Vehicle climate status indicator

• US 10,179,542 B1
• Filed: 10/19/2017
• Issued: 01/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2017
• 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., Mullen, Gary D., Surman, James J., Xu, Wei, Vemulapati, Satyanarayana Raju, Koberstein, Manfred
• Primary Examiner(s): Foxx, Chico A
• Application Number:
  US15/787,873
• Time in Patent Office: 453 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2500/20 associated with air conditioning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/10 for dashboards
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/64 for a single lighting device
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/68 using ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0001 specially adapted for lighting devices or systems lighting or signalling on vehicles using light guides B60Q1/00; lighting devices for vehicle dashboards B60Q3/10; lighting devices for vehicle interior using light guides B60Q3/62; lighting devices mounted on the vehicle rear part using light guides F21S43/235; measuring arrangements having light conducting pointers G01D13/265; illumination of liquid crystal displays G02F1/1336; illuminated signs G09F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0003 the light guides being doped with fluorescent agents
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/38 using flashing light

Abstract

A climate status indicator for a vehicle includes a light guide positioned around a vent perimeter. The climate status indicator additionally includes a light device coupled to at least one vent fin. The light guide and/or the light device are configured to provide a visual indicator of a climate status.

Claims

1. A climate status indicator in a vehicle, comprising:

a light guide positioned around a perimeter of a vent; and

a light device operatively coupled to at least one vent fin of the vent;

wherein the light guide and/or the light device provide a visual climate status to indicate a fan speed or a desired fan speed that controls climate in the vehicle using a lighting pulse rate.

2. The climate status indicator of claim 1, wherein the light guide comprises a first capacitive touch sensor.

3. The climate status indicator of claim 1, wherein the light device comprises a second capacitive touch sensor.

4. The climate status indicator of claim 1, wherein the light guide is configured to indicate the fan speed using the lighting pulse rate and to indicate an air temperature using a lighting color.

5. The climate status indicator of claim 1, wherein the light device is configured to indicate the desired fan speed using the lighting pulse rate and to indicate a desired air temperature using a lighting color.

6. The climate status indicator of claim 1, wherein the climate status indicator is configured to activate a climate control screen on a display when the climate status indicator is touched.

7. The climate status indicator of claim 1, wherein the climate status indicator is controlled by a controller, wherein the controller receives information from a vent pressure sensor, a variable air conditioner compressor sensor, an electric air conditioner compressor sensor, an electric heater sensor, an air conditioner sensor, a power sensor, an air quality sensor, an air filter sensor, an air temperature sensor, a fan speed sensor, a vent opening sensor, or a combination thereof.

8. The climate status indicator of claim 1, wherein the visual climate status indicator further comprises a lighting color.

9. The climate status indicator of claim 8, wherein the lighting color is blue to indicate an air conditioner status, red to indicate a heater status, orange to indicate a fan status, purple to indicate an air quality status, green to indicate a filter status, indigo to indicate a vent pressure status, or a combination thereof.

10. The climate status indicator of claim 1, further comprising:

a luminescent structure disposed on a vehicle and excitable by emitted light from a light source.

11. A climate status indicator in a vehicle, comprising:

a vent having an opening having a light guide with a first capacitive touch sensor; and

a light device having a second capacitive touch sensor, wherein the light device is coupled to at least one vent fin of the vent;

wherein the light guide and/or the light device to provide a visual climate status to indicate a fan speed or desired fan speed that controls climate in the vehicle using a lighting pulse rate.

12. The climate status indicator of claim 11, wherein the light guide is configured to indicate the fan speed using the lighting pulse rate and to indicate an air temperature using a lighting color.

13. The climate status indicator of claim 11, wherein the light device is configured to indicate the desired fan speed using the lighting pulse rate and to indicate a desired air temperature using a lighting color.

14. The climate status indicator of claim 11, wherein the visual climate status indicator further comprises a lighting color.

15. The climate status indicator of claim 14, wherein the lighting color is blue to indicate an air conditioner status, red to indicate a heater status, orange to indicate a fan status, purple to indicate an air quality status, green to indicate a filter status, indigo to indicate a vent pressure status, or a combination thereof.

16. The climate status indicator of claim 11, wherein the climate status indicator is configured to activate a climate control screen on a display when the climate status indicator is touched.

17. A method of generating a visual indication for a climate system in a vehicle, the method comprising:

sensing, with a sensor, a user touching a light guide positioned around a perimeter or a light device coupled to at least one vent fin of the vent; and

activating a light source to generate one or more visual climate status indicators via the light guide or the light device, wherein the one or more visual climate status indicators comprises a lighting color, a lighting pulse rate, or a combination thereof based on the sensed touch, wherein a fan speed or desired fan speed that controls the climate in the vehicle is indicated using the lighting pulse rate.

18. The method of visually monitoring a climate system of claim 17, wherein the climate status indicator is configured to activate a climate control screen on a display when the climate status indicator is touched.

19. The method of visually monitoring a climate system of claim 17, wherein the climate status indicator is controlled by a controller wherein the controller receives information from a vent pressure sensor, a variable air conditioner compressor sensor, an electric air conditioner compressor sensor, an electric heater sensor, an air conditioner sensor, a power sensor, an air quality sensor, an air filter sensor, an air temperature sensor, a fan speed sensor, a vent opening sensor, or a combination thereof.

20. The method of visually monitoring a climate system of claim 17, wherein the lighting color is blue to indicate an air conditioner status, red to indicate a heater status, orange to indicate a fan status, purple to indicate an air quality status, green to indicate a filter status, indigo to indicate a vent pressure status, or a combination thereof.