Vehicle keypad illumination assembly and method

• US 10,077,576 B1
• Filed: 10/12/2017
• Issued: 09/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Salter, Stuart C., Dellock, Paul Kenneth, Surman, James J., Gardner, Cornel Lewis
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Laura
• Application Number:
  US15/782,124
• Time in Patent Office: 341 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/23 using manual input of alphanumerical codes
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 17/10 Illuminating devices on or for locks or keys; Transparent or translucent lock parts; Indicator lights
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/0069 actuated in a predetermined sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00714 with passive electrical components, e.g. resistor, capacitor, inductor
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9622 using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960755 Constructional details of capacitive touch and proximity switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96079 using a single or more light guides

Abstract

An exemplary vehicle keypad assembly includes, among other things a virtual button having a first area and a second area, a first phosphor between the first area and a light source, and a different, second phosphor between the second area and the light source. An exemplary vehicle keypad illumination method includes, among other things, selectively illuminating a first area of a keypad in one of a plurality of different colors while illuminating a different, second area of the keypad in a single color.

Claims

1. A vehicle keypad assembly, comprising:

a transparent panel of a vehicle;

a virtual button within the transparent panel, the virtual button having a first area and a second area;

a first phosphor between the first area and a light source; and

a different, second phosphor between the second area and the light source.

2. The vehicle keypad assembly of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises an ultraviolet light source and a visible light source.

3. The vehicle keypad assembly of claim 2, wherein the ultraviolet light source is an ultraviolet-light Light-Emitting Diode, and the visible light source is a visible-light Light-Emitting Diode.

4. The vehicle keypad assembly of claim 2, further comprising a keypad controller configured to selectively activate the ultraviolet light source, the visible light source, or both to illuminate the first area in a first color, a second color, or a third color.

5. The vehicle keypad assembly of claim 4, wherein the second area is illuminated in the first color when the ultraviolet light source is activated, when the visible light source is activated, and when both the ultraviolet light source and the visible light source are activated, such that second area is illuminated in the first color when the first area is illuminated in the first color, the second color, or the third color.

6. The vehicle keypad assembly of claim 1, wherein the first area corresponds to a background area of the virtual button, and the second area corresponds to an image disposed within the background.

7. The vehicle keypad assembly of claim 6, wherein the image is an alphanumeric character.

8. The vehicle keypad assembly of claim 1, wherein the first phosphor emits light in a first color, and the second phosphor emits light in a different, second color.

9. The vehicle keypad assembly of claim 8, wherein the first color is green and the second color is red.

10. The vehicle keypad assembly of claim 1, wherein the virtual button is associated with a capacitance-type sensing device.

11. The vehicle keypad assembly of claim 1, wherein the first phosphor and the second phosphor are disposed on an interior of the transparent panel such that at least some light emitted from the first phosphor, the second phosphor, and the light source passes through the transparent panel and is visible from an exterior of the vehicle.

12. The vehicle keypad assembly of claim 11, further comprising a coating applied to an interior surface of the transparent panel between the first phosphor and the interior surface, but not between the second phosphor and the interior surface.

13. The vehicle keypad assembly of claim 12, wherein the first phosphor is an array of dots applied to the coating, and the second phosphor is an array of dots applied to the interior surface of the transparent panel.

14. The vehicle keypad assembly of claim 11, wherein the transparent panel is a glass panel.

15. A vehicle keypad illumination method, comprising:

selectively illuminating a first area of a keypad in one of a plurality of different colors while illuminating a different, second area of the keypad in a single color, the keypad associated with a capacitance-type sensing device having a plurality of virtual buttons disposed within a transparent panel of a vehicle.

16. The vehicle keypad illumination method of claim 15, wherein the first area and the second area are areas of a virtual button of the keypad, and further comprising:

illuminating the second area in a first color and the first area in a second color to indicate an unsuccessful activation of the virtual button, and illuminating the second area in the first color and the first area in a third color to indicate a successful activation of the virtual button.

17. The vehicle keypad illumination method of claim 15, further comprising:

activating a visible light source to illuminate the first and second areas in a first color;

activating an ultraviolet light source to excite a first phosphor that illuminates the first area in a second color, and to excite a second phosphor that illuminates the second area in the first color;

activating both the visible light source and the ultraviolet light source to illuminate the first area in a third color, and to illuminate the second area in the first color.

18. The vehicle keypad illumination method of claim 15, further comprising:

illuminating selected ones of the plurality of virtual buttons to remind a user of a feature that can be initiated by activating the selected ones of the plurality of virtual buttons.

19. The vehicle keypad illumination method of claim 15, further comprising changing an intensity of the illuminating of the second area in the single color when changing the illuminating of the first area from a first one of the plurality of colors to a second one of the plurality of colors.

20. A keypad assembly, comprising:

a window of a vehicle;

a virtual button having a first area and a second area disposed within the window;

a first phosphor between the first area and a light source; and

a different, second phosphor between the second area and the light source.