Patent Description:
In general, vehicles have lighting devices for the purpose of illuminating objects in the traveling direction during nighttime driving, and lighting devices for the purpose of making the driving status of the vehicles recognized by other vehicles or road users. Headlights (also referred to as headlamps) are lighting devices for illuminating the front path in the vehicle traveling direction.

Such lamps are classified into headlamps, fog lamps, turn signals, brake lamps, and reverse lamps, which emit light in different directions with regard to the road, respectively.

Such vehicle lamps provide identification of objects by emitting light forwards from lightbulbs, and have recently light guides applied thereto to improve the exterior design such that light is emitted with specific images.

However, vehicle lamps are limited to conventional colors, and have design-related restrictions.

<CIT> describes a motor-vehicle bodywork element comprising a bodywork part formed from a semi-opaque material, behind which is placed a light source.

<CIT> describes a vehicle body panel including a curved translucent panel having an interior surface and an exterior surface, a color layer disposed on at least a portion of the exterior surface, a blocking layer positioned between at least a portion of the color layer and the panel, and a light source attached to the interior surface.

<CIT> describes an exterior component produced using a method for producing an exterior component, comprising the steps of: a) producing a base body from a transparent or translucent plastic material, the base body having the shape of the exterior component and an outer surface, which forms the visible side of the exterior component, b) forming an opaque coating by applying a first coating material on an inner surface of the base body facing away from the outer surface, c) forming a structured area in the coating that is free of coating material or in which the thickness of the coating material is reduced, d) applying a second coating material to form a translucent closed coating layer over the outer surface of the base body, and e) applying a clear lacquer on the coating layer to form a closed clear lacquer layer.

<CIT> describes a component of an actuatable apparatus having a substrate, a selectively light-transmissive opaque covering, and an illumination source.

<CIT> describes a body element of a motor vehicle comprising a wall formed of a transparent material, behind which a light source is arranged, an external face of the wall being coated with a semi-transparent colored coating, the external face having, when the light source is switched off, first predetermined trichromatic components. <CIT> discloses an automobile rear lighting where the driving apparatus adapts the magnitude of the driving current based on properties of the cover, such as the material or the thickness of the cover, and the pre-defined color coordinates specification for the output light, thus achieving a certain color appearance in rear lighting as a styling target. It provides a method during the manufacturing process for adapting the light emitters to different boundary conditions so as to ease the manufacturing process.

The above descriptions regarding background technologies have been made only to help understanding of the background of the present invention.

The present invention has been proposed in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is an aspect of the present invention to provide a correction system of a vehicle light, such that when the vehicle light is not turned on, the same forms the same color with the body of the vehicle and, when turned on, the light can emit light to the outside with target color coordinates set by the designer.

A vehicle light lens includes: a base panel made of a transparent material and having a panel shape so as to constitute a lens of a vehicle light; an outer paint layer disposed on an outer surface of the base panel with regard to the vehicle light; and an inner paint layer disposed on an inner surface of the base panel with regard to the vehicle light and including a light-transmitting hole formed therein such that light from a light source is transmitted outwards through the base panel.

The vehicle light lens may further include a clear coating layer disposed on a surface of the outer paint layer.

The outer paint layer may be a half paint layer having a color so as to transmit the light from the light source at a predetermined ratio.

Light from the light source may be transmitted out of the vehicle light after a color coordinate change through the outer paint layer.

The outer paint layer may have an identical color as a vehicle component panel adjacent to the vehicle light.

The light-transmitting hole may be formed to penetrate the inner paint layer such that light from the light source directly reaches the base panel.

The inner paint layer may be a black primer layer configured to prevent light from the light source from directly reaching the base panel, except for the light-transmitting hole.

The base panel may have an identical material and an identical thickness as a base panel of a vehicle component panel adjacent to the vehicle light.

The outer paint layer may have an identical color and an identical thickness as an outer paint layer of a vehicle component panel adjacent to the vehicle light.

The outer paint layer may have an outer surface that constitutes a common surface at an identical height with an outer surface of an outer paint layer of a vehicle component panel adjacent to the vehicle light.

A vehicle light includes: a light lens including a base panel made of a transparent plastic material, an outer paint layer disposed on an outer surface of the base panel, and an inner paint layer disposed on an inner surface of the base panel and including a light-transmitting hole formed therein; and a light source installed to be spaced apart from the light lens, in which light from the light source is transmitted out of the light lens through the light-transmitting hole and the base panel.

A vehicle light correction system according to the present invention includes: a light source controller configured to control the light source of the vehicle light; a memory configured to store target color coordinates which are color coordinates of light to be implemented through the vehicle light; a measurement unit disposed outside the vehicle light and configured to measure color coordinates of light emitted through the vehicle light; and a correction controller configured to control the vehicle light to generate light having target color coordinates through the light source controller, to measure color coordinates of the vehicle light through the measurement unit, and to cause the light source controller to perform color coordinate correction control of the light source as much as a difference value between the target color coordinates and the measured color coordinates.

The correction controller may derive the difference value between the target color coordinates and the measured color coordinates, and the light source controller may cause the light source to emit light after changing color coordinates as much as the difference value such that color coordinates of light measured by the measurement unit reach the target color coordinates.

The system includes a diagnosis unit configured to measure a paint thickness of the outer paint layer, in which the correction controller calculates an amount of additional correction through a difference between the paint thickness measured by the diagnosis unit and a reference thickness, and causes the light source controller to perform color coordinate correction control of the light source so as to reflect the amount of additional correction.

A vehicle light lens, a vehicle light, and a correction thereof, according to the present invention, are advantageous in that, when the vehicle light is not turned on, the outer paint layer of the light lens is formed with the same color as the body of the vehicle, and there is no level difference between the light lens and an outer panel of the vehicle such that the vehicle exterior looks as if the vehicle body and the vehicle light were integrated, thereby improving the exterior appearance of the vehicle and improving the product value of the vehicle.

In addition, the color of the light source is controlled such that color coordinates of light from the light source, which are changed after passing through the outer paint layer, are controlled to reach target color coordinates, thereby observing regulations regarding the vehicle light color.

In addition, the light source is made of an RGB LED such that, by controlling the color of light from the light source, color coordinates of light emitted to the outside can reach target color coordinates by using existing paint and equipment, without a separate additional component.

The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:.

Hereinafter, embodiments disclosed in the present specification will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, and the same or similar elements are given the same and similar reference numerals, so duplicate descriptions thereof will be omitted.

The terms "module" and "unit" used for the elements in the following description are given or interchangeably used in consideration of only the ease of writing the specification, and do not have distinct meanings or roles by themselves.

In describing the embodiments disclosed in the present specification, when the detailed description of the relevant known technology is determined to unnecessarily obscure the present invention, the detailed description may be omitted. Further, the accompanying drawings are provided only for easy understanding of the embodiments disclosed in the present invention, and it should be understood that all changes or substitutes thereof are included in the scope of the present invention.

Terms including an ordinal number such as "first", "second", or the like may be used to describe various elements, but the elements are not limited to the terms. The above terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one element from another element.

In the case where an element is referred to as being "connected" or "coupled" to any other element, it should be understood that another element may be provided therebetween, as well as that the element may be directly connected or coupled to the other element. In contrast, in the case where an element is "directly connected" or "directly coupled" to any other element, it should be understood that no other element is present therebetween.

A singular expression may include a plural expression unless they are definitely different in the context.

As used herein, the expression "include" or "have" are intended to specify the existence of mentioned features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof, and should be construed as not precluding the possible existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof.

A controller may include a communication device that communicates with other controllers or sensors in order to control functions in charge, a memory that stores an operating system or logic instructions, input/output information, and the like, and one or more processors that perform determinations, computations, decisions, and the like.

<FIG> is a sectional view of a vehicle light <NUM>.

An exemplary embodiment of a vehicle light lens <NUM> will now be described with reference to <FIG>.

The vehicle light lens <NUM> may include multiple lenses as illustrated in <FIG>, and details of the multiple lenses will be described later.

A vehicle light lens <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a base panel <NUM> made of a transparent material and configured in a panel shape so as to constitute the lens of the vehicle light <NUM>; an outer paint layer <NUM> provided on the outer surface of the base panel <NUM> with regard to the vehicle light <NUM>; and an inner paint layer <NUM> provided on the inner surface of the base panel <NUM> with regard to the vehicle light <NUM>, a light-transmitting hole <NUM> being formed in the inner paint layer <NUM> such that light from a light source <NUM> is transmitted to the outside through the base panel <NUM>.

The base panel <NUM> may be formed to extend from a bumper portion and made of a transparent plastic material having an excellent optical transmittance. Accordingly, the base panel <NUM> may protect the light source <NUM> disposed in the vehicle light <NUM> while transmitting light.

The outer paint layer <NUM> may be disposed on the outside of the base panel <NUM> such that, when the light source <NUM> disposed in the vehicle light <NUM> is turned on, light is transmitted to the outside through the base panel and the outer paint layer <NUM>.

The outer paint layer <NUM> may be a half-paint layer having a color so as to transmit light from the light source <NUM> at a predetermined ratio.

<FIG> illustrates color coordinate conversion of the light source <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, when the light source <NUM> emits light, the light may pass through the transparent base panel <NUM> and then pass through the outer paint layer <NUM> which is a half paint layer having a color (e.g., a paint layer with half-transparency or semitransparency), such that the light passing through the base panel <NUM> and the outer paint layer <NUM> can have the color of the half paint layer.

In addition, the color of the outer paint layer <NUM> may be identical to the color of an outer paint layer <NUM> of a vehicle component panel adjacent to the vehicle light <NUM> of the vehicle, and the thickness may be identical.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the outer paint layer <NUM> may have the same color as that of a vehicle component panel adjacent to the vehicle light <NUM> of the vehicle when the light source <NUM> is not turned on such that the vehicle light <NUM> becomes a part of the exterior of the vehicle. Such a vehicle design element may improve the aesthetic appearance of the vehicle and may emit light (main role of light <NUM>) when the light source <NUM> is turned on.

The base panel <NUM> may have the same material and thickness as those of a base panel <NUM> of a vehicle component panel adjacent to the vehicle light <NUM>. The outer surface of the outer paint layer <NUM> may constitute a common surface at the same height with the outer surface of an outer paint layer <NUM> of the vehicle component panel adjacent to the vehicle light <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the base panel may be formed to extend with the same material and the same thickness as those of a vehicle component panel adjacent to the vehicle light <NUM>, and the outer paint layer <NUM> may extend with same material and the same thickness as those of the vehicle component panel adjacent to the vehicle light <NUM>, thereby being integrated with the vehicle component panel adjacent to the vehicle light <NUM> when the light source <NUM> is not turned on. When the light source <NUM> is turned on, only the vehicle light <NUM> part may emit light such that the vehicle light <NUM> is recognized.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the inner paint layer <NUM> is provided on the inner surface of the base panel <NUM> with regard to the vehicle light <NUM>, a light-transmitting hole <NUM> being formed in the inner paint layer <NUM> such that light from the light source <NUM> is transmitted to the outside through the base panel <NUM>. Accordingly, light emitted by the light source <NUM> may be transmitted only through the portion in which the light-transmitting hole <NUM> is positioned. In addition, multiple light-transmitting holes <NUM> may be formed and disposed in positions desired by the designer.

The inner paint layer <NUM> may be a black primer layer such that, except for the light-transmitting holes <NUM>, light from the light source <NUM> does not directly reach the base panel <NUM>.

As a result, light emitted by the light source <NUM> is transmitted only through the light-transmitting holes <NUM>, and parts other than the light-transmitting holes <NUM> prevent light from the light source <NUM> from being emitted to the outside. Therefore, the designer may configure the light-transmitting holes <NUM> in a desired shape such that light emitted by the light source <NUM> is emitted to the outside after being transmitted in the shape of the light-transmitting holes <NUM>.

The inner paint layer <NUM> may be a black primer layer such that light does not pass therethrough. Light from the light source <NUM> may pass through the light-transmitting holes <NUM> formed through the inner paint layer <NUM> and may directly reach the base panel <NUM>. After reaching the base panel <NUM>, the light may successively pass through the base panel <NUM> and the outer paint layer <NUM>, thereby being emitted to the outside of the vehicle.

A clear coating layer <NUM> may be additionally disposed on the surface of the outer paint layer <NUM>.

The clear coating layer <NUM> may be a thin layer applied to the outer surface of the outer paint layer <NUM> to protect the outer surface thereof such that light, the color of which is changed after passing through the outer paint layer <NUM>, can be transmitted to the outside with no change.

The clear coating layer <NUM> may be continuously applied to the vehicle light <NUM> and to a vehicle component adjacent to the vehicle light <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG> so as to improve the integrity between the vehicle light <NUM> and to the vehicle component adjacent to the vehicle light <NUM>.

Accordingly, when the vehicle light <NUM> is not turned on, the vehicle light <NUM> and to the vehicle component adjacent to the vehicle light <NUM> appear integrated, and when the vehicle light <NUM> is turned on, only the vehicle light <NUM> may emit light.

<FIG> illustrates a vehicle light <NUM>. <FIG> is a side sectional view of <FIG>.

A vehicle light <NUM> will now be described with reference to <FIG>.

A vehicle light <NUM> includes: a light lens <NUM> including a base panel <NUM> made of a transparent material, an outer paint layer <NUM> provided on the outer surface of the base panel <NUM>, and an inner paint layer <NUM> provided on the inner surface of the base panel <NUM>, a light-transmitting hole <NUM> being formed in the inner paint layer <NUM>; and a light source <NUM> installed to be spaced apart from the light lens <NUM>. Light from the light source <NUM> may be transmitted to the outside of the light lens <NUM> through the light-transmitting hole <NUM> and the base panel <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the vehicle light <NUM> includes a vehicle light lens <NUM> and a light source <NUM> disposed to be spaced apart from the inside of the light lens <NUM>, and may further include a barrier <NUM> extending from the inside of the lens toward the light source <NUM> so as to distinguish between the vehicle light <NUM> and an adjacent vehicle component panel inside the vehicle.

The barrier <NUM> may be configured such that light from the light source <NUM> is emitted only toward the lens inside the vehicle light <NUM>, thereby increasing the efficiency of light.

Light emitted from the light source <NUM> may undergo a color coordinate change while passing through the outer paint layer <NUM> formed as a half paint layer, and may then be transmitted to the outside of the vehicle light <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, when light is emitted by the light source <NUM> and passes through the base panel <NUM> and the outer paint layer <NUM>, the light emitted from the existing light source <NUM> may undergo a color coordinate change and may then be transmitted to the outside.

The light source <NUM> may be a color-changeable RGB LED such that various colors of light can be emitted. Light from the light source <NUM> may be emitted after a color coordinate change such that the same is exposed to the outside with target color coordinates set by the designer.

As illustrated in <FIG>, when the light source <NUM> is not turned on, the vehicle light <NUM> lens and the vehicle body panel may maintain the same color, and when turned on, light may be emitted with the target color.

As illustrated in <FIG>, in an embodiment of the vehicle light <NUM>, an additional light <NUM> for reflecting light from the light source <NUM> may be inserted.

A vehicle light correction system for changing color coordinates of light from the light source <NUM> described above will now be described.

<FIG> illustrates the configuration of a vehicle light correction system according to an embodiment of the present invention. <FIG> and <FIG> are flowcharts illustrating operations of the vehicle light correction system according to an example and an embodiment of the present invention. <FIG> illustrates additional correction by the vehicle light correction system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

An exemplary embodiment of the vehicle light correction system according to the present invention will now be described with reference to <FIG>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the vehicle light correction system according to the present invention includes: a light source controller <NUM> configured to control the light source <NUM> of the vehicle light <NUM>; a memory <NUM> configured to store target color coordinates which are color coordinates of light to be implemented through the vehicle light <NUM>; a measurement unit <NUM> configured to measure, while being outside the vehicle light <NUM>, color coordinates of light emitted through the vehicle light <NUM>; and a correction controller <NUM> configured to control the vehicle light <NUM> so as to generate light with target color coordinates through the light source controller <NUM>, measure color coordinates of the vehicle light <NUM> through the measurement unit <NUM>, and cause the light source controller <NUM> to perform color coordinate correction control of the light source <NUM> as much as the difference between the target color coordinates and the measured color coordinates.

The light source <NUM> may be a color-changeable RGB LED, and the light source controller <NUM> may control the color of the RGB LED to change.

<FIG> illustrates the first embodiment of the vehicle light correction system according to an example useful for understanding the invention.

As illustrated in <FIG>, color coordinates of light from the light source <NUM>, which is emitted after passing through a specimen formed with the same color as the outer paint layer <NUM>, may be identified, and the measurement unit <NUM> measures the color coordinates of the light (S10).

Color coordinates of light from the light source <NUM>, measured by the measurement unit <NUM> after passing through the specimen, is stored in the memory <NUM>. The memory <NUM> stores target color coordinates, which are color coordinates of light to be implemented through the vehicle light <NUM> (S11).

The correction controller <NUM> may be connected to the memory <NUM> so as to calculate the amount of correction (±ΔCx, ΔCy) between the target color coordinates and the color coordinates of light that has passed through the specimen (S12), and causes the light source controller <NUM> to perform color coordinate correction control of the light source <NUM> on the basis of the calculated amount of correction (±ΔCx, ΔCy) (S13).

As illustrated in <FIG>, such control may turn on the light source <NUM>, which then emits light. When passing through the light lens <NUM>, the light may be emitted with the target color coordinates.

The correction controller <NUM> may control the light source controller <NUM> in connection with an actual product such that, when the light source <NUM> emits light, the measurement unit <NUM> measures the emitted light reaching the target color coordinates, and the correction controller <NUM> may confirm whether the measured color coordinates satisfy the target color coordinates (S14).

As illustrated on the left in <FIG>, it may be confirmed that parts ① and ④ (right-diagonal shading) of the vehicle light <NUM> fail to satisfy the target color coordinates.

An external factor, such as the thickness of paint of the outer paint layer <NUM>, causes such a problem in that light that has passed through the light lens <NUM> fails to satisfy the target color coordinates.

In order to solve such a problem, additional correction of an additional light source <NUM> may proceed as follow:
In the first embodiment of additional correction of the light source <NUM>, referring to <FIG>, the correction controller <NUM> may derive the difference value between the target color coordinates and the measured color coordinates. The light source controller <NUM> may then cause the light source <NUM> to emit light, the color coordinates of which are changed as much as the color coordinates difference value, such that the color coordinates of light measured by the measurement unit <NUM> reach the target color coordinates.

The measurement unit <NUM> additionally measures color coordinates of light emitted by the vehicle light <NUM>, which requires additional correction (S15). The correction controller <NUM> calculates the amount of additional correction (±ΔCx', ΔCy') for correcting the measured color coordinates to the target color coordinates, and controls the light source controller <NUM> on the basis of the amount of additional correction (±ΔCx', ΔCy') (S16).

The amount of additional correction (±ΔCx', ΔCy') may be identified as illustrated in <FIG>.

In the second embodiment of additional correction of the light source <NUM>, referring to <FIG>, a diagnosis unit <NUM> for measuring the paint thickness of the outer paint layer <NUM> is further included. The correction controller <NUM> calculates the amount of additional correction (±ΔCx', ΔCy') on the basis of the difference between the paint thickness detected by the diagnosis unit <NUM> and a reference thickness, and causes the light source controller <NUM> to perform color coordinate correction control of the light source <NUM> so as to reflect the amount of additional correction (±ΔCx', ΔCy').

The diagnosis unit <NUM> measures the paint thickness of the outer paint layer <NUM> disposed on the vehicle light <NUM>, which requires additional correction (S17). The correction controller <NUM> calculates the amount of additional correction (±ΔCx', ΔCy') for correction to the target color coordinates on the basis of the measured paint thickness, and controls the light source controller <NUM> on the basis of the amount of additional correction (±ΔCx', ΔCy') (S18).

The correction controller <NUM> may control the light source controller <NUM> such that, if the paint thickness is larger than the preset value, further correction is made as much as the inclination of the existing amount of correction (±ΔCx, ΔCy) and, if the paint thickness is smaller than the preset value, less correction is made as much as the inclination of the existing amount of correction (±ΔCx, ΔCy).

Such control of the color of the light source <NUM> is advantageous in that color coordinates of light from the light source, which are changed after passing through the outer paint layer <NUM>, are controlled to reach the target color coordinates, thereby observing regulations regarding the vehicle light color.

The above system may be executed in an automated manner without operators' intervention.

Claim 1:
A system for correcting a vehicle light (<NUM>) comprising a light lens (<NUM>) including a base panel (<NUM>) made of a transparent plastic material, an outer paint layer (<NUM>) disposed on an outer surface of the base panel (<NUM>), and an inner paint layer (<NUM>) disposed on an inner surface of the base panel (<NUM>) and having a light-transmitting hole (<NUM>) formed therein; and a light source (<NUM>) installed to be spaced apart from the light lens (<NUM>), the system comprising:
a light source controller (<NUM>) configured to control the light source (<NUM>) of the vehicle light (<NUM>);
a memory (<NUM>) configured to store target color coordinates which are color coordinates of light to be implemented through the vehicle light (<NUM>);
a measurement unit (<NUM>) disposed outside the vehicle light (<NUM>) and configured to measure color coordinates of light emitted through the vehicle light (<NUM>);
a correction controller (<NUM>) configured to control the vehicle light (<NUM>) to generate light having the target color coordinates through the light source controller (<NUM>), to measure color coordinates of the vehicle light (<NUM>) through the measurement unit (<NUM>), and to cause the light source controller (<NUM>) to perform color coordinate correction control of the light source (<NUM>) as much as a difference value between the target color coordinates and the measured color coordinates of the vehicle light (<NUM>); and
a diagnosis unit (<NUM>) configured to measure a paint thickness of the outer paint layer (<NUM>),
wherein the correction controller (<NUM>) is configured to calculate an amount of additional correction through a difference between the paint thickness measured by the diagnosis unit (<NUM>) and a reference thickness, and to cause the light source controller (<NUM>) to perform the color coordinate correction control of the light source (<NUM>) so as to reflect the amount of additional correction.