1. Illumination device for vehicles comprising at least one light-emitting diode (3) and a light control unit (1), wherein the light control unit (1) is connected to the at least one light-emitting diode (3) and a pulse-width modulated clock signal (PWM) can be generated with the light control unit (1) and transmitted to the at least one light-emitting diode (3); a circuit (2) arranged between the light control unit (1) and the at least one light-emitting diode (3), with which, depending on a control signal (S), the pulse-width modulated clock signal (PWM) can be fed via different resistors (R1, R2, R3) to the at least one light-emitting diode (3).
2. Illumination device for vehicles according to claim 1, wherein the control signal (S) determines the brightness range of the at least one light-emitting diode (3).
3. Illumination device for vehicles according to claim 2, wherein different resistors (R1, R2, R3) are provided in the circuit (2), wherein the resistors (R1, R2, R3) are associated with different brightness ranges (A, B, C) and wherein each resistor (R1, R2, R3) is associated with a switch (S1, S2, S3) that can be switched by means of relays or power electronics, and wherein the switches (S1, S2, S3) are arranged in such a way that the pulse-width modulated clock signal (PWM) can be fed to the at least one light-emitting diode (3) via the resistor associated with the switch in question when the switch is closed.
4. Illumination device for vehicles according to claim 1, wherein the brightness characteristic of the at least one light-emitting diode (3) generated by the resistor circuit approaches an exponential function.
5. Illumination device for vehicles according to claim 1, wherein the circuit (2) is set up in such a way that a clock signal with a lower duty cycle is fed to the at least one light-emitting diode (3) via a larger resistor, and a clock signal with a higher duty cycle is fed to the at least one light-emitting diode via a smaller resistor.
6. Illumination device for vehicles according to claim 1, wherein the circuit (2) is connected to a vehicle bus (5) via which the control signal (S) can be transmitted.
7. Illumination device for vehicles according to claim 5, wherein the light control unit (1) can modify the duty cycle of the pulse-width modulated clock signal (PWM) linearly with a fixed step size.
8. Method for controlling an illumination device for vehicles with at least one light-emitting diode (3) and a light control unit (1), wherein the light control unit (1) generates a pulse-width modulated clock signal (PWM), which the light control unit (1) transmits to a circuit (2), and the circuit (2) receives a control signal (S) and, depending on the control signal (S), feeds the pulse-width modulated clock signal (PWM) to the at least one light-emitting diode (3) via different resistors (R1, R2, R3).
9. Method according to claim 8, wherein a desired brightness is transmitted to the light control unit (1), and the light control unit (1), depending on the desired brightness, generates the duty cycle of the pulse-width modulated clock signal (PWM) and the control signal (S).
10. Method according to claim 8, wherein the control signal (S) indicates in which brightness range (A, B, C) the desired brightness of the at least one diode lies, and wherein each resistor (R1, R2, R3) provided in the circuit (2) corresponds to a brightness range (A, B, C), while the values of the resistors (R1, R2, R3) differ.
11. Method according to claim 9, wherein the light control unit (1) modifies the duty cycle of the pulse-width modulated clock signal (PWM) linearly with a fixed step size.
12. Method according to claim 9, wherein a clock signal with a lower duty cycle is fed to the at least one light-emitting diode (3) via a larger resistor, and a clock signal with a higher duty cycle is fed to the at least one light-emitting diode (3) via a smaller resistor.
13. Method according to claim 8, wherein the desired brightness depends on the surrounding conditions of the vehicle.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of providing an electro-optic interface for exchanging information signals comprising the steps of:
disposing an optical array on a first side of a transparent substrate with a plurality of optical transmission paths of the optical array passing directly through the substrate;
disposing a signal processor on the first side of the transparent substrate adjacent the array of optical devices;
disposing a set of alignment guides on a second side of the transparent substrate for aligning a plurality of optical fibers with the plurality of transmission paths with an axis of engagement of the alignment guides aligned parallel to the plurality of transmission paths; and
coupling a plurality of signals processed by the processor through the plurality of transmission paths between the optical array and plurality of optical fibers.
2. The method of aligning the array of optical devices with the plurality of optical fibers as in claim 1 further comprising defining the signal processor as a multiplexer.
3. The method of aligning the array of optical devices with the plurality of optical fibers as in claim 2 further comprising multiplexing at least some of the plurality of signals processed by the processor through a transmission path of the plurality of transmission paths between the optical array and one of the plurality of optical fibers.
4. The method of aligning the array of optical devices with the plurality of optical fibers as in claim 1 further comprising defining the signal processor as a router.
5. The method of aligning the array of optical devices with the plurality of optical fibers as in claim 4 further comprising routing the plurality of signals through the plurality of transmission paths between the optical array and the plurality of optical fibers.
6. The method of aligning the array of optical devices with the plurality of optical fibers as in claim 1 further comprising defining the signal processor as an amplifier.
7. The method of aligning the array of optical devices with the plurality of optical fibers as in claim 6 further comprising providing a driving signal from the amplifier to a photonics emitter within the optical array.
8. The method of aligning the array of optical devices with the plurality of optical fibers as in claim 6 further comprising amplifying a signal from a photonics detector of the optical array within the amplifier.
9. The method of aligning the array of optical devices with the plurality of optical fibers as in claim 1 further comprising forming the transparent substrate into an L-shaped bracket with the signal processor and array of optical devices disposed on a first leg of the L-shaped bracket and a second leg of the L-shaped bracket disposed on a printed circuit board.
10. The method of aligning the array of optical devices with the plurality of optical fibers as in claim 9 further comprising providing a set of electrical traces extending from the signal processor across the first and second legs and forming a set of electrical connections with the printed circuit board.
A method of providing an electro-optic interface for exchanging information signals comprising
11. An apparatus providing an electro-optic interface for exchanging information signals, such apparatus comprising:
the optical array;
an optically transparent substrate with the optical array disposed on a first side of the transparent substrate with a plurality of optical transmission paths of the optical array passing directly through the substrate;
a signal processor disposed on the first side of the transparent substrate adjacent the array of optical devices; and
a set of alignment guides disposed on a second side of the transparent substrate parallel to the plurality of transmission paths for aligning a plurality of optical fibers with the plurality of transmission paths passing through the substrate.
12. The apparatus for aligning the array of optical devices with the plurality of optical fibers as in claim 11 wherein the signal processor further comprises a multiplexer disposed on the first surface of the transparent substrate, adjacent the array of optical devices.
13. The apparatus for aligning the array of optical devices with the plurality of optical fibers as in claim 11 wherein the signal processor further comprises a router disposed on the first surface of the transparent substrate, adjacent the array of optical devices.
14. The apparatus for aligning the array of optical devices with the plurality of optical fibers as in claim 11 wherein the signal processor further comprises an amplifier disposed on the first surface of the transparent substrate, adjacent the array of optical devices.
15. The apparatus for aligning the array of optical devices with the plurality of optical fibers as in claim 14 further comprising the amplifier on the transparent substrate connected to amplify a driving signal of a laser of the optical array.
16. The apparatus for aligning the array of optical devices with the plurality of optical fibers as in claim 14 further comprising the amplifier on the transparent substrate connected to amplify a signal from a photodetector of the optical array.
18. The apparatus for aligning the array of optical devices with the plurality of optical fibers as in claim 11 wherein the transparent substrate further comprises an L-shaped bracket with the signal processor and array of optical devices disposed on a first leg of the L-shaped bracket and a second leg of the L-shaped bracket coupled to a printed circuit board.
19. The apparatus for aligning the array of optical devices with the plurality of optical fibers as in claim 18 further comprising a set of electrical traces extending from the signal processor across the first and second legs and forming a set of electrical connections with the printed circuit board.