EP4064795A1 - Control of the interior lighting of a commercial vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

Among other things, it discloses a control device (1) for interior lighting (29) of a commercial vehicle (2, 3), the interior lighting having a plurality of lighting functions, comprising: - sensor signal receiving means (114) set up to receive a plurality of sensor signals, each the sensor signals of the plurality of sensor signals originate from a respective one of a plurality of sensors (25, 26) of the commercial vehicle, and wherein each of the sensor signals of the plurality of sensor signals represents a respective commercial vehicle state detected by the respective sensor of the plurality of sensors of the commercial vehicle;- communication means (10, 103) set up to communicate with a remote device (4) via a wireless communication link; - control means (110, 111, 112, 113) set up to control the interior lighting depending on a configuration of the control means to at least one respective lighting function of the plural to activate or deactivate lighting functions, wherein the configuration of the control means determines, at least partially as a function of the commercial vehicle states represented by the plurality of sensor signals, which lighting function of the plurality of lighting functions is to be activated or deactivated, and wherein the configuration of the control means is via the wireless communication link is programmable by the remote device.

Description

Area

Exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to solutions for controlling interior lighting of a commercial vehicle.

Summary of some exemplary embodiments of the invention

One object of the invention is a solution that is as flexible and adaptable as possible for controlling the interior lighting of a commercial vehicle.

• Sensorsignalempfangsmittel eingerichtet zum Empfangen einer Mehrzahl von Sensorsignalen, wobei jedes der Sensorsignale der Mehrzahl von Sensorsignalen von einem jeweiligen Sensor einer Mehrzahl von Sensoren des Nutzfahrzeugs stammt, und wobei jedes der Sensorsignale der Mehrzahl von Sensorsignalen einen von dem jeweiligen Sensor der Mehrzahl von Sensoren des Nutzfahrzeugs erfassten jeweiligen Nutzfahrzeugzustand repräsentiert;
• Kommunikationsmittel eingerichtet zum Kommunizieren mit einer entfernten Vorrichtung über eine drahtlose Kommunikationsverbindung;
• Steuermittel eingerichtet zum Steuern der Innenbeleuchtung in Abhängigkeit von einer Konfiguration des Steuermittels, um zumindest eine jeweilige Beleuchtungsfunktion der Mehrzahl von Beleuchtungsfunktionen zu aktivieren oder zu deaktivieren, wobei die Konfiguration des Steuermittels zumindest teilweise in Abhängigkeit von den durch die Mehrzahl der Sensorsignale repräsentierten Nutzfahrzeugzuständen festlegt, welche Beleuchtungsfunktion der Mehrzahl von Beleuchtungsfunktionen aktiviert oder deaktiviert werden soll, und wobei die Konfiguration des Steuermittels über die drahtlose Kommunikationsverbindung durch die entfernte Vorrichtung programmierbar ist.

According to the invention, a control device for interior lighting of a commercial vehicle is disclosed, the interior lighting having a plurality of lighting functions and the control device comprising:

• Sensor signal receiving means set up to receive a plurality of sensor signals, each of the sensor signals of the plurality of sensor signals originating from a respective sensor of a plurality of sensors of the utility vehicle, and each of the sensor signals of the plurality of sensor signals detecting one of the respective sensor of the plurality of sensors of the utility vehicle respective commercial vehicle state represents;
• communication means configured to communicate with a remote device via a wireless communication link;
• Control means set up to control the interior lighting depending on a configuration of the control means in order to activate or deactivate at least one respective lighting function of the plurality of lighting functions, the configuration of the control means at least partially depending on the commercial vehicle states represented by the plurality of sensor signals determining which Lighting function of the plurality of lighting functions to be activated or deactivated, and wherein the configuration of the control means is programmable via the wireless communication link by the remote device.

• eine gemäß der Erfindung offenbarte Steuervorrichtung,
• eine Innenbeleuchtung, und
• eine Mehrzahl von Sensoren.

According to the invention there is also disclosed a utility vehicle, the utility vehicle comprising:

• a control device disclosed according to the invention,
• an interior light, and
• a plurality of sensors.

The properties of the disclosed control device and the disclosed commercial vehicle are described below—partially by way of example.

A commercial vehicle is, for example, a truck, trailer, semi-trailer, or combination (e.g., comprising a truck and trailer or semi-trailer). Commercial vehicles are intended in particular for the transport of goods, preferably piece goods, on public roads. For this purpose, commercial vehicles have different types of commercial vehicle superstructures, which are used to hold the goods to be transported in a loading space. For example, box bodies with fixed side walls, a fixed bulkhead, a rear wall formed by wing doors and a fixed roof are known, which enclose the cargo space. Since the box bodies are closed, box bodies are particularly suitable for transporting moisture-sensitive and/or temperature-sensitive goods, ie for so-called dry transport and/or refrigerated transport. In addition to box bodies, so-called tarpaulin bodies are also known, in which the side walls and the roof are closed by at least one tarpaulin. In the case of tarpaulin bodies, the front wall is usually designed as a solid wall, while the rear wall is regularly formed by two wing doors in order to load the cargo space from the rear as required. If a tarpaulin can be moved along the side wall, one also speaks of so-called curtainsiders. Accordingly, a commercial vehicle body should be understood to mean, for example, a box body, a tarpaulin body and/or a curtainsider.

Interior lighting of the commercial vehicle should be understood to mean, for example, a lighting arrangement that is set up to illuminate an interior (e.g. a loading space) of the commercial vehicle. For this purpose, the interior lighting can, for example, include several light sources (e.g. incandescent lamps, gas discharge lamps, energy-saving lamps, fluorescent lamps, light-emitting diodes (LEDs)). It goes without saying that several such light sources can be combined to form modules and/or strips.

The interior lighting is supplied with energy (i.e. with electrical energy in the form of current and voltage) via an on-board network of the commercial vehicle, with the on-board network for example having a generator (e.g. a diesel generator or an axle generator) and/or a photovoltaic module for generating energy and a battery for includes energy storage.

The interior lighting supports a variety of lighting functions. For example, the interior lighting is set up to perform each lighting function of the plurality of lighting functions when it is controlled accordingly. For example, for each lighting function of the plurality of lighting functions, respective lighting means can be provided as part of the interior lighting, which, when activated, perform the respective lighting function. For example, for a color signal function, colored lamps can be provided which, when activated, emit a colored light (e.g. green or red light); and for a permanent lighting function, lamps can be provided which, when activated, emit a white light (e.g. a warm white light) continuously until deactivated. In this case, a light source should be understood to be activated, for example, when it is supplied with energy; and a light source should be understood to be deactivated, for example, when it is not being supplied with energy. It goes without saying that the interior lighting can alternatively or additionally have a controller (e.g. in the form of a control circuit) which is set up to control the illuminants of the interior lighting for each lighting function of the plurality of lighting functions in such a way that the interior lighting performs the respective lighting function (e.g. execution starts) or does not execute (e.g. execution ends).

The control device can be designed as a central control unit or as a distributed control system. A central control unit is to be understood as meaning embodiments in which all means of the control device are part of a single component (i.e. central control unit); and a distributed control system is to be understood, for example, as embodiments in which the means of the control device are distributed over a number of components (e.g. spatially and/or physically separate from one another) (e.g. a number of modules and/or units) which cooperate with one another in order to provide the control device for to represent the interior lighting. For example, if the control device is designed as a distributed control system, it can comprise a telematics unit comprising the communication means and a control unit comprising the sensor receiving means and the control means.

The means of the control device can include hardware and/or software components.

The means of the control device can, for example, comprise a communication interface as sensor signal receiving means. An example of such a communication interface is an interface to a bus system of the commercial vehicle, such as a CAN, K-line, LIN or Flexray interface. CAN is specified in the ISO 11898 family standards, K-Line is specified in the ISO 9141 and ISO 14230-1 standards, LIN is specified in the ISO 17987 family standards, and FlexRay in the ISO 17458 family standards. It goes without saying that the sensor receiving means is not limited to such a communication interface. Alternatively or additionally, the sensor receiving means for example also include at least one input for an analog or digital sensor signal (eg an analog or digital voltage or current signal of a sensor). An example of an input for an analog sensor signal is an analog-to-digital converter.

As disclosed above, the sensor signal receiving means is set up to receive a plurality of sensor signals. In this case, the sensor signals of the plurality of sensor signals should originate from a respective sensor of a plurality of sensors of the commercial vehicle. A plurality of sensor signals should be understood to mean at least two sensor signals or preferably more than two sensor signals; and a plurality of sensors should be understood to mean at least two sensors or preferably more than two sensors. Accordingly, the at least two sensor signals of the plurality of sensor signals thus come from at least two different sensors of the plurality of sensors of the commercial vehicle. In other words, the utility vehicle includes at least two sensors or preferably more than two sensors.

Each sensor signal of the plurality of sensor signals is sent, for example, from the respective sensor of the plurality of sensors from which it originates via a respective communication connection to the control device. Each sensor signal of the plurality of sensor signals can be, for example, a respective signal suitable for information transmission via the respective communication connection, such as a respective electrical signal and/or a respective analog signal and/or a respective digital signal) which corresponds to that of the respective sensor the respective commercial vehicle condition detected by the plurality of sensors from which it originates. An example of such a communication link is a communication link via the bus system of the utility vehicle disclosed above. The fact that the sensor receiving means is set up to receive the plurality of sensor signals should therefore be understood, for example, in such a way that the sensor receiving means is set up to receive the plurality of sensor signals via the bus system of the utility vehicle disclosed above.

Examples of commercial vehicle sensors are a door opening sensor, a motion sensor, a loading sensor, an image sensor; an entry and/or exit sensor. Accordingly, examples of commercial vehicle states detected by such sensors are a detected opening status of a door of the commercial vehicle, a movement detected in an interior of the commercial vehicle, a detected weight of a load of the commercial vehicle, a detected image of an interior of the commercial vehicle or a detected entry and/or exit ( e.g. by a person) of an interior of the commercial vehicle. For example, each condition detected by a sensor of the commercial vehicle should be understood as a commercial vehicle condition.

The means of the control device can, for example, comprise a wireless communication interface as communication means. Examples of such a wireless communication interface are a Bluetooth, WLAN, GSM, UMTS, LTE and/or 5G interface. The Bluetooth specifications are currently available at https://www.bluetooth.com. For example, WLAN is specified in the standards of the IEEE 802.11 family. The GSM, UMTS, LTE and 5G specifications are maintained and developed by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) and are currently available on the internet at www.3gpp.com, among others.

That the communication means is arranged to communicate with a remote device via a wireless communication link should be understood, for example, such that the communication means is arranged to send information over the wireless communication link to the remote device and to send information over the wireless communication link from the remote device receive. The wireless communication link can be, for example, a Bluetooth, WLAN, GSM, UMTS and/or LTE communication link.

The remote device can be, for example, a server such as a telematics server or a mobile device such as a smartphone, laptop computer and/or tablet computer.

Furthermore, the means of the control device can include, for example, at least one memory with program instructions of a computer program and at least one processor configured to execute program instructions from the at least one memory. For example, the control means is at least partially in the form of a processor and memory. Accordingly, at least one control device should also be understood as disclosed, which comprises at least one processor and at least one memory with program instructions, the at least one memory and the program instructions being set up to control the interior lighting depending on a configuration of the control means or to control such a control cause to activate or deactivate at least one respective lighting function of the plurality of lighting functions. The program instructions stored in the memory can, for example, represent the configuration of the control means.

The fact that the configuration of the control means determines, at least partially as a function of the commercial vehicle states represented by the plurality of sensor signals, which lighting function of the plurality of lighting functions is to be activated or deactivated should be understood, for example, in such a way that the configuration of the control means defines that if (a ) a received sensor signal of the plurality of sensor signals represents a specified commercial vehicle condition or (b) several received sensor signals of the plurality of sensor signals represent a specified combination of commercial vehicle states, a specified lighting function of the plurality of lighting functions is to be activated or deactivated.

The configuration of the control means shall be programmable via the wireless communication link by the remote device. In other words, the configuration of the control means should be able to be programmed (i.e. changed) by the remote device when the wireless communication link between the communication means of the control device and the remote device is established. The programming of the configuration of the control means can be done, for example, via a graphical user interface provided by the control means of the control device, which the remote device accesses via the wireless communication link. Alternatively or additionally, the remote device can send an update computer program with changed program instructions that represent a changed configuration of the control means via the wireless communication device to the communication means of the control device. Such an update computer program can, for example, replace a computer program located in a memory of the control means and thereby change the configuration of the control means.

The fact that the control means are set up to control the interior lighting in order to activate or deactivate at least one respective lighting function of the plurality of lighting functions should be understood, for example, in such a way that the control means cause the respective lighting function to be activated (i.e. executed) or deactivated (i.e. not executed). ) becomes. As disclosed above, for each lighting function of the plurality of lighting functions, respective light sources may be provided as part of the interior lighting that when activated (i.e., energized) perform the respective lighting function. Accordingly, the control means can control the interior lighting by controlling a power supply means (e.g. a driver circuit and/or a voltage converter circuit) for the interior lighting in such a way that only selected lighting means (i.e. the respective lighting means provided for the respective lighting function of the plurality of lighting functions) powered (activated) or not powered (deactivated). For example, such a power supply means for the interior lighting is part of the control means or separate from the control means (e.g. part of the interior lighting). Alternatively or additionally, the control means could also control a controller (e.g. in the form of a control circuit) of the interior lighting in order to cause this controller to control the lamps of the interior lighting in such a way that the respective lighting function is activated or deactivated. It goes without saying that the invention is not limited to this.

It goes without saying that the control device can comprise further means such as a user interface.

Due to the programmability of the configuration and the possibility to process a plurality of sensor signals from a plurality of (any) sensors, the Control device ready a particularly flexible and customizable solution for controlling the interior lighting of the commercial vehicle.

1. (a) eine Dauerbeleuchtungsfunktion,
2. (b) eine Lichtsignalfunktion,
3. (c) eine Blinksignalfunktion,
4. (d) eine Farbsignalfunktion,
5. (e) eine Dimmfunktion.

In exemplary embodiments according to the invention, the plurality of lighting functions of the interior lighting includes at least two of the following lighting functions:

1. (a) a permanent lighting function,
2. (b) a light signal function,
3. (c) a turn signal function,
4. (d) a color signal function,
5. (e) a dimming function.

If the continuous lighting function is activated, the interior lighting should, for example, continuously emit a white (e.g. a warm white) light, for example by continuously supplying the interior lighting bulbs with energy.

If the dimming function is activated, the interior lighting should, for example, continuously emit a white (e.g. a warm-white) light, for example by continuously supplying the interior lighting bulbs with energy. However, the brightness of the emitted light should be reduced in comparison to the continuous lighting function. It goes without saying that the dimming function can also provide several brightness levels.

A light signal function is a lighting function that is used to signal information and/or a status using the interior lighting. Examples of such a light signal function are the flashing signal function or the color signal function or a combination of these two lighting functions.

If the flashing signal function is activated, the interior lighting should, for example, emit a light whose brightness changes at irregular or regular intervals, for example by the bulbs of the interior lighting only being supplied with energy at irregular or regular intervals. For example, the light emitted by interior lighting (e.g. interior lighting bulbs) when the turn signal function is activated may change periodically, for example by only periodically energizing interior lighting bulbs.

If the color signal function is activated, the interior lighting should, for example, emit a colored light (eg red or green light), for example by supplying energy to colored illuminants of the interior lighting.

1. (a) Türöffnungssensor, beispielsweise umfassend einen Türkontaktschalter;
2. (b) Bewegungssensor, beispielsweise in Form eines Bewegungsmelders, z.B. eines Ultraschall-Bewegungsmelders oder eines Infrarot-Bewegungsmelders;
3. (c) Beladungssensor, beispielsweise umfassend ein Balgdrucksensor oder einen Fahrhöhensensor oder einen Achslastsensor;
4. (d) Bildsensor, beispielsweise in Form eine Überwachungskamera oder als Teil eines Überwachungskamerasystems;
5. (e) Batteriesensor, beispielsweise als Teil einer Batterieladeschaltung;
6. (f) Betreten- und/oder Verlassenssensor, beispielsweise umfassend eine Lichtschranke, eine Induktionsschleife und/oder eine Druckplatte.

In exemplary embodiments according to the invention, at least one sensor signal of the plurality of sensor signals comes from one of the following sensors:

1. (a) Door opening sensor, for example comprising a door contact switch;
2. (b) motion sensor, for example in the form of a motion detector, eg an ultrasonic motion detector or an infrared motion detector;
3. (c) loading sensor, for example comprising a bellows pressure sensor or a ride height sensor or an axle load sensor;
4. (d) image sensor, for example in the form of a surveillance camera or as part of a surveillance camera system;
5. (e) battery sensor, for example as part of a battery charging circuit;
6. (f) Entry and/or exit sensor, for example comprising a light barrier, an induction loop and/or a pressure plate.

Each sensor signal represents a commercial vehicle condition detected by the respective sensor from which it originates.

A door opening sensor can, for example, detect whether a door of the commercial vehicle (e.g. a door to an interior of the commercial vehicle) is open or closed. A commercial vehicle state detected by a door opening sensor is accordingly an opening state of a door of the commercial vehicle, which indicates whether the door is open or closed.

A motion sensor can detect, for example, in an interior of the commercial vehicle, so that a commercial vehicle state detected by a motion sensor indicates whether a movement was detected in the interior of the commercial vehicle.

As disclosed above, a load sensor may include, for example, a bladder pressure sensor, or a ride height sensor, or an axle load sensor. A change in the weight of the load of the commercial vehicle is accompanied, for example, by a change in a bellows pressure of the commercial vehicle and an axle load of the commercial vehicle and a ride height of the commercial vehicle, so that a change in the bellows pressure detected by a bellows pressure sensor or a change in the axle load detected by an axle load sensor or by a ride height sensor detected change in driving height, indicates a change in the weight of the load of the commercial vehicle. An increase in the bellows pressure and the axle load and a reduction in the driving height indicate a weight increase and a reduction in the bellows pressure and the axle load as well as an increase in the driving height indicate a weight reduction. Accordingly, a commercial vehicle condition sensed by such a load sensor may indicate whether the weight of the commercial vehicle's load is changing. A commercial vehicle condition detected by such a loading sensor can also be used to draw conclusions about the total weight of the load of the vehicle commercial vehicles, for example taking into account commercial vehicle-specific conversion tables between bellows pressure, axle load or driving height and the total weight of the load.

A battery sensor can, for example, detect a state of charge of a battery in the utility vehicle. A commercial vehicle state detected by a battery sensor is accordingly the state of charge of a battery of the commercial vehicle.

For example, an entry and/or exit sensor may detect whether an object (e.g., a person or an industrial truck) is entering or exiting an interior of the utility vehicle, such that a vehicle condition sensed by an entry and/or exit sensor indicates whether entering or Leaving an interior of the commercial vehicle was detected by such an object.

In exemplary embodiments according to the invention, the configuration of the control means assigns at least one respective lighting function of the plurality of lighting functions of the interior lighting to (a) a respective commercial vehicle state or (b) a respective combination of commercial vehicle states in such a way that the control means controls the interior lighting in order to optimize the respective lighting function to activate or deactivate if (a) one sensor signal of the plurality of sensor signals represents the respective commercial vehicle state assigned to the respective control signal or (b) several sensor signals of the plurality of sensor signals represent the respective combination of commercial vehicle states assigned to the respective control signal. The configuration of the control means can thus be represented by one or more such assignments. For example, the configuration of the control means can be stored in the form of one or more such assignments in a memory of the control means.

The fact that the configuration of the control means comprises a plurality of such assignments should be understood, for example, in such a way that the configuration of the control means has at least one further respective lighting function of the plurality of lighting functions of the interior lighting for controlling the interior lighting of (a) a further respective commercial vehicle state or (b) a further respective Combination of commercial vehicle states assigned.

The programming of the configuration of the control means should accordingly be understood to mean, for example, the definition of corresponding assignments. Accordingly, the configuration of the control means can be programmed in such a way that if (a) one sensor signal from the plurality of sensor signals represents a predetermined commercial vehicle condition or (b) a plurality of sensor signals from the plurality of sensor signals represents a predetermined combination of commercial vehicle conditions, the control means controls the interior lighting in order to activate or deactivate a specified lighting function if an association between (a) the specified commercial vehicle condition or (b) the specified combination of commercial vehicle conditions and the specified lighting function can be defined. To the Programming the configuration of the control means, the control means, as disclosed above, can provide, for example, a graphical user interface via which programming can take place, eg by commercial vehicle states and/or combinations of commercial vehicle states and lighting functions being able to be assigned to one another.

In exemplary embodiments according to the invention, the configuration of the control means is programmable such that when a sensor signal of the plurality of sensor signals represents that a door opening sensor of the plurality of sensors has detected that a door of the commercial vehicle is opened, the control means controls the interior lighting to activate the interior light stay-on feature disclosed above. Such a configuration can be programmed, for example, by defining an association between opening the door as a commercial vehicle state and activating the permanent lighting function of the interior lighting.

In exemplary embodiments according to the invention, the configuration of the control means is programmable such that when a lighting function of the interior light is activated for longer than a predetermined activation period, the control means controls the interior light to deactivate the activated lighting function of the interior light. A timer that is started when the lighting function is activated can record how long the lighting function of the interior lighting is activated. Such a configuration can be programmed, for example, by defining an association between the exceeding of the activation period as a commercial vehicle state and the deactivation of the activated interior lighting lighting function. It goes without saying that the specified activation period should also be programmable, e.g. freely programmable or selectable from several options. Examples of an activation period are 5 minutes or 10 minutes or 30 minutes.

In exemplary embodiments according to the invention, the configuration of the control means is programmable such that if a sensor signal from the plurality of sensor signals represents that a battery sensor from the plurality of sensors has detected that a state of charge of a battery of the commercial vehicle falls below a predetermined minimum state of charge, the control means controls the interior lighting in order to (a) deactivate an activated lighting function of the interior lighting or (b) activate a light signal function and/or a flashing signal function and/or a color signal function and/or a dimming function of the interior lighting. Such a configuration can be programmed, for example, by defining an association between falling below the minimum charge level as a commercial vehicle condition and (a) deactivating the activated interior lighting function or (b) activating the light signal function and/or the turn signal function and/or the color signal function of the interior lighting .

In exemplary embodiments according to the invention, the configuration of the control means is programmable such that if a sensor signal of the plurality of sensor signals represents that a load sensor of the plurality of sensors has detected that the load of the commercial vehicle exceeds a predetermined load weight, the control means the Interior lighting controls to activate a light signal function and / or a turn signal function and / or a color signal function of the interior lighting. Such a configuration can be programmed, for example, by defining an association between exceeding the specified loading weight as a commercial vehicle condition and activating the light signal function and/or the flashing signal function and/or the color signal function of the interior lighting.

In exemplary embodiments according to the invention, the configuration of the control means is programmable in such a way that the control means controls the interior lighting on request by a camera system of the commercial vehicle in order to activate a permanent lighting function of the interior lighting and to bring about illumination of an interior of the commercial vehicle that is adapted to the camera system. Such a request can be received, for example, in the form of a request signal by the sensor signal receiving means of the control device. Accordingly, such a configuration can be programmed, for example, by defining an association between receiving the request signal and activating the permanent lighting function of the interior lighting. For example, this continuous lighting function can be optimized for the camera system to illuminate the interior of the utility vehicle.

In exemplary embodiments according to the invention, the configuration of the control means is programmable such that the control means controls the interior light upon request by the remote device to activate or deactivate a lighting function of the interior light. Such a request can be received, for example, in the form of a request signal by the communication means of the control device via the wireless communication link. Accordingly, such a configuration can be programmed, for example, by defining an association between receiving the request signal and activating or deactivating the lighting function of the interior lighting.

In exemplary embodiments according to the invention, the control means is further set up to carry out a diagnosis of the interior lighting or to control a diagnostic function of the interior lighting.

Such a diagnosis could be made available, for example, by measuring the current and the voltage, which are used to supply energy to the interior lighting or for individual lamps or lamp modules or lamp strips, for example by energy supply means. For the diagnosis, the measured values could be compared with a specified map. For example, a fault condition can be diagnosed if the comparison shows that the measured values lies outside a tolerance range around the values specified by the map. It goes without saying that the diagnosis can be carried out not only for the entire interior lighting, but also for individual lamps or lamp modules or lamp strips, so that it can be diagnosed, for example, which lamp or lamp module or lamp strip and/or which lighting function is faulty. In addition, a partial error can also be diagnosed, such as the failure of half of the lamps in a lamp module or lamp strip. In addition, these measurements of current and voltage can be used to diagnose open circuits (no measured current, but measured voltage) or short circuits (high current, no or low voltage).

In addition, the control device can also have its own diagnostic function, which diagnoses, for example, communication problems (e.g. failure of the means of communication) and/or temperature problems (overtemperature or undertemperature) and/or line breaks (e.g. break in the supply line from the power supply to the control device).

Furthermore, it is also conceivable that a diagnosis of the plurality of sensors can also be carried out and, depending on the result of such a diagnosis, a lighting function of the interior lighting can be activated or deactivated. For example, the configuration of the control means is programmable for this purpose such that if a fault is diagnosed in one of the plurality of sensors (e.g. a door opening sensor), the control means controls the interior lighting in order to activate a predetermined lighting function (e.g. the permanent lighting function) or to disable.

For example, the control means is further configured to communicate error conditions obtained as a result of the interior light diagnosis to the remote device or to cause error conditions obtained as a result of the interior light diagnosis to be communicated to the remote device. For example, the error conditions obtained as a result of the interior light diagnosis can be sent to the remote device by the communication means of the control device via the wireless communication link.

In exemplary embodiments according to the invention, the interior lighting comprises a plurality of LED lighting modules and/or at least one LED lighting strip. For example, an LED lighting module and/or an LED lighting strip can be understood as a light source of the interior lighting.

In exemplary embodiments according to the invention, the configuration of the control means is further programmable by user inputs detected by a user input means. The user input means can be part of the control device or separate from the control device (eg part of the commercial vehicle or another component of the commercial vehicle such as a refrigerator). A An example of such user input means is a user interface such as a keypad and/or a screen (eg a touch-sensitive screen). The configuration of the control means can be programmed, for example, via a graphical user interface provided by a screen, into which the user makes entries via the user input means.

Further advantageous exemplary embodiments of the invention can be found in the following detailed description of some exemplary embodiments of the present invention, in particular in connection with the figures. However, the accompanying figures are intended for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended to determine the scope of the invention. The accompanying drawings are not necessarily to scale, and are intended only to give an example of the general concept of the present invention. In particular, features contained in the figures should in no way be understood as a necessary part of the present invention.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Darstellung einer beispielhaften Ausführungsform einer Steuervorrichtung gemäß der Erfindung;

Fig. 2

eine schematische Darstellung einer beispielhaften Ausführungsform eines Nutzfahrzeugs gemäß der Erfindung; und

Fig. 3

eine schematische Darstellung eines Blockdiagramms einiger Komponenten des Nutzfahrzeugs gemäß Fig. 2.

Show it:

1

a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of a control device according to the invention;

2

a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of a commercial vehicle according to the invention; and

3

a schematic representation of a block diagram of some components of the commercial vehicle according to FIG 2 .

1 1 is a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of a control device 1 according to the invention. The control device 1 can, for example, be part of a commercial vehicle (e.g. the 2 shown commercial vehicle 2). In the embodiment according to 1 the control device 1 is designed as a distributed system comprising a telematics unit 10 and a control unit 11.

The telematics unit 10 comprises, for example, a processor 100 and, connected to the processor 100, a first memory as a program and data memory 101, a second memory as a main memory 102, a wireless communication interface 103 and an optional position sensor 104.

A processor is to be understood, for example, as a microprocessor, a microcontrol unit, a microcontroller, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a field programmable gate array (FPGA). It goes without saying that the control device 1 can also include a plurality of processors 10 .

A program memory is, for example, a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory, a magnetic memory, an EEPROM memory (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory) and/or an optical memory. A main memory is, for example, a volatile or non-volatile memory, in particular a random access memory (RAM) such as a static random access memory (SRAM), a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), a ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM) and/or magnetic random access memory (MRAM). It goes without saying that a main memory and a program memory of a processor can be embodied as one memory. Alternatively, a main memory and/or a program memory can each be formed by a plurality of memories. Furthermore, a main memory and/or a program memory can also be part of a processor.

Processor 100 executes program instructions stored in program memory 101 and stores, for example, intermediate results or the like in main memory 102.

Program memory 101 contains, for example, the operating system of telematics unit 10, which is at least partially loaded into main memory 102 when telematics unit 10 is started and executed by processor 100. In particular, when telematics unit 10 starts up, at least a portion of the operating system core is loaded into main memory 102 and executed by processor 100 .

An example of an operating system is a Windows, UNIX, Linux, Android, Apple iOS and/or MAC OS operating system. In particular, the operating system enables the control device 1 to be used for data processing. For example, it manages resources such as a main memory and a program memory, makes basic functions available to other computer programs, among other things, through programming interfaces, and controls the execution of computer programs.

Processor 100 controls the wireless communication interface 103, which is designed, for example, as a Bluetooth, WLAN, GSM, UMTS and/or LTE interface. For example, it is configured to communicate with a remote device such as a server or a mobile device via a wireless communication link. For example, information may be sent to and/or received from the remote device through communication interface 103 over the wireless communication link.

Furthermore, processor 100 controls the optional position sensor 104 which is set up to detect the position of the telematics unit. For example, position sensor 104 is a position sensor of a Global Navigation Satellite System such as GPS or Galileo.

The telematics unit 10 forms, for example, a means of communication of the control device configured to communicate with a remote device via a wireless communication link. For this purpose, the program memory 11 contains, for example, program instructions of a computer program which cause the processor 10 to forward information received from the remote device to the control unit 11 through the communication interface 103 and information received from the control unit 11 to the communication interface 103 for transmission to the remote device forward.

The control unit 11 comprises, for example, a processor 110 and, connected to the processor 110, a first memory as a program and data memory 111, a second memory as a main memory 112, an energy supply circuit 113 for interior lighting of a commercial vehicle (e.g 2 illustrated commercial vehicle 2) and a wired communication interface 114.

Processor 110 executes program instructions stored in program memory 111 and stores, for example, intermediate results or the like in main memory 112. For example, program memory 111 contains the operating system of control unit 11, which is at least partially loaded into main memory 12 when control unit 11 is started and processed by processor 110 is performed.

Processor 10 controls power supply circuit 113, which is set up to receive power from a power supply of the commercial vehicle (e.g. an on-board network and/or a battery) and to supply selected illuminants of the interior lighting of the commercial vehicle with the power from the power supply in such a way that a respective Lighting function of a plurality of lighting functions of the interior lighting is activated. For example, the power supply circuit can make and/or break an electrical connection between the selected lighting means of the interior lighting and the power supply means.

Processor 100, together with memories 101 and 102 and energy supply circuit 103, forms, for example, a control means of control device 1 configured to control the interior lighting of the commercial vehicle (e.g. the interior lighting of the 2 illustrated commercial vehicles 2) depending on a configuration of the control means to activate at least one respective lighting function of a plurality of lighting functions of the interior lighting or to disable. For this purpose, the program memory 111 contains, for example, program instructions of a computer program that cause the processor 110 to control the power supply circuit depending on a configuration of the control means in order to activate or deactivate at least one respective lighting function of a plurality of lighting functions of the interior lighting. The configuration of the control means is, for example, part of the program instructions and/or can be stored in the program memory 111 in the form of one or more assignments between a respective lighting function of the plurality of lighting functions of the interior lighting and (a) a respective commercial vehicle status or (b) a respective combination of commercial vehicle statuses be.

Furthermore, the computer program in the program memory 111 contains, for example, program instructions which cause the processor 110 to provide a graphical user interface via which the configuration of the control means can be changed.

Processor 110 also controls wired communication interface 114, which is designed, for example, as a CAN, K-line, LIN or Flexray interface. It forms, for example, a sensor receiving means of the control device 1 and is set up, for example, to communicate with a plurality of sensors of a commercial vehicle (e.g. of the 2 commercial vehicles shown 2) via one or more wired communication links of a CAN, K-line, LIN or Flexray bus system of the commercial vehicle. In particular, a plurality of sensor signals may be received from the plurality of sensors through the wired communication interface 14 .

The units 10 and 11 of the control device 1 and their means 100 to 104 and 110 to 114 are communicatively and/or operatively connected to one another, for example via one or more bus systems (e.g. one or more serial and/or parallel bus connections).

It goes without saying that in addition to the units 10 and 11 of the control device 1 and their means 100 to 104 and 110 to 114, the control device 1 can also include further components such as a user interface.

2 12 is a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of a utility vehicle according to the invention. The commercial vehicle includes 2 a semi-trailer 2 and a towing vehicle 3. A control device 1 is arranged in the semi-trailer. In the following, it is assumed by way of example that this control device 1 of the 1 shown control device 1 corresponds.

Furthermore, in 2 a remote device 4 in the form of a smartphone is shown for illustrative purposes. This remote device is not part of the commercial vehicle, ie neither part of the semi-trailer 2 nor the towing vehicle 3. It is understood that the remote device 4 is not limited to a smartphone, but also, for example, a laptop computer and/or a tablet computer can be.

In the following, the exemplary embodiment of the semi-trailer 2 is based on 2 explained. Semi-trailer 2 includes a loading space 20. The loading space 20 of the semi-trailer 2 is delimited at the top by the loading space roof 21 and at the bottom by the loading space floor 22. Furthermore, the loading space is delimited by the end wall 23 and rear wall 24 as well as lateral delimiting surfaces (eg side tarpaulins), which are not shown. The rear wall 24 is formed by a wing door, not shown. A door opening sensor 25 (e.g. a door contact switch) is arranged on the wing door, which is set up to detect whether the wing door is open or closed, and a sensor signal, which represents the opening state of the wing door detected by the door opening sensor 25, via the connection 27 to be sent to the device 1.

Furthermore, the semi-trailer 2 includes axle load sensors 26 (represented by a square), each of which is set up to detect the weight (symbolized here by the arrows as an example) bearing on the respective axle of the semi-trailer 2 and a sensor signal that represents the detected weight to send connection 27 to device 1.

It goes without saying that the semi-trailer 2 can include, in addition to sensors 25 and 26, further sensors such as a motion sensor, an image sensor, a battery sensor and/or an entering and/or exiting sensor.

The connection 27 is, for example, a wired communication connection of a CAN, K-line, LIN or Flexray bus system of the N semi-trailer 2.

Furthermore, semi-trailer 2 includes a battery 29 and interior lighting 29 comprising a plurality of LED modules.

3 12 is a schematic representation of a block diagram of some components of the utility vehicle of FIG 2 . The functioning of the control device 1 is to be explained by way of example on the basis of this block diagram.

The control means of the control unit 1 formed by the processor 110, the memories 111 and 112 and the power supply circuit 113 control the interior lighting 29 as a function of a Configuration of the control means in order to activate or deactivate at least one respective lighting function of a plurality of lighting functions of the interior lighting 29 . As in 3 shown, the interior lighting includes, for example, white bulbs that emit white light, and colored bulbs that emit red or green light. In order to activate a continuous lighting function of the interior lighting 29, the power supply circuit 113 could be controlled by the processor 110, for example, in such a way that it causes the white lamps to be supplied with power from the battery 28; and in order to activate a color signaling function of the interior lighting 29, the power supply circuit 113 could be controlled by the processor 110, for example, such that it causes the colored illuminants (e.g. either the red illuminants or the green illuminants) to be supplied with energy from the battery 28.

The configuration of the control means can be programmed (i.e. changed) from the remote device 4 via the wireless communication link 40, for example. For this purpose, the processor provides a graphical user interface, for example, which the remote device 4 can access via the wireless communication link 40 and the communication means of the control device 1 formed by the telematics unit 10 .

The control device 1 receives sensor signals from the door opening sensor 25 and the axle load sensors 26 via the connection 27 (i.e. a plurality of sensor signals from a plurality of sensors).

As disclosed above, the configuration of the control means of the control unit 1 formed by the processor 110, the memories 111 and 112 and the power supply circuit 113 assigns at least one respective lighting function of the plurality of lighting functions of the interior lighting 29 to (a) a respective commercial vehicle state or (b) a respective combination of commercial vehicle states in such a way that the control means controls the interior lighting 29 in order to activate or deactivate the respective lighting function if (a) one sensor signal of the plurality of sensor signals represents the respective commercial vehicle state assigned to the respective control signal or (b) several sensor signals of the plurality of sensor signals represents the respective combination of commercial vehicle states assigned to the respective control signal. The configuration of the control means can thus be represented by one or more such assignments. The configuration of the control means is programmed accordingly, for example by defining appropriate assignments. The above-mentioned graphic user interface provides, for example, graphic user input means for such assignments between the opening states of the commercial vehicle door that can be detected by the door opening sensor 25 and the weights that can be detected by the axle load sensors 26 on the one hand and the continuous lighting function and the color signal function of the interior lighting 29 on the other to define a page.

For example, a first assignment could thus be defined which assigns the continuous lighting function of the interior lighting 29 to the detection of the opening of the door by the door opening sensor 25, so that when the sensor signal received from the door opening sensor 25 represents that the door opening sensor 25 has detected that the Door is open, the power supply circuit 113 is controlled by the processor 110 such that it causes a power supply of the white bulbs of the interior light 29 with power from the battery 28 to activate the continuous lighting function.

Furthermore, a second assignment could be defined which assigns the color signal function of the interior lighting 29 to the detection of a weight by the axle load sensors 26 that exceeds a predetermined weight, so that when the sensor signal received from the axle load sensors represents that the axle load sensors have detected a weight, exceeding the predetermined weight, the power supply circuit 113 is controlled by the processor 110 to cause the colored lamps (e.g., the red lamps) of the courtesy light 29 to be powered with battery 28 power to activate the color signaling function.

The exemplary embodiments of the present invention described in this specification are also to be understood as disclosed in all combinations with one another. In particular, the description of a feature included in an embodiment—unless explicitly stated to the contrary—should not be understood in the present case to mean that the feature is essential or essential for the function of the exemplary embodiment.

Claims (15)

Control device (1) for interior lighting (29) of a commercial vehicle (2.3), the interior lighting having a plurality of lighting functions, comprising: - Sensor signal receiving means (114) set up to receive a plurality of sensor signals, each of the sensor signals of the plurality of sensor signals originating from a respective sensor of a plurality of sensors (25, 26) of the commercial vehicle, and each of the sensor signals of the plurality of sensor signals being one of the represents the respective commercial vehicle state detected by each sensor of the plurality of sensors of the commercial vehicle; - communication means (10, 103) arranged to communicate with a remote device (4) via a wireless communication link; - Control means (110, 111, 112, 113) set up to control the interior lighting depending on a configuration of the control means in order to activate or deactivate at least one respective lighting function of the plurality of lighting functions, the configuration of the control means being at least partially dependent on the vehicle conditions represented by the plurality of sensor signals determines which lighting function of the plurality of lighting functions is to be activated or deactivated, and wherein the configuration of the control means is programmable by the remote device via the wireless communication link. Control device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of lighting functions of the interior lighting comprises at least two of the following lighting functions: (a) a permanent lighting function, (b) a light signal function, (c) a turn signal function, (d) a color signal function, (e) a dimming function. Control device according to one of claims 1 and 2, wherein at least one sensor signal of the plurality of sensor signals originates from one of the following sensors: (a) door opening sensor (25); (b) motion sensor; (c) load sensor (26); (d) image sensor; (e) battery sensor; (f) Entry and/or Exit Sensor. Control device according to one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the configuration of the control means assigns at least one respective lighting function of the plurality of lighting functions of the interior lighting (a) to a respective commercial vehicle state or (b) to a respective combination of commercial vehicle states in such a way that the control means controls the interior lighting in order to to activate or deactivate the respective lighting function if (a) one sensor signal of the plurality of sensor signals represents the respective commercial vehicle state assigned to the respective control signal or several sensor signals of the plurality of sensor signals represent the respective combination of commercial vehicle states assigned to the respective control signal. Control device according to claim 4, wherein the configuration of the control means assigns at least one further respective lighting function of the plurality of lighting functions of the interior lighting for controlling the interior lighting to (a) a further respective vehicle state or (b) a further respective combination of vehicle states. Control device according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the configuration of the control means is programmable such that when it is represented by a sensor signal of the plurality of sensor signals that a door opening sensor of the plurality of sensors has detected that a door of the commercial vehicle is opened, the Control means controls the interior lighting in order to activate a permanent lighting function of the interior lighting. Control device according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the configuration of the control means is programmable such that when a lighting function of the interior light is activated for longer than a predetermined period of time, the control means controls the interior light to deactivate the lighting function of the interior light. Control device according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the configuration of the control means is programmable such that when a sensor signal of the plurality of sensor signals represents that a battery sensor of the plurality of sensors has detected that a state of charge of a battery of the utility vehicle is below one specified minimum state of charge decreases, the control means controls the interior lighting in order to (a) deactivate an activated lighting function of the interior lighting or (b) activate a light signal function and/or a flashing signal function and/or a color signal function of the interior lighting and/or a dimming function. A control device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the configuration of the control means is programmable such that when represented by a sensor signal of the plurality of sensor signals that a loading sensor of the plurality of sensors has detected that the loading of the commercial vehicle exceeds a predetermined loading weight, the control means controls the interior lighting in order to activate a light signal function and/or a flashing signal function and/or a color signal function of the interior lighting. Control device according to one of Claims 1 to 9, wherein the configuration of the control means is programmable in such a way that the control means controls the interior lighting on request by a camera system of the commercial vehicle in order to activate a permanent lighting function of the interior lighting and an illumination of an interior of the commercial vehicle that is adapted to the camera system to effect. A control device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the configuration of the control means is programmable such that the control means controls the interior light upon request by the remote device to enable or disable a lighting function of the interior light. Control device according to one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the control means is further set up to carry out a diagnosis of the interior lighting or to control a diagnostic function of the interior lighting. 13. The control device of claim 12, wherein the control means is further configured to communicate error conditions obtained as a result of the interior light diagnostics to the remote device or to cause error conditions obtained as a result of the interior light diagnostics to be communicated to the remote device. Control device according to one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the interior lighting comprises a plurality of LED lighting modules and/or at least one LED lighting strip. Commercial vehicle (2, 3), comprising: - a control device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 14, - an interior light (29), and - a plurality of sensors (25, 26).

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