AMBIENT LIGHTING SYSTEM TO MITIGATE THE IMPACT OF TRAVEL ACROSS TIME ZONES

• US 20160159276A1
• Filed: 12/08/2014
• Published: 06/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Thomas, Lisa C., Loftis, Richard J., Armatorio, Andrew L., Hart, Colin W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,493,112 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/74 for overall compartment lighting; for overall compartment lighting in combination with specific lighting, e.g. room lamps with reading lamps general lighting mounted on specific fittings B60Q3/20; general lighting for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/43
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/80 Circuits; Control arrangements for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/00 Passenger or crew accommodation; Flight-deck installations not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2011/0053 Cabin passenger reading lights
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means

Abstract

A system and method for a customized ambient lighting environment for individuals in vehicles travelling rapidly across multiple time zones, that can be automated and/or based on user input and which allows each user to be exposed to light in accordance to selected preferences and circumstances, in order to begin acclimating the user to a new time zone, or avoid acclimating to a new time zone, and/or otherwise mitigate circadian desynchrony.

Claims

1. A system for providing light exposure to mitigate the impact on a user in a vehicle of rapidly travelling across time zones comprising:

a user area;

a light emitting source configured to direct light into the user area and where said light source is adjustable for one or more of a desired duration, an intensity level, a light projection angle and a wavelength or combination of wavelengths;

and

a user interface configured to selectively control an adjustment of the light source for one or more of the duration, the intensity level, the light projection angle and the wavelength or combination of wavelengths corresponding to a light exposure of a selected time zone.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, where the light is directed to illuminate a predetermined area of the user area.

3. The system as recited in claim 2, where the predetermined area is one or more of a predetermined user head area and a predetermined user eye area.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, where the light source is configured with baffles designed to absorb a portion of the light projected outside of a predetermined area.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, where the selected time zone is one or more of a destination time zone, an origin time zone or an interim other time zone.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, where the user input is configured to automatically selectively control the adjustment of the light source for one or more of the duration, the intensity, the light projection angle and the wavelength based on a user selected time zone.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, where the user area is a passenger seating area in a vehicle having a seat for an individual passenger.

8. The system as recited in claim 1, where the user area includes a plurality of passenger seating positions each having a separate light source configured to direct light toward each of the plurality of passenger seating positions.

9. The system as recited in claim 7 or 8, where the user area is at least partially enclosed.

10. The system as recited in claim 1, where the wavelength of the light source includes one or more of a red, a blue and a green wavelength.

11. An aircraft incorporating the system of claim 1.

12. A method for providing light exposure to mitigate the impact of rapid travel across time zones on a user in a vehicle comprising:

directing light toward an user area, where light exposure is adjustable for one or more of a desired duration, an, intensity level, a light projection angle and a light wavelength or combination of wavelengths;

selectively controlling an adjustment of the light exposure for one or more of a duration, an intensity level, a light projection angle and a wavelength or combination of wavelengths;

to simulate a desired light exposure of a selected time zone.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, where directing the light includes focusing the light into a beam to project and illuminate a predetermined area of the user area.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, where the predetermined area is one or more of a predetermined user head area and a predetermined user eye area.

15. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

baffling the beam of light with baffles designed to absorb a portion of the beam projected outside of a predetermined area.

16. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the selected time zone is one or more of the destination time zone, the origin zone or an other time zone.

17. The method as recited in claim 12, where selectively controlling the adjustment of the light is based on a number of planned days in the selected time zone.

18. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

selectively controlling the adjustment of the light for the selected time zone automatically based on the user selected time zone, or manually, based on user inputs.

19. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

directing each of a plurality of lights to one or more of a plurality of passenger seating positions.

20. The method as recited in claim 12, where selectively controlling an adjustment of the light includes adjusting the light wavelength to one or more of a red, a blue and a green wavelength.