-112-C3 relay.

FIG. 1Dshows connections of a relay101used in conjunction with the VLC in some embodiments. The relay is connected to various other components via a relay connector (e.g., a socket, plug-in base, and/or the like)102. In the illustrated embodiment, a first coil terminal85of the relay may be connected to a ground of the vehicle103. In one implementation, this may include a common electrical ground shared by other components of the vehicle. In another implementation, this ground may comprise and/or be in electrical contact with a vehicle body, frame, chassis, and/or the like. In one embodiment, a second coil terminal86of the relay may be connected to a cathode of a rectifier component105, such as a semiconductor controlled rectifier. In one embodiment, a high power feed30of the relay may be connected to a signal indicative of a running vehicle such as a hot-fused key-on-engine-running (“KOER”) signal110of a vehicle, such as may be provided via the vehicle's diagnostic systems. In one embodiment, a high power output87of the relay may be connected to one or more lights of the vehicle115, such as one or both headlights and/or auxiliary lights such as tag lights tail lights, side markers, running lights, and/or the like, and/or any combination thereof. In one implementation, the high power output87of the relay may be connected to the vehicle lights via at least one diode resistor.

FIG. 2Ashows aspects of a network of electrical components used in conjunction with the VLC in some embodiments. The relay101illustrated and described in relation toFIGS. 1A-1Dis shown connected to one or more vehicle lights115. In an implementation, the relay may be connected to the vehicle lights through one or more diode components201. The vehicle lights115that the relay101is connected to may include one or both headlights and/or any combination of auxiliary lights, including tail lights, side markers, tag lights, running lights, and/or the like. The relay101is also shown as connected to a rectifier component205, such as a semiconductor controlled rectifier, as described below in relation toFIG. 4. In one implementation, the rectifier component may include a gate electrode207, an anode209, and a cathode211, the relay connecting to the rectifier component via the cathode. The gate electrode of the rectifier component may be connected, e.g., via at least one diode resistor, to a windshield wiper motor of the vehicle. The anode of the rectifier component may be connected, e.g., through a piggyback fuse holder215, to a 5 amp ignition fuse holder in a fuse box of the vehicle, as described in further detail below in relation toFIG. 3. In one implementation, the piggyback fuse holder corresponds to an ATO fuse while, in an alternative implementation, the piggyback fuse holder may correspond to a mini-blade fuse. When configured as a kit, the VLC may be provided with both mini-blade fuse and ATO fuse piggyback fuse holder options for a user to select from. In one implementation, the rectifier component may be encased in heat shrink tubing220.

FIG. 2Bshows aspects of a network of electrical components used in conjunction with the VLC in some embodiments. The relay101illustrated and described in relation toFIGS. 1A-1Dis shown connected to one or more vehicle lights115. In an implementation, the relay may be connected to the vehicle lights via a high power feed30and/or through one or more diode components. The vehicle lights115that the relay101is connected to may include one or both headlights and/or any combination of auxiliary lights, including tail lights, side markers, tag lights, running lights, and/or the like. The relay101is also shown as connected via a second coil terminal86to a rectifier component205, such as a semiconductor controlled rectifier, as described below in relation toFIG. 4. In one implementation, the rectifier component may include a gate electrode207, an anode209, and a cathode211, the relay connecting to the rectifier component via the cathode. The gate electrode of the rectifier component may be connected, e.g., via at least one diode resistor, to a windshield wiper motor input of the vehicle. The anode of the rectifier component may be connected, e.g., through a 10 A fuse, to 12 V switched power. The relay101is also shown as connected at a first coil terminal85and a high power output87to a ground of the vehicle103.

FIG. 3illustrates aspects of piggyback fuse holders215and a vehicle fuse block305used in conjunction with the VLC in some embodiments. Various piggyback fuse holders215may be used in different embodiments and implementations of the VLC. For example, in some implementations, piggyback fuse holders configured for an ATO fuse215aand/or a mini-blade fuse215bmay be employed, such as discussed above in relation toFIGS. 2A-2B. The selection of appropriate fuse and/or piggyback fuse holder type may depend, for example, on vehicle characteristics and components, such as the configuration of a vehicle fuse box305. For example, piggyback fuse holders configured for ATO fuses215amay be appropriate for older cars while piggyback fuse holders configured for mini-blade fuses215bmay be suitable for newer cars. In some embodiments wherein the VLC is configured as a kit, piggyback fuse holders for both ATO fuses215aand mini-blade fuses215bmay be provided to allow a user to select an appropriate holder for a specific vehicle. The fuse block305illustrated inFIG. 3is shown as including holders for various fuses, with numbers indicating the amperage rating for the fuse installed in each holder. To install the VLC, an existing 5 amp fuse (e.g.,310) may be removed from a 12 volt ignition fuse holder in the fuse box of the vehicle. The piggyback fuse holder, equipped with two 5 amp fuses, may then be inserted into the open 12 volt ignition fuse holder of the vehicle fuse box.

FIG. 4shows connections of a rectifier used in conjunction with the VLC in some embodiments. The rectifier shown in the embodiment ofFIG. 4is a silicon controlled rectifier. In one implementation, the rectifier may be rated for 8 amps and 400 volts. In one implementation, the rectifier may be a Bourns TIC116D rectifier. The rectifier may include a gate electrode207connected to the windshield wiper motor405of the vehicle. In one implementation, the gate electrode207is connected to the windshield wiper motor405via at least one diode resistor410, such as a220Ω diode resistor. The rectifier may also include an anode209connected through a piggyback fuse holder215to a fuse block305of the vehicle, such as discussed above in relation toFIG. 3. The rectifier may also include a cathode211connected to a second coil terminal86of a relay101such as discussed above in relation toFIGS. 1A-1D. In one implementation, the rectifier205may be encased in heat shrink tubing220.

In order to address various issues and advance the art, the entirety of this application for VEHICLE LIGHT CONTROLLER APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS (including the Cover Page, Title, Headings, Field, Background, Summary, Brief Description of the Drawings, Detailed Description, Claims, Abstract, Figures, Appendices and/or otherwise) shows by way of illustration various embodiments in which the claimed inventions may be practiced. The advantages and features of the application are of a representative sample of embodiments only, and are not exhaustive and/or exclusive. They are presented only to assist in understanding and teach the claimed principles. It should be understood that they are not representative of all claimed inventions. As such, certain aspects of the disclosure have not been discussed herein. That alternate embodiments may not have been presented for a specific portion of the invention or that further un-described alternate embodiments may be available for a portion is not to be considered a disclaimer of those alternate embodiments. It will be appreciated that many of those un-described embodiments incorporate the same principles of the invention and others are equivalent. Thus, it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and functional, logical, organizational, structural and/or topological modifications may be made without departing from the scope and/or spirit of the disclosure. As such, all examples and/or embodiments are deemed to be non-limiting throughout this disclosure. Also, no inference should be drawn regarding those embodiments discussed herein relative to those not discussed herein other than it is as such for purposes of reducing space and repetition. As such, some of these features may be mutually contradictory, in that they cannot be simultaneously present in a single embodiment. Similarly, some features are applicable to one aspect of the invention, and inapplicable to others. In addition, the disclosure includes other inventions not presently claimed. Applicant reserves all rights in those presently unclaimed inventions including the right to claim such inventions, file additional applications, continuations, continuations in part, divisions, and/or the like thereof. As such, it should be understood that advantages, embodiments, examples, functional, features, logical, organizational, structural, topological, and/or other aspects of the disclosure are not to be considered limitations on the disclosure as defined by the claims or limitations on equivalents to the claims.