Multi-Color In-Dash Lighting System for Changing Vehicle Backlighting

• US 20140226303A1
• Filed: 05/29/2013
• Published: 08/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mohammad A. Pasdar
• Original Assignee: Mohammad A. Pasdar
• Inventors: Pasdar, Mohammad A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,434,300 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/23.08
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2500/30 Arrangements for illuminating different zones in the vehicle, e.g. front/rear, different seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/16 Circuits; Control arrangements
• 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 3/82 Switches specially adapted for vehicle interior lighting, e.g. switching by tilting the lens
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/85 for manual control of the light, e.g. of colour, orientation or intensity

Abstract

A vehicle interior lighting system for enabling a driver to control the intensity and color of interior lighting is presented. The system includes a controller that controls the color and intensity of interior lighting, a selector control that switches color and intensity controls to various groups of interior lights (such as instrument lights, indicator light), a color that controls light color and an intensity control that controls light intensity. In practice the controller is a microcontroller, the lights are tri-color light emitting diodes, the selector control is a multi-position switch, and the color and intensity controls are potentiometers.

Claims

1. A vehicle interior lighting system, comprising:

a controller;

a selector control applying a user adjustable selector input to said controller;

a color control applying a user adjustable color input to said controller;

an intensity control applying a user adjustable intensity input to said controller;

an instrument cluster having instrument illumination devices emitting light having a color and an intensity; and

,

an array of indicators having indicator illumination devices emitting light having a color and an intensity;

wherein said controller controls said color of said instrument illumination devices based on a color input;

wherein said controller controls said color of said indicator illumination devices based on a color input;

wherein said controller controls said intensity of said instrument illumination devices based on an intensity input; and

,

wherein said controller controls said intensity of said indicator illumination devices based on an intensity input.

2. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 1, further including compartment interior illumination devices emitting light having a color and an intensity, wherein said controller controls said intensity based on an intensity input, and wherein said controller controls said color based on a color input.

3. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 2, wherein said instrument illumination devices, said indicator illumination devices, and said compartment interior illumination devices are light-emitting diodes.

4. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 3, wherein said light emitting diodes are tri-color light-emitting diodes.

5. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 4, wherein said color control is a potentiometer.

6. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 5, wherein said intensity control is a potentiometer.

7. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 6, wherein said controller includes an Analog to Digital converter for digitizing said intensity input.

8. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 6, wherein said selector control includes a multiple position switch.

9. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 8, wherein when said selector control is in a first position said compartment interior illumination devices, said instrument illumination devices;

and said indicator illumination devices are off.

10. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 9, wherein when said selector control is in a second position said controller sets said intensity and color of said instrument illumination devices.

11. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 10, wherein when said selector control is in a third position said controller sets said intensity and color of said indicator illumination devices.

12. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 11, wherein when said selector control is in a fourth position said controller sets said intensity and color of said compartment interior illumination devices.

13. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 12, wherein when said selector control is in a fifth position said controller sets said intensity and color of said compartment interior illumination devices, said instrument illumination devices;

and said indicator illumination devices.

14. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 13, wherein said controller is a microcontroller.

15. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 14, wherein said microcontroller includes a programming input port for receiving an operating program.

16. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 15, wherein said microcontroller is a flash programmable microcontroller.

17. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 13, further including a first control device for turning said instrument illumination devices on and off.

18. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 13, further including a second control device for turning said indicator illumination devices on and off.

19. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 13, further including a third control device for turning said compartment interior illumination devices on and off.

20. The vehicle interior lighting system according to claim 1, further including a vehicle operation control device for selectively applying external electrical power.