US 12,331,903 B2
Method for operating a taillight of a motor vehicle, and motor vehicle
Valentin Schmidt, Neuburg a.d. Donau (DE); Daniel Halbig, Riedenburg (DE); Ernst Reiter, Ingolstadt (DE); Roman Horst, Ingolstadt (DE); and Viktor Hahn, Ingolstadt (DE)
Assigned to AUDI AG, Ingolstadt (DE)
Appl. No. 18/040,603
Filed by AUDI AG, Ingolstadt (DE)
PCT Filed Jun. 17, 2021, PCT No. PCT/EP2021/066342
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 28, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/028760, PCT Pub. Date Feb. 10, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2020 120 596.1 (DE), filed on Aug. 5, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2024/0278712 A1, Aug. 22, 2024
Int. Cl. F21S 43/145 (2018.01); B60Q 1/00 (2006.01); B60Q 1/30 (2006.01); B60Q 1/50 (2006.01); F21S 43/14 (2018.01)
CPC F21S 43/145 (2018.01) [B60Q 1/0023 (2013.01); B60Q 1/30 (2013.01); B60Q 1/535 (2022.05); F21S 43/14 (2018.01); B60Q 2400/20 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for operating a taillight of a motor vehicle, wherein the taillight comprises a first light source and a second light source each of which can be independently controlled by a controller, the method comprising:
parameterizing a first target light intensity and/or a first dimming speed of the first light source and a second target light intensity and/or a second dimming speed of the second light source during a repeating oscillation of a light intensity of the first light source and a light intensity of the second light source;
capturing, using a distance sensor, a distance from the motor vehicle to a traffic participant behind the motor vehicle;
determining that the distance lies within a predefined distance threshold; and
based on the determining that the distance lies within the predefined distance threshold, initiating the repeating oscillation of the light intensity of the first light source and the light intensity of the second light source, wherein:
the first light source is inactive prior to the initiating, and
a luminous flux of the taillight remains constant during the repeating oscillation,
wherein the initiating the repeating oscillation comprises:
gradually brightening the first light source by a light intensity value; and
gradually dimming the second light source by the light intensity value.