DOOR ENTRY LIGHTING SYSTEM AND INTERIOR WELCOME LIGHTING SYSTEMS WITH AN ADDITIONAL SIGNAL FUNCTION

• US 20090051294A1
• Filed: 08/15/2008
• Published: 02/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Huf Hulsbeck & Furst GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Huf Hulsbeck & Furst GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Moning, Stefan, Schumacher, Helmut, Wittwer, Dirk
• Application Number:
  US12/192,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20090051294A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/77
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/247 for illuminating the close surroundings of the vehicle, e.g. to facilitate entry or exit for reverse drive B60Q1/22; by opening a side door B60Q1/323
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/323 on or for doors illuminated exterior door handles B60Q1/2669; illuminated door locks E05B17/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/40 Welcome lights, i.e. specific or existing exterior lamps to assist leaving or approaching the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/80 Circuits; Control arrangements for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47

Abstract

A door entry or interior Welcome lighting system for a motor vehicle includes a lamp and a control circuit. The lamp has at least one RGB-LED component with an LED shining red, an LED shining green, an LED shining blue and connecting lines for separately controlling the three LEDs. The control circuit is coupled to the connecting lines and receives control signals on control lines which indicate on the one hand the requirement for switching on the illumination and, on the other hand, at least one operational condition of a closure device of the motor vehicle. On receipt of the control signals indicating the requirement for switching-on the illumination, the control circuit controls the three LEDs, in a first control mode so that a continuous, white to yellow-white illumination of the door entry area or the motor vehicle interior is produced. In a second control mode, the control circuit controls the three LEDs, in dependence on the control signals indicating an operational state of the closure device, so that a coloured illumination is produced. The additional signal function enables the closure state of the closing device to be indicated to a user in a simple manner.

Claims

1. A door entry interior Welcome lighting system for a motor vehicle with a lamp and a control circuit,

wherein the lamp includes at least one RGB-LED Component with an LED shining red, an LED shining green, an LED shining blue and connecting lines for separately controlling the three LEDs,

wherein the control circuit is coupled to the connecting lines and receives control signals, which indicate on the one hand the requirement for switching on the illumination and on the other hand at least one operational state of a closure device of the motor vehicle,

wherein, on receipt of the control signals indicating the requirement of switching on the illumination, the control circuit controls the three LEDs in a first control mode that a continuous, white to yellow-white illumination of the door entry area or the motor vehicle interior is produced and

wherein the control circuit so controls the three LEDs in dependence on the control signals indicating an operational state of a closure device in a second control mode that a coloured illumination is produced.

2. A door entry or interior Welcome lighting system for motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the control signals include a switching-on signal and at least one control signal, which indicates at least one operational state of a closure device of the motor vehicle.

3. A door entry or interior Welcome lighting system for a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the at least one control signal indicates release and locking of the door closure device.

4. A door entry or interior Welcome lighting system for a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the control circuit receives the switching-on signal from a control device when the control device detects the approach of a driver and/or access authorisation.

5. A door entry or interior Welcome lighting system for a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the control circuit receives the switching-on signal for predetermined period of time after the approach of a driver and the access authorisation has been detected.

6. A door entry or interior Welcome lighting system for a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that, after receipt of the switching-on signal, the control circuit controls the three LEDs in the first control mode for a predetermined period of time.

7. A door entry or interior Welcome lighting system for a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the control circuit so controls the three LEDs in the second control mode that a flashing illumination is produced.

8. A door entry or interior Welcome lighting system for a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the control circuit (a) so controls the three LEDs, on receipt of a control signal indicating a locked state of the closure device, that a red illumination is produced and (b) so controls the three LEDs, on receipt of a control signal indicating an unlocked state of the closure device, that a green illumination is produced.

9. A door entry or interior Welcome lighting system for a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the control circuit receives the control signals indicating the operational state of the closure device from the control device, wherein the control device applies these control signals and a switching-on signal in a predetermined sequence.

10. A door entry or interior Welcome lighting system for a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 9, characterised in that after the detection of the approach of a driver when the closure device is locked and subsequent unlocking of the closure device, the control device firstly outputs the control signal indicating the operational state of the closure device and subsequently the switching-on signal.