Vehicle lighting methods and apparatus

• US 20050063194A1
• Filed: 11/03/2004
• Published: 03/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philips Lighting North America Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Color Kinetics Incorporated (Signify N.V.)
• Inventors: Lys, Ihor, Mueller, George G., Blackwell, Michael K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,525,254 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/545
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/062 Photodynamic therapy, i.e. excitation of an agent
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2696 Mounting of devices using LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/44 for indicating braking action or preparation for braking, e.g. by detection of the foot approaching the brake pedal
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/18 for varying the light intensity
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/80 Circuits; Control arrangements for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/85 for manual control of the light, e.g. of colour, orientation or intensity
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/22 using optical feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/28 using temperature feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/325 Pulse-width modulation [PWM]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/38 using boost topology
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/395 Linear regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 via data-bus transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

Vehicle lighting methods and apparatus, in which an LED-based light source is configured to generate at least visible radiation associated with a vehicle. The light source is controlled such that the generated visible radiation has a variable color over a range of colors including at least three different perceivable colors. Examples of vehicles in which such methods and apparatus may be used include, but are not limited to, an automobile, airplane, boat, non-motorized vehicle, etc. The LED-based light source may be disposed inside the vehicle (e.g., dashboard, instrument panel) or outside the vehicle (e.g., brake lights, undercarriage lighting), and may be controlled to generate white light as one of the perceivable colors. A user interface may be employed to facilitate an adjustment of the variable color of the generated visible radiation. Additionally, information relating to at least one condition associated with the vehicle may be employed to control the LED-based light source such that the variable color of the generated visible radiation is based at least in part on the condition associated with the vehicle.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one LED-based light source configured to generate at least visible radiation associated with a vehicle; and

at least one controller configured to control the at least one LED-based light source such that the generated visible radiation has a variable color over a range of colors including at least three different perceivable colors.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, in combination with the vehicle.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein the vehicle is an automobile.

4. The combination of claim 2, wherein the vehicle is an airplane.

5. The combination of claim 2, wherein the vehicle is a boat.

6. The combination of claim 2, wherein the vehicle is a non-motorized vehicle.

7. The combination of claim 6, wherein the vehicle is a bicycle.

8. The combination of claim 2, wherein the vehicle includes an anti-theft alarm, and wherein the at least one LED-based light source is associated with the anti-theft alarm.

9. The combination of claim 2, wherein the at least one LED-based light source is disposed inside the vehicle.

10. The combination of claim 9, wherein the at least three different perceivable colors of the visible radiation includes white.

11. The combination of claim 9, further comprising at least one user interface coupled to the at least one controller and configured to facilitate an adjustment of the variable color of the generated visible radiation.

12. The combination of claim 9, wherein the at least one LED-based light source is disposed so as to illuminate at least one component that conveys information to an operator of the vehicle.

13. The combination of claim 9, wherein the at least one LED-based light source is disposed in a dashboard of the vehicle.

14. The combination of claim 9, wherein the at least one LED-based light source is disposed in an ignition key area of the vehicle.

15. The combination of claim 2, wherein the at least one LED-based light source is disposed outside the vehicle.

16. The combination of claim 15, wherein the vehicle includes at least one brake light, and wherein the at least one brake light includes the at least one LED-based light source.

17. The combination of claim 2, wherein the at least one LED-based light source is disposed on an underside of the vehicle.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is configured to implement a pulse width modulation (PWM) technique to control the variable color of the generated visible radiation.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least three different perceivable colors of the visible radiation includes white.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one LED-based light source includes:

at least one first LED adapted to output at least first radiation having a first spectrum; and

at least one second LED adapted to output second radiation having a second spectrum different than the first spectrum,

and wherein the at least one controller is configured to independently control at least a first intensity of the first radiation and a second intensity of the second radiation so as to control the variable color of the generated visible radiation.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising at least one optical element disposed in a path of at least the first radiation and the second radiation and configured to receive at least the first and second radiation and to display a color that is a combination of at least the first and second radiation.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one user interface coupled to the at least one controller and configured to facilitate an adjustment of the variable color of the generated visible radiation.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least one user interface consists of a single user-operated device to control the at least one controller.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least one controller is configured to implement a pulse width modulation (PWM) technique to control the variable color of the generated visible radiation.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least one user interface comprises at least one of at least one potentiometer, a thumb plate, a switch, and a network interface.

26. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor configured to provide information relating to at least one condition associated with the vehicle, wherein the at least one controller is configured to monitor the information provided by the at least one sensor and control the at least one LED-based light source such that the variable color of the generated visible radiation is based at least in part on the monitored information.

27. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is configured as an addressable controller capable of receiving at least one network signal relating to the variable color of the generated visible radiation.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the at least one network signal includes address information and plural lighting information for a plurality of lighting apparatus, wherein the plural lighting information includes first lighting information relating to the variable color of the generated visible radiation and other lighting information, and wherein the addressable controller is configured to process the at least one network signal based on an address of the addressable controller and the address information in the at least one network signal to distinguish the first lighting information from the other lighting information.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the addressable controller has an alterable address.

30. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the at least one controller is configured to implement a pulse width modulation (PWM) technique to control the variable color of the generated visible radiation.

31. A method, comprising acts of:

A) generating at least visible radiation associated with a vehicle from at least one LED-based light source; and

B) varying a color of the generated visible radiation over a range of colors including at least three different perceivable colors.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the act A) includes an act of generating the at least visible radiation associated with at least one of an automobile, an airplane, a boat and a non-motorized vehicle.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the vehicle includes an anti-theft alarm, and wherein the act A) includes an act of generating the at least visible radiation associated with the anti-theft alarm.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the act A) includes an act of generating the at least visible radiation inside the vehicle.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the act B) includes an act of varying the color of the generated visible radiation over a range of colors including white.

36. The method of claim 34, further comprising an act of:

C) adjusting the color of the generated visible radiation via at least one user interface.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein the act A) includes an act of illuminating at least one component that conveys information to an operator of the vehicle with the visible radiation.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein the act A) includes an act of illuminating a dashboard of the vehicle with the visible radiation.

39. The method of claim 34, wherein the act A) includes an act of illuminating an ignition key area of the vehicle with the visible radiation.

40. The method of claim 31, wherein the act A) includes an act of generating the at least visible radiation outside the vehicle.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the vehicle includes at least one brake light, and wherein the at least one brake light includes the at least one LED-based light source.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the act A) include an act of generating the at least visible radiation from an underside of the vehicle.

43. The method of claim 31, wherein the act B) includes an act of implementing a pulse width modulation (PWM) technique to control the color of the generated visible radiation.

44. The method of claim 31, wherein the act B) includes an act of varying the color of the generated visible radiation over a range of colors including white.

45. The method of claim 31, wherein the at least one LED-based light source includes at least one first LED adapted to output at least first radiation having a first spectrum and at least one second LED adapted to output second radiation having a second spectrum different than the first spectrum, and wherein the act B) includes an act of:

independently controlling at least a first intensity of the first radiation and a second intensity of the second radiation so as to control the color of the generated visible radiation.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the color of the generated visible radiation is a combination of at least the first and second radiation.

47. The method of claim 31, further comprising an act of:

C) adjusting the color of the generated visible radiation via at least one user interface.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the act B) includes an act of implementing a pulse width modulation (PWM) technique to control the color of the generated visible radiation.

49. The method of claim 31, further comprising acts of:

receiving information relating to at least one condition associated with the vehicle; and

controlling the at least one LED-based light source such that the color of the generated visible radiation is based at least in part on the received information.

50. The method of claim 31, further comprising acts of:

receiving at least one network signal relating to the color of the generated visible radiation, the at least one network signal including address information and plural lighting information, the plural lighting information including first lighting information relating to the color of the generated visible radiation and other lighting information; and

processing the at least one network signal based on an address associated with the at least one LED-based light source and the address information in the at least one network signal to distinguish the first lighting information from the other lighting information.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the act B) includes an act of implementing a pulse width modulation (PWM) technique to control the color of the generated visible radiation.

52. A lighting apparatus for a vehicle dashboard, comprising:

at least one LED-based light source configured to generate at least visible radiation associated with the vehicle dashboard;

at least one controller configured to control the at least one LED-based light source such that the generated visible radiation has a variable color over a range of colors including at least three different perceivable colors; and

at least one user interface coupled to the at least one controller and configured to facilitate an adjustment of the variable color of the generated visible radiation associated with the dashboard.

53. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the at least one user interface consists of a single user-operated device to control the at least one controller.

54. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the at least one user interface comprises at least one of at least one potentiometer, a thumb plate, a switch, and a network interface.

55. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the at least three different perceivable colors of the visible radiation includes white.

56. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the at least one controller is configured to implement a pulse width modulation (PWM) technique to control the variable color of the generated visible radiation.

57. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the at least one LED-based light source includes:

at least one first LED adapted to output at least first radiation having a first spectrum; and

at least one second LED adapted to output second radiation having a second spectrum different than the first spectrum,

and wherein the at least one controller is configured to independently control at least a first intensity of the first radiation and a second intensity of the second radiation so as to control the variable color of the generated visible radiation in response to user operation of the user interface.

58. The apparatus of claim 57, further comprising at least one optical element disposed in a path of at least the first radiation and the second radiation and configured to receive at least the first and second radiation and to display a color that is a combination of at least the first and second radiation.

59. A lighting method for a vehicle dashboard, comprising acts of:

A) generating at least visible radiation associated with the vehicle dashboard from at least one LED-based light source;

B) varying a color of the generated visible radiation over a range of colors including at least three different perceivable colors; and

C) adjusting the color of the generated visible radiation associated with the dashboard via at least one user interface.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein the at least one user interface consists of a single user-operated device to control the at least one controller.

61. The method of claim 59, wherein the at least one user interface comprises at least one of at least one potentiometer, a thumb plate, a switch, and a network interface.

62. The method of claim 59, wherein the act B) includes an act of implementing a pulse width modulation (PWM) technique to control the color of the generated visible radiation.

63. The method of claim 59, wherein the act B) includes an act of varying the color of the generated visible radiation over a range of colors including white.

64. The method of claim 59, wherein the at least one LED-based light source includes at least one first LED adapted to output at least first radiation having a first spectrum and at least one second LED adapted to output second radiation having a second spectrum different than the first spectrum, and wherein the act B) includes an act of:

independently controlling at least a first intensity of the first radiation and a second intensity of the second radiation so as to control the color of the generated visible radiation.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein the color of the generated visible radiation is a combination of at least the first and second radiation.

66. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one LED-based light source configured to generate at least visible radiation associated with a vehicle; and

at least one controller configured to control the at least one LED-based light source such that the generated visible radiation has a variable color over a range of colors including at least three different perceivable colors, the at least one controller further configured to receive information relating to at least one condition associated with the vehicle and control the at least one LED-based light source such that the variable color of the generated visible radiation is based at least in part on the received information.

67. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein the at least one controller is configured to implement a pulse width modulation (PWM) technique to control the variable color of the generated visible radiation.

68. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein the at least three different perceivable colors of the visible radiation includes white.

69. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein the at least one LED-based light source includes:

at least one first LED adapted to output at least first radiation having a first spectrum; and

at least one second LED adapted to output second radiation having a second spectrum different than the first spectrum,

and wherein the at least one controller is configured to independently control at least a first intensity of the first radiation and a second intensity of the second radiation so as to control the variable color of the generated visible radiation.

70. The apparatus of claim 69, further comprising at least one optical element disposed in a path of at least the first radiation and the second radiation and configured to receive at least the first and second radiation and to display a color that is a combination of at least the first and second radiation.

71. The apparatus of claim 66, further comprising at least one user interface coupled to the at least one controller and configured to facilitate an adjustment of the variable color of the generated visible radiation.

72. The apparatus of claim 71, wherein the at least one user interface consists of a single user-operated device to control the at least one controller.

73. The apparatus of claim 71, wherein the at least one user interface comprises at least one of at least one potentiometer, a thumb plate, a switch, and a network interface.

74. The apparatus of claim 66, further comprising at least one sensor configured to provide the information relating to at least one condition associated with the vehicle.

75. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein the at least one controller is configured as an addressable controller capable of receiving at least one network signal relating to the variable color of the generated visible radiation.

76. The apparatus of claim 75, further including at least one receiver coupled to the at least one controller and configured to receive the at least one network signal as at least one wireless electromagnetic signal.

77. The apparatus of claim 75, wherein the at least one network signal includes the information relating to the at least one condition associated with the vehicle.

78. The apparatus of claim 75, wherein the at least one network signal includes address information and plural lighting information for a plurality of lighting apparatus, wherein the plural lighting information includes first lighting information relating to the variable color of the generated visible radiation and other lighting information, and wherein the addressable controller is configured to process the at least one network signal based on an address of the addressable controller and the address information in the at least one network signal to distinguish the first lighting information from the other lighting information.

79. The apparatus of claim 78, wherein the addressable controller has an alterable address.

80. The apparatus of claim 66, further including at least one receiver coupled to the at least one controller and configured to receive at least one wireless electromagnetic signal relating to the variable color of the generated visible radiation.

81. The apparatus of claim 80, wherein the at least one wireless electromagnetic signal includes the information relating to the at least one condition associated with the vehicle.

82. A method, comprising acts of:

A) generating at least visible radiation associated with a vehicle from at least one LED-based light source;

B) receiving information relating to at least one condition associated with the vehicle; and

C) varying a color of the generated visible radiation over a range of colors including at least three different perceivable colors based at least in part on the received information.

83. The method of claim 82, wherein the act C) includes an act of implementing a pulse width modulation (PWM) technique to control the color of the generated visible radiation.

84. The method of claim 82, wherein the act C) includes an act of varying the color of the generated visible radiation over a range of colors including white.

85. The method of claim 82, wherein the at least one LED-based light source includes at least one first LED adapted to output at least first radiation having a first spectrum and at least one second LED adapted to output second radiation having a second spectrum different than the first spectrum, and wherein the act C) includes an act of:

independently controlling at least a first intensity of the first radiation and a second intensity of the second radiation so as to control the color of the generated visible radiation.

86. The method of claim 85, wherein the color of the generated visible radiation is a combination of at least the first and second radiation.

87. The method of claim 82, further comprising an act of:

D) adjusting the color of the generated visible radiation via at least one user interface.

88. The method of claim 82, further comprising acts of:

receiving at least one network signal relating to the color of the generated visible radiation, the at least one network signal including address information and plural lighting information, the plural lighting information including first lighting information relating to the color of the generated visible radiation and other lighting information; and

processing the at least one network signal based on an address associated with the at least one LED-based light source and the address information in the at least one network signal to distinguish the first lighting information from the other lighting information.

89. The method of claim 88, wherein the at least one network signal includes the information relating to the at least one condition associated with the vehicle.

90. The method of claim 82, further comprising an act of:

receiving at least one wireless electromagnetic signal relating to the color of the generated visible radiation.

91. The method of claim 90, wherein the at least one wireless electromagnetic signal includes the information relating to the at least one condition associated with the vehicle.