VEHICLE LIGHTING APPARATUS WITH MULTIZONE PROXIMITY CONTROL

• US 20150298607A1
• Filed: 09/08/2014
• Published: 10/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2014
• 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., Dunham, Scott Holmes, Ammar, Ali, Gardner, Cornel Lewis
• Granted Patent: US 9,302,616 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/64 for a single lighting device
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/76 for spotlighting, e.g. reading lamps spotlighting on or for specific fittings B60Q3/20; spotlighting in mass transit vehicles B60Q3/44
• 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

Abstract

A vehicle lighting system is disclosed. The lighting system comprises a group of light sources having a plurality of portions. Each of the portions has a proximity sensor configured to communicate a signal to control a portion of the plurality of portions. A controller is in communication with the light sources and the proximity sensors. The controller is operable to selectively activate a first portion of the grouping of light sources in response to a first proximity detection, and activate the plurality of portions in response to a second proximity detection.

Claims

1. A vehicle lighting system comprising:

a group of light sources comprising a plurality of portions, each portion comprising a proximity sensor;

a controller in communication with the light sources and the proximity sensors, wherein the controller is operable to;

selectively activate a first portion of the grouping of light sources in response to a first proximity detection; and

activate the plurality of portions in response to a second proximity detection.

2. The vehicle lighting system according to claim 1, wherein the first proximity detection corresponds to an object detected at a first distance and the second proximity detection corresponds to the object detected at a second distance.

3. The vehicle lighting system according to claim 1, wherein the first distance corresponds to a greater distance than the second distance.

4. The vehicle lighting system according to claim 1, further comprising an outer surface from which the plurality of light sources emit light, wherein the first proximity corresponds to the object detected approximately abutting the surface.

5. The vehicle lighting system according to claim 1, wherein each portion corresponds to a directional light source configured to direct light from the light sources to significantly distinct portions of a passenger compartment of the vehicle.

6. The vehicle lighting system according to claim 5, wherein each of the light sources comprise at least one optic element configured to direct the light toward the significantly distinct portions of the passenger compartment.

7. A lighting device for a vehicle comprising:

a plurality of light sources corresponding to a plurality of portions;

a plurality of proximity sensors; and

a controller in communication with the light sources and the proximity sensors, wherein the controller is operable to;

selectively activate each portion in response to a first proximity detection; and

selectively activate a plurality of the portions in response to a second proximity detection.

8. The lighting device according to claim 7, wherein the first proximity detection corresponds to an object detected at a first distance and the second proximity detection corresponds to the object detected at a second distance.

9. The lighting device according to claim 7, wherein the first distance corresponds to a greater distance than the second distance.

10. The lighting device according to claim 7, further comprising a front surface from which the plurality of light sources emit light, wherein the first proximity corresponds to the object detected approximately abutting the surface.

11. The lighting device according to claim 7, wherein the controller is further operable to control a brightness of each portion in response to detecting the object at the first proximity for a predetermined period of time.

12. The lighting device according to claim 7, wherein the controller is further operable to control a brightness of the plurality of the portions in response to detecting the object at the second proximity for a predetermined period of time.

13. A lighting device comprising:

a plurality of directional light sources disposed in a plurality of portions, each portion comprising a proximity sensor;

a controller in communication with the light sources and the proximity sensors, wherein the controller is operable to;

selectively activate each portion in response to a first proximity detection; and

selectively activate a plurality of the portions in response to a second proximity detection.

14. The lighting device according to claim 13, further comprising at least one circuit in communication with the controller and each of the light sources, wherein the circuit forms a back portion of the lighting device.

15. The lighting device according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of directional light sources is mounted on the back portion.

16. The lighting device according to claim 15, further comprising a plurality of optic elements extending outward from the back portion.

17. The lighting device according to claim 16, wherein each of the optic elements is configured to direct at least one of the light emissions to a significantly distinct portion of a passenger compartment of the vehicle.

18. The lighting device according to claim 16, wherein the optic elements are configured to direct the light emissions outward from the lighting device to form emission paths corresponding to the directional light sources.

19. The lighting device according to claim 18, further comprising a front surface on which the proximity sensors are disposed.

20. The lighting device according to claim 19, wherein the proximity sensors are in communication with the controller via at least one conductive connector extending from the front surface to the back surface.