Vehicle spotlight with tracking feature

• US 10,377,299 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2017
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Duncan, Jeffrey Paul, Randlett, Doug H., Dellock, Paul Kenneth, Miller, Douglas, Hunt, Christopher Charles, Salter, Stuart C., Hoover, Chad, Mullen, Matthew Cramer
• Primary Examiner(s): Akki, Munear T
• Application Number:
  US15/700,627
• Publication Number:
  US 20190077306A1
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0023 the element being a sensor, e.g. distance sensor, camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0082 mounted on the steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/245 Searchlights, e.g. adjustable from within the vehicle adjustable headlights B60Q1/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2900/30 Lamps commanded by wireless transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/046 Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/01 Housings, e.g. material or assembling of housing parts F21V15/02 takes precedence housings forming signs or letters G09F13/04
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/15 specially adapted for power operation, e.g. by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/30 Pivoted housings or frames
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/04 of lens shape

Abstract

A vehicle lighting system is provided herein. A spotlight is coupled to a vehicle and is configured to project light in a target direction. A controller is configured to wirelessly send command signals to the spotlight. A user-input device is in communication with the controller and is provided on a steering wheel of the vehicle. The command signals are based on user-input and control at least one of an aim direction and a light activation of the spotlight.

Claims

1. A vehicle lighting system comprising:

a spotlight coupled to a vehicle and configured to selectively project a light beam, a search beam, and a laser beam in a target direction;

a plurality of wireless communication transceivers configured to communicate with one or more portable remote devices external to the vehicle; and

a controller configured to wirelessly send command signals to the spotlight based on input from the wireless communication transceivers to project the selected one of the light beam, the search beam and the laser beam in the target direction of the one or more portable remote devices, wherein the laser beam coincides with a beam axis of the search beam and highlights a center point of the search beam.

2. The vehicle lighting system of claim 1, wherein the light beam and the laser beam are visible, and the search beam is invisible.

3. The vehicle lighting system of claim 1, wherein the spotlight comprises a lens secured to a lamp head and the lamp head is configured to rotate so as to shield a lens of the spotlight from oncoming debris.

4. The vehicle lighting system of claim 1, wherein the command signals prompt the spotlight to track one of the remote devices and to project at least one of the light beam, the search beam, and the laser beam toward the one of the remote devices.

5. The vehicle lighting system of claim 1, wherein the command signals prompt the spotlight to track whichever remote device is located inside the search beam and is closest to the vehicle, and to project at least one of the light beam, the search beam, and the laser beam toward the remote device.

6. A vehicle lighting system comprising:

a spotlight coupled to a vehicle and configured to project an invisible search beam in a target direction;

a plurality of wireless communication transceivers configured to communicate with one or more portable remote devices external to the vehicle; and

a controller in communication with the wireless communication transceivers and configured to wirelessly control the spotlight to track the one or more of portable remote devices with the projected invisible search beam, wherein the spotlight is further configured to project a visible laser beam that coincides with a beam axis of the search beam and highlights a centerpoint of the search beam.

7. The vehicle lighting system of claim 6, wherein the spotlight is further configured to project a visible light beam, the visible laser beam and the search beam having a common beam axis and a variable beam angle.

8. The vehicle lighting system of claim 6, wherein the one of the remote devices corresponds to a remote device located inside the search beam and closest to the vehicle.

9. The vehicle lighting system of claim 6, wherein the spotlight comprises a lens secured to a lamp head and the lamp head is configured to rotate so as to shield a lens of the spotlight from oncoming debris.