System and method for remote activation of vehicle lighting

• US 10,064,256 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2015
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Salter, Stuart C., Surman, James J., Gardner, Cornel Lewis, Huebner, Annette Lynn, Buttolo, Pietro, Dunham, Scott Holmes
• Primary Examiner(s): Taningco, Alexander H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Luque, Renan
• Application Number:
  US14/948,865
• Publication Number:
  US 20160075275A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2500/30 Arrangements for illuminating different zones in the vehicle, e.g. front/rear, different seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/20 for lighting specific fittings of passenger or driving compartments; mounted on specific fittings of passenger or driving compartments lighting for dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/68 using ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/74 for overall compartment lighting; for overall compartment lighting in combination with specific lighting, e.g. room lamps with reading lamps general lighting mounted on specific fittings B60Q3/20; general lighting for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/43
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/745 using lighting panels or mats, e.g. electro-luminescent panels, LED mats
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/80 Circuits; Control arrangements for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A lighting system for a vehicle is disclosed. The system comprises a controller in communication with at least one light source and an occupancy sensor. The controller is configured to control an activation emission output from the light source configured to charge a persistent luminescent portion. The controller is further configured to detect an occupancy of the vehicle and charge the luminescent portion by periodically outputting the activation emission. The controller determines the periodicity of the output based on the occupancy.

Claims

1. A lighting system comprising:

a persistent luminescent portion disposed on a surface; and

a controller in communication with a light source and an occupancy sensor, the controller configured to;

detect an occupancy of a vehicle based on the occupancy sensor;

control the light source to output a charging emission impinging upon the persistent luminescent portion at a first periodicity if the occupancy is detected and a second periodicity if no occupancy is detected, wherein the first periodicity corresponds to a different charging duty cycle than the second periodicity; and

wherein the controller is further configured to deactivate the charging emission of the persistent luminescent portion in response to a suspension of the occupancy exceeding a predetermined period of time.

2. The lighting system according to claim 1, wherein the occupancy sensor corresponds to at least one of a seat sensor, an infrared occupancy sensor, a driver alertness sensor, and an audio occupancy sensor.

3. The lighting system according to claim 1, wherein the light source is disposed on a portion of the vehicle remote from the persistent luminescent portion.

4. The lighting system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to identify a use schedule of the occupancy of the vehicle to charge the persistent luminescent portion prior to vehicle use.

5. The lighting system according to claim 1, wherein the first periodicity corresponds to a higher charging duty cycle than the second periodicity.

6. The lighting system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to determine a battery charge level of a battery of the vehicle.

7. The lighting system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to deactivate the charging emission of the persistent luminescent portion in response to a charge level below a predetermined threshold.

14. The lighting system according to claim 1, wherein the persistent luminescent portion is configured to accumulate a charge in response to a charging emission.

8. An illumination system comprising:

a first persistent luminescent portion disposed on a first surface of a vehicle;

a second persistent luminescent portion disposed on second surface of the vehicle;

a controller in communication with a first light source, a second light source, and an occupancy sensor, wherein the controller is configured to;

determine an occupancy of the vehicle;

control a first activation emission from the first light source to charge the first persistent luminescent portion based on the vehicle being occupied; and

control a second activation emission from the second light source to charge the second persistent luminescent portion based on the vehicle being unoccupied.

9. The illumination apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first light source is directed toward the first persistent luminescent portion disposed substantially below a passenger seating deck surface level.

10. The illumination apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the second light source is directed toward the second persistent luminescent portion disposed substantially above a passenger seating deck surface level.

11. The illumination apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to limit light emitted from the second persistent luminescent portion by suppressing a charging of the second persistent luminescent portion in response to the vehicle being occupied.

12. The illumination apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to:

identify an occupancy schedule of the vehicle based on the occupancy of the vehicle.

13. The illumination apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the controller is further operable to control the second activation emission from the second light source to charge the second persistent luminescent portion for a predetermined time period preceding an expected occupancy of the vehicle based on the occupancy schedule.